Library: News Release
Phone: (405) 521-4972, Fax:(405) 522-3146
e-mail: Sheree.Powell@OKDHS.org
Lauri Hanna– OKDHS Office of Communications
Phone: (405) 521-3027, Fax: (405) 522-3142
e-mail: Lauri.Hanna@OKDHS.org
ARDMORE, Okla. -- Three Ardmore businesses and one resident received commendations from Gov. Brad Henry Oct. 30 during the Governor’s Disability Employment Awards ceremony at the Governor’s Mansion in Oklahoma City.
Bobby Bailey was presented with a commendation for his outstanding work at Wal-Mart over the past 15 years and for becoming independent of government subsidies. Angela Owens, owner and manager of the Sonic Drive-In on North Commerce, was recognized for providing jobs for five people with disabilities over the past 10 years. The Guest Inn was commended for hiring 10 persons with disabilities over the past two years. The McDonald’s restaurant was recognized for employing four people with disabilities in various positions within the restaurant.
“It is employees and businesses like these that have put Oklahoma ahead of every state in the nation at employing people with disabilities,” said Howard Hendrick, Cabinet Secretary of Human Services and Director of the Oklahoma Department of Human Services. Hendrick presented the commendations on behalf of Gov. Henry who was unable to attend the ceremony.
“For the past three years, Oklahoma has led the nation in assisting people with developmental disabilities to find competitive jobs and become working taxpayers,” said Hendrick. “Today, 60 percent of individuals with developmental disabilities served by the OKDHS Developmental Disabilities Services Division participate in supported employment services.”
The Governor’s Disability Employment Awards are co-sponsored by Gov. Brad Henry and Lt. Gov. Jari Askins, along with OKDHS/DDSD, the Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Services and the Oklahoma Association of Persons in Supported Employment.
*To see Oklahoma’s ranking as compared to other states in regard to the numbers of persons with developmental disabilities in competitive jobs (supported employment) go to, www.statedata.info/. This Web site is a project of the Institute for Community Inclusion at UMass Boston, supported in part by the Administration on Developmental Disabilities, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under cooperative agreement with additional support from the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research of the U.S. Department of Education.
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