AUSTIN – Governor Greg Abbott today announced the 2024 winners of the Lex Frieden Employment Awards (LFEA) for their commitment to hiring and supporting the employment of individuals with disabilities. In a partnership between the Governor’s Committee on People with Disabilities and the Texas Workforce Commission, winners will be honored at the Texas HireAbility Employer Forum and Lex Frieden Employment Awards at Dallas College’s Cedar Valley Campus in Lancaster, Texas on October 30.   "When my life-altering accident left me paralyzed from the waist down 40 years ago, I made the decision to not let my life be defined by the enormous challenge that I faced,” said Governor Abbott. “Texas is a beacon of freedom and opportunity for everyone, including the two million Texans with a disability. Our lives are not defined by how we are challenged, but how we respond to those challenges, and I applaud all the Texas businesses who empower Texans with disabilities. I congratulate the winners of this year’s Lex Frieden Employment Awards for their work to hire and support Texans with disabilities. Working together, we can create a brighter, more inclusive Texas for all.”

Named in honor of disability rights champion Lex Frieden, the LFEA are bestowed upon Texans who have displayed a commitment to empowering their employees, co-workers, and fellow Texans with disabilities.

The 2024 Lex Frieden Employment Awards Winners are: 

• Small Employer: Global Data Technologies, San Angelo
• Medium Employer: Rudy’s Country Store and Bar-B-Q, Pharr
• Large Employer: Toyotetsu Texas, Inc., San Antonio
• Nonprofit Employer: Morgan’s, San Antonio
• Entrepreneur: Tiffani Martin, DeSoto
• Martha Arbuckle Awards: Houston-Harris County Disability Access & Functional Needs Committee, Houston and Dallas Regional Chamber-Disability Inclusion Toolkit, Dallas
• Governor’s Trophy: Rebecca Cagle, Denton, TX 

Hosted by the North Texas Disability Chamber, the HireAbility Employer Forum and Employment Awards will feature presentations from disability advocates, industry leaders, and Americans with Disabilities Act experts sharing innovative ways to integrate employees with disabilities into the workplace.    Register for the 2024 Texas HireAbility Employer Forum and Lex Frieden Employment Awards here.

Earlier this year, Governor Abbott issued a proclamation declaring October as Disability Employment Awareness Month.

The Governor’s Committee on People with Disabilities works toward a state in which people with disabilities have the opportunity to enjoy full and equal access to lives of independence, productivity and self-determination. The committee recommends changes in disability policies and programs, supports a network of committees on people with disabilities, issues awards to promote greater awareness, and promotes compliance with disability related laws.