Briess Receives Pro Patria Award for Third Time

CHILTON, Wis.For the third time this year, Briess Malt and Ingredients Co. has been recognized by the Department of Defense (DOD) for offering exceptional support and services to military employees. Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR), a DOD agency, recently presented the "Pro Patria Award" to Briess.  The award was the result of a nomination submitted to the ESGR by Leona Propson, Briess quality control specialist and retired Army Reservist formerly assigned to the 432nd Civil Affairs Battalion of Green Bay.

Propson initially nominated Briess for a "Patriotic Employer" award earlier this year. This award is presented to companies that exceed federal requirements for offering support and services to military employees. In nominating Briess for the award, Propson noted that management and co-workers alike offered personal support to her and her family when she was deployed twice between 2000-2010, first to Kosovo and more recently to Iraq.

Propson's nomination noted that, "Employees placed flags in their cubicles and on their doors the whole time I was gone. They also made a quilt and hung it in the office to show their support. I received frequent emails from co-workers, owner Monica Briess and president Gordon Lane. I received care packages. And when I came off of active duty, I was offered a new position within the company that was equivalent to a promotion."

Receipt of the initial "Patriotic Employer" award put Briess in the running for the "Above and Beyond Award". Briess became one of  nine Wisconsin companies to receive that award, which made Briess a candidate for the "Pro Patria" award. Only three employers in the State of Wisconsin received the "Pro Patria" award. Nationwide, 133 employers received Pro Patria awards from an initial pool of 3,236 nominees.