WaterOne was presented the Above and Beyond Award by Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) – a national non-profit – at the Board meeting on December 8, 2020. The award recognizes WaterOne for its support of employees serving in the Guard or Reserves, helping them balance their responsibilities to serve the nation.
ESGR’s mission is twofold. First, they interact with employers of service members through presentations and special events to shine light on the significance of their partnership with these employees. Second, ESGR assists members of the Guard and Reserves by answering questions they may have about the rights and responsibilities of themselves and their employer.
WaterOne was nominated for this award by Senior Environmental Health & Safety Specialist Clint Schmitter, who serves in the Army as a Command Sergeant Major. He previously nominated Safety and Security Manager Sean McGraw, Human Resources Director Janet Barrow, and General Manager Mike Armstrong for ESGR’s Patriot Award, recognizing their commitment to being supportive supervisors. Following these nominations, ESGR selected WaterOne as one of the top organizations across the country which have gone “above and beyond” the legal requirements in supporting their employees in the Guard and Reserves.
“I’ve worked at WaterOne for 18 years, it’s an amazing place to work. Accolades to them, not just for how they support me, but all 390+ employees and Board members,” Clint said. “In 2016, I had orders to go to Honduras on active duty, so I was away from WaterOne for a year. Prior to leaving, several WaterOne Directors stopped to check in and make sure my family was going to be okay. I had support the whole time I was there, with staff calling and messaging me through WhatsApp. When I returned from my active duty stint, everyone asked how it was, how I was, and how my family dealt with it. The support I received as soon as I returned to work was great. Employees even now ask me how things are, about the Army.”
Mike and Board Chair Brenda Cherpitel expressed gratitude for Clint and the recognition by ESGR, emphasizing the honor to be associated with the organization.
“We greatly appreciate this honor and we are committed to supporting those who are serving and defending this country in various ways. We are happy to do it, and we are very proud to be recognized in this way,” Brenda said.