Steven Polakof, director, Northeast Region of the Ohio Committee for Employer Support of the Guard & Reserve (ESGR) presented Nortrax President Tim Murphy with the Patriotic Employer Award March 18. Polakof, a volunteer with ESGR, retired as Lt. Colonel after 21 years with the Air Force.

Nortrax Service Manager Greg Lyczek, who currently is a Sergeant First Class with the National Guard, G Company, 237th Brigade Support Battalion, had nominated Nortrax for the company’s support while he was deployed overseas to Kuwait. Lyczek served overseas for a year.

The Employer Support of the Guard & Reserve is a Department of Defense organization that seeks to encourage a culture of support for Guard and Reserve service members among American employers. The organization, established in 1972, operates through a network of more than 4,500 volunteers throughout the nation, Guam, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. To promote its goal, ESGR acknowledges employers that have demonstrated outstanding support for employees serving in the armed services with the Patriotic Employer Award, and other awards.

According to the ESGR, in an environment where the current National Defense Strategy calls for reserve forces to spend more time away from their families and their workplace, civilian employers play a critical role in the defense of the nation by complying with existing employment laws protecting the rights of workers who serve in the Reserve.

In the National Guard for 17 years, Lyczek had only been employed by Nortrax for about two years when he was notified of his third deployment, this time to Kuwait.

With the many concerns that are a part of serving overseas and away from family, Lyczek said he was extremely grateful for the support that everyone at Nortrax provided, saying that they made it clear that coming back to a job was one thing he didn’t need to worry about.

Nortrax Vice President Mike Slinger said he was thrilled to welcome Lyczek back after his year overseas in the service.

Slinger added that he recognized Lyczek’s time in Kuwait provided valuable management lessons. Lyczek’s experience, co-leading a platoon of 52 people, helped him land a promotion back home at Nortrax — going from service advisor at the company’s Brunswick branch to service manager of Northeast Ohio.

On hand to accept the award, Murphy explained that Lyczek exemplified the behavior that all employees at Nortrax are encouraged to display — behaviors driven by going above and beyond and performing “heroic” acts on behalf of customers and co-workers everyday.

While acknowledging that all of Nortrax’s employees work hard to serve their customers, a committee consisting of employees nominates team members that demonstrate the effort to go the extra mile to deliver exceptional service to their customers.

Nortrax is a subsidiary of John Deere serving the midwest, northeast and southeast United States as well as eastern Canada

For more information about the Employer Support of the Guard & Reserve, visit www.esgr.mil.

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