(GREEN LAKE, WI) – Six Wisconsin employers were honored with the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve State Chair Above and Beyond Award at the annual Wisconsin ESGR Employer Award Banquet on April 5 at the Heidel House Resort & Conference Center in Green Lake, Wis.

“Wisconsin employers set high standards for businesses around the country,” said Maj. Gen. (ret.) Al Wilkening, chairman of Wisconsin’s ESGR Committee. “These companies all go above and beyond what’s required by law when it comes to supporting their Guard and Reserve employees. They excel at supporting our service members and their families.”

The 2008 Wisconsin ESGR State Chair award winners include:

• Horizon Retail Construction, Racine
• Frank J. Klupp & Sons Inc., Milwaukee
• Crisis Prevention Institute, Brookfield
• Fiserv Inc., Brookfield
• Oshkosh Corporation, Oshkosh
• Tri-North Builders, Fitchburg

By providing the best support to their military employees in their respective categories of small company and large company, Tri-North Builders and Oshkosh Corporation were additionally recognized with ESGR’s Pro Patria Award for the State of Wisconsin.

The employers are being recognized for the unique and outstanding ways they support Reserve component employees. Many of the employers provide compensation in the form of differential pay when their Reserve and Guard employees are away on military service. Some continue insurance benefits for families of deployed employees, and several provide preference to Reserve Component members during the hiring process. All of the nominators’ stories feature vivid descriptions of support from their coworkers, institutional leadership and human resources staff.

Staff Sgt. John Bloechl, an Army Reservist employed by Frank J. Klupp and Sons Inc., said the small family owned business sent care packages and letters while he was deployed for more than 30 months.

“They even helped my family by shoveling snow in winter and assisting with small projects around the house,” said Bloechl, who represents 20 percent of the company’s workforce of five employees.

Another small business, Horizon Retail Construction based in Racine, developed programs benefiting troops directly. Staff Sgt. Levi Luck, an Army Reservist with 372nd Engineering Company, said the Horizon Retail Construction company president sought innovative ways to help servicemembers.

For more information on ESGR, please contact Beth Sherman at (703) 380-9717.