Marketplace Chaplains Founder, Chairman and CEO, Gil A. Stricklin, was recently honored with two prestigious awards for his role in aiding company workers and their families by founding America’s original, largest, and leading workplace chaplaincy organization.

Marketplace Ministries Inc., the international holding company for Marketplace Chaplains USA and its other entities, was founded by Stricklin in 1984.  Stricklin also served as its first chaplain, serving its first company with 150 employees.

Today, Marketplace Chaplains serve in 23 different industry types, from Fortune 500 companies to family-owned, where nearly 2,900 chaplains work with both labor and management to provide help, hope, and compassion to more than 550,000 employees and their family members. In January alone, Marketplace Chaplains made 13,130 worksite visits.

Dallas, TX-based Marketplace Chaplains serve more than 3,100 locations in 45 states and 969 cities in the U.S., and in Canada, Mexico, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the U.K., South Korea and China.

Earlier this month, Stricklin along with his wife, Ann, received the L.R. Scarborough Award given by Southwestern Theological Seminary in Fort Worth for their contribution of bringing the unique concept of chaplains, typically prevalent in the military and hospitals, to corporate America.

Southwestern President, Dr. Paige Patterson, praised Stricklin for his unique idea and devotion to helping employees in the workplace, which helps not only the employees, but the corporations as well. “What Gil did was really remarkable in that he saw a rising need that no one had thought of before,” Patterson said. “Everyone must come to work and they bring their problems with them. That’s where chaplains are helping the most. It’s a phenomenal idea and we are very proud of Gil and Ann Stricklin.”

Richard White, Senior Vice President Human Resources for Herr Foods Inc., in Pennsylvania, which deploys its chaplains to its work sites, echoed Patterson’s sentiment and said, “Everyone has problems that can carry over into the workplace. If we can help them (our employees) in any way, we believe the program is good for the employees and for business.”

Stricklin also received the Tom Landry Leadership Award from Dallas Baptist University which is given to individuals who use their God-given talents and abilities to excel in their chosen field of work, who exhibit exceptional leadership, are committed to serving others in their community, and who demonstrate integrity in their personal lives.

“I am extremely grateful for these two prestigious honors.  The vital service Marketplace Chaplains provides, helps employees and leadership alike deal with the stresses of everyday life, which in turn helps them to be more content, productive, and engaged in their work and lives and that benefits everyone,” Stricklin said. “You will never know how much this means to Ann and me.”