Jeff Lupinacci Receives Department of Defense Patriot Award

September 10, 2019

Jeffrey Lupinacci, Sr. Global Operations HR Director at Unifrax CHQ, was presented with The ESGR Patriot Award on Friday, September 6, 2019.  The award was presented by Maurice (Mo) Naylon, WNY Area Chair of the Department of Defense ESGR, who explained the importance of The Patriot Award before honoring Jeff for his support of our National Guard and Reservists. Recognizing supportive employers is vital to ESGR’s (Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve) mission.

Jeff was nominated for The Patriot Award by Bethany A. Vega, Unifrax HR Business Partner located in our Tonawanda facility in Western New York.   Bethany nominated Jeff for his support of her role as a Human Resource Non-commissioned Officer (HR NCO) in the Army Reserves. “I nominated Jeff for The Patriot Award for his commitment to hiring Veterans, and for the support he offers to me and my family while working on his team. Jeff consistently recognizes me for my service and utilizes my unique skill set to add value to our organization!” 

An employee serving in the National Guard or Reserve, may nominate individual supervisors and bosses for their support provided directly to the nominating Service member and his or her family. The Patriot Award reflects the efforts made to support citizen warriors through a wide-range of measures including flexible schedules, time off prior to and after deployment, caring for families, and granting leaves of absence if needed. Patriot Awards are awarded to individual supervisors, not to an entire staff or organization as a whole.

Jeff received the framed Patriot Award certificate on Friday as members of the Unifrax senior leadership and Human Resources teams looked on.  “I am extremely honored to be recognized by the ESGR. Unifrax also deserves credit for being a company that supports our military, both current and veterans. We believe the National Guard and Reserve is critical to protecting our liberty and freedom. Which is why we actively support the men and women who serve our country, especially on a voluntary basis.”

ESGR’s 54 State Committees actively promote awards as a key element in furthering employer support, while strengthening relationships between service members and employers.  You can learn more about the award at this link.

Congratulations Jeff, and thank you Bethany for your service from the Unifrax team.