Williamson-Dickie Mfg. Co., makers of Dickies®, the leading global workwear brand, proudly announced oilfield roughneck and safety manager Hale Hughes as their 2008 American Worker of the Year® at the Professional Bull Riders World Finals in Las Vegas on October 31. Hughes will be a VIP guest at the Dickies 500 at Texas Motor Speedway (November 1 and 2), at which he will have the chance to win a million dollars. Hughes will also have the honor of delivering the command, "Gentleman, Start Your Engines!" to the 45 drivers as the Grand Marshal of the Dickies 500.
Hughes will randomly select a car and driver from the Dickies 500 line-up inside the Texas Motor Speedway media room on November 1 at 11:00 a.m., and if the selection he makes goes on to win Sunday's Dickies 500, Hale will go home with one million dollars. That prize, which is more than the winner of the race receives, is the largest purse in the Race to the Chase. As part of his guaranteed prize winnings, Hale will also receive a 2009 Ford F-150, a Yamaha Rhino premium four-wheeler and a regional Dickies gift certificate.
Hughes, a Woodville, Texas resident, was chosen as one of six hard working regional finalists in the 2008 Dickies American Worker of the Year promotion. The six regional finalists were selected out of thousands of applicants based on their commitment to their work and their ability to be a genuine example of a true American worker. All six regional finalists won a trip to the PBR World Finals in Las Vegas from October 30 through November 3, where they each won a Yamaha four-wheeler and regional Dickies gift certificate. Hale Hughes was announced as the 2008 Dickies American Worker of the Year during intermission of the PBR World Finals event on Friday, October 31.
"Hale Hughes personifies qualities that are truly inspirational to so many people - a dedicated and hard working American who gives 100 percent day in and day out, despite what obstacles life throws his way," said Misty Otto, public relations director for Dickies. "Hale is a role model and leader to anyone privileged to know him, and we're honored to have him along with the rest of our regional winners represent the Dickies brand. Superior workers deserve to have their outstanding drive, leadership and perseverance acknowledged and rewarded."
Hughes possesses a firm, committed work ethic and genuine, honest charm that has earned him the respect of others and allowed him to excel in his field. He began a career as an oilfield roughneck in 2003, and Hughes dedicated himself and soon earned the title of company safety manager - one of only 12 such positions in a company made up of more than 3,000 people.
Each day at work, Hughes strives to guide, inspire and educate those around him. Hale is a true inspiration to many people, with an unwavering optimism and dedication in the face of adversity, from his wife's bout with cancer to his own harrowing accident that left him with a broken back.
For the past 16 years, Dickies has been tipping its hat to hard-working men and women with the annual American Worker of the Year contest. Each finalist honored is an exceptional worker in fields often overlooked in today's society - farmers, builders, mechanics, teachers, electrical lineman and soldiers, among others. These exceptional individuals personify and truly embody the iconic Dickies brand and reveal what it really means to be an American worker.
The American Worker of the Year promotion's call for entries kicked off on June 1, 2008. Participants were able to enter via website (www.workeroftheyear.com), mailing in an entry form, completing an entry form in a participating retail location or at a Dickies mobile tour.
Since its beginnings in Fort Worth, Texas in 1922, the Williamson-Dickie Manufacturing Company has grown from a humble manufacturer of bib overalls into a global brand powerhouse, with DICKIES work pants, shirts, denim, outerwear, school uniforms, outdoor gear, medical and chefs apparel and an extensive licensing program offering sturdy head-to-toe clothing options for hardworking men and women of all ages, professions, regions and interests. Williamson-Dickie operates through subsidiaries in North America, Canada and Europe as well as exclusive distributorship around the world.