InkJet Director of Sales Dean Harvey Honored with Patriot Award

ESGR (Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve), a Department of Defense office, presented Dean Harvey, director of sales for InkJet, with the Patriot Award on May 13th, 2024 during the company’s town hall meeting.

George Nami, Ombudsman Director with the ESGR, presented the award and explained that Harvey was nominated for by John Cowen, an InkJet regional sales manager and US Navy chief.

“I nominated Dean for the Patriot Award because he didn’t forget me,” Cowen said. “A very special part of leadership is understanding how your interactions with people can make the uncertainty in life fade away. Dean stayed in contact with me throughout my deployment and continually asked when I was coming home. He took away my uncertainty and made sure that I knew there was a lot to look forward to upon transitioning back to civilian life and coming back to InkJet.”

The Patriot Award is awarded to an employee serving in the National Guard or Reserve, or a Guard or Reserve member may nominate individual supervisors and bosses for support provided directly to the nominating Service member and his or her family.

It reflects the efforts made to support citizen warriors through a wide range of measures including flexible schedules, time off prior to and after deployment, caring for families, and granting leaves of absence if needed.

“I am humbled and honored to have been nominated for the Patriot Award by Chief Cowen. As a veteran myself, I understand how important and appreciated it is to receive correspondence during deployment. John is a valued member of Inkjet and it was important to make sure he knew he had a job when he returned and that we were eager to have him back,” said Harvey.

InkJet was also recognized with a Statement of Support for the Guard and Reserve.

“As citizens, I believe we all have a duty to recognize the sacrifices and risks being taken by our men and women in uniform to defend the freedoms we are all privileged to enjoy in the United States,” said Jeane Schalm, CEO of InkJet. “For that reason alone, it is an honor to offer our service members opportunities to reach their personal dreams and goals in civilian life.

“InkJet also recognizes that veterans and reservists bring a unique set of skills and experiences to the workplace gained through their experiences in the Armed Forces, which can be a great contribution to the company’s success,” added Schalm, commented. “We are privileged and honored to have both veterans and reservists as part of the InkJet team.”