Ryan Makie Recognized For Support Of Army Guard Reservist Major Cody Kent
June, 2021
Otak is proud to announce that Ryan Makie, Water Resources Group Manager, has received the Patriot Award from the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) program. Ryan was nominated by Army reservist and Otak Stormwater Planner, Cody Kent.
The Patriot Award is given to a soldier’s supervisor who offers support to the Army Reserve’s missions through measures such as flexible schedules, time off prior to and after deployment, caring for families, and granting leaves of absence.
“The whole office has been really supportive, and I wanted to recognize Ryan personally as a representative of Otak’s culture. Before deployment, I felt Ryan supported my service in the Army Reserves. During deployment, he went above and beyond and really shined. My wife and I had our first child in 2019 and, of course, 2020 was an incredibly stressful year for everyone with the pandemic and wildfires. Ryan kept me connected to Otak and reached out to both me and my wife to offer his support throughout the year. When I came back, despite all the changes, he helped me jump right back into work, and I quickly felt like I hadn’t left,” said Cody. Army Reserve soldiers commit to training one weekend each month and for two weeks every summer. They can also be called into full-time service to support Army combat missions, as was the case for Cody, who was deployed to Jordan for nearly all of 2020. He nominated Ryan when he returned to Otak in January 2021.
Ryan received the award during an online ceremony held June 9, 2021.
Ryan’s award reflects Otak’s commitment to stand behind our soldiers and the work they do to protect our country. We are happy to work with our employees who are in the Army Guard or Reserves and support the important commitments they hold outside of their employment with us.
“We are grateful for Cody’s service to our country and proud of the work he has done while deployed. The important skills Cody has gained during his service reinforce his professional growth here at Otak. We are honored to be able to support Cody and his family while he is hard at work with the U.S. Army Reserves,” Ryan commented.
Congratulations, Ryan, and thank you for your service, Major Cody!