John Smock (center), president of PAL Health Technologies, accepts the Employer of the Year Award from the American Legion, Department of Illinois, presented by Dennis Tipsword (right), Economic Commission Vice Chairman, Illinois, and Lomac Payton (left), 3rd Division Commander. PRNewsFoto/PAL Health Technologies
PAL Health Technologies, Pekin, Illinois, was recently awarded the Employer of the Year award. The award, given by the national Department of Economic Commission, recognizes private-sector employers that provide outstanding employment opportunities and support to veterans.
“At PAL, we respect the value veterans bring to our company,” said John Smock, president of PAL Health Technologies. “Military training and the well-grounded approach that comes with it, makes veterans very adaptive to the many opportunities we have available, and their diversity of skills and ethical moral standards make them a valuable asset.”
The Department of Economic Commission created the Employer of the Year award in 1969 as an expansion of its Employer Awards program. Awards are given to small, medium, and large-sized companies that have been in business for at least five years and have a workforce that includes at least 10 percent veterans and also employs private-sector employees.
PAL, a manufacturer of prescription foot and ankle orthoses and accompanying technology products, received the award at the state level in the medium-sized category (51-200 employees).
“PAL has…shown outstanding initiative in veteran-supportive hiring practices,” said Larry Stockdale, a veteran’s representative with the Illinois Department of Employment Security. “It is my job to ease that transition for veterans from the military to the private sector…. PAL is truly an employer that provides outstanding support to the veteran community.” Stockdale nominated PAL for the award.
