Englewood Businessman Receives Patriot Award

Englewood, CO, July 22, 2011 --(PR.com)-- The infamous words of singer/songwriter Lee Greenwood, "I'm proud to be an American, where at least I know I'm free," and those that follow, "And I won't forget the men that died, who gave that right to me," adequately acknowledge the heartfelt sentiment of Robert Grieve, owner of Nylund's Collision Center of Englewood, Colorado. But much more than just words, Grieve puts into action his sentiment, and was recently bestowed the Patriot Award by the Colorado Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR).

The Patriot Award is the first of a sequential and progressive employer awards program, specifically designed to recognize individual supervisors of an employer capacity for their active support and employment of our country's national guardsmen and reservists. Nominations may only come from Reserve Component members or their spouses. In this case, it was Staff Sergeant Christopher Hudson who nominated Grieve, shortly after returning from a tour of duty in Afghanistan.

The ESGR is a Department of Defense agency whose mission is to advocate relevant initiatives, recognize outstanding support and increase awareness of applicable laws, as it relates to the employment of military service members. Grieve was honored with the Patriot Award for his commitment to keep SSG Hudson's position at Nylund's Collision Center open for the entire 13 months of training and deployment overseas.

"It is an honor to serve those who serve our country," says Grieve. "It never occurred to me that the job wouldn't be available upon Chris' (Hudson's) return. He is part of the Nylund's family... the American family! Of course he had a job when he got back! It is incomprehensible to consider anything but welcoming him home after sacrificing another year or more of his life for his country."

Grieve's sentiment is shared by his wife and co-owner, Carol. "We are all so proud of Chris' service. His service record is an accurate reflection of all of the qualities that we saw in him years ago, when we first brought him on at Nylund's." Hudson is a decorated veteran who has served three tours of duty overseas who saved the lives of several of his brothers-in-arms at the risk of his own during a fierce firefight in Afghanistan recently causing his peers to refer to him as an American hero.

The Patriot Award is but the first of several ESGR awards expected to be bestowed upon the Grieves and Nylund's Collision Center. This Englewood body repair shop embodies Greenwood's lyrics, "'Cause there ain't no doubt I love this land... God bless the U.S.A."

Nylund's Collision Center may be found online at www.NylundsCollision.com

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