{"id":45646,"date":"2025-09-12T16:33:41","date_gmt":"2025-09-12T21:33:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/?p=45646"},"modified":"2025-09-12T16:33:41","modified_gmt":"2025-09-12T21:33:41","slug":"governor-abbott-announces-2025-lex-frieden-employment-award-winners","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/2025\/09\/12\/governor-abbott-announces-2025-lex-frieden-employment-award-winners\/","title":{"rendered":"Governor Abbott Announces 2025 Lex Frieden Employment Award Winners"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/p>\n

Governor Abbott Announces 2025 Lex Frieden Employment Award Winners<\/strong><\/p>\n

Governor Greg Abbott today announced the 2025 winners of the Lex Frieden Employment Awards (LFEA) for their commitment to hiring and supporting the employment of individuals with disabilities.<\/p>\n

“In life, we are not defined by the challenges that we face but by how we respond to those challenges,” said Governor Abbott. “When a life-changing accident over 40 years ago left me paralyzed, I made the decision to not let my life be defined by the enormous challenge that I faced. Texas businesses do just that by empowering their employees, co-workers, and fellow Texans with disabilities. I applaud those who encourage independence, productivity, and self-determination and congratulate the winners of this year\u2019s Lex Frieden Employment Awards for their work to hire and support Texans with disabilities. Working together, we will create a brighter, more inclusive future for all Texans in our great state.\u201d<\/p>\n

In a partnership between the Governor\u2019s Committee on People with Disabilities and the Texas Workforce Commission, winners will be honored at the Lex Frieden Employment Awards \u2013 HireAbility Employer Forum at Morgan\u2019s Wonderland in San Antonio on October 2, 2025. Tickets are available at: https:\/\/bit.ly\/TXHireAbility2025.<\/p>\n

The HireAbility Forum will feature presentations from disability advocates, industry leaders, and Americans with Disabilities Act experts sharing innovative ways to integrate employees with disabilities into the workplace. Society for Human Resource Management Continuing Education Units will be provided to attendees. The public is encouraged to join the Governor\u2019s Committee on People with Disabilities for this annual celebration of successful employment for people with disabilities.<\/p>\n

The 2025 Lex Frieden Employment Awards Winners are:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Small Employer: Mermaid Caf\u00e9, San Antonio
\nMedium Employer: DHL-Nike, Hutchins
\nLarge Employer: City of Brownsville
\nNonprofit Employer: West Texas Counseling and Guidance, San Angelo
\nEntrepreneur: Kristen McNabb Pattison, Fort Sam Houston
\nMartha Arbuckle Award: Pharr Police Department \u2013 Mental Health Unit, Pharr
\nGovernor\u2019s Trophy: Judy Telge, Corpus Christi
\nRead more about the 2025 Lex Frieden Award winners on our website.<\/p>\n

The 2025 Chairman\u2019s Commendations are:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Texas Veterans Commission
\nRusty Bourland, Austin
\nCord Shiflet, Austin<\/p>\n

This year marks the 80th anniversary of National Disability Employment Awareness Month, a nationwide campaign that celebrates the contributions of workers with disabilities and promotes all-encompassing employment practices.<\/p>\n

Read the Governor’s proclamation declaring October as Disability Employment Awareness Month.<\/p>\n

The Governor\u2019s Committee on People with Disabilities works toward a state in which people with disabilities have the opportunity to enjoy full and equal access to lives of independence, productivity and self-determination. The committee recommends changes in disability policies and programs, supports a network of committees on people with disabilities, issues awards to promote greater awareness, and promotes compliance with disability related laws.<\/p>\n

Register: https:\/\/www.eventbrite.com\/e\/texas-hireability-employer-forum-lex-frieden-employment-awards-tickets-1636457150389<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Governor Abbott Announces 2025 Lex Frieden Employment Award Winners Governor Greg Abbott today announced the 2025 winners of the Lex Frieden Employment Awards (LFEA) for their commitment to hiring and supporting the employment of individuals with disabilities. “In life, we…<\/p>\n

Read more →<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_crdt_document":"","advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[2],"tags":[27990,2307,18802,18800,22],"class_list":["post-45646","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-deaf-news","tag-disability-employment-awareness-month","tag-governors-committee-on-people-with-disabilities","tag-lex-frieden-employment-awards","tag-lfea","tag-san-antonio"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p752R-bSe","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":36458,"url":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/2017\/10\/13\/2017-lex-frieden-employment-awards-winners\/","url_meta":{"origin":45646,"position":0},"title":"2017 Lex Frieden Employment Awards Winners","author":"Grant Laird Jr","date":"October 13, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Governor\u2019s Committee on People with Disabilities Announces 2017 Lex Frieden Employment Awards Winners The Office of the Governor\u2019s Committee on People with Disabilities announces the winners of the 2017 Lex Frieden Employment Awards (LFEA). Named for Texas disability rights champion Lex Frieden, the awards are bestowed upon Texans who have\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General"","block_context":{"text":"General","link":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/category\/deaf-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/lex2.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":38312,"url":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/2018\/10\/25\/congrats-to-axiumsolar-from-plano-texas\/","url_meta":{"origin":45646,"position":1},"title":"Congrats to\u00a0#AxiumSolar\u00a0from Plano, Texas","author":"Grant Laird Jr","date":"October 25, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Congrats to Axium Solar\u00a0from Plano, Texas Andrew Cohen gave a speech about Medium Employer Award 2018 at Lex Frieden Employment Awards.\u00a0Congrats to\u00a0#AxiumSolar\u00a0from Plano, Texas. The company currently lead 12\u00a0#deaf\u00a0out of 72 employees. YouTube:\u00a0https:\/\/youtu.be\/YqCz2vEd7s0\u00a0 Another video that Deaf Emma Faye gave a speech, too. 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Deadline for submissions is June 30. 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