Jon Ruge, plant director at DENSO’s thermal manufacturing facility in Battle Creek, Michigan, received the Patriot Award on May 18 after being nominated by Chris McDermott, a DENSO employee and U.S. Navy reservist
Jon Ruge, plant director at DENSO’s thermal manufacturing facility in Battle Creek, Michigan, received the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) Patriot Award in a ceremony at the west Michigan site. Ruge was nominated by Chris McDermott, who reports to Ruge as an engineering manager at DENSO and is a U.S. Navy reservist.McDermott nominated Ruge last year for his support as McDermott completed military duties, which at times took him away from work and home. In those instances, Ruge managed workloads with colleagues and contacted McDermott’s family to offer extra help. Then, in January 2022, Ruge stepped up again when McDermott was sent on a 100-day deployment outside the country. “Jon always puts others first and does what he can to help our people thrive,” said McDermott. “It’s why I nominated him prior to my deployment. How he helped me and others during that time and to this day is further evidence of why he’s deserving of the award.”ESGR is a Department of Defense program seeking to foster a culture in which employers support and value the employment of U.S. National Guard and Reserve members. The Patriot Award recognizes individual efforts to help these members fulfill their service duties.
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“I’m grateful for the honor, but I’m even prouder of how we at DENSO come together to take care of our people,” said Ruge.”We can’t thank Chris and Jon enough. Chris, for his service to our country, and Jon, for being a prime example of how we can support the military community at work and with their service responsibilities,” said Kevin Carson, president of DENSO’s thermal manufacturing facility in Battle Creek. “As a Navy veteran, their contributions resonate deeply with me. They also reflect our larger efforts to provide people of all backgrounds resources that will help them succeed at DENSO.”Resources available to employees at the Battle Creek location include onsite amenities like technical training and health centers, as well as business resource groups (BRGs), employee-led networks that promote inclusion and community. These groups, such as the DENSO Veterans Network, connect a variety of populations, and all employees can join.The Battle Creek site, which employs almost 200 military veterans and reservists, continuously seeks to integrate and assist service members in its workforce. In 2019, the Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency recognized the location as a Veteran-Friendly Employer. Last year, the site signed an agreement with the U.S. Army to provide priority hiring status to qualified soldiers.Across the U.S. and region, DENSO is committed not only to working with reservist employees as they complete their service requirements, but also to supporting employees from many dynamic backgrounds.
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