H.T. Lyons Inc., a PPL Corporation company, today received the "My Boss Is a Patriot Award" from a grateful Army Reserve employee who recently returned from the Middle East as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Sgt. 1st Class Dave Dixon, a project manager who works at H.T. Lyons’ Scranton office, presented the award to H.T. Lyons President Rick Perosa during a noontime ceremony attended by fellow employees at the company’s headquarters west of Allentown.

"I’m glad to be part of the H.T. Lyons family, and I just wanted to show my appreciation for all they’ve done for me," said Dixon, 34, who nominated the company for the award after his return late last year. "H.T. Lyons really went above and beyond the call of duty to support me during my service in Operation Iraqi Freedom."

Dixon served as platoon sergeant for the 424th Medical Logistics Battalion based in Franklin Center near Philadelphia. Its mission was to set up and operate the United States Army Medical Materiel Command-Southwest Asia in Qatar. The unit was responsible for receiving and distributing all of the medical supplies used throughout the theater of operations, including Iraq, Kuwait and Afghanistan.

Dixon recalled that he was a newlywed and only with H.T. Lyons four months when he was called to active duty in January 2003.

"The company really helped put my mind at ease during this difficult time," he said. "Our vice president, Roeland Hoeke, told me not to worry."

Dixon said his co-workers sent him a constant stream of letters and e-mail messages to keep his spirits high.

"As remote as I was, these communications brought you back into the real world," he said. "I can’t tell you how important that is for morale."

When he returned home late last year, his co-workers organized a homecoming luncheon for him.

"So many people came up to me and shook my hand and simply said, ‘Thanks for all that you did,’ " Dixon said. "That’s something for a guy who’s only been with a company for four months."

George Duell, a spokesman for the Department of Defense and chairman of the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve Committee of Pennsylvania, said the "My Boss Is A Patriot Award" recognizes deserving employers whose support and goodwill are critical to maintaining the strength and readiness of the country’s Guard and Reserve units.

"Companies like H.T. Lyons play an important role in our national defense by supporting the morale and well-being of employees who serve in the National Guard and Reserve and are called to active duty," Duell said. "Pennsylvania continues to make one of the largest contributions to the war effort, and I’m pleased that H.T. Lyons recognizes that great responsibility."

H.T. Lyons provides engineering, equipment installation, fabrication, mechanical construction, and commissioning and maintenance services for heating, ventilation, air conditioning, plumbing and process piping systems. The company employs 380 people in Allentown and Scranton.

H.T. Lyons Inc. is a subsidiary of PPL Corporation. Headquartered in Allentown, Pa., PPL Corporation (NYSE: PPL) controls about 11,500 megawatts of generating capacity in the United States, sells energy in key U.S. markets and delivers electricity to customers in Pennsylvania, the United Kingdom and Latin America.