PORT OF SEATTLE 
MEMORANDUM 
COMMISSION AGENDA             Item No.      4b 
Date of Meeting     March 1, 2011 

DATE:    February 22, 2011 
TO:     Tay Yoshitani, Chief Executive Officer 
FROM:    Brad Benson, Aviation Project Management Group, CDD 
Rick Jenkins, Veterans Fellow, Office of Social Responsibility 
SUBJECT:  Special Order of Business  Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve 
The FREEDOM AWARD is the most prestigious level of national recognition from the Employer
Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR). The Freedom Award is presented annually by the
Secretary of Defense to the Nation's most supportive employers. The Secretary recognizes up to
fifteen employers annually with this award at ceremonies held at the Pentagon in Washington D.C. 
The fifteen employers selected come from the public sector and large and small private sector 
companies. In 2010, there were thirty public sector employers nominated for the Freedom Award,
and the Port of Seattle was one of the nominees. ESGR has recognized the Port as a semi-finalist for
the Freedom Awardone of twenty-nine semi-finalists across the country. 
Major criteria for employers recognized by this award include but are not limited to the following: 
Supports service in the National Guard and Reserves; 
Publicly acknowledges the contributions of Reserve Component Employees to our Nation's
defense; 
Supports Guard & Reserve employees beyond Uniformed Services Employment and
Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) requirements; and 
Supports Guard & Reserve employees' families during mobilizations. 
WA State Chair of ESGR, Mr. Jim Shephard, WA State Vice-Chair, Mr. Bob DeWald, and King
County Area Chair, Mr. Larry Kirchner will attend to present a certificate to the Port recognizing our
selection as a national semi-finalist for this award.