U.S. Department of Defense honors Parkland leaders
Two supervisors recognized for supporting employees’ military service
Serving in the military reserves while also employed full-time can be stressful. But two Parkland Health supervisors were recently honored for making it seamless for their employees.
Senior Vice President and Chief Governance and Strategy Officer Saúl Cordero and Director of Spiritual Care Krister White recently received the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) Patriot Award for extraordinary support of their employees’ military service.
“The Patriot Award was created by ESGR to publicly recognize individuals who provide outstanding patriotic support and cooperation to their employees who have answered their nation’s call to serve,” said JP Hogan, Vice Chair of the Texas ESGR state committee. “Supportive supervisors such as Mr. Cordero and Mr. White are critical to maintaining the strength and readiness of the nation’s Guard and Reserve units. By valuing the military service of their Guard and Reserve employees, Parkland Hospital and other employers are directly supporting the readiness and retention of our All-Volunteer Force, and our national defense,” Hogan added.
Cordero was nominated by Parkland Governance Program Manager Forrest Stovall who is also a First Lieutenant, Medical Service Corps, in the United States Air Force.
“Commissioning in the United States Air Force was a dream of mine for several years. Saul Cordero hired me knowing that and encouraged me throughout the process,” said Stovall. “I am so grateful to have a boss who is supportive of my growth and has my professional and personal development in mind. Furthermore, I am proud to work for an organization that values service and is supportive of those who defend our freedom.”
White was nominated by Parkland Manager of Spiritual Care Education the Rev. Alice Hernandez who is a Chaplain Major in the United States Air Force.
“I’m honored to receive this award and am proud to work with colleagues in the National Guard and Reserve like Rev. Alice Hernandez,” said White. “We are deeply grateful for her service to our country and for advancing the practice of professional spiritual care within the military through her role as an Air Force Reserve Chaplain and ACPE Certified Educator.”
“Krister is deserving of this award because of his support of my Air Force Reserve duty. As a Parkland employee for the past three years, my continued service to our country has been seamless,” Hernandez added. “I wear the uniform at least 25 days a year, which often conflict with my workdays at Parkland. With Krister’s support, I am able to serve the Air Force Reserves without additional stress or disruption to my Parkland work.”
The awards were presented March 10, 2023, in a ceremony held on the Parkland campus.
ESGR is a Department of Defense program that develops and promotes supportive work environments for service members in the National Guard and Reserve through outreach, recognition, and educational opportunities that increase awareness of applicable laws. ESGR also helps in resolving conflicts between Service members and their employers.
For more information about Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, visit www.ESGR.mil.
For more information about Parkland careers, visit www.parklandcareers.com.
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