US Chamber Foundation Announces 2022 Hiring Our Heroes Awards Finalists
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation will recognize the Honorable Elizabeth Dole and her dedication to America’s wounded warriors and their caregivers with the President’s Award for Lifetime Achievement during the 12th annual Lee Anderson Awards Gala.
Throughout her career, Dole has strived to help women and minorities reach their full potential. She was the second woman to serve as president of the American Red Cross, and in 2002, she became the first woman elected to represent North Carolina in the U.S. Senate.
In 2012, Dole founded Caring for Military Families: The Elizabeth Dole Foundation to raise awareness and support for the 5.5 million military caregivers.
Hiring Our Heroes also announced black-owned, woman-owned, and veteran-owned ICONI will receive the Capital One Small Business Award at this year’s gala. ICONI is a motivational and inclusive activewear line and ICONI stands for “I Can Overcome, Nothing’s Impossible.”
“Our mission is to change the world one legging at a time by motivating people through our high-quality activewear and providing an inclusive environment for everyone, while giving back to those in-need and in-crisis and remembering our humble beginnings,” according to ICONI’s website.
2022 Hiring Our Heroes Awards Finalists
Along with the President’s Award presentation, Hiring Our Heroes will present six awards in the following categories: Individual Excellence in Veteran Employment; Military Community Nonprofit Leadership; Military Spouse Employment and Mentoring; Post-9/11 Veteran Employment; Veteran and Military Spouse Employment; and Wounded Veteran and Military Caregiver Employment.
Eric Eversole, president of Hiring Our Heroes, announced the awards finalists in each category this week.
“This year’s awards finalists embody the very best among individuals, corporations, small businesses, and nonprofit organizations committed to our nation’s military service members and their families,” Eversole said.
The finalists for the Colonel Michael Endres Leadership Award for Individual Excellence in Veteran Employment are:
- Beau Higgins, Amazon
- Sean Passmore, Wells Fargo
- Ann Weeby, Salesforce
The Colonel Michael Endres Leadership Award is presented to an individual who has gone above and beyond to make a difference in employment opportunities for veterans, transitioning service members, and spouses.
Past recipients include Michael Kelly with USAA, Danny Chung with Microsoft, Carol Eggert with Comcast NBCUniversal; and Mrs. Bonnie Amos, former first lady of the United States Marine Corps and Hiring Our Heroes Ambassador.
The Lee Anderson Veteran and Military Spouse Employment Award finalists for overall excellence in hiring and retaining veterans, transitioning service members, and military spouses:
- Booz Allen Hamilton
- Indeed
- Wells Fargo
The Steve Robinson Post-9/11 Veteran Employment Award is presented to an organization for effective and sustained efforts to enhance the ability of post-9/11 veterans and transitioning service members to find meaningful employment. This year’s finalists are:
- Indeed
- Slalom
The Military Spouse Employment and Mentoring Award finalists for demonstrated leadership and commitment to hiring military spouses and empowering them as they search for meaningful careers:
- Slalom
- T-Mobile
- Wells Fargo
There are three finalists for the Military Community Nonprofit Leadership Award. This award is presented to a nonprofit organization with a demonstrated commitment to supporting veteran and military spouse employment and economic opportunity. This year’s finalists are:
- D’AnielIo Institute for Veterans and Military Families at Syracuse University
- SHRM Foundation
- Veterans Bridge Home
The Wounded Veteran and Military Caregiver Employment Award is presented to a company or organization for its demonstrated leadership in addressing the unique employment challenges faced by wounded warriors and military caregivers and providing pathways to economic stability. The 2022 finalists are:
- Booz Allen Hamilton
- Deloitte
- Instant Teams
“This year’s awards finalists embody the very best among individuals, corporations, small businesses, and nonprofit organizations committed to our nation’s military service members and their families.”
Eric Eversole, President of Hiring Our Heroes
The winners will be announced during the 12th Annual Lee Anderson Hiring Our Heroes Awards Gala, presented by USAA, on November 9 in Washington, D.C.
