CHESTER – In a groundbreaking move for neurodiverse employment, Gilster-Mary Lee Corporation, in partnership with Stannum Core Solutions LLC, has achieved the status of the first-ever Spectrum Certified® employer. This milestone marks a significant step forward in competitive, integrated employment solutions for neurodivergent workers. This pioneering partnership has resulted in the integration of a neurodiverse workforce across Gilster-Mary Lee’s manufacturing locations in Perryville, MO, and Steeleville, IL..
Stannum Core Solutions, a leading agency specializing in neurodiverse workforce strategies, founded by Ben Schatzel in 2022, will present this first-of-its-kind certification with a live ceremony. This event is set to take place on Tuesday October 1st at 1:30pm at the Gilster-Mary Lee Pasta Plant (10 Industrial Park, Steeleville, IL 62288) and will culminate with National Disability Employment Awareness Month and Manufacturing Month.
Schatzel, C.E.O. and Founder of Stannum Core, says, “We are proud to certify Gilster-Mary Lee as the first Spectrum Certified® employer. This certification represents a new standard in disability employment, moving away from traditional sheltered workshops and sub-minimum wage employment. Our Spectrum Certified® model highlights the importance of community partnerships, strategic placement, comprehensive job development and management training. It’s a win-win solution for Gilster-Mary Lee and the communities in which they operate.”
Through the Spectrum Certified® model, Gilster-Mary Lee has expanded talent pipelines, enhanced productivity, and lowered the average age of their manufacturing workforce. Furthermore, this initiative has offered competitive career pathways for local neurodivergent job seekers who have historically faced major barriers to employment. To date, over a dozen neurodivergent employees are actively working in fully integrated environments. The Spectrum Certified® status reflects both Gilster-Mary Lee’s commitment to a neurodiverse work environment and the unique contributions of the neurodivergent workers, who have proved to be as consistent, productive, and accurate as their neurotypical peers.
Tom Welge, President of Gilster-Mary Lee Corp., states, “We are very honored to receive the first Spectrum Certified® recognition. We have worked hard to make our plants a welcoming place for neurodiverse individuals, where they can thrive and be appreciated for the great skills and work ethic they bring to the workplace. They are valued members of our team, and they have a positive impact on our business and their fellow employees.”
For more information, visit stannumcore.com or gilstermarylee.com.
About Gilster-Mary Lee Corporation
Gilster-Mary Lee is a leading Private Label food manufacturer, headquartered in Chester, Illinois, a small, southern Illinois town located on a bluff overlooking the Mississippi River. Gilster-Mary Lee produces over 8,000 items in over 500 different private label brands, as well as its own Hospitality label. Approximately 3,000 employees work in 13 different manufacturing facilities across three states. The company-owned truck fleet delivers products daily throughout the US and Canada, as well as shipments destined for markets throughout the world.
About Stannum Core Solutions LLC
Stannum Core Solutions LLC is a neurodiverse workforce agency founded by Ben Schatzel in April of 2022. Through its proprietary Spectrum Certified® employment model, Stannum Core offers a uniquely creative approach to talent acquisition and strategy, while providing a competitive path to employment which rivals outdated disability employment models such as sheltered workshops and sub-minimum wage employment. Stannum Core is a member of The Illinois Manufacturers Association (recognized as one of the 100 Associations That Will Save the World by Associations Now), and has been recognized by the Association of People Supporting Employment First and The Illinois Science & Technology Coalition.
About Founder Ben Schatzel
Ben Schatzel has nearly a decade of experience working with the neurodivergent community as a teacher, therapist, and job developer. He offers expertise as a workforce strategy consultant to businesses, job seekers, and community agencies to help empower companies in embracing the transformative power of integrating a holistic neurodiverse workforce solution to meet today’s needs. Ben’s dedication to neurodiverse inclusion was sparked by his early career working with neurodivergent youth. He personally witnessed the challenges many clients faced upon transitioning out of the public school system—a phenomenon often referred to as the ‘service cliff.’ He is a board member of the Illinois Chapter of The Association of People Supporting Employment First and an associate board member of the Illinois Science & Technology Coalition.