Defined contribution plan record keeper Empower Retirement launched its new partnership with the Denver Broncos with a pregame presentation of a check to the Alzheimer's Association at the NFL franchise's season-opening game on Sept. 15.
Empower contributed $25,000 of the $123,165 donated to the association in a partnership with the family of late Broncos owner Pat Bowlen, who died in June from Alzheimer's-related complications.
The ceremony marked the beginning of Greenwood Village, Colo.-based Empower's 21-season contract for the naming rights to the Broncos' stadium, now minted Empower Field at Mile High.
Steve Jenks, Empower's chief marketing officer, participated in the on-field ceremony and said in a telephone interview the new deal with the Broncos includes a focus on community engagement.
The launch of the partnership included many of Empower's employees participating in the 2019 Walk to End Alzheimer's that took place in Denver on the eve of the Broncos' home opener.
Mr. Jenks said based on the enthusiasm of the nearly 3,000 Empower employees based in the area to the naming-rights announcement and a pep rally the firm held with the team, Empower will be able to mobilize employees even more than in the past thanks to the partnership.
As an example, he pointed to Good Sports, an organization that provides sporting goods to underprivileged youths in the area.
"That's where we take advantage of being with the Broncos," Mr. Jenks said. "You can do some of these events at the stadium and they're very excited (about that)."
The heightened visibility of Empower Retirement will also help the firm expand the reach of its community engagement, Mr. Jenks said.
"On social media, we'll typically be mid-six-figures each week in terms of number of people (engaged). In the first week of this arrangement, we touched 81 million people on search activity," he said.
