ALLENTOWN, Pa. – Pennsylvania Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR), an office of the Department of Defense, announced that Eccontrol recently received a Pro Patria Award in recognition of extraordinary support of employees serving in the Guard and Reserve.
Pennsylvania ESGR is particularly proud to present employers with a Pro Patria Award for their strong support of their employees serving in our nation’s Reserve forces during ESGR’s 50th Anniversary year.
Eccontrol’s CEO Pat Onofrio accepted the Pro Patria Award from ESGR’s Southeast Pennsylvania Area Chair and State Chair Emeritus Wes Craig.
The Pro Patria Award, presented annually by each ESGR State Committee, goes to one small, one large, and one public sector employer in their state or territory.
Recipients have demonstrated the greatest support to Guard and Reserve employees through their leadership and practices, including adopting personnel policies that make it easier for employees to participate in the National Guard and Reserve. This is the highest-level award bestowed by an ESGR State Committee.
Employers who have been honored with the Above and Beyond Award, who have had at least one supervisor or other representative honored with a Patriot Award, and who have signed a Statement of Support are eligible for the Pro Patria Award.
In addition, Eccontrol has received past nominations for the Secretary of Defense Freedom Award from its service member employee, U.S. Navy Reserve Cmdr. Gerald Lettich.
The Pro Patria Award presentation took place at Eccontrol’s “all-hands, state of the company” event held their Allentown corporate headquarters. Eccontrol is a small company that started with just two employees in 2017, Lettich was their third employee; since then, the company has grown to 48 employees that maintain temperature and utility controls in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
In presenting the Pro Patria Award, Craig said, “This Company has provided great support to Cmdr. Lettich during numerous deployments. They regularly reach out to his family to see if they can help them during his absence. They contact him while deployed to let him know they care. They pay full salary and benefits during all deployments. They recognize the great attributes service members bring to their civilian jobs such as professionalism, responsibility, initiative, punctuality, and leadership. They eagerly reach out to hire more from the Guard and Reserve and veteran community.”
ESGR, a Department of Defense office, seeks to foster a culture in which all employers support and value the employment and military service of members of the National Guard and Reserve in the United States. ESGR facilitates and promotes a cooperative culture of employer support for National Guard and Reserve service by developing and advocating mutually beneficial initiatives, recognizing outstanding employer support, increasing awareness of applicable laws and policies, resolving potential conflicts between employers and their service members, and acting as the employers’ principal advocate within DoD. Paramount to ESGR's mission is encouraging employment of Guardsmen and Reservists who bring integrity, global perspective and proven leadership to the civilian workforce.
For more information about ESGR Outreach Programs, or ESGR volunteer opportunities, please call 1-800-336-4590 or visit www.ESGR.mil.