Texas Governor Greg Abbott has recognized the winners of this year's Lex Frieden Employment Awards (LFEA), celebrating businesses and individuals dedicated to hiring and empowering employees with disabilities. Governor Abbott, drawing from his own experiences, emphasized the importance of response to adversity. "In life, we are not defined by the challenges that we face but by how we respond to those challenges," Abbott said, according to the Office of the Texas Governor official announcement. He praised the 2025 LFEA winners for fostering a work environment that supports independence and self-determination among Texans with disabilities.
The awards, jointly sponsored by the Governor’s Committee on People with Disabilities and the Texas Workforce Commission, will be handed out at the forthcoming HireAbility Employer Forum. Set for October 2, at Morgan’s Wonderland in San Antonio, the event is open to the public, with tickets available for those interested in celebrating inclusive employment practices. Attendees can expect a program filled with experts on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), disability advocates, and industry leaders who will share wisdom on integrating employees with disabilities in the workplace. Furthermore, the Society for Human Resource Management will provide Continuing Education Units. For details and tickets, visit the HireAbility Forum website, as reported by the Office of the Texas Governor.
The list of privileged winners includes small to large employers who've differentially encompassed a commitment to this cause. Mermaid Café of San Antonio takes home the Small Employer award while DHL-Nike, based in Hutchins, and the City of Brownsville were honored as Medium and Large Employer, respectively. West Texas Counseling and Guidance from San Angelo was the recipient in the Nonprofit Employer category, and entrepreneur Kristen McNabb Pattison of Fort Sam Houston was also recognized. The Pharr Police Department’s Mental Health Unit earned the Martha Arbuckle Award, and Judy Telge of Corpus Christi was awarded the Governor’s Trophy. An additional trio of commendations went to the Texas Veterans Commission, Rusty Bourland of Austin, and Cord Shiflet, also of Austin, as sttaed by the Office of the Texas Governor.
This year's award ceremony coincides with a notable milestone - the 80th anniversary of National Disability Employment Awareness Month. October has been declared as Disability Employment Awareness Month through the Governor's proclamation, a move signifying Texas' dedication to inclusivity in the workforce. The Governor’s Committee on People with Disabilities, which advocates for full and equal access to independent, productive lives for those with disabilities, continues to recommend policy changes and support a network aimed at raising awareness and fostering compliance with disability-related laws, as per the Office of the Texas Governor.
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