news_veterans_awards_2014Yesterday Jeff Noel, Corporate Vice President Communications, accepted three awards on behalf of Whirlpool Corporation in recognition of the company’s strong commitment to military veterans.

Kristin Leonardi, Director of Strategy for the Michigan Department of Veteran’s Affairs presented Whirlpool Corporation with the 2014 Certified Veteran Friendly Employer – Bronze Level award recognizing employers that commit to military veteran recruitment, training, and retention practices. Currently Whirlpool Corporation has a 98% retention rate among the hundreds of veterans currently employed.

Mac Case, Senior Sourcing Manager GPO, Lieutenant Colonel in the Army Reserve and founding member of the Whirlpool Veteran’s Association (WVA) presented the 2015 Top Military Friendly® Employers award on behalf of Victory Media, a veteran-owned business leading the industry as a ratings entity for over a decade. Victory Media surveys tens of thousands of institutions that capture best practices in recruitment and retention of military personnel as civilian employees.

news_veterans_awards_2014_2Bob Lemyre, Vice President Purchasing GPO, retired Marine Corp officer, and founding member of the WVA presented the Department of Defense’s Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) 2014 Pro Patia Award. This is the highest level award bestowed by the ESGR; recipients must demonstrate considerable 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 Reserves.

“While being a trusted household name across the world remains our most rewarding achievement, we are humbled when leading organizations notice our efforts,” said Noel. “The nature of our global business offers veterans a multitude of opportunities across functions, regions, and countries. We are not looking merely for employees who can get the job done; we are looking for future leaders who are versatile, have potential to grow, and encompass our values.”