Walken—Sally Puckett's sister and a Wachovia customer for 24 years – is the grand prize winner in Wachovia's Who Would You Thank? Contest (contest details below) conducted as part of 2007 National Customer Service Week. She is among 38 winners who received prizes ranging from $250 to $25,000. Two years ago, the Pucketts were trapped inside their burning vehicle on Interstate 95 after a collision with a speeding tractor-trailer. Passerby John Lane from Brunswick, Ga., immediately reacted. Running from his car through gas flames, he pulled the two from the car just seconds before it exploded. The three emerged from the fiery wreckage unscathed.
"My sister's seatbelt was jammed," said Walken. "John saw the car with people in it, stopped, raced through gas flames on the highway, pulled them out by God's grace and saved them. He, as a stranger, endangered his own life and literally saved the life of my sister and her husband with only a moment to spare."
"Gratitude is an important part of Wachovia's culture," said Jack Clayton, Wachovia's Regional President for Raleigh. "Through our Who Would You Thank? Contest, we are thrilled to be able to help Jennifer and her family thank John Lane, who risked his life to save complete strangers."
"Together with our customers, this contest allows Wachovia to spread the spirit of gratitude, something we value every day," said Ken Thompson, chairman and CEO of Wachovia Corporation.
Wachovia awards$10,000 to influential mentor
Laurietta Faulkner of South Boston, Va., a runner-up and recipient of a $10,000 cash prize, shared a heartwarming story focused on her mentor, Joyce Houser of Fort Wayne, Ind. As an underprivileged 12-year-old, Faulkner said she had no confidence and little hope for the future until Houser, then a student teacher, stepped into her life. Through her, Faulkner said she gained a sense of self-worth and learned that her challenging childhood did not have to define her life.
About Wachovia's Who Would You Thank? Contest
The contest was the marquee event in Wachovia's 2007 observance of National Customer Service Week, a national event proclaimed by Congress in 1992. It was designed to help customers say thank you to someone special in their lives. The contest, which ran Sept. 10-Oct. 5, was open to customers and non-customers. Entries could be obtained by visiting one of Wachovia's financial centers or wachovia.com. The entries were collected and judged by an independent third party. The winners were awarded with a cash prize to use in thanking their nominee.
About Wachovia Corporation
Wachovia Corporation (NYSE:WB) is one of the nation's largest diversified financial services companies, with assets of $754.2 billion and market capitalization of $95.3 billion at September 30, 2007. Wachovia provides a broad range of retail banking and brokerage, asset and wealth management, and corporate and investment banking products and services to 13 million household and business customers. Wachovia has 3,400 retail financial centers in 21 states from Connecticut to Florida and west to Texas and California, and nationwide retail brokerage, mortgage lending and auto finance businesses. Globally, clients are served in selected corporate and institutional sectors and through more than 40 international offices. Our retail brokerage operations under the Wachovia Securities brand name manage more than $800 billion in client assets through 11,400 registered representatives in 786 offices nationwide. The acquisition of A.G. Edwards, Inc., following the end of the third quarter, added approximately 740 offices, 6,300 financial consultants and $384 billion in brokerage client assets. Online banking is available at wachovia.com; online brokerage products and services at wachoviasec.com; and investment products and services at evergreeninvestments.com.
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