WHAT: Three North Texas employers — GM Financial of Fort Worth, Coppell Independent School District of Coppell, and Air Aviation of Allen—will be presented with the Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award by officials from the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR), a U.S. Defense Department program.

The Freedom Award is the highest recognition given by the U.S. Government to employers who demonstrate outstanding support of their employees who serve in the Guard and Reserve. These Texas-based honorees are three of only fifteen employers across the country to receive this honor in 2025.

This is also the first time Texas has had three Freedom Award recipients in one year.

WHEN: Tuesday, September 16th, 2025 from 4:00pm to 6:30pm.

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WHERE: Irving Convention Center at Las Colinas, 500 W Las Colinas Blvd., Irving, TX 75039. Validated parking will be available. An 800-space parking structure is attached to the facility and additional parking is available within walking distance. 

WHO: he ceremony will feature officials from ESGR Headquarters and the Texas ESGR Committee presenting the three North Texas employers with their awards. Accepting the awards will be Susan Sheffield, President and CEO of GM Financial; Moses Rivera, Founder and CEO of Air Aviation; as well as a representative from the Coppell Independent School District.

TOPICS:  The program will include highlights of the support each employer has shown to its military employees, remarks from ESGR National Chair Sampa and Texas ESGR Committee Chair Richard Noriega on the important role employers play in our national defense, the presentation of the awards, and comments from officials receiving the awards. Media interviews will be available.

WHY:  With almost half of our nation’s armed forces now composed of National Guard and Reserve forces, our nation’s employers play an important role in our nation’s defense. ESGR received 1,626 nominations for this prestigious award for employers throughout the 50 states, Guam-CNMI, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands and District of Columbia. The recipients distinguished themselves by going far beyond the requirements of the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act, or USERRA, to support their National Guard and Reserve employees.

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