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