The Governor's Committee on People with Disabilities (GCPD) is proud to announce the winners of the 2022 Lex Frieden Employment Awards (LFEA). This awards program is named for disability rights champion and Texan Lex Frieden. It is part of our State's celebration of Disability Employment Awareness Month in October. This celebration also kicks off our state’s HireAbility Campaign to promote the full employment of Texans with disabilities. More information on the HireAbility Campaign is available on the Texas Workforce Commission’s website.

The awards are bestowed upon Texans who have displayed an above-and-beyond commitment to empowering their employees, co-workers, and fellow Texans with disabilities. These employers have led the way in creating a more inclusive workplace for Texans with disabilities. The 2022 LFEA winners serve as a model for all employers as Texas continues to lead the country in economic development.

Read more information about our winner below. 

How to attend

Please mark your calendar and plan to join us either virtually or on-site for the Texas HireAbility Employer Forum and Lex Frieden Employment Awards on October 6^th 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM honoring our winners. The event will be held at:

Houston Community College

West Loop Campus, Auditorium

5601 West Loop South

Houston, TX 70081

Registration for in-person and virtual participation is through the GCPD webpage and the link to the HireAbility Employer Forum & Lex Frieden Employment Awards.

Virtual participation is free but your in-person attendance ($25 registration fee) is encouraged with the following benefits:

• Networking with leading Houston employers, state government workforce leaders, and 2022 award winners
• A free autographed Texas National Disability Employment Awareness Month poster
• Ability to earn Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) and Human Resource Certification Institute (HRCI) Continuing Education Units (CEUs)
• A catered lunch from the award-winning Mater Chef, Christine Ha and The Blind Goat Restaurant

2022 Winners

Large Employer – Advanced Auto Parts

Advance Auto Parts is accelerating its efforts to hire individuals with disabilities throughout the organization. After successful pilot programs at distribution centers in 2019, the People with Disabilities Hiring Initiative has grown to include 17 distribution centers and stores in 14 metro markets across the US, as well as to remote and in-person positions in the corporate offices. This includes stores and distribution centers in the greater Dallas and Houston areas.  The initiative includes enhanced training for the team members, and frequent communication with local organizations helping job seekers with disabilities find employment.  To date, Advance Auto Parts has hired over 500 team members as a direct result of this initiative.

Medium Employer – Bakery Express of Central Texas

GCPD recognizes Bakery Express of Central Texas (BECT) as the 2022 Medium Employer of the Year (26 to 500 employees) fostering a work culture that includes tolerance, diversity and acceptance as BECT continues to employ workers with disabilities. In 2018, BECT began working with TWC Vocational Rehabilitation Services and has maintained an ongoing relationship to gain access to qualified applicants. They work closely with the TWC Summer Earn and Learn program, Lewisville Independent School District (LISD) Project Search, and placement partners Work Ready Texas and Quest Employment Services.

Small Employer – Home2 Suites

GCPD recognizes Home2 Suites in Abilene, Texas, as the 2022 Small Employer of the Year (25 employees or less). Home2 Suites provides natural supports for recruiting, employing and advancing Texans with disabilities including providing necessary accommodations and mentoring. Home2 Suites partners with the local vocational rehabilitation office to ensure they are giving Texans with disabilities an opportunity to join their company where almost twenty-five percent of their employees are persons with disabilities.

Non-Profit Organization – Goodwill Central Texas

GCPD recognizes Goodwill Central Texas as the 2022 Non-Profit Employer of the Year. For more than six decades, Goodwill Central Texas has relentlessly focused on a single goal, transforming generations by empowering people through education, career training, and work. They believe that education and work are the only true pathways out of poverty and strive to provide opportunities for people in the community who face obstacles to sustainable employment by providing programs for people with disabilities. In addition, Goodwill boasts that 27.52% of Goodwill employees had a significant disability in 2021 and work at all levels of the organization, including leadership and board service. Goodwill not only offers an inclusive environment as an employer, but also promotes a more inclusive workforce through outreach to community employers, changing the face of the local labor market.

Martha Arbuckle – Fun for All Playground

The Fun for All Playground grew out of a desire to fill in a missing piece of the puzzle in the Brazos Valley community. The vision was to create a playground where entire families can play together, including families who include people with disabilities. The hope was to create a melting pot of people with different cognitive and physical abilities and to promote and encourage playing and engagement with each other. A public-private partnership in an unusual alliance including the City of College Station with the Lions, Rotary, and Kiwanis Clubs moved this vision of a playground to reality. In addition, Texas A&M Architecture program students worked on projects as class assignments and submitted ideas that ultimately were merged to create the concept for the local playground. Thereafter, the City of College Station agreed to partner with Fun for All to develop and maintain the park. This is a key factor in the ongoing sustainability and success of the program. Using creative partnerships across organizational boundaries provides not just an immediate asset for the community, but an ongoing benefit and support for years to come.

Governor's Trophy Award – Bobbie Hodges

The Texas Governor’s Trophy award goes to Bobbie Hodges, Senior Director of Workforce Development for Goodwill North Central Texas. Bobbie started her career with Goodwill Industries in Louisiana 22 years ago and has been a steadfast advocate and mentor for people with disabilities. Bobbie is especially proud of her work with the Summer Earn & Learn program and Camp Independence. These two summer programs allow youth with disabilities to obtain workplace readiness training and work experience. Bobbie has served on the State of Texas Governor's Rehabilitation Council since 2018 and in 2015 was named Manager of the Year by Goodwill Industries of North Louisiana. In 2010 she received the HERA Award from the Shreveport Mayor’s Women’s Commission. The award honors unsung heroes who have made a positive difference in Shreveport in the areas of advocacy, education, and quality of life.