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SourceAmerica Celebrates 2022 Achievement Award WinnersAwards recognize everyday heroes making a difference for employees with disabilities VIENNA, Va., May 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- SourceAmerica®, a leading job connector within the disability community, is proud to announce the winners of its annual Achievement Awards. The winners include employees with disabilities, nonprofit agencies, federal agencies, and business partners who have demonstrated exceptional work ethic, success, and leadership in the field of disability employment, including the AbilityOne® Program. AbilityOne is one of the nation's largest sources of employment for people who are blind or have significant disabilities. Winners will be celebrated and recognized during the Xforce Conference in Dallas, from May 23-25, 2022. "People with disabilities are an essential part of our nation's workforce. This year's award winners have demonstrated strength, leadership, and tenacity through the recent challenges the workforce has faced," said SourceAmerica President and CEO Richard Belden. "The SourceAmerica Achievement Award winners are shaping a more innovative and inclusive workforce." Learn more about the outstanding accomplishments of the 2022 Achievement Award winners: William M. Usdane Award - Cuiye "Yep" Liu, Toolworks, Inc., San Francisco, California The William M. Usdane Award celebrates an AbilityOne Program employee with a disability who has exhibited outstanding achievement and exceptional character. Cuiye "Yep" Liu exhibited positive attitude, commitment, responsibility, and resilience while cleaning offices in a high security clearance federal building in San Francisco, where she trained on CDC Covid-19 Level 3 disinfection and is part of a team deployed to disinfect contaminated areas. Evelyne Villines Award - Cherie Hill-Mayers, Goodwill Industries of Southeastern Wisconsin, Inc., Milwaukee, Wisconsin Cherie Hill-Mayers worked at Goodwill Industries of Southeastern Wisconsin, Inc. in Milwaukee for 17 years, performing multiple food service duties on an AbilityOne contract. Within the past year, she took computer and technology training classes, to conduct a job search and fulfilled a long-term goal of establishing a life in Austin, Texas, where she is now employed at a luxury hotel. Tom Miller Advocacy Award - Abdul "Karriem" Muhammad, Professional Contract Services, Inc. (PCSI), Austin, Texas Award-winner Abdul "Karriem" Muhammad exhibits a passion for serving and advocating for people with disabilities that aligns perfectly with his career as a rehabilitation specialist. In this role, he ensures every employee with a disability has accommodations and training to succeed in all stages of their careers. Muhammad also connects employees with job opportunities at local organizations when they are ready to pursue work outside of the AbilityOne Program. Honor Roll for Veterans Award - Gary M. McCarthy, Jr., InspiriTec, Inc., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Gary McCarthy's work ethic, honed by more than 23 years in the military, takes his work at InspiriTec, Inc. to outstanding levels. Hired as an entry level Tier 1 contact center agent, McCarthy's performance earned him four promotions in four years, and he now manages a team of more than 80 IT Help Desk professionals. Milton Cohen Leadership Award - Reginald Hughes, Palmetto Goodwill Services, Charleston, South Carolina Reginald Hughes is the Executive Director of Palmetto Goodwill Services. Under Hughes' leadership, Palmetto Goodwill Services has spearheaded the creation of American Sign Language classes and other efforts to support AbilityOne participants. Force Multiplier Award Winners The 2022 Force Multiplier Award Winners are: Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas Project Manager-Soldier Survivability (PM-SVV) and the Army Contracting Command at Aberdeen Proving Ground (ACC-APG), Maryland William "Bill" Sproule, Chief, Installation Support Branch, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force (Acquisition, Technology & Logistics), U.S. Air Force, Arlington, Virginia Lakeeta Young-Hill, ABOR, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Washington, DC Nonprofit Agency Awards Innovation Award Winner - Adelante DiverseIT, Adelante Development Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico DiverseIT was one of five nonprofit awardees for user experience testing through SourceAmerica, providing high wages for people with disabilities to offer the service for federal government websites. DiverseIT won its first-ever contract with the City of Albuquerque Department of Senior Affairs to help train seniors via online classes and videos and provide a free tech hotline for seniors. Government Contracts Winner - Challenge Unlimited, Alton, Illinois Business Partnership Award - SimplyBe Coffee, Leesburg, Virginia During the COVID-19 pandemic, SimplyBe Coffee contracted with Every Citizen Has Opportunities (ECHO) to identify individuals interested in working in a coffee shop. SimplyBe hired six people with disabilities at ECHO to work in three teams during different shifts, five days a week. SimplyBe's actions were a lifeline for these employees as many of ECHO's community worksites remain closed due to the pandemic. To learn more about the SourceAmerica Xforce Conference, visit: www.SourceAmerica.org/Xforce. 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