last week, aem senior director of sales & engagement kelly lang was awarded the patriot award by bob strange, veteran and volunteer of the employer support of the guard and reserve (esgr).
the patriot award honors individual supervisors for their support when nominated by a service member or their family member. lang was nominated for the patriot award by aem account success advisor abby nicolas-lannoye, whose husband jesse is currently deployed in the national guard.
the esgr is a department of defense (dod) office that develops and promotes supportive work environments for service members in the reserve through outreach, recognition, and educational opportunities. almost half of the u.s. military force resides in the national guard and reserve.
nicolas-lannoye outlined the challenges faced during her husband’s deployment, from changes in schedules and additional training to the emotional stress before and during deployment. with lang’s support, it has been much easier to navigate the difficulties that come with her situation.
"i know not all spouses or guard members are as fortunate as i am to have this level of support,” said nicolas-lannoye. “having support from kelly has eased a lot of stress within my household, and it is incredibly important that she is recognized for going above and beyond.”
nicolas-lannoye also highlighted strange's role as a volunteer with the esgr. strange, a veteran, spends his time supporting guard members and their families. nicolas-lannoye emphasized that having someone else explain the importance of the support provided by aem was eye-opening to her and the employees around her, and that made lang’s recognition even more special.
lang was caught by surprise with the presentation of the award during a routine team meeting. “what surprised me the most is that abby and i do have such a great relationship – i think aem instills in us that we should act that way, so i didn’t feel that i was doing anything out of the ordinary,” said lang. “at aem we support our people across the board, and i’m so grateful that abby nominated me because it makes our relationship extra special.”
as a part of the patriot award, lang will be participating in the ‘wisconsin esgr bosslift program’ in june, a refueling mission that includes training and a two-and-a-half-hour plane ride to observe service members conducting training missions.
aem continues to emphasize the impact of team support and recognition in the workplace and encourages leaders to continue their work to create an uplifting workplace for all employees.
