CNO Stories

‘Tis the season for some amazing artwork from the children of CNO Financial associates.  

In the company’s fifth annual corporate holiday and New Year’s card program, the winning card features the word “Joy”among several holly branches. It comes from 10-year-old Lennon “Leni” Zuhr, niece of Brent Blank, lead generation manager in our Chicago office.  

Her creation will be used as the image on CNO's official 2023 corporate holiday card. 

“Joy describes the happiness and cheer I feel during the holidays,” said Leni, whose favorite school subjects include drama, art and language arts. “I love spending time with friends and family and all the fun winter activities. I wanted to showcase the season and make people smile.” 

As a result of her creative effort, Leni received an art kit, a $500 gift card and $500 from CNO to donate to her charity of choice, The Night Ministry.  

“The CNO holiday and New Year’s card program serves as a meaningful way for children to explore what the holidays truly mean,” said Leni’s mother, Erica Zuhr. “This initiative cultivates a sense of community by connecting them with the joy of sharing their holiday designs with others. Beyond igniting their creativity, this program instills the spirit of giving by engaging children in exploring charitable causes and understanding the impact of making donations." 

The program began in September, when immediate family members of CNO associates ages 18 and younger were invited to submit their holiday-themed artwork. As in the past four years, the entries represent a wide range of holiday traditions celebrated by our associates and their families, with judging this year conducted by a cross-section of CNO associates.

Each contestant received their choice of an art kit or e-gift card. This year, there were 118 submissions.