Corporate Executive Shift Gears For Greater Cause - 5/10/2005

NEWINGTON, Conn. - The demanding lifestyle of a corporate executive doesn't always lend itself to personal fitness and community service. Endless meetings, business trips, and managing numerous projects and staff often leave little time for outside interests.

For Mark Homan, however, life is more than just business - it's the pursuit of personal passions. Homan, an assistant vice president and actuary with The Hartford Financial Services Group, one of the leading insurance companies in the United States, knows the personal satisfaction and rewards of involvement in outside activities. Despite a hectic schedule, Homan has cycled in the bkm/Steelcase MS Bike Tour for four years, and for him, the personal payoff is worth the sacrifice of time and energy.

"I initially chose to participate in the tour as a means to motivate myself to get into better shape," said the 45-year-old executive. "However, the tour has gotten to be much more than that. My close friend's wife has multiple sclerosis, and a colleague also has multiple sclerosis. Witnessing their personal battles with this disease has motivated me to become an active fundraiser - not just a cyclist."

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease
affecting the central nervous system. The central
nervous system is comprised of the brain, spinal cord
and optic nerves. In a healthy individual, immune
cells work to protect the body from disease-producing
organisms. In the case of those living with MS, the
immune system mistakenly attacks its own body
tissue. Myelin, the protective coating or insulation
lining nerve cells, is the primary target of this attack.

These nerve cells facilitate nerve conduction. In some instances the nerve cells themselves can be damaged. Myelin is lost leaving scarring, or sclerosis, at multiple sites in the central nervous system. It is these scars that give the disease its name - multiple sclerosis. The scars eventually begin to slow or interrupt the transmission of nerve impulses, resulting in symptoms such as numbness, stiffness, weakness, imbalance, fatigue, blurred vision, tingling and pain, changes in bladder and or bowel function, speech difficulties and memory impairment. Each individual's symptoms vary depending on the particular location(s) where the scarring of demyelination occurs. No one understands the underlying cause of the disease, and, consequently, there is no cure for MS. More than 400,000 Americans nationwide suffer from the effects of multiple sclerosis, and approximately 6,000 Connecticut residents live with the debilitating effects multiple sclerosis.

Homan, who lives with his wife and two children in Canton, Conn., has biked intermittently for about 15 years. He said the team and the tour have put him back in the saddle for the long haul. Homan takes on the 100-mile route and is among the top 10 bkm/Steelcase MS Bike Tour fundraisers. A few years ago, he teamed up with 16 other corporate professionals, who together make up Maag Wheels, a bike tour team first formed in 1996. Homan has raised more than $10,000 over the past four years and together, the team has raised more than $70,000. In 2004, Maag Wheels was recognized as the tour's top fundraising team.

"Mark Homan is a great person," said Billy Maag, Team Captain. "When he started on my team in 2002, his fundraising accomplishment took me completely by surprise. He raised more than $1,800 in his rookie year, only $500 shy of what I raised that year, and that was my seventh year of fundraising! He says every year that his goal is to beat my fundraising total. I'm convinced he'll succeed at it soon, and I want him to! He is an incredible asset to Maag Wheels - he pushes me to be a better fundraiser."

The annual rides have resulted superior inner fortitude, better empathy, increased physical endurance, good friendships and some great stories.

"In 2004, we rode the century (100-mile ride in a day) in a torrential downpour and 55-degree weather," remembered Homan. "Until that time, my biggest challenge was getting myself out of bed on Saturdays to train for the 100-mile ride. However, nothing has provided more of a challenge than pushing on, soaked and chilled to the core. Crossing the finish line was never so exhilarating than on that day. That moment provided such a sense of accomplishment - one that I will never forget."

Colleague Kathy Monterosso has experienced her share of challenges. Diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1999, Monterosso pushes on daily despite relentless fatigue and periods of numbness in her legs. She is especially thankful for healthy individuals like Homan, who rise up to the challenge and sacrifice time and money to join the fight against a disease not their own.

"I am extremely grateful for Mark Homan and others who support this cause," said Monterosso, who has worked as a senior underwriter with The Hartford for 13 years. "If it weren't for people like Mark, I, as well as others, would not have the medicines we do today to slow the progression of the disease. There are some nights I just don't want to give myself the prescribed injections. I become frustrated and weary. Then I hear about others and all they're doing to help find a cure, and I am encouraged to keep going. It is good to know that so many, especially my colleagues, care and take time out of their busy lives to help."

Homan encourages others to get involved in chapter events such as the bkm/Steelcase MS Bike Tour. For him, there is nothing more gratifying than the feeling he gets from supporting a great cause.

"There is real hope, that with research, we will better understand multiple sclerosis and its causes, which in turn will lead to a cure," said Homan. "Knowing that I can contribute in some way to finding a cure for a disease such as multiple sclerosis carries great significance. It's something that I just can't ignore."

The National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Greater Connecticut Chapter 24th annual bkm/Steelcase MS Bike Tour, A Tour For The Cure, will be held on Sunday, June 5. The bike tour will take place rain or shine and start and finish at Griffin Center, Building 8, Griffin Road North, Windsor, Conn. Cyclists can opt from 10-, 25-, 50-, 75- or 100-mile routes. Cover band Accidental Groove and FOX American Idol contestant Joseph Murena have teamed-up with the Greater Connecticut Chapter for the event. The quintet formed in the early 90s while in college, performing covers at local establishments. Today, the band performs throughout New England. A native of Long Island, N.Y., Murena recently won ABC's Good Morning America national karaoke competition. He has made appearances on Showtime at the Apollo and Star Search and is currently preparing for a lead role in a movie going into production in the fall.

The registration fee is $30 with a $100 fundraising minimum per rider. All cyclists achieving a $100 fundraising minimum will receive a commemorative bkm/Steelcase MS Bike Tour tee shirt and water bottle. All participants will receive a complimentary Food Court luncheon provided by a variety of local restaurants. The public is invited. A $5 minimum donation is required for adult spectators and a $2 donation for children 12 and under. The donation will cover the Food Court luncheon and live entertainment, with proceeds benefiting programs and services offered by the Greater Connecticut Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.

For more information on the 2005 bkm/Steelcase MS Bike Tour or to sponsor Homan or another cyclist, please visit www.ctnmss.org, call the National MS Society at (860) 953-BIKE or tune in to NBC 30 Connecticut or Lite 100.5 FM, WRCH. For more information on Accidental Groove, please go to www.accidentalgroove.com, and for more information on American Idol contestant Joe Murena, please go to www.joemurena.com.

5/10/05