Medford Motors recognized as an exemplary employer
Changing the world begins in your own backyard.
On Tuesday state officials from the Department of Workforce Development presented an Exemplary Employer Award to Medford Motors as part of the National Disability Employment Awareness Month.
Medford Motors has been a longtime supporter of giving employment opportunities to those with disabilities. The company currently employs two individuals through Black River Industries who work in the detailing department cleaning and preparing vehicles for sale.
“At Medford Motors we have always believed that providing the opportunities is the right thing to do, helping people in our home town may not change the world, but it allows us to influence our part of it,” said Dave Lemke, president of Medford Motors.
“For them the job gives them an additional sense of purpose and fulfilling. It is obvious by their big smiles when you talk to them throughout the day,” Lemke said.
If you ask Dustin Phillips if he loves his job as a detailer at Medford Motors, the answer will be an enthusiastic “Yeah!”
“He really enjoys it, he loves the work,” says Phillips’ father, Michael Phillips. “They say everyone who meets him observes that he’s always got a smile on his face. It never stops.”
Phillips, along with coworker Michael Paulson, joined Medford Motors through connections with Black River Industries (BRI) Inc., which assists people with disabilities in achieving career and other goals. Now, because of its diverse and inclusive hiring practices that welcome individuals with disabilities into its workforce, Medford Motors has been recognized as an Exemplary Employer by Gov. Evers’ Administration.
“Medford Motors serves as a great example of how local employers can meet their hiring and retention needs by building a workforce with skilled and motivated employees who reflect the diversity of our state,” Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD) Secretary Amy Pechacek said. “Medford Motors demonstrates that hiring people with disabilities is not only the right thing to do, but it’s good for business, too.”
DWD Assistant Deputy Secretary Jennifer Sereno presented Medford Motors with an Exemplary Employer award on Oct. 10. Medford Motors is one of 25 businesses being recognized throughout October, which Gov. Evers proclaimed as National Disability Employment Awareness Month. Last year, more than 2,000 employers created more inclusive workplaces in Wisconsin by hiring people with disabilities. DWD’s Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) provided funding, work incentives benefits planning and on-the-job assessments for Medford Motors’ hires.
All Wisconsin employers are encouraged to reach out to the DVR and meet with a local Business Services Consultant who can connect them with a variety of free resources to help recruit and hire people with disabilities, build staff diversity and retain well-trained employees.
DVR helped over 3,350 Wisconsin residents with disabilities find work over the past year. Individuals with a disability looking for ways to find a job, keep a job, or get a better job are encouraged to contact DVR at 800262-0050, visit a local DVR office, or visit the DVR website.
