Local soldier honors Melaleuca CEO during emotional ceremony
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IDAHO FALLS – A Melaleuca employee serving in the Army National Guard honored his supervisor and CEO Frank Vandersloot with the Department of Defense ESGR Patriot Award Tuesday afternoon.
Spc. Nathan Johnson of Iona has worked as a Melaleuca web analyst the past nine years. In 2012, he joined the National Guard and, over the past three years, Johnson has needed to take leave from his full-time job for military duties. He’s served for 23 months on active duty orders.
The ESGR Patriot Award was established for employees in situations similar to Johnson’s. Those serving in the National Guard or Reserve can nominate individual supervisors or bosses who show support during the employees military service.
In addition to VanderSloot, Johnson nominated his immediate supervisor Paul Conley.
“They took such good care of me and my family while I was gone,” an emotional Johnson said during a private ceremony at the Melaleuca headquarters. “I really wanted to say thanks back.”
This is the third time VanderSloot has received an ESGR Patriot Award.
“Let me be clear – we haven’t done anything worthy of any award here,” Melaleuca CEO Frank VanderSloot said to Johnson. “You guys deserve all the awards here. We’re just grateful for the service that you and other servicemen and women do for us. That’s why we have a great country.”
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