Governor Jay Nixon Friday awarded the Flag of Freedom award to Associated Industries member Enterprise Holdings of St. Louis. The award is given to Missouri businesses that have hired military veterans under the Show-Me Heroes program established by the governor in 2010.
The St. Louis-based international business has hired 76 veterans in Missouri since 2012 under the Show-Me Heroes program. The governor presented the designation at a ceremony at the company’s world headquarters. The presentation coincided with both the observance of Flag Day, commemorating the adoption of the United States flag in 1777, and the 238th birthday of the U.S. Army.
“Our commitment to the military comes from our company’s rich and distinctive history that began with our founder, Jack Taylor,” Enterprise Holdings President and CEO Pam Nicholson said. “The Flag of Freedom award reaffirms this commitment, and we look forward to continuing to hire and support our military service men and women here in Missouri and beyond. With their unique training and leadership backgrounds, veterans and reservists make an invaluable addition to our team.”
“Enterprise Holdings is a national leader in hiring veterans and America’s active service men and women,” Gov. Nixon said. “This home-grown company knows veterans have the skills and quality of character all employers look for in a new hire. That’s why I’m encouraging more Missouri employers to join us in growing our economy and honoring veterans by going to MO.gov to take the Show-Me Heroes pledge.”
Businesses such as Enterprise that have hired veterans receive the Flag of Freedom award, which consists of a plaque featuring an American flag patch from the combat uniform of a member of the Missouri National Guard worn while that Citizen-Soldier or Airman was deployed in Iraq or Afghanistan. The plaque the governor presented to Enterprise features the flag patch of Spc. John E. Ross, who served in the 1139th Military Police Company in Iraq in 2010.
More than 6,000 of the approximately 63,000 U.S.-based Enterprise Holdings employees are military veterans or reservists, including the company’s founder, Jack Taylor. Enterprise Holdings’ national military hiring is on track to outpace previous years, with more than 600 military veterans and reservists having already joined the company in 2013.
Enterprise has a long standing relationship with the military. In fact, Enterprise is named after the USS Enterprise, the aircraft carrier on which Jack Taylor served as a pilot, earning two Distinguished Flying Crosses. The seventh of eight U.S. Navy ships named Enterprise, the World War II carrier is widely recognized as the most decorated warship in U.S. military history.
In addition, Enterprise has been widely recognized for its ongoing support for veterans. Most recently, the company was designated a 2013 Military Friendly Employer® by Victory Media, publisher of G.I. Jobs. In 2012, Enterprise was honored for the second time as a Freedom Award Nominee by the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) was one of only two Missouri companies to receive the first Extraordinary Employer Support Award from the ESGR for sustained support of employees who serve in the National Guard and Reserve. Enterprise was also recognized in 2012 by the Vice Admiral, Chief of Naval Reserve, for the company’s support of Sailors in the Naval Reserve.
Employers who wish to participate in Show-Me Heroes can visit the state’s website, MO.gov, to register and take the pledge. Once registered, the company is listed prominently in an online database highlighting veteran-friendly employers across Missouri. The database includes contact information for the businesses and links to their websites. Employers receive a special certificate, signed by the governor, and a decal to display at their location. The Show-Me Heroes website is a one-stop-shop that also includes resources for job-seeking veterans such as links to employment openings in state government.
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