How Giving Back Helps You Move Forward

May 7, 2019

I didn’t want to open a blog post with an Oprah Winfrey quote, but she seems to really know what she’s talking about: “To move forward, you have to give back.”

I think that we all have a responsibility as individuals, and as corporations, to give back. Giving back comes in many forms. For some, it’s donating their time. For others, it’s donating their money. For me, it’s a combination of volunteer work, supporting small businesses and collecting hotel toiletries when I travel to donate to homeless shelters. It’s from giving back that we really see the world in a different light, and, as Oprah says, we move forward.

My career with Konica Minolta began four years ago and in those four short years I’ve seen the company grow tremendously. We have acquired more than a dozen companies, are continually  launching new business lines and products, and our sponsorships – of both sports marketing and charity events – have  nearly tripled. Perhaps it’s no coincidence that the more our company gives back, the more it moves forward and the more it grows.

In FY18 Konica Minolta raised and donated more than $10 million for charities nationwide. I’ve been fortunate to see a lot of these initiatives and partnerships develop first hand. Our most recent contribution to the local community was through our support of the PGA TOUR Champions event, the Hoag Classic. This golf tournament, known as the most philanthropic tournament on the PGA TOUR Champions, took place at the Newport Beach Country Club in California from March 8-10, 2019. As one of two presenting sponsors, Konica Minolta participated in events during and leading up to the tournament to help raise money for the community of Southern California.

I’ve learned over the years that Konica Minolta loves setting big goals for itself, both in business and in fundraising. Our company is disruptive, pushing the boundaries to pave the way for growth because we truly believe that the future is limitless. Knowing we would have such a large presence at the Hoag Classic in the beginning of March, we naturally wanted to make it even larger. And we did. We hosted our annual Dealer Conference in Newport Beach from March 4-6, 2019.  The theme of the Dealer Conference: Limitless.

More than 700 Dealer Principals, Dealer Sales Reps, partners, press and staff attended to hear about the current status and future of Konica Minolta through an interactive general session, technology expo, breakout meetings and unique evening experiences. We decided to combine forces for the final night of our dealer conference and merge it with the Hoag Charity Sports Kick-off Gala. By doing this, we intertwined our dealer network with the Hoag Classic network, making the tournament sponsor party the biggest yet, and helping to raise the most money in the Hoag Classic’s history.

And that was just the beginning! Our participation continued with our Title Sponsorship of the Legends Pro-Am, further integrating our brand with the tournament and its charitable purpose. We continued our support for veterans during the tournament by bringing in retired military for Military Appreciation Day, where they honored those who have received Purple Hearts. The Hoag Classic also gave all former, active and reserve military members, plus guests, complimentary admission into the tournament and food and beverages on that day. Talk about a good thing to do! Konica Minolta also had a large on-site presence through branding and hospitality tents for hosting local direct and dealer customers on the course.

What I love most about our company is we support so many initiatives nearly every employee and customer nationwide can relate to in one way or another. Other recent initiatives include:

  • Helping to give pediatric cancer patients once-in-a-lifetime opportunities through our partnerships
  • Walking across the Brooklyn Bridge in Manhattan to raise awareness and funds for kidney disease
  • Promoting children’s literacy by building libraries in inner-city schools
  • Protecting the world’s oceans by being an environmentally friendly company
  • Raising money to build safe homes for soldiers to transition from active duty to regular civilian life
  • Volunteering at local farms so the community is able to have affordable, fresh produce

We don’t move forward by ourselves, we move forward from our networks and relationships and seeing what an impact our contributions make.

Amelia Hladnick
Manager, Corporate Events & Partnerships

Amelia is the Manager, Corporate Events & Partnerships at Konica Minolta where she oversees the strategic planning and execution of corporate events, trade shows and meetings. She is also responsible for managing relationships and driving business growth with sports partners among several leagues, including the PGA TOUR, MLB, NFL, NHL, MLS, IMSA and the NBA. A graduate of DePauw University, she worked as a Senior Travel Director for Maritz Travel Company in Saint Louis, Missouri prior to joining Konica Minolta five years ago. Amelia is a native Californian who now lives in New Jersey with her husband Matt. She enjoys cooking, hiking, singing and eating her way through New York City.