Phillips 66 (NYSE: PSX), an energy manufacturing and logistics company, is partnering with Olympic swimmer Cullen Jones. Jones will represent the company at the annual USA Swimming Foundation’s Make a Splash Tour with Cullen Jones, presented by Phillips 66. Phillips 66 and Jones are also releasing a new television commercial, spotlighting their efforts to raise awareness about drowning prevention. The spot will debut next week during NBC-TV’s multi-platform coverage of the Phillips 66 National Championships, which begins June 25 in Indianapolis, Indiana.
The children featured in the new Phillips 66 "Make a Splash" television commercial are all offspring of company employees. (Photo: Business Wire)
"Phillips 66 is thrilled to officially welcome Cullen Jones to our family," said Greg Garland, chairman and CEO of Phillips 66. "We’ve had the privilege of working with Cullen since 2009 and he’s been a terrific ambassador for the USA Swimming Foundation’s Make a Splash initiative."
Jones is a two-time Olympian with four career Olympic medals, including two gold. In 2006, he became the first African-American male to hold a world record in swimming and two years later, Jones became the second African-American male to make a U.S. Olympic swim team. At the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, he won a gold medal in the 4×100-meter freestyle relay in world record time. In 2009, he set the American record in the 50-meter freestyle at the Phillips 66 National Championships. At the 2012 Olympic Games in London, Jones added to his career medal count with three more, including a silver medal in the 50-meter freestyle.
"Being a part of the Phillips 66 family means so much to me,” said Jones. “Their commitment to water safety and drowning prevention aligns with my life’s work of saving the lives of children in the United States.”
The USA Swimming Foundation’s Make a Splash Tour with Cullen Jones, presented by Phillips 66, was designed to raise awareness about water safety and the importance of learning how to swim. Nearly 70% of African-Americans, 60% of Latinos, and 42% of Caucasians in this country cannot swim.
As of May 2013, the Make a Splash initiative, which began in 2007, has granted $2.9 million to provide free or reduced cost swimming lessons to children who may not otherwise have the chance to swim. To date, more than 1.8 million kids have received the life-saving gift of swim lessons through the Make a Splash Local Partner network.
This year, Phillips 66 is celebrating 40 years of sponsoring USA Swimming, the longest consecutive sponsorship of any amateur sport in history. The company’s association with swimming actually dates back to 1950 when the company created the Phillips Petroleum Splash Club, a local swim program. In the ensuing decades, Phillips 66 has hosted national events, sponsored inner-city swim programs, accepted the AAU Swimming Award, sponsored the Phillips 66 National Championships and, in 2009, helped create the Make a Splash Tour with the Foundation. In 1973, the company became an official sponsor of USA Swimming.
“Phillips 66 is a very important part of our USA Swimming family and integral to athletes and the fabric of the sport,” said Chuck Wielgus, Executive Director, USA Swimming. “You will find countless individual stories of how Phillips 66 helped generations of swimmers reach their dreams in the sport.”
MEDIA AVAILABILITY
Four-time Olympic medalist Cullen Jones, a two-time Olympian and the American record-holder in the 50-meter freestyle, is available for interview on June 20 between 9-10am, CST. To schedule, please contact Lindsey Serbay, (832) 765-1029, lindsey.b.serbay@p66.com
ABOUT PHILLIPS 66
Built on more than 130 years of experience, Phillips 66 is a growing energy manufacturing and logistics company with high-performing Midstream, Chemicals, Refining, and Marketing and Specialties businesses. This diverse portfolio enables Phillips 66 to capture opportunities in a changing energy landscape. Headquartered in Houston, the company has 13,500 employees who are committed to operating excellence and safety. Phillips 66 is a Fortune 5 company with $51 billion of assets as of March 31, 2013. For more information, visit www.phillips66.com or follow us on Twitter @Phillips66Co.
Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/multimedia/home/20130620005761/en/
Contacts:
Ric Sweeney, 832-765-1024 (media)
ric.g.sweeney@p66.com
