Local Home Services Company Recognized for Supporting Military Spouse

May is Military Appreciation Month, a designation to honor past and present military members and their families. Though on call 365 days a year, seven days a week and 24 hours a day, May is a great time to express gratitude to our troops - and their families - for their service to the country.

According to the U.S. Department of Defense, there are nearly 1.2 million active-duty military and more than 778,000 reserve forces in the country, according to September 2021 data. California is home to 217,889 active duty members and 55,537 reservists, the largest population than any other state.

Kelly Baker, a HVAC sales lead coordinator and military veteran, at Bonney Plumbing, Electrical, Heating and Air, whose husband is with the 195th Wing at Beale Air Force Base, said the company helped her family when her husband has been called for duty in the last few years. Bonney’s support led the Bakers to nominate the company for the ESGR Spouse Patriot Award, which they presented to CEO Jeremy Macdonald with at an all-staff meeting today.

“When I started working with Bonney a year and a half ago, my husband was working midnight to midday shifts at Guard headquarters and even though I was new, the company’s support made it easier for our family,” Baker said. “My supervisor gave me flexible time off to spend time with him, provided regular check-ins to see how I was doing and even occasionally shifted my schedule. That’s why we nominated the company for this award.”

ESGR, or the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, is a Department of Defense program that promotes cooperation between service members and their civilian employers. Though not required by law, many employers, like Bonney, voluntarily assist these military spouses and this award recognizes the company’s commitment to the Bakers and its other employees who serve. Bonney takes great pride in being a company that not only provides great customer service, but also recruits and retains top talent and provides a professional and nurturing environment for its employees. One way is by supporting those who are in the military reserves or are serving in the National Guard and their families.

“Being able to support our employees who serve this country is an honor and I am humbled to be recognized not only by ESGR, but especially by members of our team,” said Jeremy Macdonald, CEO of Bonney Plumbing, Heating, Electrical and Air. ”We strive to make employee satisfaction a major priority at our company. I am committed to putting our employees first, which results in our customers receiving the highest level of service in return.”

“When we are called to support our State and Nation, it makes a huge difference knowing my civilian employer and my spouse’s employer is supportive.” said SMSgt Josh Baker, 195 Wing Human Resource Advisor. “It is one less thing for me to worry about and allows me to focus on the mission at hand.”