ECI has announced the finalists of its Everyday Hero Award program. The crown jewel of ECI culture honors ECI customers worldwide who consistently go above and beyond to help others and make a difference in their communities. This year, ECI received a record-high number of nominations that were submitted by ECI employees, customers and partners. Those nominations were then evaluated by a panel of global ECI team members and past winners.

This year's finalists:

• Sven Gustafson, founder and CEO of the 141 Project, a nonprofit that builds affordable homes for working families in the poorest regions of Guatemala. For every home completed in the United States, 141 Project makes a home in Guatemala for a fraction of the cost. After visiting Guatemala on a church mission, Gustafson was inspired to start the 141 Project. He was moved by the stories of families living in poverty and struggling to make ends meet. Since its founding, the organization has built more than 2,000 homes in Guatemala and continues to provide families access to education, health care and other resources.
• Scott Kinderman is a volunteer advocate at BeLEAF Survivors, a nonprofit organization that supports survivors of sexual assault. He goes to hospitals to meet with survivors when they are receiving medical attention and reporting the crime. Through compassion and empathy, Kinderman provides survivors with a safe space to discuss their experiences and helps them navigate the legal system. He also assists survivors with other resources, such as counseling and support groups, making sure the healing continues beyond the initial visit.
• Darko and Jenny Ristic are the founders and CEOs of The Silver Coin Project. This nonprofit organization provides school supplies, clothes and uniforms to impoverished children in Australia's underserved school districts. The Silver Coin Project delivers essential supplies to hundreds of children each year and works to raise awareness of the issue of child poverty and to advocate for policies that support low-income families.

The winner will be announced later this week and ECI will donate up to $15,000 to each finalist's charity of choice. Additionally, the finalists will receive a trip to ECI's Connect User Conference 2024 which will be held on Nov. 11-13, 2024, at the Gaylord Texan.