Lowell Firm in Running for Vet-Friendly Award

Central Research Inc., a Lowell-based government contractor, is among eight finalists for a national award recognizing veteran-friendly small businesses.

The Small Business Tournament of Veteran Champions is a joint project of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Hiring Our Heroes initiative and Spike TV’s Hire a Vet campaign.

CRI, owned by Vietnam veteran John Dillard and his son Scott Dillard, was founded in 1999 with the single goal of employing veterans, especially those who are service-disabled, John Dillard said in a 2012 article in the Northwest Arkansas Business Journal.

The company provides support services as a contractor and subcontractor to state and federal agencies, including the U.S. Education and Treasury departments.

“We had extraordinary entries from coast to coast, but Central Research’s commitment to our nation’s veterans set itself apart,” retired Lt. Col. Kevin Schmiegel, executive director of Hiring Our Heroes, said in a news release. “Central Research deserves to be recognized for its innovative strategies to recruit and support the men and women who have served our country.”

Four semifinalists in the tournament will be chosen by a combination of public voting and a panel of judges, the release stated. Voting for the Final Four runs through May 16, and for the champion through May 30.

The winner will receive a commercial produced by Spike TV and aired on the network, as well as an expenses-paid trip to the Spike TV Guys’ Choice Awards, where the winner will be announced.

The public may cast votes at vetchampstourney.com. The awards are scheduled to air June 12 on the Spike network.