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WASHINGTON, D.C. -- During a recent ceremony at FBI headquarters in the nation's capital, FBI Director Christopher A. Wray presented the Ziegenfelder Co. along with others around the country with the director's community leadership award, which honor individuals and organizations for efforts in combating crime, terrorism, drugs and violence in America.
Accepting the award on behalf of the Wheeling-based company was Lisa Allen, president and CEO of Ziegenfelder. Joining her in Washington were employees Barry Allen, Holly Fillipovich, Erica Wilcox, Leslie Waechter, Kris Waechter and Jenny Zhang.
"We are honored to receive this prestigious recognition from the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Our law enforcement community is committed to ensuring our safety in every sense. To be recognized as supporting their commitment to our safety by being open-hearted with our hiring practices is amazing," said Allen. "The safety of our communities begins with providing hope and opportunity to those who are or feel unwanted or marginalized. We know that a job can provide the sense of hope, contribution and opportunity to begin again. We are confident in the folks joining our tribe, and we can see first-hand the continuing success that comes from the commitment and connections we provide."
The Ziegenfelder Co. recently also was honored with the 2017 Director's Community Leadership Award by the FBI's Pittsburgh Division.
The company received the award "for their endless dedication and commitment to making the community a safer place by giving individuals an opportunity to overcome their past actions and, in the process, reduce recidivism. Ziegenfelder feels there are many inherently good people out there who previously made bad decisions, are incredibly bright, and if given the chance, will contribute positively to our community. As a result, Ziegenfelder strives to hire the best employees possible, and include in their new hires those who may have previous convictions, incarcerations or whom are recovering from the challenges of addiction," according to the FBI.
Allen began the company's compassionate hiring initiative five years ago by hiring employees from an area halfway house. She realized the impact of the company's efforts when she was praised by the U.S. Attorney's office in the Northern District of West Virginia. Since then, Allen has turned the initiative into a purposeful "labor of love," and expanded the compassionate hiring practice companywide.
Allen has been outspoken about the positive experience Ziegenfelder has had working with the offender re-entry program. Earlier this year, she testified in front of a congressional subcommittee in Washington, D.C., on the opioid epidemic and the implications for America's work force.
"We hope we were chosen for this honor today because we are making a difference in our communities. We are humbled by this award, and we truly appreciate the recognition. We want to thank the Pittsburgh Division, specifically Special Agent Michele Pritle for recognizing our practices. We hope this opportunity helps increase awareness in our business community that returning citizens and others who truly want to change their lives are not be feared or turned away, but rather have much to offer," Allen said.
Ziegenfelder, a private, family-owned frozen novelty manufacturer based in Wheeling, W.Va., also has production facilities in Chino, Calif., and Denver.