GREEN BAY, Wis. -Wisconsin Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, a Department of Defense program, announced today Brent Tischler, EVP, Director of Retail Banking and Veterans Colleague Resource Group Executive Sponsor, received the ESGR Above and Beyond Award in recognition of the extraordinary support of Associated Bank’s employees who serve in the National Guard and Reserve.
“The ESGR Above and Beyond Award was created to publicly recognize U.S. employers providing extraordinary patriotic support and cooperation to their employees who have answered their nation’s call to serve,” said Scott Legwold Wisconsin ESGR state chair. “Supportive employers like Associated Bank are critical to maintaining the strength and readiness of the nation’s Guard and Reserve units.”
Associated Bank was nominated for the Above and Beyond Award by their military employees, Sergeant First Class Tom Irizarry, a member of the U.S. Army Reserve; Staff Sergeant Keith Kunze and Sergeant Angela Peterson, both of the Wisconsin Army National Guard. SFC Tom Irizarry says this about his company, “I am honored to work for a company that supports military employees and their families. I have experienced and benefited from Associated’s commitment to veterans many times in my tenure with the bank.”
Associated Bank joins thousands of American employers who have reviewed and amended their current human resources policies to ensure compliance with the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA). Many employers provide support far beyond what USERRA requires, including pay differential to offset the loss of wages, and extension of health care benefits to complement coverage provided by the military when their employees mobilized.
“Associated Bank is committed to advancing veteran hiring and actively supporting veterans in our communities through a variety of benefits and our Veterans Colleague Resource Group (CRG),” said Tischler. “Our Veterans CRG provides a network for military veterans within Associated to collaborate on important issues facing the organization and the personal and professional development of its members. The group leverages the knowledge and experience of its membership to create awareness of the contributions of military veterans at Associated and in the communities we serve.”
ESGR is a Department of Defense program that develops and promotes supportive work environments for service members in the National Guard and Reserve through outreach, recognition, and educational opportunities that increase awareness of applicable laws. ESGR also provides assistance in resolving conflicts between Service members and their employers.
