Thomson Reuters Earns Pro Patria Award from the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve
Captain Johnny DiMenna
Thomson Reuters earned a Pro Patria award from the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserves (ESGR) of Minnesota during a virtual ceremony held last week. The nomination for the award came from Johnny DiMenna, client account manager, for the company’s support of him while he was deployed with the Army National Guard in 2016.
The award is presented annually by each ESGR state committee to three companies – one small, one large and one public sector employer in their respective state – for being strong supporters of Guard and Reserve employees. It’s the highest award that can be bestowed upon a company by the ESGR state committee.
DiMenna served as a battle captain in the Northern Sinai Peninsula in Egypt, on the border of Israel and Palestine. During his year-long deployment, Thomson Reuters colleagues sent DiMenna care packages and thank-you notes. When his deployment ended in 2017, DiMenna’s manager encouraged him to take his time in returning to work, per Thomson Reuters policies that support soldiers after a deployment. His return to work included an offer to throw out the first pitch at a Minnesota Twins game on the Thomson Reuters-sponsored Military Appreciation Day. His manager ensured that he retained the role he had when he left, and DiMenna promptly achieved 117 percent of his quarterly quota within months of his return.
In his nomination submission, DiMenna wrote: “The work of Thomson Reuters and my manager to carry the burden of my military deployment with me was remarkable. It’s a sacrifice for every soldier and his family every time he goes away. For Thomson Reuters to shoulder that with me meant they truly cared. I had a home in a company that supported me both at work and away from it.”
“On behalf of Thomson Reuters, I would like to express my deep gratitude to Johnny for his service to our country as well as his tremendous efforts on our sales team,” said Brian Knudsen, vice president of Marketing Strategy, who accepted the award for Thomson Reuters. “Also, my sincere thanks to Johnny’s colleagues for supporting him throughout this tough time as well as to Thomson Reuters leadership for establishing practices and policies that allow us to support one another when it matters most.”
