Half Hollow Hills Alum James C. Metzger Featured In LI Press

Dix Hills native and Half Hollow Hills East High School alumnus James C. Metzger appears on the front page of the December issue of the Long Island Press. The featured article is a question and answer piece with Metzger about the rewards of helping others during the holiday season and also at other times during the year.

Metzger was a three-sport (lacrosse, football and basketball) star in high school. He went on to star in lacrosse at Hofstra University before beginning a career in the insurance business. He founded The WhitmoreGroup, one of the largest New York City area independent insurance brokerages. The firm is located in Garden City and attributes its success to its early association with the local funeral industry.

Metzger’s business mantra is “Everything I ever needed to know about business I learned on the sports field.” His learning curve as a student-athlete also included the realization that many organizations benefit and the lives of people improve when others become involved in acts of kindness as volunteers and donors.

Supporting Organizations And People

In the Long Island Press feature, Metzger explains his giving philosophy that supports the communities in which he and his team live and work. He also explains the ways that everyone can begin to give back to help others.

“When you give you get back a lot…on a lot of levels,” said Metzger. “Emotionally, and, I think, mentally, it helps in more ways than one would imagine. Start locally. Look around you. There’s no better place to start than in your own neighborhood. And then take it from there.”

The article places the spotlight on Metzger’s personal and corporate philanthropic initiatives that include the many causes supported by the local funeral industry, whose directors are pillars in their communities. Metzger's other giving initiatives include the boys’ lacrosse program at his high school, sports and education programs at Hofstra and many other initiatives with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Long Island, The American Heart Association, Hempstead PAL Lacrosse and other organizations.