Hoover Honors 68 Veteran City Employees
The city recognized veteran workers at a Salute to Service ceremony where Glenn Ellis received the 2026 Freedom Award.
Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in Military Jobs
Hoover honored 68 city employees who are veterans at a Salute to Service ceremony attended by about 200 people at the Finley Center. Mayor Nick Derzis presented a challenge coin to each veteran employee present.
Why it matters
The ceremony recognizes the service of veterans who work for the city of Hoover and highlights local ties to military service. It also brings attention to the Freedom Award honoring a Vietnam War veteran's career.
Hoover recognized 68 city employees who are veterans, with about 200 people attending the Finley Center ceremony. The source does not give the city's total workforce size for comparison.
The players
Glenn Ellis
Ellis is a U.S. Army veteran who served in Vietnam and later spent his career at Southland International Trucks in Homewood, retiring as vice president of operations at age 77.
Hoover Area Chamber of Commerce
The Chamber is the local business organization that selected Ellis for the 2026 Freedom Award.
The details
Miller served as master of ceremonies and introduced Glenn Ellis, a U.S. Army veteran named 2026 Freedom Award winner by the Hoover Area Chamber of Commerce in July. Ellis was drafted in 1967, served a full year in the Vietnam War in 1968, and earned a business degree from Auburn University in 1972 on the GI Bill.
Timeline
1967: Ellis was drafted into the Army.
1968: Ellis served a full year in the Vietnam War.
1972: Ellis earned a business degree from Auburn University.
July 2026: Ellis was named the 2026 Freedom Award winner.
November 20, 2026: The Salute to Service ceremony was held.
Career Pathways
Ellis's path from a 1967 draft to a 1972 degree funded by the GI Bill mirrors the postwar pattern in which federal education benefits helped veterans move into civilian management roles. The Hoover ceremony recognizes that trajectory alongside the city's own veteran workforce.
Veterans seeking civilian work can look to employers that actively recognize military service, as Hoover's city government did at this ceremony. The example of Ellis shows how education benefits can support a long career after military service.
The takeaway
Recognition of veteran employees can strengthen how a local government values military experience in its workforce. The story shows that service and civilian success can build on one another over a long career.
Further reading
Explore more on Military Jobs for context on veteran employment in the region.
