California Employer Advisory Council

2009 CEAC Veterans Employer Of The Year Awards

November 10, 2009

FIRST CATEGORY - Private Small Business - Less than 200 employees

1 - CUMPTOM TRUCKING COMPANY

Nominated by: Kevin Marshall, EDD Redding
We received a letter from Dorothy Breitegger, Staff Accountant and Office Manager and Ryan Cumpton, Operations Manager of Cumpton Trucking saying they, unfortunately, couldn't attend since this is their busiest time of the year hauling tree fruits from the Central Valley to various processors.
Accepting Award on their behalf will be Kevin Marshall, EDD Redding

Cumpton Trucking, located in Tehama, CA, employs 29 employees of which 9 are veterans and 2 are disabled veterans. Within the company, the ratio of veterans to non-veterans is approximately 32%. They believe in hiring veterans since they come into the civilian workforce with tangible and valuable skills already in place. Almost always, veterans in the trucking industry have been involved in transportation and/or communication, as well as equipment maintenance while they served in the military or naval forces. Their veteran employees rarely show up sick, and rarely ask for exceptions. They are well-trained and accustomed to being entrusted with grave responsibilities. An example of this is they have a driver who served in Europe during the cold war. His job as military truck driver was to transport rockets armed with nuclear warheads from place to place on a regular basis. You can believe he was, and is, a careful man. He is now in his 20th year with Cumpton Trucking and has never had an accident, or road-rule citation. He drives between 80,000 and 100,000 miles each year.

Please join me in recognizing Cumpton Trucking.

2 - MORROW CABLE CONSTRUCTION

Nominated by: Secretary Tom Johnson, CA Department of Veteran Affairs And Ted Puntillo, CA Department of Veterans Affairs Deputy Secretary of Veteran Services
Accepting Award: Robert Morrow, President

Morrow Cable Construction's core business is telecom construction. They are located in Stanton, CA. Since this is a specialized trade, Morrow Cable Construction trains veterans and other members of the community that have limited knowledge of the business. Morrow Cable Construction currently employs 32 people, 4 of which are veterans, and 4 are disabled veterans. One of their employees was a USA Infantryman - Mentor-Protégé; one was a United States Navy Chaplin; one is a Marine Corps Recon that received 2 silver stars and 3 purple hearts; one was a Marine Corps clerk where he did invoicing and billing. Morrow Cable Construction is committed to hiring veterans because Robert Morrow is a disabled veteran as well as his son. As president of the company, he also encourages the veteran employees to create their own businesses by providing opportunities for these veterans to attend various networking events and conferences to present to them the various opportunities that are available. Robert is an active member of the California Disabled Veterans Business Alliance (CA DVBE Alliance) and the Elite Disabled Veterans Business Enterprise/Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business Network (DVBE/SDVOB Network). A few of the awards they have received are: recognized at the white house rose garden luncheon for being a Latino veteran business owner; recognized by the Governor as Latino Veteran Business owner; and a congratulation letter from Secretary Tom Johnson, CA Department of Veteran Affairs.

Please join me in recognizing Morrow Cable Construction.

3 - WHEELABRATOR SHASTA ENERGY COMPANY, INC.

Nominated by: Kevin Marshall, EDD Redding
Accepting Award: Jennifer Grayson, Plant Administrative Coordinator

Wheelabrator Shasta Energy Company, located in Anderson, CA, employs 62 people, of which 17 are veterans. They have 23 power plants across the United States, being the forefront of power generation. Wheelabrator is an innovative power generation company and are strongly committed to hiring veterans because of their training and excellent work ethic. They support the efforts of National Employer Support of Guard & Reserve. When an employee is called into service they pay them the difference between their normal pay and their military pay while they are out fighting for our country. They have a written policy that emphasizes the employment of veterans and disabled veterans.

Please join me in recognizing Wheelabrator Shasta Energy Company

SECOND CATEGORY - Private Large Business 200 OR MORE EMPLOYEES

1 - BURLINGTON NORTHERN SANTA FE RAILWAY

Nominated by: Donald Froman, EDD Indio
Accepting the award are:
Patricia Torres, Manager, Human Resources
Carmen Turner, Manager Human Resources

Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway has a total number of 40,000 employees, 6,000 are veterans, and 47 are disabled veterans. A subsidiary of Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corporation, BNSF Railway Company operates one of the largest North American rail networks, with about 32,000 route miles in 28 states and two Canadian provinces. Matt Rose, BNSF Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, "believes that those who wear our nation's military uniforms are mission-focused, highly skilled, motivated and possess unique experiences and technical knowledge. Mr. Rose also believes that military candidates embody the core competencies of BNSF, leadership, teamwork, and the ability to perform safely in a fast-paced, dynamic environment. BNSF has a long tradition of hiring veterans. In 2004, BNSF hired over 300 veterans with an additional 750 veterans hired in 2005; in 2006, they hired over 1,000 veterans (which was 20% of all new hires); in 2007 over 750 veterans were hired (which was 30% of all new hires); and in 2008 over 500 new hires were veterans (which was 22% of all hires). In the past 12 months, BNSF has participated in approximately 77 military career activities averaging one per week. They also sponsor hiring events dedicated to those veterans in most need and immediate transition and employer-day events hosted by Transitional Assistance Program centers. In 2008, they were selected number 2 in GI Jobs Magazine as one of the top 50 most military friendly employers.

Please join me in recognizing Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway

2 - G4S WACKENHUT

Nominated by: Yvonne Herod, General Manager,G4S Wackenhut in Oxnard
Accepting Award: Jorge Villaverde, General Manager, G4S Wackenhut

G4S Wackenhut has a total of 6,809 employees, of which 326 are veterans, and 28 are disabled veterans. Their mission is to provide expert security solutions that always exceed customer expectations. Their primary source for the best people has consistently been the U.S. military. They believe that veterans are focused leaders and team players who are stable, professional, educated and adaptable which makes them a perfect fit for G4S Wackenhut. Their programs for recruiting, hiring and developing transitioning military personnel and veterans are an integral part of their company's strategic plan. One such program is Operation Smooth Transition, a training and placement program for officers and senior enlisted separating from military service. The program provides a fast track to full-time employment in operations management within the physical security industry for military personnel who have had leadership roles in personnel management, operations, recruiting, and other fields. In November, 2008, G4S Wackenhut was named one of the top 50 most military-friendly employers by G.I Jobs magazine. Comprising more that 14% of their current workforce, G4S Wackenhut is recognized as one of the nation's leading employers of veterans.

Please join me in recognizing G4S Wackenhut.

3 - TIME WARNER CABLE

Nominated by: Alex Letterson, EDD Canoga Park
Accepting Award: Amity Anderson, Recruiter

Time Warner Cable, LA North Division, has a total of 1,855 employees, 75 of which are veterans, and 10 are disabled veterans. Time Warner Cable is the second largest telecommunication company in the United States. In 1949, entrepreneurs using simple antennas and army-surplus coaxial cable created the country's first cable television system and revolutionized the way Americans watched TV. More than 50 years later, Time Warner Cable now serves 13.5 million customers in 33 states. Their strong relationship and partnership with Alex Letterson, Veteran workforce specialist with the Canoga Park EDD is demonstrated by the Governor's initiative "Honor A Hero - Hire A Vet" job and resource fair that was held in September 2008. They encouraged veteran employees to participate and share their experiences by fully compensating them. As a result, 1,400 job seekers and well over 120 employers and service providers were in attendance. Time Warner Cable not only participated as an employer in the event, but also played a vital role in the media outreach of this event by airing 22 commercials on CNN. Some of their awards and recognition is a certification of appreciation from the City of Los Angeles, the Employment Development Department and Lutheran Social services for their support and participation in the 2008 Memorial Day Veterans Picnic and job expo.

Please join me in recognizing Time Warner Cable LA North Division

THIRD CATEGORY OF AWARDS IS Government & Public Service

1 - IMPERIAL VALLEY REGIONAL OCCUPATIONAL PROGRAM

Nominated by: Joe Lucio, EDD El Centro
Accepting Award: Mary Camacho, Superintendent

Imperial Valley Regional Occupational Program has a total number of 75 employees, 10 of which are veterans and 2 are disabled veterans. One of their standing practices is to publish employment notices with the wording "veterans encouraged to apply." In 2008, they had four programs and each one was operated by a distinct department head. Some of these programs include:

Project Puente - a program that works with youth involved with gangs. Out of 4 employees involved, 1 is a Vietnam Veteran and 1 is an Iraqi war veteran.
Project ABEL - a program that provides services regarding abstinence for youth - out of 3 staff members, 1 is an Iraqi war veteran
Project JUNTOS - a program that promotes healthy marriages & families Out of 8 employees, one is a Vietnam veteran
Project SERVE Vets - a program that provides training and employment services to veterans - out of 6 staff members 2 are Vietnam veterans, and 4 are non-campaign veterans.

Imperial Valley Regional Occupational Program has demonstrated its commitment to hiring disabled veterans by hiring an educated, unemployed, 100% service-connected disabled Vietnam era veteran for one of its departments. Some of his medical conditions left him with right-side facial paralysis, including significant vision complications in one eye, chronic pain due to nerve damage, and permanent imbalance, among other physical challenges. They provided special accommodations to facilitate his visual needs and provided flexibility in his work schedule so he could attend his VA medical appointments in San Diego. As a result, he has been gainfully employed for the past three years.
Aside from employing veterans, Imperial Valley Regional Occupational Program has demonstrated leadership in their community by taking the initiative of competing for funding that has provided veterans with training and employment opportunities though out Imperial County. As a result, over 334 veterans have been assisted with employment. This is worth noting because Imperial County has historically held the highest unemployment rate in the state and whose economy is largely based on agriculture and the service industry. In 2006 Imperial Valley Regional Occupational Program received several awards and recognition some of which include a Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition presented by Congressman Bob Filner, and letters of appreciation from such organizations as Imperial County Homeless Task Force, Veterans Services of Imperial County and San Diego State University-Imperial Valley Campus.
Please join me in recognizing Imperial Valley Regional Occupational Program.

2 - LOS ANGELES COUNTY

Nominated by: Manuel Almeida, EDD El Monte
Accepting the Award are: Lowell Burton, Human Resources Analyst and Anne Gomez, Human Resources Analyst 4

Los Angeles County is a non-profit public entity that employs approximately 100,000 employees comprised of 39 departments. Los Angeles County has devised an internship program designed exclusively for veterans where they could become permanent employees of the county. They believe that veterans are self-driven by confidence and leadership and possess skills that can be applied to any task and are organized and committed to exceeding all expectations. In May 2007, a veteran internship policy was implemented demonstrating their commitment to the exclusive hiring of veterans affording veterans with on-the-job training and work experience with the County of Los Angeles. Several managers in the different county departments have stated that some of their best employees happen to be veterans. This is further evidenced by the number of veterans that have been hired by the county outside of the veteran's internship policy. Within the County's Department of Military and Veteran Affairs, 11 of the 25 employees working there are veterans. Additionally, the December 2008 personnel statistics for veterans employed with the County of Los Angeles reflects some of the following: 140 veterans are employed with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department; 144 veterans are employed with the Los Angeles County Fire Department; 18 veterans are employed with the LA County public works; and 17 with the LA County registrar recorder, of which two are Iraqi war female veterans.

3 - SANTA CLARA VALLEY TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY

Nominated by: Eugene Hollomon, EDD Sunnyvale (recently deceased) Maria Lucero & Ken Schieck, EDD Sunnyvale
Accepting the Award is: Belle Pennu, Senior Human Resources Analyst

Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority believes that veterans have constituted a good fit in their organization. Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority offers tuition assistance, professional development courses, and on the job training. A specific example of on the job training is a recently offered program that trained service mechanics to become transit mechanics. They also offer a supplemental salary and benefits program for military reservists who are called to active duty as a result of terrorist activities or impending or actual armed conflict. They participate in EDDs veteran's job fair and have received recognition for this partnership with EDD. In the area of transportation and operations and administration, they believe many veterans have particularly valuable skills already in place and are accustomed to a command and control corporate culture and can transition quite effectively. Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority advertises in media that target veterans and participate in job fairs to attract veteran.

Please join me in recognizing Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority.