State Employees’ Credit Union (SECU) supervisors honored with ESGR Patriot Awards
GREENSBORO, N.C (February 5, 2018) — SECU employee and North Carolina National Guardsman Richard Warner recently returned from a two-month stint in Puerto Rico – the second service deployment for the Army National Guard Captain. Leading up to and during his deployment there were many things he had to prepare for quickly, but two things he never worried about was the status of his job at the Raleigh-Capitol Square branch or the backing he would receive from his co-workers. SECU Vice President Neil Piner and Senior Vice President Sandra Coburn provided ongoing assistance for Richard, helping with financial matters and being a supportive resource for his wife while he was away. To show his appreciation, he nominated his supervisors for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) Patriot Awards, which reflect efforts made to support citizen warriors prior to, during and after deployment, including flexible schedules, leave of absences, and caring for families.
ESGR Volunteer Griff Bartlett presented the Awards to Piner and Coburn during a surprise ceremony last week at SECU’s Raleigh-Salisbury Street office. Mr. Bartlett noted, “There are 24,000 active Guard and Reservists in North Carolina with about 12,000 in the Army National Guard. Since 9/11, some of these service members have been deployed more than once. That doesn’t work unless employers like you support them while they’re on duty. On behalf of the Secretary of Defense James Mattis, we’re pleased to be able to present Neil and Sandra with a Patriot Award for their outstanding support of Richard’s deployment in Puerto Rico.”
Captain Warner added, “Nominating both of you for the Patriot Award was our way of thanking you for all the support that you gave me and my wife while I was away – it was above and beyond what I could have anticipated. It brought me great relief knowing that when there was no service, no internet and no connectivity with my family, you all were there for us and we’re extremely grateful.”
Upon receiving the award, Ms. Coburn responded, “This was such a gracious thing for Richard to do for us – I am truly honored and humbled by the award. I want him to know how thankful we are for him and all the military service members for the incredible sacrifices they make for us through their valiant service to our country. I’m also proud to work for State Employees’ Credit Union, an organization that takes great measures to ensure strong support for our SECU personnel who serve in the Guard and Reserves.”
SECU is no stranger to ESGR awards, having received numerous honors for its support of military staff, including the Above and Beyond Award, Pro Patria Award and the prestigious Freedom Award, which is the U.S. Department of Defense’s highest recognition given to employers for exceptional support of their employees serving in the Guard and Reserve. To date, nine SECU supervisors have received Patriot Awards. In 2010, over 300 SECU managers participated in the Nation’s largest ESGR Statement of Support signing, acknowledging their commitment to fellow employees serving in the military.
Jamie Applequist-Retired Air Force Reserve Master Sergeant and Executive Vice President, SECU Branch Operations; Neil Piner-Vice President, SECU Raleigh-Capitol Square; Sandra Coburn-Senior Vice President-SECU Raleigh-Salisbury Street; Richard Warner-Army National Guard Captain and Financial Services Manager, SECU Raleigh-Capitol Square; Griff Bartlett- ESGR NC Volunteer; Mike Lord-President and CEO, SECU.
About SECU
A not-for-profit financial cooperative owned by its members, and federally insured by the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA), SECU has been providing employees of the state of North Carolina and their families with consumer financial services for 87 years. SECU is the second largest credit union in the United States with $56 billion in assets. It serves more than 2.8 million members through 275 branch offices, over 1,100 ATMs, Member Services Support via phone, www.ncsecu.org, and the SECU Mobile App
