Mayor Slay to Recognize Ten Show-Me Heroes Employers at Flag of Freedom Awards Ceremony

Representatives from 10 local companies will gather for a press conference hosted by City of St. Louis Mayor Francis G. Slay on Thursday, March 6, 2014, to receive the Flag of Freedom Award. The Award was established through the Show-Me Heroes initiative, introduced by Governor Nixon in January 2010, and was designed to recognize companies that participate. Administered by the Missouri Division of Workforce Development within the Department of Economic Development, the Show-Me Heroes program has connected more than 6,000 Missouri veterans to job opportunities in the civilian marketplace, once they complete their military duties.

The event will be held at 10 a.m. in the Mayor's Office at City Hall, 1200 Market St., Room 200. The following companies will be recognized as active partners in both the Show-Me Heroes program and the ongoing effort to reintegrate our returning heroes into the civilian world:

• Associated General Contractors (AGC) of St. Louis, the leading voice of the St. Louis metro area construction industry, represents nearly 400 commercial, industrial, heavy and highway contractors and partners in 22 counties across eastern Missouri.
• Drury Inn, a family-owned and operated chain of hotels, which has provided exceptionally friendly and satisfactory experiences to its guests since the 1940s;
• Fields Foods, St. Louis' full-service grocery store specializing in sustainable, locally-produced food products and trusted brands that provide delicious, healthy options;
• Love's Travel Shops & Country Stores, a recognized leader of the convenience stores and travel center industry, known for "clean places, friendly faces";
• Missouri Department of Transportation, the state government agency in charge of maintaining public roadways throughout Missouri;
• Spectrum Healthcare Resources, a reputable healthcare staffing company dedicated to providing permanent, civilian-contracted medical professionals for U.S. Military Treatment Facilities, Veteran Affairs clinics and other Federal agencies;
• St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, home to many of the nation's finest police officers and civilian employees who are committed to reducing crime in the City's neighborhoods;
• St. Patrick Center, the largest provider of homeless services in Missouri, helping move individuals and families from homelessness to self-sufficiency and a dignified lifestyle.
• Veterans Business Resources Center, a non-profit organization and a small business resource for veterans, reservists,and National Guardsmen who are small business owners or interested in becoming one;
• Weir Minerals Lewis Pumps, specializes in delivering and supporting slurry equipment; the world's premier distributor of vertical pumps and services to the sulphur chemicals industry.

"These St. Louis City companies have gone far beyond their call of duty; by hiring veterans they harness the skills and abilities of these dedicated men and women, and ultimately they unleash the economic potential of our community and our region," said Mayor Slay.

To date, well more than 3,000 Missouri businesses have taken the Show-Me Heroes pledge to contact, train and hire returning veterans, including more than 500 in the St. Louis area.