CPPI Awarded National DOD Honor

From ESGR.mil

Gainesville, Fla. – Florida Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR), and the office of the Department of Defense (DOD) is honored to announce Charles Perry Partners, Inc. (CPPI), is a national recipient of the 2022 Secretary of Defense Freedom Award. 

CPPI was one of only 15 national finalists that included small, large, private, and public sector employers, nominated by a National Guard or Reserve employee in their organization. ESGR received 2,777 nominations for this prestigious award throughout the 50 states: Guam-CNMI, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia. 

To celebrate the honor, ESGR and CPPI held a ceremony and reception at the firm’s Gainesville headquarters on January 19, 2023. Many esteemed guests attended.

“CPPI is honored to be selected as a finalist for the ESGR Freedom Award. We are deeply committed to supporting our employees who are also serving as active service members in the Guard and Reserve. We believe that CPPI shares the same values as military personnel in service – commitment, integrity, and stewardship,” said CPPI President/Principal Brian K. Leslie.

The Freedom Award is the highest-level award presented form the Federal Government to patriotic employers for their support of their employees who serve in the National Guard and Reserve. This prestigious award celebrates its 26th year and has honored 325 honorees to date.

“It’s challenging having two careers,” stated Capt. Donald Drummond. “CPPI helped ease the burden of my military responsibilities. CPPI has granted me overly generous accommodations over the last five years for military schools, drill weekends, annual and overseas training exercises.” 

In 2018 Drummond was scheduled for training at Ft. Leavenworth, Kas., and an overseas training in support of Operation Saber Strike in Poland. “Of course, I got a 24-hour notice from the military about the opportunities and when I presented them to CPPI they immediately pulled in executives and had a staff meeting to coordinate job site coverage and support manpower,” Drummond continued. 

“We are so proud to recognize Charles Perry Partners Incorporated and their tremendous efforts to support Reserve and National Guard service member employees and their families as they pursue both a military and a civilian career,” said Rita Broadway, Florida ESGR State Chair. “They recognize and value the skill sets Reserve Component service members bring to the company. CPPI is a true partner in their employee’s success, and we are so honored they were selected as a 2022 Secretary of Defense Freedom Award winner from Florida.”

“I am proud to salute the employers who have distinguished themselves by being named Freedom Award recipients as we mark the 26th year of this highly coveted recognition,” said Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III. “The men and women of the National Guard and Reserve make significant contributions to our communities and our national security through their civilian and military careers. By valuing and supporting their employees’ military service, these employers enhance the strength, readiness, and diversity of our National Guard and Reserve forces, and the readiness of the Total Force.”

The recipients distinguish themselves by going beyond the requirements of the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) to support National Guard and Reserve employees. Many offered enhanced pay and benefits packages; flexible scheduling and generous leave policies; and pre-and post-deployment support. In addition, many organizations stay connected with the families during deployments by assisting with household repairs, including the families in company functions, or providing financial assistance.  

ESGR, a Department of Defense (DOD) office, seeks to foster a culture in which all employers support and value the employment and military service of members of the National Guard and Reserve in the United States. ESGR facilitates and promotes a cooperative culture of employer support for National Guard and reserve service by developing and advocating mutual beneficial initiatives, recognizing outstanding employer support, increasing awareness of applicable laws and policies, resolving potential conflicts between employers and their service members, and acting as the employers’ principal advocate within DOD. Paramount to ESGR’s mission is encouraging employment of Guardsmen and Reservists who bring integrity, global prospective and proven leadership to the civilian workforce. 

Additional information about CPPI and the award ceremony can be obtained from Tiffany McBride, CPPI Corporate Communications Manager, at 352-316-3778.  

For more information about ESGR Outreach Programs, or ESGR volunteer opportunities, please call 1-800-336-4590 or visit www.ESGR.mil/FL. 

Information about the 2022 Freedom Award can be found at https://freedomaward.mil/

The celebration was livestreamed for the public, and is archived here for access: https://youtu.be/b5je_A88idU

ABOUT CPPI

Ranked one of Engineering News-Record’s 2022 “Top Contractors,” Charles Perry Partners, Inc. (CPPI) is one of the Southeast’s largest privately-held construction firms. Recognized as a powerhouse of innovation, sustainability, craftsmanship and expertise, CPPI performs a wide range of design-build, construction management and general contracting services, including project planning and modeling, budget estimating and cost management, project scheduling and construction.