People with disabilities who are building success at work and employers who gave them opportunities won recognition from the state of Alabama on Friday.

Gov. Kay Ivey presented annual awards at a ceremony organized by the Alabama Department of Rehabilitation Services at the Department of Archives and History.

“My goal is to create a top-notch workforce where everyone’s unique skills and talents are recognized and utilized to their fullest extent,” Ivey said. “In Alabama, it’s not just about reducing unemployment. It’s about matching the right people with the right jobs. As we mark National Disability Awareness Month, this ceremony today honors those who have gone the extra mile to open doors for all who wish to enter the workforce.”

The Alabama Governor’s Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities selected the employees and companies for this year’s awards:

• Small Business Employee of the Year: Dillon Smith of Opelika and Jacob Fiveash of Birmingham.
• Large Business Employee of the Year: Timothy Patrick of Mobile and Ty Evans of Birmingham.
• Large Business Employer of the Year: Schnellecke Logistics Company of Woodstock.
• Small Business Employer of the Year: American Christian Academy of Tuscaloosa.
• Student of the Year: Fisher Rizk of Auburn University.
• Public Service Award: Sen Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, and Reps. Cynthia Almond, R-Tuscaloosa, Leigh Husley, R-Pelham, and Debbie Wood, R-Valley.

Alabama Department of Rehabilitation Services Commissioner Jane Elizabeth Burdeshaw said companies that are leading efforts to hire people with disabilities are prospering.

“Every day, people with disabilities can and do provide value to Alabama’s workplaces and economy,” Burdeshaw said. “Each October, during National Disability Employment Awareness Month, we celebrate the contributions of workers with disabilities, the employers who hire them, the students who are getting their education and training to go to work, and the public servants who strive to advance efforts through public policy. We also reaffirm our commitment to ensuring all Alabamians, including Alabamians with disabilities, can put their skills and talents to work.”