Pictured (left to right): Desean Bogues, Local Veterans Employment Representative, NCWorks; Jason Thomas, President and CEO, ECVC; Latoya Mebane, HR Business Partner, ECVC; Timothy Smith, Veteran Business Service Representative, NCWorks.
GREENVILLE, NC – January 5, 2026 – Eastern Carolina Vocational Center, Inc. (ECVC) was formally presented today with the 2025 HIRE Vets Medallion Award (Gold) during an on-site visit from NCWorks representatives, marking the seventh consecutive year the organization has received this federal recognition. The award is issued by the U.S. Department of Labor and is the only federal award program that honors employers for successfully recruiting, hiring, and retaining military veterans.
ECVC is one of 887 employers nationwide to receive the 2025 HIRE Vets Medallion Award, joining organizations across 48 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, and Puerto Rico that demonstrate a strong commitment to veteran employment and long-term career development. ECVC earned the Gold distinction after applying earlier this year.
“At ECVC, veterans are a key part of our day-to-day success,” said Darone Dancy, Vice President of Workforce Operations at ECVC. “We rely on veterans in critical roles throughout our organization. Our core values—Mission, Integrity, Accountability, Customer Focus, and Teamwork—align naturally with military experience and make the transition to civilian employment seamless. As a veteran myself, I am proud to be part of the ECVC team and honored to call ECVC home.”
Recipients of the HIRE Vets Medallion Award must meet rigorous criteria related to veteran hiring and retention, availability of veteran-specific resources, leadership and professional development opportunities, dedicated human resources support, and competitive compensation and benefits. Since the program’s inception in 2019, more than 2,200 employers have earned a combined total of 5,371 HIRE Vets Medallion Awards.
About ECVC
Founded in 1965, Eastern Carolina Vocational Center, Inc. (ECVC) is a nonprofit agency generating revenue through packaging, manufacturing, warehousing, and distribution services for government and commercial customers, as well as job placement services, janitorial contracts, and an on-site custom frame shop. As a member of the federal AbilityOne network, ECVC is one of the largest battery suppliers to the U.S. Department of Defense. In the past year alone, ECVC shipped more than 33 million batteries and serves as a prime manufacturer of battery terminal adapters and picture frames, supporting over a dozen government contracts covering hundreds of products and services.
About the HIRE Vets Medallion Program
The HIRE Vets Medallion Award recognizes employers that demonstrate exceptional commitment to attracting, hiring, and retaining veterans. The 2026 HIRE Vets Medallion Award application period opens January 31, 2026. Employers are recognized across three size categories—small (50 or fewer employees), medium (51–499 employees), and large (500+ employees)—with award tiers of Gold and Platinum. More information is available at HIREVets.gov.