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NEWS | March 20, 2019

Freedom Award finalists named for 2019

By Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve

WASHINGTON – Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) has announced the 30 finalists for the 2019 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award. The finalists represent large and small employers, as well as public sector organizations.

ESGR received 2,415 nominations for this prestigious award for employers throughout 50 states, Guam-CNMI, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and the District of Columbia.

The Employer Support Freedom Award is the highest recognition given by the Department of Defense to employers for their exceptional support of National Guard and Reserve members. On behalf of the Secretary of Defense, ESGR runs the annual award program, which has presented the honor to only 265 employers since 1996.

The 15 employers selected to receive the 2019 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award will be announced by mid-June.

Here are this year's Secretary of Defense employer Support Freedom Award finalists:

Archer Daniels Midland, Chicago, Illinois

Barclays, New York, New York

Battlefield Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada

Callison Tighe & Robinson, LLC, Columbia, South Carolina

Central Washington University, Ellensburg, Washington

Chevron, San Ramon, California

Cleveland Cavaliers, Cleveland, Ohio

Cracker Barrel Old Country Stores, Lebanon, Tennessee

Delta Solutions & Strategies, LLC, Colorado Springs, Colorado

Direct Supply, Inc., Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Eversource Energy, Berlin, Connecticut

Houston Police Department, Houston, Texas

Kauai Auto Repair , Kalaheo, Hawaii

League of Minnesota Cities, Saint Paul, Minnesota

Levi Rodgers Real Estate Group @ RE/MAX Military City, San Antonio, Texas

LG&E and KU Energy, LLC, Louisville, Kentucky

Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company, Columbus, Ohio

Sanford Health, Sioux Falls, South Dakota

Sparta Police Department, Sparta, Wisconsin

State of Nevada , Carson City, Nevada

The Independence Fund, Charlotte, North Carolina

The Steel Network, Durham, North Carolina

Topeka Police Department, Topeka, Kansas

Travis Manion Foundation, Doylestown, Pennsylvania

University Health System, San Antonio, Texas

U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the U.S. Trustee, Columbus, Ohio

Village of Ladd, Ladd, Illinois

West Valley City, West Valley City, Utah

Worcester Police Department, Worcester, Massachusetts

Yankton School District 63-3, Yankton, South Dakota

 

 

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