Now Reading
Citizens Financial Group to Receive National Freedom Award
Citizens Financial Group to Receive National Freedom Award
Published 10-14-05
Submitted by Citizens Financial Group
The award will be presented by Secretary of the Army Frances J. Harvey at a ceremony at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington on Saturday night, October 15, 2005.
The Department of Defense named Citizens one of 15 employers in the United States to receive the 2005 award from among 1,492 applicants. The Freedom Award, established in 1996, is the highest award a company can receive for its support of the National Guard and Reserve.
"The Freedom Award is terrific recognition of the support - beyond what's required by law - that we at Citizens and other employers across the United States provide to our colleagues who are activated to service in the National Guard and Reserves and their families," Fish said. "It is our colleagues and their families who are sacrificing for our country, and we are pleased to be honored for a military leave policy that supports them while they or their loved ones are serving."
Citizens' policy on military leave offers enhanced support and benefits to those called to active duty and their family. They include:
In announcing the full list of the 2005 winners, David Janes, the national chairman of the National Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, said "The 15 recipients of the 2005 Secretary of Defense Freedom Award set a high standard for all of America's private and public employers."
Secretary of Defense William Perry instituted the Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award in 1996 under the auspices of the National Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR). The award publicly recognizes employers, who were nominated by their employees who voluntarily serve in the National Guard and Reserve, for exceptional support above the requirements of the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994.
In past years, the Rhode Island Committee for Employee Support of the Guard and Reserve has awarded Citizens Bank of Rhode Island its "Pro Patria" award, the highest such state award; and the New Hampshire Committee for the Employee Support of the Guard and Reserve has bestowed Citizens Bank New Hampshire with the "Seven Seals" Award.
Attending the event from Citizens will be:
Principal Recipient for Citizens
William K. Wray, Group Executive Vice President & Chief Information Officer, Citizens Financial Group
Award Nominator
Mike Reed, Senior Operations Clerk & Staff Sergeant, Rhode Island Air National Guard
HR Representative
William J. Strahan, Senior Vice President, Director of Benefits and Compensation
Military Leave Participants
Lt. Mark Bourgery, Finance Production, Rhode Island
Cabe Scotland, Switch Assist, Rhode Island
Sgt. Joseph Bowen, Colleague Support Center, Pennsylvania
Spc. Joseph Pearl, Retail Lender, Document Preparation Department, Rhode Island
James Satori, Vice President, Corporate Security, Massachusetts
Military Family Leave Participants
Fara Bowen, Supermarket Administration, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Cheri Boland, Vice President, HR Recruiting Manager, New Hampshire
Kerri Folgo, Senior HR Generalist, Officer, Rhode Island
Diane Lestage, Assistant Vice President, Credit Review, New Hampshire
Citizens Financial Group, Inc. is a $148 billion commercial bank holding company. It is headquartered in Providence, R.I., and has more than 1,600 branches, approximately 3,100 ATMs and more than 27,000 employees. It operates its 13-state branch network in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, and has non-branch offices in more than 30 states. Citizens is the eighth-largest commercial banking company in the United States ranked by deposits. Citizens is owned by RBS (The Royal Bank of Scotland Group plc). Its Web site is www.citizensbank.com.
