Texas Governor's Committee on People with Disabilities Announces the 2011 Lex Frieden Employment Award Winners

The Governor’s Committee on People with Disabilities is happy to announce the 2011 winners of the inaugural Lex Frieden Employment Awards. We had a full slate of excellent nominees, but our panel of judges felt these winners represented the highest level of contribution to our State. Details on the awards ceremony will be coming soon; the event will be held here in Austin on the evening of Tuesday, October 25. Please join us in congratulating our winners:

2011 Lex Frieden Employment Award Winners

The Governor’s Trophy

Scott Tisdall, Walgreen’s (Waxahachie)
The Governor's Trophy is the Governor's Committee's highest honor and is awarded each year to the person who has achieved the highest success in enhancing the empowerment and employment of Texans with disabilities. The Governor's Trophy recognizes long-term commitment and outstanding efforts at both the community and the state level.

Scott Tisdall, manager of the Walgreen’s Distribution Center in Waxahachie, is often contacted by major corporate leaders from all over the U.S. for his advice on hiring and retaining employees with disabilities. He is known for broadening the scope of the ADA accommodations requirements to the highest level, integrating the employees with disabilities comfortably into the culture and environment of the workplace. To bring more hands-on learning to leaders in the business community, Mr. Tisdall encourages educational tours for business managers, community leaders and local school districts. Sign language interpreters, walkie-talkies with texting capabilities, Ubi-Duos, and other technology are common in the Distribution Center, as are such amenities as a mini-workout center, field trips, and other community-building projects and ideas. Mr. Tisdall is also known within the community for his personal efforts and contributions to programs such as day camps, golf tournaments, accessible transportation, etc.

Large Employer Award

PCSI Inc (Killeen)
Professional Contract Services Inc (PSCI) was founded on the simple premise that people with disabilities, given opportunity and support, will not only be successful, but will excel in the workplace. At PCSI, the mindset is that at the local level, supervisors must be able to effectively communicate with and accommodate employees with disabilities; therefore, supervisors undergo extensive training which gives them the necessary tools to ensure their employees are able to perform their jobs to the best of their abilities. PCSI is made up of employees with disabilities from the most entry-level position through the ranks all the way up to administration status, such as those working at corporate headquarters and in on-site supervisory roles. PCSI provides accommodations that range from transportation needs, to cell phones with texting capabilities for communication between employees and supervisors, to necessary time off for specific health needs. “One way in which we create a win-win situation is by going out of our way to make accommodations for our staff,” says Vanessa Ferguson of PCSI. “Through our combined efforts, many of our employees have excelled and been recognized locally and nationally.”

Medium Employer Award

Johnson Controls (San Antonio)
Johnson Controls San Antonio is a heavy metal fabrication shop which has declared a serious commitment to diversity and inclusion in their practices involving hiring, training, and maintaining employees. The San Antonio office employs a large number of employees who are deaf or hard of hearing, and members of the staff in the Human Resources Department have learned American Sign Language to facilitate communications. The presence of employees with hearing impairments has sparked communication awareness among all the employees at Johnson Controls and has encouraged many of them to voluntarily learn ASL in classes offered onsite. John Rivas of Johnson Controls says, “Our deaf and hard of hearing employees have been dependable and excellent performers. They have adapted well to the requirements and demands of their jobs. The reciprocal benefits have been tremendous and enormously rewarding.”

Small Employer Award

Taco Cabana #278 (Austin)
Taco Cabana #278 is dedicated to hiring individuals according to their abilities and strengths. Currently, sign language is used with two employees who are deaf, and positive verbal prompts are used during work assignments for another employee with autism. The manager and staff are all supportive of the role of people with disabilities within their organization, and the three employees with disabilities have shown significant progress in their working skills and social/vocational interactions. The camaraderie and genuine respect among all of the staff from Taco Cabana #278 is an essential part of the work environment.

Non-Profit Employer Award

Laredo Independent School District (Laredo)
Laredo ISD has employees with disabilities in various levels of the school district, including those who work as educators, bookkeepers, office personnel, custodial staff and administrators. All employees have opportunities for advancement to any position in which they are able to perform the essential functions of the job. “Our philosophy and policies extend from recruiting the most highly qualified faculty and staff to addressing the needs of our employees in an effort to retain a highly qualified workforce,” says Edna Garza of Laredo ISD. “Our aim is to ensure equal opportunity to all of our employees and to provide the necessary accommodations to ensure this.”

Martha Arbuckle Award for a Local Committee

Texas RehabACTion Network (TRAN) of the Coastal Bend (Corpus Christi)
In the three years since its formation, TRAN has used outreach and innovative techniques to inform the population of the Coastal Bend of the existence of a valuable underutilized resource available to the labor market: qualified, well-trained individuals with disabilities, eager to prove their capability to perform well on the job when offered the opportunity. TRAN’s primary efforts were the Annual Coastal Bend Walk ‘n Roll Celebration, which began in 2009 by bringing together local branches of organizations such as the Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, South Texas Lighthouse for the Blind, Workforce Solutions of the Coastal Bend, and others;   and its leading role in organizing the Employers’ Symposium: “Opening Doors, Creating Opportunities” with special guest speaker Assistant Secretary of Labor Kathleen Martinez. Both programs continued, with increased visibility and participation, in 2010, and will be offered again in 2011.