SHERWOOD, AR—November 11, 2019—ABC Financial, the nation's leading software and payment processing provider for the health and fitness industry, earned national recognition Monday for its extraordinary support of employees who are veterans and those in the National Guard and Reserve.
On Veterans Day, the company received the 2019 Pro Patria Award from the U.S. Department of Defense's Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) in Arkansas. It is the ESGR state committee's highest level award for an employer, honoring the company for its leadership, practices and commitment on behalf of service members, including adopting personnel policies that make it easier for them to participate in the National Guard and Reserve.
"When we talk about real heroes, we can look to our colleagues at ABC Financial—the veterans and service members whose commitment to country sets an example for us all. Our nation's greatness is built on the foundation of their courage and sacrifice. They are the true embodiment of honor and dedication," said Bill Davis, CEO of ABC Financial.
Gary Wynn, the Arkansas ESGR vice chairman, presented the award in a ceremony with about 40 veterans from ABC Financial at its offices in Sherwood, and nearly 20 others participated remotely. Three employees accepted the award on behalf of the company: Air Force veterans Kenneth Uhlfelder and Manuel Wallace, and Army veteran Megan Smallwood.
ESGR state committees sponsor the award annually for one small, one large and one public sector employer in their state. ABC Financial, in the large company category, was nominated by Tommy Heflin, a former ABC Financial employee and warrant officer in the Arkansas Army National Guard.
Heflin credited the company for its embrace of service members, citing its annual Veterans Day breakfast recognizing and honoring all veteran employees; providing full pay and benefits when they attend local military drills; providing differential pay for those on active duty; regularly contacting a service member's family during deployments; and actively hiring recruits, veterans and those in the National Guard and Reserve.
"Leadership has always supported service members' career in the National Guard and go out of their way to show their appreciation of the military service and sacrifice," Heflin said in his nomination letter. He recalled being worried about keeping his job with out-of-state commitments with the National Guard. But he said his supervisor "immediately told me my job will be waiting on me…and had no concern I'd pick everything right back up where I left off, even after being gone 18 months."
For more information about the ESGR awards, see the ESGR website.
Media contacts
Gary Wynn, Vice chairman, Arkansas, Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve
501-837-0247
blmil137@yahoo.com
Jennifer Hutchinson, Director of Public Relations and Events
ABC Financial
501-515-5029
jennifer.hutchinson@abcfinancial.com
About ABC Financial
ABC Financial is a premier provider of technology and related financial services for the health and fitness industry, renown for exceptional client service for clubs and their members. Its market-leading billing and collections solutions automate the revenue cycle that enable owners and operators to achieve better financial performance, all in a Software-as-a-Service and cloud-based platform. ABC's comprehensive technology solutions include DataTrak advanced health club management and MYiCLUBonline extensible member engagement platforms that allow owners and operators to efficiently manage employees, members, resources, sales and drive improved member engagement. Founded in 1981, ABC helps more than 7,000 health clubs across the United States, Canada, Mexico and Puerto Rico perform better and more profitably. ABC Financial is a Thoma Bravo portfolio company, a private equity firm based in San Francisco and Chicago.