President and CEO Brian R. Bodager was recognized as a Patriotic Employer from the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR), a Department of Defense program.

The Patriotic Employer Award recognizes individual supervisors who voluntarily assist National Guard and Reserve families, who often share the challenges of military service when their loved one leaves home to serve the country.

“I am greatly honored to personally receive this recognition,” said Mr. Bodager. "The Pension Boards seeks to support our employed military families. As caring professionals, it is our duty and privilege to offer our employees the flexibility, peace of mind, and support they need to care for their families at home. We recognize the challenges military families face and are here to do our part.”

Peter D. Galasinao, retired Commander in the U.S. Navy, presented the award to Brian at the Pension Boards’ New York City office on July 8, 2019, citing gratitude for employers like Brian’s who recognize the burdens potential deployment may have on military families and employees.  Commander Galasinao also presented Brian with an honorary ESGR pin to be worn over his heart in remembrance of those who serve the military. Commander Galasinao served the U.S. Navy for 24 years and retired from the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the Pentagon in Washington D.C. in 2009. He currently works as Senior Managing Director for Krauter & Company’s Mergers & Acquisitions practice in New York.

“My former employer was not very supportive during the time my husband and I we were preparing for an unforeseen deployment,” said Pricilla Esfandiary, who joined the Pension Boards in March 2019 as Executive Assistant to the CEO, and whose husband, Corporal Jonathan Paredes, recently completed an eight-month deployment with the U.S. Marine Corps in Afghanistan.

“I had to continue to work 11-hour shifts immediately prior to and during his deployment while caring for my one-year-old daughter. But, after my first week with the Pension Boards, when I informed Brian that we were a military family and would need time off when Jonathan returned from Afghanistan, he immediately responded, ‘Well, you must take time off as soon as he does return and as a family spend time together,’ said Ms. Esfandiary. “I wish you could truly understand the relief I felt. I knew in that moment how blessed I was to have a manager like him. It truly made me want to work harder and give my all to my role here at the Pension Boards.“

“It is the Pension Boards’ mission to advocate for the health and financial well-being of the members we serve, and so it is equally vital that we ensure the well-being of our own staff and their family needs, including military families, offering them the support they need so that they can effectively contribute to our ministry,” added Mr. Bodager.

The Pension Boards is an Equal Opportunity Employer operating at the intersection of faith and finance, partnering with those engaged in the life of the church to provide valued services leading to greater financial security and wellness.

ESGR, established in 1972, promotes cooperation and understanding between Reserve Component Service members and their civilian employers and assists in the resolution of conflicts arising from an employee’s military commitment. Learn more here.