DHL Nike – Hutchins honored for its work in employing individuals with disabilities
AUSTIN – Governor Greg Abbott has announced the 2025 winners of the Lex Frieden Employment Awards (LFEA) for their commitment to hiring and supporting the employment of individuals with disabilities. An area honoree was DHL Nike, which has a distribution facility in Hutchins.
DHL Nike was honored as the medium employer award recipient. The Hutchins location is part of logistics and supply chain giant DHL Group, which employs more than 600,000 people across more than 220 countries and territories, according to its website.
Additional information about DHL Nike’s selection, as provided on the governor’s website, reads:
“DHL Nike has cultivated a workplace where accessibility and inclusion are embedded into every level of operations. Through intentional recruitment strategies, DHL Nike partners with local vocational rehabilitation programs and disability organizations to create direct pathways for individuals with disabilities into the logistics industry. Employees are supported with customized onboarding, job coaching, and ongoing professional development that empower them to grow in their roles and pursue advancement opportunities. Accessibility is built into the physical workspace and reinforced through adaptive training programs, ensuring employees of all abilities can participate fully and safely in warehouse and administrative operations.
“Today, people with disabilities hold roles across multiple departments, from logistics and inventory management to supervisory positions, demonstrating a culture that goes beyond compliance to true integration. DHL Nike also engages in community partnerships that raise awareness of disability inclusion in the supply chain industry, setting a strong example for other corporations. Their model proves that when accessibility and opportunity are prioritized, businesses thrive alongside their employees – building a workforce that reflects strength in diversity.”
In the press release announcing the awards, Abbott, who himself has a disability, praised the recipients, saying, “In life, we are not defined by the challenges that we face but by how we respond to those challenges. When a life-changing accident over 40 years ago left me paralyzed, I made the decision to not let my life be defined by the enormous challenge that I faced. Texas businesses do just that by empowering their employees, co-workers, and fellow Texans with disabilities. I applaud those who encourage independence, productivity, and self-determination and congratulate the winners of this year’s Lex Frieden Employment Awards for their work to hire and support Texans with disabilities. Working together, we will create a brighter, more inclusive future for all Texans in our great state.”
In a partnership between the Governor’s Committee on People with Disabilities and the Texas Workforce Commission, winners will be honored at the Lex Frieden Employment Awards – HireAbility Employer Forum at Morgan’s Wonderland in San Antonio on Oct. 2. Tickets are available at: https://bit.ly/TXHireAbility2025.
The HireAbility Forum will feature presentations from disability advocates, industry leaders, and Americans with Disabilities Act experts sharing innovative ways to integrate employees with disabilities into the workplace. Society for Human Resource Management Continuing Education Units will be provided to attendees. The public is encouraged to join the Governor’s Committee on People with Disabilities for this annual celebration of successful employment for people with disabilities.
Additional 2025 Lex Frieden Employment Award honorees:
• Small Employer: Mermaid Café, San Antonio
• Large Employer: City of Brownsville
• Nonprofit Employer: West Texas Counseling and Guidance, San Angelo
• Entrepreneur: Kristen McNabb Pattison, Fort Sam Houston
• Martha Arbuckle Award: Pharr Police Department – Mental Health Unit, Pharr
• Governor’s Trophy: Judy Telge, Corpus Christi
The 2025 chairman’s commendations are:
• Texas Veterans Commission
• Rusty Bourland, Austin
• Cord Shiflet, Austin
This year marks the 80th anniversary of National Disability Employment Awareness Month, a nationwide campaign that celebrates the contributions of workers with disabilities and promotes all-encompassing employment practices.
Read the Governor’s proclamation declaring October as Disability Employment Awareness Month.
