NISH National Awards Celebrate Employees with Disabilities for Outstanding Workplace Achievements

WASHINGTON, May 23, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- NISH, Creating Employment Opportunities for People with Significant Disabilities, announced today the recipients of their annual National Achievement Awards. The NISH National Employee Awards recognize individuals with significant disabilities who have received jobs through the AbilityOne® Program and have excelled. This year's NISH National Employee Award recipients are Steve Hoffman of Easton, MD, who will be named to the AbilityOne Honor Roll for Veterans with Disabilities; Nate Brown of Charleston, SC, who will be presented with the William M. Usdane Award; and Marcelino Parra of Colorado Springs, CO, who will receive the Evelyne Villines Award.

"We are extremely proud to be able to honor Steve, Nate and Marc. They are shining examples of the more than 50,000 people with significant disabilities who are a part of the AbilityOne Program," said Bob Chamberlin, President and CEO of NISH. "They are amazing employees, proven leaders and mentors to their coworkers, and make an invaluable contribution to their employers and to their communities each day."  

Steve Hoffman - AbilityOne Honor Roll for Veterans with Disabilities Award Winner
Steve Hoffman, a Wounded Warrior who sustained several service-connected physical injuries and post-traumatic stress disorder during Operation Desert Storm, has proven himself to be an effective teacher, manager and mentor bringing coworkers under his wing and training new AbilityOne hires – all during his first year of AbilityOne employment. A top producer for his employer ServiceSource in Wilmington, DE, where he works on a U.S. Department of Defense Contract Management Support Services project, Steve brings the skills he learned in the military to bear acting not only as a team leader, but as a team player, to help his co-workers be successful and meet their professional goals.

"Steve has shown that employers should focus on a veteran's abilities as an asset to any organization rather than focusing on their disabilities as a hindering factor in their achievements," explains Dennis Dapolito, Executive Director of ServiceSource Delaware. "Despite the trials, hardships, and physical and psychological effects of war he has faced, Steve is an optimist. He is a prime example of the tenacity, integrity and hard work of the Wounded Warrior – realizing both career achievement and fulfillment as a mentor of his peers."

For more information on Steve Hoffman please click on the following video: https://vimeo.com/42692450

Nate Brown - William M. Usdane National Award Winner
Nate Brown, who lost his sight in 2004, joined Goodwill Industries of Lower South Carolina (Charleston) in 2010 as a Food Service Worker. Since that time, he has moved from sorting silverware, to working in food prep, to being promoted to the position of Cook II – which includes chopping and cutting of fruits and vegetables for meals and for the fruit bar. In addition to serving as a mentor and role model at Goodwill, Nate is also a camp counselor at Rock Bottom Retreat and Conference Center of the Blind.

"Nate's ever present positive attitude is his greatest attribute. He leads by example on a daily basis, serving as a mentor for those individuals with disabilities that may not have as much confidence and making a tremendous difference in the attitude of others," said Reginald Hughes, Vice President of Commercial Services at Palmetto Goodwill. "Nate wanted one thing when he started working with Goodwill, a chance to prove that he could make a difference and change people's opinion about those who are blind. He has done that and he has been an inspiration."

For more information on Nate Brown please click on the following video: https://vimeo.com/42692140

Marcelino Parra - Evelyne Villines National Award Winner
After a 1998 accident that shattered his legs, Marcelino Parra underwent numerous surgeries and was never expected to walk again. With determination and hard work, Marc got back on his feet and was hired through the AbilityOne Program by Professional Contract Services, Inc. of Austin, TX in 2001. Mark was trained in hospital housekeeping and began work at the Evans Army Community Hospital (EACH) at Fort Carson, CO – quickly rising through the ranks from Housekeeper, to Trainer, to Crew Leader, moving out of the AbilityOne Program in 2004 when he reached a supervisory status. From there Marc was again promoted several times, finally reaching the position of Director of Hospital Housekeeping. As Director, he spearheaded the effort to obtain LEED certification, which is now in "Silver" status. Beyond his own rise, Marc has created a family atmosphere at EACH, taking a sincere interest in his employees' morale and professional development and helping to mentor four of his employees with disabilities into management positions.

"Marc's lone efforts contributed to EACH being named a top nine Environmental Services Department of the Year for two consecutive years. Of all of the facilities across the country, EACH is the only military facility to earn this distinction, and the only facility nationwide to earn it twice," said EACH Chief of Environmental Services Judith Darbyshire. "Marc's willingness to share his goals, his passion for his work and his ability to work with all personnel to help them succeed make him a true partner in excellence."

For more information on Marcelino Parra please click on the following video: https://vimeo.com/42691655

Nominations for the NISH National Employee Awards may be submitted by an AbilityOne-producing nonprofit agency. The awards will be presented at the 2012 NISH National Training and Achievement Conference taking place in Indianapolis, IN, May 21-23. 

For more videos on the NISH Conference please click here: http://vimeo.com/nishconf

NISH–Creating Employment for People with Significant Disabilities
Established in 1974, NISH (www.nish.org) is one of two national, nonprofit agencies designated by the U.S. AbilityOne Commission to support nonprofit agencies (NPAs) participating in the AbilityOne Program. NISH provides employment opportunities for people who are blind or have other significant disabilities by procuring Federal contracts for goods and services. Headquartered in Vienna, Va., NISH supports a network of more than 1,200 NPAs as well as Federal customers by providing legislative and regulatory assistance, communications and public relations materials, information technology support, engineering and technical assistance, and extensive professional training needed for successful contract management.

AbilityOne Program
Providing employment opportunities to more than 50,000 people, the AbilityOne Program is the largest single source of employment for people who are blind or have other significant disabilities in the United States.  More than 600 participating nonprofit organizations employ these individuals and provide quality goods and services to the Federal Government at a fair market price.  The AbilityOne Program is administered by the U.S. AbilityOne Commission (www.abilityone.gov), an independent Federal agency, with assistance from National Industries for the Blind (NIB, www.nib.org) and NISH—Creating Employment Opportunities for People with Significant Disabilities (www.nish.org).

2011 NISH National Employee Award Winners

AbilityOne Honor Roll for Veterans with Disabilities Award
The AbilityOne Honor Roll for Veterans with Disabilities recognizes a service disabled veteran who has exhibited outstanding achievement in his or her work life.

NATIONAL WINNER
Steve Hoffman
ServiceSource
Easton, MD

William S. Usdane Award Winners
The William M. Usdane Award recognizes an AbilityOne employee with a significant disability who exhibits outstanding achievement and exceptional character.

NATIONAL WINNER
Nate Brown
Goodwill Industries of Lower
South Carolina, Inc.
Charleston, SC
(also SOUTH REGION)

NORTHWEST REGION
Brian Pierson
Skookum
Bremerton, WA

PACIFIC WEST REGION
Steven Ikehara
Goodwill Contract
Services Hawaii, Inc.
Honolulu, HI

SOUTH CENTRAL REGION
Victor Prassell
Goodwill Industries
of San Antonio
San Antonio, TX

NORTH CENTRAL REGION
Tristan Matta
Weaver Industries (Akron)
Norton, OH

EAST REGION
Joyce Anderson
National Telecommuting
Institute, Inc. (Boston, MA)
Crook, CO

Evelyne Villines Award Winners
The Evelyne Villines Award recognizes an individual with a significant disability who had advanced from work on an AbilityOne contract into private/government sector employment or into management within his/her employing NPA.

NATIONAL WINNER
Marcelino Parra
PCSI
Colorado Springs, CO
(also SOUTH CENTRAL REGION)

PACIFIC WEST REGION
Denise LeVasseur
J. P. Industries, Inc.
Tucson, AZ

NORTHWEST REGION
Neil Colomac
Skookum
Bremerton, WA

NORTH CENTRAL REGION
Michael Herring
Goodwill Industries of
Southeastern Wisconsin, Inc.
Gurnee, IL

EAST REGION
Kelly Ferrell
Eggleston Services
Norfolk, VA

The NISH National Employee Awards serve to recognize individuals with significant disabilities whose lives have been impacted by the AbilityOne Program. Nominations for these awards may be submitted by an AbilityOne-affiliated nonprofit agency (NPA) or a Federal customer. Award Winners will be honored at the 2012 NISH National Training and Achievement Conference in Indianapolis, IN, May 21–23, 2012.

SOURCE NISH