For Emma Campuzano, Tyson Foods human resources manager, supporting veterans and active military personnel is in her blood.
“My grandfather is a Vietnam vet and a purple heart recipient, so it’s always been near and dear,” Campuzano said. “Being able to somehow make a tiny difference for [a veteran or servicemember] is so special to me.”
Recently, Campuzano was presented with an ESGR Patriot Award, a reminder, she said, of why she does what she does every day.
The Employer Support of The Guard and Reserve (ESGR) has been a Department of Defense office since 1972 and aims to “promote cooperation and understanding between Reserve Component Service members and their civilian employers and to assist in the resolution of conflicts arising from an employee’s military commitment.” Their Employer Awards recognize those supporting Guard and Reserve employees in the workplace. Emma was nominated for the Patriot Award by National Guard member Quddousse Gbandi, who also works as a maintenance electrical technician at her facility.
“I nominated Emma Campuzano because she did several things in appreciation of the military,” Gbandi said. “Every time I had military leave, she always did everything to make it go smoothly.”
Emma, Gbandi said, made sure paperwork was filed correctly to get his pay matched while on leave and that his job would be waiting for him when he returned from duty – the policy for all military personnel at Tyson. Gbandi says he’s thankful to have a company like Tyson Foods with team members like Emma that appreciate veterans and active service members.
“At Tyson I am happy and know that when my time will come to go fight, they will let me go happily and I will have my position when I come back to work.”
Tyson Foods facilities across the United States will be recognizing and honoring service members throughout the coming days for Veterans Day. Campuzano ordered wooden plaques for the over [number] veterans at her facility, to be presented at a celebration today, and we’re teaming up with the Arkansas Martin Luther King, Jr. Commission in Little Rock, Ark. with a 10,000-pound protein donation for their weekend food giveaway. Our Veterans and Friends Business Resource Group is presenting a check to Folds of Honor to help fund scholarships, and our Columbus Junction pork facility is making a $3,200 donation to help maintain the Veterans Memorial in Grandview, Iowa.
And every day we support the growth and advancement of all our team members through free education with Guild, career development programs, and workplace training. We also offer language and life skills courses through Upward Academy which provides onsite access adult basic education, English as a second language, and financial and digital literacy. It’s these things, Emma said, that make her proud to be a Tyson Foods team member.
“We’re people focused,” Campuzano said. “Yes, we do have a business to run, but we’re looking to support and offer opportunities to all team members. I think that shows what Tyson really cares about.”
Learn more about our diverse workforce and all Tyson Foods has to offer here.