Connected Nation CEO Tom Ferree honored with Patriot Award for supporting US service members

BOWLING GREEN, Ky., Oct. 3, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Connected Nation's (CN) CEO & Chairman Tom Ferree received the Patriot Award, which is given through the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) organization.

Employees or spouses of employees who serve in the National Guard or Reserve nominate supervisors for the support they provide to citizen warriors through a wide range of measures including allowing for flexible schedules, time off prior to and after deployment, caring for families, and granting leaves of absence if needed.

"Tom has truly set the standard of support for which any employer of a service member should strive towards. I've never felt as accepted by my previous employers and his support has allowed me to achieve my most successful year in my seven years of service," said Grant Blumenthal, Project Manager, CN, and Sergeant in the Army National Guard. "I am truly honored to follow such a tremendous leader. I frequently feared backlash while notifying previous employers of upcoming service requirements. I can't overstate how comforting it feels to be within an organization that believes in the important mission of our service members."

Patriot Awards are awarded to individual supervisors, not to an entire staff or organization as a whole. Nominations are taken from service members and their spouses from across the country.

"This ranks among the top honors I could receive because it comes from an organization that supports our military families and personnel. Our service members and their families—whether active military or in the reserve or guard—deserve our respect and our support," said Tom Ferree, Chairman & CEO, CN. "For me, that means working hard to create a space within our company that welcomes those who have served or are serving as members of our team and ensuring they have the flexibility they need. At the same time, Connected Nation is focused on creating programs and partnering with other organizations that provide assistance for and respond to the needs of active duty members, veterans, and military spouses."

To learn more about the ESGR Patriot Award, head to this link.

About Connected Nation: Connected Nation celebrated 20 years of service in 2021. The national nonprofit's mission is to improve lives by providing innovative solutions that expand access to and increase the adoption and use of broadband (high-speed internet) and its related technologies by all people. Everyone belongs in a Connected Nation.

For more information, please visit connectednation.org and follow Connected Nation on Facebook and Twitter.

About Philanthropy & Social Innovation at AT&T: We're committed to advancing education, creating opportunities, strengthening communities, and improving lives. As part of our companywide commitment to address the digital divide, we launched AT&T Connected Learning^® to invest in connectivity and technology, digital literacy, and education solutions to help today's learners succeed inside and outside of the classroom. Since 2008 we've committed to programs that help millions of students across all 50 states, Washington D.C. and around the world, particularly those in underserved communities.

SOURCE Connected Nation