Goodyear Receives ProPatria Award

The Ohio Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve has honored The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company with the Pro Patria Award. Shown with the award (from left) are: Retired Air Force Brig. Gen. Stephen Koper; Mark Purtilar, vice president and Chief Procurement Officer of The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company; Veteran and Supplier Qualification Project Leader Jose Rivera; and Force Master Chief C.J. Mitchell, U.S. Navy Reserve.

AKRON, Ohio – The Ohio Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, an agency of the Department of Defense, has honored The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. with the Pro Patria Award, the highest state-level award given to a civilian employer by the department.

Pro Patria Award honorees are employers that demonstrate exceptional support for the United States national defense by adopting personnel policies that make it easier for employees to participate in the National Guard and Reserve.

According to Gary VanderLind, Goodyear North America vice president of human resources, veterans, guardsmen and reservists looking to build a civilian career find the Goodyear culture supportive of traditional military values, with a focus on delivering results. The company has an employee veterans association, dedicated to supporting veterans in their transition to civilian life and careers at Goodyear.

For the past three years, Goodyear has been named a Top 100 Military Friendly Employer by GI Jobs magazine for its leadership in hiring and supporting military service veterans. In 2014, Goodyear surpassed a three-year goal of hiring 1,000 veterans and committed to hiring an additional 1,000 veterans in 2015. In addition, the company’s “Goodyear Gives Back” campaign has generated nearly $1 million in donations for the non-profit organization Support Our Troops since 2010.