The Port of Seattle is one
of 15 employers across the US that have been named among the 2012 recipients of
the Department of Defense’s Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) Employer
Support Freedom Award.
The award, which was created
in 1996, publicly recognizes employers that provide exceptional support to their
employees serving in the US National Guard and military reserves. Nominations must
come from a National Guard or Reserve member who’s employed by the nominated organization,
or from a relative of that person.
More than 3,200 nominations
for this year’s awards were received from National Guardsmen, Reservists or family
members this year, according to the DoD. Seattle was named one of 30 finalists for
the award back in May.
About 20 percent of Port
of Seattle employees are veterans or currently serve in the National Guard or reserves,
according to the port. Seattle was the only US port that was a finalist for the
award, and just one of three companies on the West Coast.
The 15 award winners are
scheduled to be honored at an event in Washington DC later this year.
“We are very proud of this
distinct honor from the Department of Defense,” said Tay Yoshitani, Port of Seattle
CEO. “Our guard and reserve employees give their all serving their country while
working for the Port of Seattle, and this is a great way to recognize them for their
sacrifices.” Yoshitani, who has been the port’s CEO since March 2007, is a US Army
veteran. He’s a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point graduate
and served in Vietnam.
