Darren and Jed Seifert with the Employer Award.

Congratulations are in order for Jed Seifert, Vince Bartozzi, and the team at Stakes Manufacturing. The company recently won the APSE Employer Award, an award that was established to recognize businesses that value and demonstrate the importance of an inclusive workforce by employing people with disabilities.

Given by the Association of People Supporting Employment First (APSE), the Employer Award is just one of many handed out by the organization during its annual APSE Conference. According to its website, APSE “is the only national membership organization focused exclusively on Employment First to facilitate the full inclusion of people with disabilities in the workplace and community … Employment First means that employment in the general workforce should be the first and preferred option for individuals with disabilities receiving assistance from publicly funded systems.”

Its 2022 National Conference was held on Monday, June 13, where award winners were announced during a special presentation; however, nominees were announced in advance. “Stakes was selected as one of the finalists prior to the conference,” explains Seifert. “Nominations were made by disability employment service providers from across the country. The Stakes nomination was made by SEEC … CEVEC, who is partnered with Stakes and the Lakewood County school system on our School to Work mentor program, also sent in a letter supporting the nomination.”

While this is Stakes’ first encounter with APSE, it won’t be its last. Seifert and team are already familiar names around the printing industry, and were featured in a recent project done with Apparelist. “We are now working closely with APSE to help printers across the country find local disability employment service providers in their area to support them in their hiring efforts,” says Seifert.

He had the honor of attending the awards ceremony, which was held in Denver, with his brother Darren as well as his wife and kids. “I was quite surprised when we won [but] full of joy and pride,” Seifert says. “[I] gave an impromptu speech thanking all of the disability employment service providers, who are the real heroes dedicating their everyday lives to helping people like my brother find employment, independence, and happiness. It means the world to me that Stakes has been recognized on a national level for our efforts with disability inclusion in the workplace.”

You can see a video recap of the event here, where you can watch Seifert accept the award on behalf of Stakes around 8:50.