Tom Patt, part of the Department of Defense’s Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve program, presented Youssi Farag, Citizens Bank of Edmond chief financial officer, with the program’s Patriot Award.
At a recently held ceremony, Jill Castilla, Citizen’s president and chief executive officer, pinned Farag with the Patriot Award lapel, and Patt presented her with the certificate of achievement.
Captain Kirsten Strickler, a senior credit analyst and portfolio manager, and Captain Christina Sanders, accounting manager, nominated Farag for this award. Both Strickler and Sanders are active in the Oklahoma National Guard.
Castilla also signed a statement of support which pledges that the bank will continue to promote, recognize and support service members, guardsman, reservist veterans and their families in peace, in crises and in war as 15% of Citizens Bank of Edmond’s staff are either veterans of the armed forces or are currently serving.
The Department of Defense program awards the Patriot Award to individual supervisors who show excellence in supporting 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. Any employee serving in the National Guard or Reserve may nominate individual supervisors to be recognized for their support of the service member and his or her family. The intent of the ESGR program is to increase employer support by encouraging employers to act as advocates for employee participation in the military.
