americanvetsgroup

CalABLE: A Cornerstone of Financial Inclusion, Particularly for Veterans

Thu, 30 Apr 2026 15:33:08 GMT

The expansion of eligibility for California’s CalABLE program marks a meaningful step forward in advancing financial stability for Californians living with disabilities, particularly military veterans.

California State Treasurer Fiona Ma, CPA, has positioned CalABLE as a cornerstone of financial inclusion, and the eligibility expansion this year for individuals whose disabilities began before age 46 significantly broadens its reach.

Age Extension Represents a Transformational Shift

CalABLE is a state-administered savings and investment program designed to help individuals with disabilities build long-term financial security without jeopardizing access to critical public benefits such as Supplemental Social Security Income , Medicaid, and Medi-Cal.

Until recently, eligibility was limited to individuals whose disability began before age 26. The federal ABLE Age Adjustment Act expanded that threshold to age 46, creating new opportunities for millions more Americans, including a substantial number of veterans and individuals with adult-onset disabilities, to access ABLE programs across the country. CalABLE accounts can be opened at any age as long as the disability began before the age of 46.

Aligning with Real-Life Experiences of Veterans

The policy change is particularly impactful for military veterans because many service-connected disabilities do not emerge until later in life. Physical injuries, traumatic brain injuries, and conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder often surface or intensify after years of service, sometimes well beyond the age of 26. By expanding eligibility to disabilities that began before age 46, CalABLE now aligns more closely with real-life experiences of veterans transitioning from active duty to civilian life.

This matters because financial stability is often one of the most significant challenges veterans face during that transition. While programs exist to support employment and healthcare, fewer tools are designed to help veterans build assets over time in tax-advantage accounts. CalABLE addresses this gap directly. It allows eligible individuals to save and invest for qualified expenses, including housing, transportation, education, job training and skills development, and healthcare. Additionally, CalABLE accounts are partially or wholly exempt from the standard asset limits for many public benefit programs like Supplemental Security Income (SSI), allowing individuals to save for themselves or a loved one while maintaining access to the safety net they depend on.

CalABLE account holders can save up to $529,000 across eight different investment options. Investment earnings are tax free as long as the funds are used for qualified expenses. Family members, friends, and employers can contribute to an account as well. For veterans, CalABLE helps save for the transition from the military or supplement healthcare costs that go beyond what the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs covers.

California State Treasurer’s Office Leadership Expands Access

The California State Treasurer’s Office not only administers CalABLE but has actively promoted and expanded its reach. Treasurer Fiona Ma has consistently advocated for programs that evolve to meet the needs of underserved communities, including veterans and people with disabilities.

“When someone serves our country, that commitment doesn’t end when they come home, and neither should ours," said Treasurer Ma. "Veterans carry the impact of their service with them, and they deserve real support that helps them move forward and build their future. Expanding CalABLE gives more veterans the ability to save for things like housing, healthcare, and their future without risking the benefits they rely on. That’s how we honor service with action and create real pathways forward.”

The upcoming webinar hosted by American Veterans Group reflects that commitment, bringing together capital markets leadership and public policy to highlight practical solutions that improve outcomes for veterans and their families.

Building Long-Term Economic Mobility

From a broader perspective, the CalABLE expansion also enhances workforce participation and long-term economic mobility. Veterans who gain access to CalABLE accounts are better positioned to plan for the future, manage unexpected expenses, and pursue career opportunities without fear of losing benefits. This aligns closely with the mission of organizations such as American Veterans Group, and its partner VetJobs, which focus on connecting veterans to meaningful employment while supporting their long-term success. Additionally, veterans with or without a disability can open an account on behalf of a dependent with a disability, helping them save and plan for the future without affecting critical benefits like SSI.

Financial Inclusion Must be Adaptive

Equally important, the expansion underscores a growing recognition that financial inclusion must be adaptive. Programs designed decades ago often fail to reflect the evolving realities of modern service members and veterans. By extending the eligibility age, policymakers and leaders such as Treasurer Ma are acknowledging that disability and financial need do not adhere to arbitrary timelines.

As American Veterans Group convenes this conversation, the message is clear: policy innovation, when paired with mission-driven leadership, can create tangible, lasting impact. The CalABLE age extension is more than a technical adjustment. It is a strategy advancement that empowers veterans to build stability, preserve dignity, and pursue opportunity on their own terms.

Join our upcoming webinar with California State Treasurer Fiona Ma, CPA, to hear how CalABLE and related initiatives are translating policy into real outcomes for veterans and their families.

AVG CEO, Co-Founder Participates in FINRA Panel Focusing on Challenges Facing Small and Mid-Sized Broker-Dealers

Tue, 27 Jan 2026 19:11:27 GMT

AVG CEO, Co-Founder Participates in FINRA Panel Focusing on Challenges Facing Small and Mid-Sized Broker-Dealers

American Veterans Group CEO and Co-Founder Ben Biles was honored to participate in FINRA’s Compliance Outreach for Municipal Advisors and Municipal Dealers webinar, which originated from FINRA headquarters in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, January 21, 2026.

Biles was invited to contribute to a panel discussion that focused on the unique challenges facing small and mid-sized broker-dealers and ways firms and regulators can work together to strengthen oversight, improve clarity, and support healthy market growth.

Broadly, the FINRA webinar focused on practical regulatory and compliance issues facing municipal securities dealers, with an emphasis on strengthening controls and avoiding common examination pitfalls. Key topics included:

Net capital considerations related to Open Contractual Commitment (OCC) charges.
Best practices for maintaining, clear, defensible Written Supervisory Procedures (WSPs) and implementing effective vendor oversight frameworks.
Sales and trading compliance risks, including minimum denomination requirements, material event handling, and other recurring operational concerns observed during exams.

FINRA hosted the webinar to foster constructive dialogue between regulators and firms. SEC, MSRB, and FINRA staff shared timely guidance and encouraged a collaborative, risk-based approach to supervision – seeking clarity around OCC expectations and emphasizing transparency over “gotcha” enforcement. Overall, the webinar provided municipal market participants with practical insights and tailored guidance to help firms strengthen compliance process and navigate evolving regulatory expectations.

Our thanks to FINRA, the SEC, and the MSRB for hosting a thoughtful, solutions-based program and for fostering open dialogue with industry participants. We were proud to contribute to the discussion.

American Veterans Group Honored with 2025 Capital One Small Business Award

Fri, 24 Oct 2025 14:02:48 GMT

American Veterans Group Honored with 2025 Capital One Small Business Award

We’re proud to share that American Veterans Group (AVG) has been named the 2025 recipient of the Capital One Small Business Award from Hiring Our Heroes — a recognition that underscores our ongoing commitment to advancing veteran employment through innovative partnerships, purposeful business practices, and meaningful community impact.

The Capital One Small Business Award, presented annually at the Hiring Our Heroes Lee Anderson Awards Gala, honors a veteran- or military spouse-owned small business that demonstrates exceptional commitment to the military community. We will be receiving this award at this year’s gala in Washington, D.C. on November 5.

The gala celebrates the individuals and organizations that go above and beyond to connect our nation’s heroes and their families with meaningful economic opportunity. Past recipients of the Small Business Award include 50strong, Freedom Learning Group, and JDog Brands — and we’re honored to join their ranks.

“We’re honored to receive this prestigious recognition,” said Ben Biles, American Veterans Group CEO & Co-Founder. “We view it as an important validation of the work we’re doing at American Veterans Group. Our success as a growing securities broker-dealer directly funds our mission of helping veterans and their immediate family members find meaningful careers after their military service has ended.”

At AVG, our mission has always been about more than doing business — it’s about creating opportunity. From helping transitioning service members build sustainable careers to partnering with organizations that share our dedication to empowering the veteran community, we’re proud to help shape a future where veterans and their families can thrive in the workforce.

This spring, American Veterans Group reached a major milestone, surpassing $1 million in total philanthropic contributions to more than 50 veteran-focused nonprofits nationwide. These funds have directly supported programs dedicated to recruiting, hiring, and retaining service members and their families as they transition from military to civilian careers. Since our founding in 2018, AVG’s efforts have positively impacted the lives of thousands of veterans and their families — and we’re just getting started.

“Support of the veteran community and individuals’ transition to civilian careers is more important now than ever,” Biles said. “We are committed to carrying out that mission for years to come.”

A heartfelt thank-you to Hiring Our Heroes and Capital One for this honor, and to our incredible partners, and the entire AVG team,who make this mission possible every day. Together, we’re proving that doing good and doing well can — and should — go hand in hand.

VetSuccess: Opportunity in Private Equity

Tue, 21 Oct 2025 20:15:11 GMT

Listen to VetSuccess: Opportunity in Private Equity

American Veterans Group hosted VetSuccess: Opportunity in Private Equity – Adding Value for Portfolio Companies Through Veteran Hiring on October 15, 2025. The discussion explored how private equity firms can add value across their portfolio companies by implementing proactive veteran hiring strategies.

Panelists included:

Ben Biles, CEO, American Veterans Group

Matthew Forester, Assistant Vice President, Nuveen

Kim Garner, Career Specialist, VetJobs

Steven Stewart, Manager of Talent Acquisition, QTS Data Centers

Listen to the full conversation or read the transcript below.

VetSuccess: Opportunity in Private Equity — Adding Value for Portfolio Companies through Veteran Hiring

October 15, 2025 — 1:00 PM

Moderator: Ben Biles (CEO & Co‑founder, American Veterans Group)

Panelists:

Matt Forester (Assistant Vice President, Nuveen — Real Estate New Business)

Steven Stewart (Manager, Talent Acquisition, QTS Data Centers — Blackstone portfolio company)

Kim Garner (Career Specialist, VetJobs)

Ben Biles: Thanks everyone for coming today. Welcome to VetSuccess — the latest installment of American Veterans Group’s VetSuccess Virtual Conference series. Our mission is to make a difference for veterans transitioning to civilian careers. This series brings together leaders across industries to share best practices for veteran employment and career success.

A few housekeeping notes: if you need help with the conference platform, please reach out to Kelly Volpe in the chat or by email at kelly@boldsquare.com.

We’ll hear from the panel for about 30 minutes and then open the floor to questions. Please drop questions in the chat.

Ben Biles: I’ll introduce our panelists. First, Matt Forester from Nuveen. Matt previously spent three years at KKR covering real estate products. He’s an active supporter of the veteran community, leads Nuveen’s New York Veterans ERG, and previously co‑led the National Veterans Platform at KKR. Matt focuses on creating veteran platforms through career workshops, community engagement, and hiring initiatives.

Next, Steven Stewart, Manager of Talent Acquisition at QTS Data Centers, a Blackstone portfolio company that has a ~20% veteran workforce. Steven brings extensive talent acquisition and staffing experience and has helped scale veteran hiring at QTS.

Finally, Kim Garner from VetJobs. Kim is a career specialist with 15+ years helping veterans and spouses transition into civilian careers. As a former active‑duty Army spouse, she brings firsthand insight into translation of military experience, employment gaps, and relocations. Kim specializes in resume coaching, skills translation, and career momentum for veterans and spouses.

Ben Biles: Matt, through your leadership at KKR and Nuveen, how can private equity firms make veteran hiring a long‑term driver rather than a short‑term initiative?

Matt Forester: Veterans bring operational excellence, process discipline, leadership, cross‑collaboration, adaptability, loyalty, and reliability. They can be thrown into new situations and overcome obstacles. Veterans often fall into two buckets: those entering their first civilian role (who may need time to acclimate but often become high performers and get promoted faster) and more experienced veterans who bring immediate value. To make veteran hiring a long‑term driver, firms should recognize and structure roles to tap those strengths and create career pathways that allow veterans to advance.

Ben Biles: Steven, how has Blackstone added value at the portfolio level to scale veteran hiring, and what have you seen at QTS?

Steven Stewart: Over the past four years QTS has scaled rapidly, and Blackstone has helped by providing resources: technology, process improvements, personnel, and investment in dedicated recruitment roles. We hired a former military recruiter who understands MOS/roles across branches and can map those to our business needs. That expertise helps us place talent where they’ll succeed. Programs like Skillbridge, Hiring Our Heroes, and others — when paired with internal TA resources — have helped scale our veteran hiring.

Ben Biles: Kim, what role do external partnerships (VetJobs, DoD Skillbridge, Hiring Our Heroes, etc.) play in scaling veteran hiring across companies?

Kim Garner: These partnerships are essential. DoD Skillbridge lets a transitioning service member spend six months in a company (paid by the DoD) to build a pipeline and assess fit — it’s no cost to the company. Hire Our Heroes brings veterans and spouses together and partners with organizations to connect talent to employers. VetJobs maintains a large qualified pipeline and helps candidates get resume‑ready and placed in roles that fit their skills. These relationships are win‑win: employers get pre‑vetted, prepared candidates; veterans get opportunities and support.

Ben Biles: Matt, what initiatives have you found most effective at deepening engagement among veterans and allies?

Matt Forester: Curated events that let veterans and allies collaborate informally help build connection and shared experiences. Outgoing communications around Veterans Day and Memorial Day demystify transition challenges. Volunteer events and team activities (wreath ceremonies, charity runs, Tough Mudder) build teamwork and translate back into workplace collaboration. Career development workshops and community engagement — plus informal social events — build a tight‑knit support network.

Ben Biles: Steven, what lessons can portfolio companies learn to build repeatable, scalable veteran hiring processes while being PE‑backed?

Steven Stewart: Start by staying close to your core deliverables and hiring needs. Military organizations are large and contain varied roles (procurement, supply chain, HR, legal, etc.). Translate civilian roles to adjacent military MOS/ratings rather than assuming a one‑to‑one title match. Target specific MOS/job codes and use federally funded programs (Skillbridge, Hiring Our Heroes, MSEP for spouses) to offset training/ramp costs and reduce attrition risk. Be mindful of over‑concentration (groupthink) when hiring heavily from one community; preserve diversity of thought.

Ben Biles: How do you select reliable partners and separate signal from noise?

Steven Stewart: Define ROI and hiring goals first. Not every organization with “vet” in the name is the right partner. Evaluate whether a partner provides cost‑effective access to talent and aligns with the specific skill sets you need. Federally funded programs often offer high value; for‑profit recruiters can be costly without added benefit. Stay disciplined to hire for business needs.

Ben Biles: Kim, how does integrating veteran hiring into a PE firm’s human capital strategy create competitive advantage?

Kim Garner: Veterans are action‑driven, accountable, results‑focused, mission‑oriented, and ready to perform. These traits boost leadership and workforce performance at portfolio companies. VetJobs can help match veterans and spouses to roles and ensure cultural and skills fit. Employers should view veteran hiring as a strategic asset that strengthens execution and leadership pipelines.

Ben Biles: Matt & Steven, how can PE firms support both senior leadership and entry‑level hiring needs through veteran hiring?

Steven Stewart: Leverage programs and partnerships for senior and mid‑level roles (e.g., SODIF, leadership development partners). Veterans with 8–20 years’ service often have strong leadership skills and toolboxes; leadership development programs (e.g., QTS’s Quality Leadership Development Program — QLDP) can bridge gaps and accelerate promotion into senior roles. For entry level, use structured rotational and development programs to build future leaders.

Matt Forester: Private equity firms can build early‑career opportunities (internships, MBA internships, entry tracks) tailored to veterans using GI Bill pathways and educational timelines. At KKR, we institutionalized a standardized process across portfolio companies — monthly/quarterly calls to share best practices, screen candidates appropriately, and craft veterans‑friendly job descriptions that translate military experience into civilian job requirements.

Ben Biles: Kim, what makes a great employer partner from VetJobs’ perspective?

Kim Garner: Proactive employers who post jobs to recruiter connect, give timely feedback, and engage candidates win. Candidates remember companies that follow up even when they aren’t hired immediately. VetJobs provides job‑posting services for free and has a large pipeline; employers who communicate and provide feedback get better candidate engagement and retention.

Audience Question: “We’ve hired a few veterans before but they didn’t stay long. Any tips on retention?”

Kim Garner: Retention depends on role fit and onboarding. Veterans may miss the tightly knit unit (“battle buddies”) and can feel isolated. Good orientation, training, and mentorship are essential. Invest in onboarding and show the veteran how to grow within the company.

Steven Stewart: Camaraderie and mentorship matter. Build veteran networks, coaching, and talent development plans. Demonstrate investment in their future and provide clear growth pathways.

Matt Forester: Employee resource groups and veteran‑ally events help build community. Combine on‑the‑job training, career development, and social connectivity to support retention.

Ben Biles: Practical advice for portfolio companies beginning veteran hiring?

Steven Stewart: Identify who you hire today and map the closest adjacent military skill sets. Use multiple sourcing channels: federal programs, military job boards, targeted social groups (Facebook, Reddit) and direct recruiting. For us, hiring Navy nuclear technicians and Army prime power specialists — roles we hire consistently — allowed us to build long‑term pipelines via outreach at the point of enlistment/processing. Clarify the exact skills needed and map military job codes to those skills.

Ben Biles: How do you get business managers to buy in?

Steven Stewart: Focus on skills, not titles. Develop a shared taxonomy of required skills and work backwards to identify military job codes that provide those skills. Present concrete examples of where military experience maps to business needs and how skills‑based hiring can produce reliable hires.

Matt Forester: Create opportunities to demonstrate value — pilot hires, internships, and cross‑portfolio conversations to show outcomes and create formalized frameworks.

Ben Biles: Matt, what advice for PE professionals who want to make a difference from within their firms?

Matt Forester: Create entry points (internships, MBA roles) specifically for veterans, institutionalize cross‑portfolio sharing of best practices, and formalize pipelines between VetJobs (or similar partners) and portfolio companies. Start monthly/quarterly forums to surface needs and match veteran skill sets to portfolio company requirements.

Kim Garner: One thing I wish companies understood: veterans and spouses often already have training, certifications, and practical experience, but job descriptions may filter them out. Offer entry‑level or 0–1 year roles where companies are willing to invest in onboarding and growth. VetJobs provides free training partnerships (Cloud Academy, IBM SkillsBuild, Coursera) and mentoring via American Corporate Partners. Give veterans a chance — they’ll grow into bigger roles with support.

Audience Question (Veteran Resource Group leader at a bulge‑bracket bank): “I’ll meet with regional leadership next week. What message should I give about supporting veterans?”

Matt Forester: Give veterans an avenue to be heard. Let ERGs influence ideas and share best practices. Offer visibility and feedback channels so veterans feel seen and can propose initiatives.

Steven Stewart: Ask for their recommendations and intentionally solicit feedback. Military culture doesn’t always volunteer committee input — leaders must draw it out. Ensure their voices are included and acted upon.

Kim Garner: Sponsor volunteer events, partner with veteran nonprofits (Travis Manion Foundation, Call of Duty Endowment, Wreaths Across America), and engage recruiters with VetJobs’ recruiter connect. Volunteer sponsorships and mentoring can build internal allies and visibility.

Ben Biles (closing): Thank you to the panelists and attendees. We’ll send a recap, recording, and contact information (with permission). Let’s keep the conversation going.

Panelist Closing Remarks

Kim Garner: Thank you so much.

Steven Stewart: Thanks, folks.

Matt Forester: Thank you.

Ben Biles: Have a great rest of your Wednesday.

How to Talk About Veteran Hiring with Your Portfolio CEOs

Mon, 13 Oct 2025 19:34:27 GMT

How to Talk About Veteran Hiring with Your Portfolio CEOs

Every conversation between a private equity firm and a portfolio CEO comes down to one question: how can we create more value? Whether the focus is margin, growth, or workforce stability, CEOs are under pressure to deliver results quickly and efficiently.

One lever that too often gets overlooked in those conversations is talent—specifically, the opportunity to tap into the veteran workforce. Veterans are more than a values-based hire; they’re a proven talent pool with measurable impact on execution, retention, and leadership.

For portfolio leaders, the real challenge isn’t understanding that veterans are valuable—it’s figuring out how to tap into that talent pool without creating extra work or complexity. That’s where PE firms can step in as a value-added partner, connecting CEOs with this untapped talent and helping them unlock opportunities they might not even know exist.

For CEOs juggling growth targets, operational challenges, and day-to-day fires, veteran hiring might feel like “just another initiative.” But when framed correctly, it’s an opportunity for achieving results faster and more efficiently.

That’s why it belongs in the CEO conversation.

Why Veteran Hiring Belongs in the CEO Conversation

Veterans bring skills that translate directly into business performance: leadership, adaptability, and the ability to execute under pressure. Studies show they:

Ramp up faster than their civilian peers.
Deliver higher retention and loyalty.
Contribute diverse perspectives that strengthen organizational culture.

For CEOs, this isn’t abstract theory. It means shorter hiring timelines, fewer gaps in critical roles, and a stronger leadership bench. Veteran hiring is more than just another social program; it’s a practical tool for execution and value creation.

How to Position Veteran Hiring with CEOs

Lead with the Business Case
Talk about talent in terms of performance and execution. Veterans can help fill gaps quickly, boost retention, and strengthen teams.

Connect to Their Growth Goals
Ask where the biggest talent gaps are—and highlight how veterans can step into operations, management, and technical roles right away.

Emphasize Support, Not Direction
PE firms aren’t there to tell CEOs what to do—they’re there to make it easier. Centralized resources, templates, and recruiting playbooks give portfolio leaders the tools to reach this talent pool efficiently.

Share Success Stories
Point to examples of portfolio companies that have benefitted from veteran hiring. Real-world cases demonstrate the results without imposing any process on the portfolio CEO.

Address Concerns Upfront
Some CEOs may worry about translating military experience into civilian roles. Acknowledge this challenge and explain how tools, training, and partnerships make integration seamless for recruiting teams.

Making Veteran Hiring Scalable

Private equity firms are uniquely positioned to turn veteran hiring into a repeatable, portfolio-wide advantage. By providing centralized resources, guidance, and partnerships, CEOs can plug into a proven framework instead of building from scratch.

It’s a classic case of centralized leadership, decentralized execution—and it drives results across the portfolio.

The Bottom Line

Veteran hiring isn’t just about filling roles. It’s about giving portfolio CEOs a competitive edge in today’s tight labor market while demonstrating the PE firm’s value-add across its portfolio.

Join us for VetSuccess: Opportunity in Private Equity on October 15, the informative webinar hosted by American Veterans Group. You’ll hear directly from industry leaders and veteran talent experts about how to help your portfolio companies connect with this unique talent pool—and unlock real value in the process.

What PE Firms Can Learn from the Veteran Talent Pool

Mon, 06 Oct 2025 19:57:57 GMT

What PE Firms Can Learn from the Veteran Talent Pool

For private equity firms, operational value creation often hinges on talent.

Across industries, portfolio companies are under pressure to recruit leaders who can deliver consistent performance in fast-changing environments. Yet, many overlook one of the most capable, ready-to-lead talent pipelines available: veterans.

Veterans bring more than just technical skills. They bring proven leadership, resilience, and a mission-driven mindset that can transform business performance. For PE leaders, understanding the unique advantages of veteran talent isn’t just a matter of corporate responsibility—it’s a competitive edge.

The Unmatched Experience of the Veteran Workforce

1. Leadership in High-Stakes Environments

Veterans have led teams in complex, uncertain, and high-pressure environments. They know how to make decisions with incomplete information and execute with discipline. For portfolio companies navigating rapid growth, restructuring, or operational challenges, that translates into steadier leadership and faster, more confident decision-making.

2. Adaptability and Agility

Military service requires rapid adjustment to changing conditions. Veterans learn how to pivot strategies, adapt processes, and rally teams around new missions in real time. In today’s economy—where market shifts, supply chain disruptions, and technology adoption move fast — veteran talent can give portfolio companies the agility they need to stay ahead.

3. Technical and Operational Expertise

From logistics and engineering to cybersecurity and advanced technology, veterans bring highly specialized skills that align directly with business needs. They’re trained to operate with precision, manage resources effectively, and build scalable systems—skills that drive measurable operational improvements across industries.

4. Cultural Impact and Retention

Veterans often strengthen company culture by modeling accountability, teamwork, and resilience. Studies consistently show they have higher retention rates than civilian peers. For portfolio companies, that means lower turnover costs and more stable leadership pipelines.

Why It Matters for Private Equity

At the portfolio level, these unique skills and experiences translate into strategic advantage.

Veteran hires can accelerate operational improvements, reduce talent risk, and enhance employer branding. They also reinforce social impact commitments, providing investors with tangible stories alongside financial returns.

“Veterans don’t just adapt—they anticipate,” said Kim Garner, Career Specialist at VetJobs and panelist in American Veterans Group’s upcoming VetSuccess webinar.

“They’ve trained to assess risk, execute under tight timelines, and maintain operational excellence in dynamic environments. For portfolio companies navigating volatile markets or scaling innovation, veteran leadership can be the difference between reacting and thriving. Investing in veteran talent isn’t just the right thing to do—it’s a smart business move.”

By tapping into the veteran talent pool, PE firms can help portfolio companies rethink their approach to leadership development, workforce resilience, and succession planning, resulting in stronger companies and more sustainable long-term value creation.

Putting Insights into Action

To capitalize on what the veteran workforce has to offer, PE firms should:

Integrate Veteran Perspectives into Leadership Development: Encourage portfolio companies to recruit veterans into management tracks and leverage their experience to strengthen succession pipelines.
Promote Veteran-Led Best Practices: Share operational insights learned from veterans across the portfolio, from supply chain efficiency to risk management.
Highlight Success Stories: Showcase how veteran hires have accelerated growth or improved culture in portfolio companies to build momentum and attract more talent.
Measure What Matters: Track retention, performance, and advancement of veteran employees to connect outcomes directly to portfolio value.

Unlocking Lasting Value

Veteran talent offers more than a hiring solution—it offers a framework for leadership, adaptability, and resilience that portfolio companies can model across their organizations. For PE firms, tapping into this resource means not only filling roles but strengthening companies for the long term.

“This is a powerful reminder of the strategic edge veterans bring to the table,” Garner said. “Their ability to lead through uncertainty, recalibrate under pressure, and unite teams around a common goal isn’t just admirable—it’s essential in today’s fast-moving business landscape.”

Join us for VetSuccess: Opportunity in Private Equity/Adding Value for Portfolio Companies Through Veteran Hiring on October 15, the informative webinar hosted by American Veterans Group, where industry leaders and veteran talent experts will share actionable strategies for unlocking value through veteran hiring and leadership.

How to Build a Veteran Hiring Pipeline Across Your Portfolio

Thu, 25 Sep 2025 18:37:01 GMT

How to Build a Veteran Hiring Pipeline Across Your Portfolio

In today’s competitive labor market, financial sponsor-backed portfolio companies face a universal challenge: talent.

Across industries, portfolio companies are struggling to recruit, retain, and develop the people they need to scale. But there’s a proven, underutilized solution that can give portfolio companies a competitive edge while creating measurable long-term value: helping them connect to the veteran talent community.

For PE firms, this isn’t about telling CEOs how to run their companies. It’s about being a value-added partner who opens doors. By making portfolio job opportunities visible to veterans and military spouses, firms help their companies reach a pool of talented candidates they may not even know exist.

The Veteran Advantage for Private Equity

Veterans bring proven skills from high-stakes environments : problem-solving under pressure, leading diverse teams, and adapting quickly to change. They ramp up faster than civilian peers, stay longer, and strengthen culture through diverse perspectives. For portfolio companies, that translates into reduced turnover costs, stronger leadership pipelines, and improved operational execution.

But the real challenge is building the bridge between veteran job seekers and the open roles at portfolio companies.

This is where private equity can shine. By facilitating that connection—through shared partnerships, outreach, and recruiting networks—firms can help their companies reach an overlooked pool of high-quality candidates without dictating how they hire. This also helps provide meaningful employment to the local communities where the portfolio companies operate. Limited Partners are also excited for this development, and this effort supports the local communities and constituencies LP’s support.

How PE Firms Can Build a Veteran Hiring Pipeline

Define the Opportunity, Not the Mandate: Make veteran hiring a clear option for portfolio leaders by sharing how other companies have tapped this talent pool. Position it as a tool, not a directive.
Build Partnerships That Scale: Engage with organizations like Hiring Our Heroes, DoD SkillBridge, VetJobs, and local veteran service groups. These partnerships make portfolio job openings more visible to veterans—an easy value-add that portfolio leaders can leverage if they choose.
Support Recruiting Visibility: Create veteran-friendly job description templates, train recruiters on military-to-civilian skill translation, and share marketing channels that help portfolio jobs reach the veteran community.
Offer Internal Champions: Encourage companies to highlight existing veteran employees who can serve as ambassadors and advocates.
Measure and Share Success: Track veteran applicants and hires across the portfolio. Sharing these outcomes demonstrates to portfolio leaders that the approach works—without imposing any process—and can also be marketed to LPs as measurable social impact.

Building Lasting Impact

When executed strategically, veteran hiring pipelines create compounding value. Portfolio companies gain access to a loyal, high-performing talent pool. Investors strengthen ESG and diversity narratives while supporting measurable workforce development. And veterans gain meaningful careers where their skills drive business results.

Matthew Forester, AVP on Nuveen’s Real Estate New Business team, formerly with KKR, and a panelist in the upcoming installment of American Veterans Group’s VetSuccess series, has seen that impact firsthand.

“During my time at KKR, my colleague and I worked closely with American Veterans Group and the VetJobs team to create a hiring process to benefit our various portfolio companies," he said. “There was measurable value seen from companies who created a dedicated veterans and military spouses hiring process.”

Through quarterly calls with more than 20 portfolio companies, KKR connected talent acquisition teams directly with VetJobs. That connection gave portfolio leaders a channel to market their open jobs to veterans, making it easier for them to access this candidate pool.

The results spoke for themselves: within six months, more than a dozen veterans had been hired across multiple companies, and the program continues to grow today.

Access the Private Equity Playbook

Building a veteran hiring pipeline is no longer just a “nice to have.” It’s a simple, scalable way for PE firms to demonstrate value to their portfolio companies by helping them reach an in-demand candidate pool.

Join us for VetSuccess: Opportunity in Private Equity on October 15 to learn from experts how firms can leverage veteran hiring to add more value to its portfolio companies. Hear directly from leaders, like Nuveen’s Matthew Forester, who are putting these strategies into practice during this informative webinar hosted by American Veterans Group.

Federal Layoffs and Veteran Employment Rights: What Employers Need to Know

mwade@americanvetsgroup.com (Ben Biles) — Mon, 19 May 2025 20:47:09 GMT

Federal Layoffs and Veteran Employment Rights: What Employers Need to Know

When federal jobs are cut, the people who served our country are often the first to feel the fallout. The federal government is the single largest employer of veterans in this country, meaning recent staffing reductions in government agencies have hit this talent pool especially hard.

As businesses across sectors look to hire new talent, it’s crucial for employers to understand the specific rights and protections that apply to veterans during the hiring and reemployment process. Ensuring compliance not only avoids legal risks but also strengthens your organization's commitment to supporting those who have served.

Understanding USERRA (Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act)

Passed in 1994, the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) is a critical piece of legislation designed to ensure that individuals who serve or have served in the U.S. military are not disadvantaged in their civilian careers because of their service. It also aims to minimize disruption to the lives of service members, their families, and employers by protecting job rights and benefits.

At its core, USERRA covers three main areas: reemployment, training, and non-discrimination:

Protection Against Discrimination and Retaliation: It is unlawful to deny initial employment, reemployment, retention, promotion, or any benefit of employment based on an individual’s military obligations.

Right to Reemployment After Service: Employers must make reasonable efforts to reemploy veterans in the same or comparable position they would have held if their military service had not interrupted their employment.

Preservation of Benefits and Seniority: This ensures that service members are not financially or professionally penalized for serving their country.

Understanding and adhering to USERRA is not just a legal requirement for employers; it is a vital step toward building a workforce that respects and values service members. USERRA creates a strong framework of protections and obligations for both employers and employees.

Legal Considerations When Hiring Veterans Post-Layoff

Hiring veterans after the recent federal layoffs presents both a meaningful opportunity and a set of legal responsibilities for employers. Veterans bring a unique set of skills to the table, but employers must be aware of and comply with federal laws that protect these individuals from discrimination and ensure equitable hiring and employment practices.

In addition to USERRA, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) enforces anti-discrimination protections for veterans, particularly disabled veterans. Employers should be aware of the following:

Anti-Discrimination Laws: Veterans are protected from discrimination based on military service, disability status, and other factors.

Accommodations for Disabled Veterans: Many veterans may qualify for benefits such as disability compensation, vocational training, and housing support. Employers should be prepared to provide reasonable accommodations to enable these employees to perform essential job functions.

Being aware of these protections and taking proactive steps to support veteran employees ensures legal compliance for the employer, and helps create a workplace culture rooted in respect, equity, and opportunity.

Best Practices for Ensuring Compliance and Fair Hiring Practices

While understanding the legal landscape around veteran employment is essential, it’s equally important for employers to develop intentional hiring strategies and internal systems that promote compliance, equity, and inclusion. These best practices go beyond simply meeting the letter of the law — they help employers create a workplace that actively supports veterans and leverages their unique skills.

Align Hiring Policies with Federal Regulations

Understand the specific hiring authorities that relate to veterans, such as special appointment eligibility and preference points, and integrate these considerations into your recruitment process.

Build a Veteran-Inclusive Recruitment Process

Veterans often face challenges in translating military experience into civilian terms. Employers can help bridge that gap by designing a more accessible and veteran-friendly recruitment process.

Start by using inclusive job postings that highlight transferable skills and by proactively partnering with veteran organizations and transition programs. Simplifying the application process and offering tools like military skills translators can also improve accessibility. Training HR teams to recognize military experience and avoid bias ensures a more equitable and effective hiring process

Foster a Welcoming Workplace Culture

Fostering a welcoming workplace for veterans goes beyond just hiring them – employers must build a culture that supports their success long-term. Create mentorship programs, encourage veteran employee resource groups, and offer professional development tailored to veterans' unique strengths and needs.

Championing Veterans During Times of Uncertainty

In today’s shifting employment landscape, businesses must recognize their critical role in supporting veterans reentering the job market.

Veterans bring unique skills such as leadership, problem-solving, and adaptability, which can significantly strengthen organizations. By understanding legal requirements, proactively recruiting veteran talent, and fostering a veteran-inclusive workplace, employers can enrich their organizations with highly skilled, mission-driven professionals.

To learn more about hiring and retaining veteran employees amidst ongoing federal layoffs, join American Veterans Group’s virtual panel, VetSuccess: Serving the Displaced Federal Workforce, on May 20, 1:00-2:00 pm ET.

How to Attract and Retain Veteran Talent in a Post-Layoff Economy

mwade@americanvetsgroup.com (Ben Biles) — Thu, 15 May 2025 14:15:14 GMT

How to Attract and Retain Veteran Talent in a Post-Layoff Economy

The post-layoff economy presents both challenges and opportunities for organizations—and veterans alike. Following recent federal workforce reductions, particularly within agencies like the Department of Veterans Affairs ( PBS NewsHour ), tens of thousands of veteran employees are entering a volatile job market.

For private-sector employers, this is a critical moment to invest in veteran talent. Veterans bring leadership, discipline, operational efficiency, and crisis-tested decision-making, skills that are urgently needed as businesses adapt to economic uncertainty. Attracting and retaining veterans in a post-layoff economy requires thoughtful, targeted strategies beyond general veteran hiring best practices.

Tailored Strategies for Attracting Veterans Post-Layoff

Address the Psychological Impact of Layoffs in Your Messaging

Veterans affected by federal layoffs may be experiencing a loss of stability and identity. Your recruitment messaging should acknowledge that reality and clearly articulate how your organization offers not just a job, but a reliable, mission-aligned career path.

Target Outreach Based on Career Transition Patterns

Post-layoff veterans are often pivoting into new industries. Instead of blanket veteran hiring initiatives, tailor outreach efforts based on MOS-to-industry translation tools and common career transitions (e.g., logistics → supply chain; federal IT → cybersecurity; administrative → HR/project management).

Offer Interim Employment or “Bridge Roles”

Many veterans exiting federal employment are looking for immediate income while planning long-term moves. Consider offering temporary-to-permanent roles, fellowships, or project-based contracts as a soft landing that helps them transition into civilian culture and upskill.

Retention Strategies That Resonate in a Post-Layoff Economy

Be Transparent About Financial Health and Growth Plans

Layoffs can trigger deep skepticism in veterans about organizational longevity. Combat this by openly sharing your company’s financial roadmap, especially how you’re planning to grow or stabilize despite market challenges.

Create Career Mobility Pathways—Fast

Veterans are highly goal-oriented and used to defined progression structures. In a post-layoff economy, where long-term planning feels uncertain, it’s critical to provide clarity and speed.

Provide Trauma-Informed Management Training

Layoffs can trigger emotional responses rooted in past instability, including military-related stress. Equip your managers to lead veteran employees with empathy and insight.

Join the conversation and hear from leaders in the veteran employment space at American Veterans Group’s upcoming virtual panel, VetSuccess: Serving the Displaced Federal Workforce, May 20, 2025 1:00 – 2:00 pm ET.

The Business Case for Hiring Veterans Amidst Federal Job Cuts

mwade@americanvetsgroup.com (Ben Biles) — Thu, 08 May 2025 11:00:04 GMT

The Business Case for Hiring Veterans Amidst Federal Job Cuts

As a wave of federal job cuts sweeps across the nation, many veterans – who are already navigating the complex transition from military to civilian life – now face an additional layer of uncertainty.

The federal government is the single largest employer of veterans in this country. Although veterans comprise less than 6% of the nation’s civilian workforce, they represent 28% of federal employees.

In March, the newly established Department of Government Efficiency announced sweeping job cuts across the federal workforce – including roughly 80,000 positions at the Department of Veterans Affairs. While these layoffs disproportionately impact veterans who have continued their service through federal employment, the private sector is faced with an enormous opportunity.

For businesses seeking high-performing, purpose-driven professionals, now is the time to tap into the veteran talent pool. The business case is clear: veterans are uniquely equipped to lead, innovate, and thrive in today’s fast-paced, complex work environments.

Why Veterans Are Valuable Assets to the Private Sector

From managing teams in combat zones to making split-second decisions with real-life consequences, veterans are forged in environments where failure is not an option. This real-world experience builds adaptable, mission-driven leaders who thrive in complex, fast-paced environments.

What sets today’s veteran talent pool apart is its depth and readiness. Many of these individuals who have returned to the job market aren’t just transitioning from active duty – they're also experienced federal professionals with advanced degrees, security clearances, and a proven track record in civilian roles. They’ve managed budgets, led cross-functional teams, and operated within highly regulated environments.

For the private sector, this moment represents a unique opportunity to hire talent that’s not only battle-tested but also boardroom-ready. These veterans are positioned to make an immediate and lasting impact.

Industries That Can Benefit the Most from Hiring Veterans

Veterans bring a highly versatile skill set that spans a broad range of industries, making them adaptable and valuable employees in almost any sector.

Industries such as finance, tech, logistics, healthcare, security, and operations can leverage veterans’ extensive training and real-world experience allow them to seamlessly transition into civilian roles, often with minimal additional training. By tapping into this wealth of expertise, businesses not only gain dedicated and skilled employees but also contribute to creating a more inclusive workforce that values the unique contributions of veterans.

The Long-Term Business Benefits of Hiring Veterans

Hiring veterans is a smart investment with both short- and long-term benefits. Companies that prioritize veteran recruitment and retention often experience lower turnover and higher employee engagement. General Electric, for example, reported a 7% lower attrition rate among veteran employees compared with non-veterans over the past decade – a testmeant to the loyalty and staying power veteranse bring to the workplace.

Veterans’ mission-first mindset and ability to thrive in structured, value-driven environments can help organizations reduce hiring costs and minimize time spent on training. However, the recent migration for many from the federal workforce into the private sector isn’t just a career shift – it's deeply personal.

Many veterans have expressed feelings of betrayal and skepticism towards the public sector that once symbolized stability and purpose. This sentiment underscores a pivotal moment: the private sector has a unique opportunity to engage this talent pool, offering roles that value their dedication and expertise.

By fostering veteran-inclusive cultures, businesses build stronger teams, improve employee satisfaction, and make a smart, strategic investment in their workforce.

Hiring Incentives and Financial Benefits for Employers

Beyond talent and drive, veterans also bring tangible financial value to employers.

The Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) is a federal tax credit for employers who hire individuals from target groups facing barriers to employment, including veterans. Despite their skills, veterans, particularly those with service-connected disabilities, often experience higher unemployment rates. Through WOTC, companies can receive up to $9,600 per qualified veteran hired.

According to the Internal Revenue Service’s website, this tax credit remains untouched by DOGE and is available to employers until the end of the year.

Why Hiring Veterans Is a Win-Win

In the face of widespread federal layoffs, the private sector has a unique opportunity to step up – and benefit in the process. Hiring veterans is a smart, strategic move that delivers measurable returns. From unmatched leadership and adaptability to financial incentives and long-term workforce stability, veterans bring value that goes far beyond the resume.

Now more than ever, the business case for hiring veterans is clear: it’s a powerful way to build resilient, innovative teams that drive lasting success.

You can learn more about the displaced veteran workforce at American Veterans Group’s VetSuccess: Serving the Displaced Federal Workforce” virtual panel event on May 20, 1:00-2:00 pm ET.

How Federal Layoffs Are Impacting the Veteran Workforce

mwade@americanvetsgroup.com (Ben Biles) — Thu, 01 May 2025 15:19:52 GMT

VetSuccess Serving the Displaced Federal Workforce: How Federal Layoffs Are Impacting the Veteran Workforce

The ripple effects of widespread federal layoffs are being felt across the country—and are impacting our nation's veterans acutely. As departments restructure and budgets tighten, thousands of roles traditionally held by veterans are being eliminated, disproportionately impacting a workforce already facing unique employment challenges.

As veterans navigate an increasingly uncertain job market, businesses have a critical opportunity to offer meaningful employment pathways that not only support these skilled individuals but also strengthen their own organizations.

Why Federal Layoffs Are Hitting Veterans Hard

Veterans have long found a strong employment foothold within federal agencies and defense-related sectors. These roles are not only aligned with their experience and skill sets, but also typically offer stability, benefits, and a sense of continued service. Pew Research reports that over 700,000 veterans were employed by federal departments and agencies as of September 2024, making up nearly a quarter of the federal civilian workforce.

In addition to slashes to federal funding that supports critical services and resources for the veteran community, including VA health services, research, and the Veterans Crisis Line, the recent wave of federal layoffs has majorly impacted veteran employees. Within the first five weeks of federal layoffs, nearly 16% of the 38,000 fired from the federal workforce were veterans.

Recent layoffs are impacting the veteran unemployment rate, which rose to 4.0%, up from 3.8% in January and significantly higher than the 2.8% rate from a year ago (U.S. Department of Labor).

Which Industries Are Seeing the Most Veteran Layoffs?

The impact of federal restructuring is being felt across multiple sectors where veterans are heavily represented—defense, cybersecurity, logistics, law enforcement, and administrative roles. The Department of Veterans Affairs, for example, recently announced the dismissal of over 1,400 employees in non-mission critical roles, with funds being reallocated to direct services for beneficiaries (VA News).

Fortunately, the core skills veterans bring to the table are incredibly transferable. Leadership, resilience, problem-solving, adaptability, and a team-first mentality are just a few of the traits employers value—traits that veterans have in spades. Many also possess years of experience that can far outpace other entry-level candidates. With proper guidance and opportunity, veterans can pivot successfully into roles in tech, project management, operations, and beyond.

Long-Term Implications for Veteran Employment

The recent wave of federal layoffs could have significant long-term implications for the veteran workforce. The reduction in federal employment opportunities may hinder economic stability for veterans and disrupt access to essential services and benefits often facilitated through federal employment. The erosion of institutional knowledge and leadership veteran employees often provide could negatively impact agency performance over time.

The current wave of federal layoffs presents a challenge—but also an opportunity for the private sector, which stands to benefit from the influx of highly skilled veteran workers now on the job market. For businesses, this is a moment to hire not just out of responsibility, but out of recognition of the immense value veterans bring.

The circumstances and implications of federal layoffs and budgetary cuts is fluid, in flux, and requires both employers, veterans, and the broader workforce to keep an eye on the situation as it develops.

To better navigate the challenges and opportunities posed by federal layoffs, join American Veterans Group’s virtual panel, VetSuccess: Serving the Displaced Federal Workforce, on May 20, 2025 1:00-2:00 pm ET.

American Veterans Group Reaches Key Philanthropic Milestone

mwade@americanvetsgroup.com (Ben Biles) — Mon, 10 Mar 2025 19:15:15 GMT

Total donations top $1 million to veteran-focused non-profits

MARCH 10, 2025 — MELVILLE, N.Y. – American Veterans Group, the Wall Street firm that invests in U.S. military veterans, their families, and their futures, has surpassed a significant philanthropic milestone with total donations surpassing $1 million.

The financial support for more than 50 veteran-focused nonprofits nationwide has advanced the cause of recruiting, hiring and retaining service members and their immediate family members who are transitioning from military to civilian careers. Since its founding in 2018, American Veterans Group has had a positive impact on the lives of more than 3,900 veterans and their families.

“Surpassing $1 million in donations to veteran-focused nonprofits is a powerful testament to American Veterans Group’s founding purpose and social mission—to create meaningful impact for both the veteran community and our clients,” said Ben Biles, American Veterans Group CEO and co-founder. “We are proud to maximize the social impact of both AVG and the issuers who engage our services through our scalable philanthropic approach. Support of the veteran community and individuals’ transition to civilian careers is more important now than ever, and we are committed to carrying out that mission for years to come.”

AVG, through its adjacent American Vets Group Foundation - a 501(c)(19) non-profit corporation – has provided financial support for non-profit organizations in 25 states. All of the non-profits American Veterans Group has supported work closely with the military veteran community to provide training and career services to support the often-fraught transition to civilian careers.

In addition to its support of key veteran-focused nonprofits, such as FourBlock and On Course Foundation, American Veterans Group has concentrated on expanding its impact through the establishment of the AVG Veteran Jobs Network. The AVG Veteran Jobs Network, powered by VetJobs, one of the nation’s leading career development organizations, helps place veterans in positions with AVG’s current and prospective client companies. Since its launch in April 2023, the AVG Veteran Jobs Network has helped place more than 500 veterans and military family members in good-paying jobs with its network of 133 Fortune 500 partner companies. Of those placed, 82% have been former or active enlisted service members.

In 2025, American Veterans Group is also launching a partnership with Hiring Our Heroes, a program developed by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, to help facilitate access to key training and career resources for veterans.

About American Veterans Group

American Veterans Group, PBC, is a military veteran-owned, social impact-focused securities broker dealer that delivers value to institutional clients while providing meaningful philanthropic support to the military veteran community. The company reinvests 25% of its earnings in national and local military veteran nonprofit organizations that provide worthy services and support to one of America's most vulnerable, at-risk populations. As Wall Street's only public benefit corporation, American Veterans Group empowers institutional clients to partner in its social mission while enabling them to remain focused on key business objectives and goals. To learn more about American Veterans Group, visit their website at www.americanvetsgroup.com.

Media Contact:

Mark Kroeger

The Boldsquare Group

(513) 236-3109

Mark@boldsquare.com

American Veterans Group Expands Services to Include Marketing and Structuring ABS and RMBS Securities

mwade@americanvetsgroup.com (Ben Biles) — Mon, 10 Feb 2025 19:19:14 GMT

New capability being developed by newest member of team, Ekele Erondu

FEBRUARY 14, 2025 — MELVILLE, N.Y. – American Veterans Group is expanding its suite of services to include the structuring and marketing of asset-backed securities (ABS) and residential mortgage-backed securities (RMBS). The new capabilities are being developed by the newest member of the firm’s team, Ekele Erondu.

Erondu, who joins AVG as Director of ABS Capital Markets, brings to the firm expertise in ABS and RMBS deal execution, including securitizing residential transitional loans and traditional residential mortgages.

American Veterans Group is a veteran-owned securities broker dealer and Wall Street’s first and only public benefit corporation. The company dedicates 25% of its earnings to support veteran-focused non-profits across the U.S. and advocates through its philanthropy for the hiring of veterans and their family members as they transition from military service to civilian life.

“Ekele has a proven track record, leading all aspects of ABS deals, including structuring, cash flow modeling, legal documentation, due diligence, marketing, pricing, and execution,” said Ben Biles, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of AVG. “With a strong background in managing complex transactions and optimizing funding structures, Ekele has built robust relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including rating agencies, bankers, and investors. We’re fortunate to have him on the team to expand our capabilities in this important and promising area.”

Erondu has more than 10 years of expertise in investment banking, capital markets, structured finance, and securitization. Prior to joining AVG, he was Vice President of Capital Markets for Performance Trust Capital Partners, which offers a wide range of financial advisory and investment banking services for financial institutions. He also served in a capital markets role for Southern California Edison and was a whole loan trading and investment associate for MetLife Investments. He has an MBA in finance and economics from Carnegie Mellon University.

About American Veterans Group

Media Contact:

Mark Kroeger

The Boldsquare Group

(513) 236-3109

Mark@boldsquare.com

Creating Seamless Oboarding for Veterans in Corporate Roles

mwade@americanvetsgroup.com (Ben Biles) — Wed, 16 Oct 2024 18:29:51 GMT

A conversation with Amgen's Niel Smith

Could you provide a high-level overview of your background and share some insight into Amgen's work with veterans?

Niel Smith: I'm a 22-year veteran of the United States Army and retired as a Lieutenant Colonel. I was an armor officer with deployments to Kosovo, Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, and elsewhere. I traveled to 46 countries while in the Army and finished as a cavalry squadron commander at Fort Cavazos, Texas. When I was leaving the Army, I ran into an Amgen recruiter. I hadn’t heard of the company and didn’t know anything about it. I looked up a veteran who works at Amgen, Ben Chu, and said, "Hey, tell me about this company." He gave me an hour of his time and convinced me that Amgen was a fantastic place for a second career. I was sold, so I pitched myself to become Amgen's first SkillBridge fellow.

This program lets you work for a company as you’re transitioning out of the military for a couple of months for free. I was fortunate, within five weeks of the fellowship, I was offered a job with Amgen as a Program Manager. I’ve been here for five years now, held several positions, and I’m currently a Director of Program Management and Business Transformation working large corporate projects. I’ve also become the leader of Amgen's 800-member veteran ERG (Employee Resource Group) and have helped more than 150 veterans follow in my footsteps.

What are some of the biggest challenges veterans face when transitioning into corporate roles, particularly in specialized industries like biotech?

Niel Smith: I think, for any civilian role, the number one challenge for veterans is defining their value versus someone who’s been in that industry for a long time, especially for senior-level transitions. For example, I had 22 years of experience in the United States Army in leadership and organization — all those soft skills were there. But I was competing for jobs against people who had been in biotech for 10 or 15 years. When you think on it, would you hire a senior manager at Amgen to be your Executive Officer in a tank battalion? What would motor pool Monday look like for them? So, it really comes down to defining your value statement— what you bring to the table in terms of organization, leadership, critical thinking, and your ability to thrive in ambiguous situations. Once you get in, you need to drive results to prove you belong there.

How does Amgen’s veteran ERG support veterans in adapting to corporate culture, and what elements have you found to be most effective?

Niel Smith: At Amgen, our veteran ERG works hand-in-hand with our veteran talent acquisition leads. We provide mentors for new hires, whether they come through SkillBridge or different recruiting efforts. We send individuals to talk to prospective employees, do a lot of networking, and make connections that help veterans find the right fit within Amgen. Veterans in our company come together to help each other and open up networks for new candidates to learn more about potential roles and meet hiring managers who might offer them an opportunity.

What’s your experience been like on the other side of things, leading Amgen’s ERG?

Niel Smith: I’m very fortunate that Amgen’s senior leadership, from the CEO down, are huge supporters. Our CEO, Bob Bradway, has been a huge supporter of veterans at Amgen, and our executive sponsor, Annalisa Pizzarello, has ensured we have all the resourcing we need. Part of my role as an ERG leader involves communicating to senior leadership on how to better support veterans. We focus on three main goals: providing veteran connections within the company, supporting veteran career development both for new hires and those looking to advance, and demonstrating veteran business impact. We’re now up to 12 chapters across various sites, including some international locations, with over 800 members. About 220 are veterans, and the rest are family members, supporters, or military spouses.

For companies that may have started building a veteran ERG or are starting from scratch, what advice would you give on foundational steps to create a successful group like Amgen’s?

Niel Smith: When I joined Amgen five years ago, our veterans’ ERG was at a low point. Some of the original leaders who had founded it had left, so a few people stepped in, started organizing, and began connecting veterans. You need a good core of passionate people committed to helping veterans, and then you spread the word, communicate, and provide value. We found that a lot of people crave that connection within the organization. Getting executive sponsorship from senior leaders also helped us significantly. At Amgen, there’s a lot of goodwill toward veterans, so we leverage that. We focused on leader development and building a “bench” of active veterans so we can rotate members through leadership roles in the ERG and prevents burn-out.

Our ERG has become known as a leader among our other ERGs because we organize well, execute, and consistently deliver. For example, at our Veterans Day ceremony, we’ve hosted amazing speakers like Robert De Niro, Katie Higgins Cook, Greg Gadson, Johnny Kim, and Chef Robert Irvine. We leverage our network and ask people to support us, and that’s our competitive advantage. That’s the advice I’d give to others starting an ERG: build that core group, get executive sponsorship, and make good use of your network.

Hear more from Niel Smith and other leaders in the ERG space during American Veterans Group's virtual panel, VetSuccess: Empowering Veteran Resource Groups on October 23, 1:30-2:30pm ET.

How Disney’s SALUTE ERG Builds Strong Veteran Engagement Across the Company

mwade@americanvetsgroup.com (Ben Biles) — Mon, 07 Oct 2024 19:01:44 GMT

Cappy Surette, senior manager of communications at Disney Experiences, sat down with American Veterans Group to discuss how Disney’s SALUTE ERG leverages strategic communication to create a supportive and inclusive environment for veterans across the organization.

What is Disney’s SALUTE? How does it build bridges between Disney and the military community outside the organization?

Cappy Surette: 10 years ago, I was invited to be a founding member of our veteran ERG that we named “Disney SALUTE.” The word “salute” was a perfect name as it’s a gesture in the military rendered as not only a form of greeting, but of showing respect. The idea for a veteran-centric ERG stemmed from The Walt Disney Company’s enduring admiration for U.S. military service and from its veteran hiring initiative called “Heroes Work Here” which the company launched in 2012.

This was during a time of high veteran unemployment across the country and Disney stepped up to make a commitment to hire 1,000 veterans in three years. It turned out we hired 1,000 veterans in just the first year. We saw the value veterans brought to the table, both in terms of hard skills they learned in the military as well as additional skills like leadership, teamwork and more. So, we kept going and today, we proudly salute the thousands of U.S. military veterans who work in all sectors of our company.

Transitioning from the military to civilian life is challenging. That’s why we created Disney SALUTE to build a peer-to-peer network inside the company. As we made a staunch commitment to hire veterans, we wanted to ensure there was a dedicated ERG that could help support them. Not only that, we know that military service is a family business so our veteran ERG is open to anyone with a connection to the service, whether it’s as a veteran, a military family member or any reason at all.

At Disney, employees are called “cast members,” as we’re all part of the show. The teamwork and collaboration here are exceptional, much like in the military. Having a peer-to-peer network of people with military experience, whether you're a veteran, a military spouse, or part of a military family, adds a layer of camaraderie and enhances the employee experience for this community.

For veterans, this network helps those transitioning from military service navigate the new environment and terrain. It’s like a little family inside of a larger, amazing family. Veterans are also committed to helping others and our Disney SALUTE team often hosts community service projects that greatly appeal to our members.

Veterans often identify with their branch of service – whether they were a Sailor, Marine, Soldier, Airman, Guardian or Coastie – and that identity remains strong. When veterans get together, there’s friendly banter among branches, but it’s all in good fun and mutual respect. Having that culture inside a BERG (At Disney, we call them BERGs, Belonging Employee Resource Groups) is crucial because it helps veterans bring their authentic selves to work. Sometimes it acts as a relief valve when things are different from what they experienced in the military. They have a network where they can talk it out, get advice, and just have that support system.

How does Disney communicate the mission and significance of your ERG to veterans at Disney and the external community?

Cappy Surette: In terms of internal communications, we have an employee intranet site called “Disney Cast Life,” which has dedicated pages for individual chapters of Disney SALUTE in Florida, Disneyland and other parts of our business. We provide information there about our events, leadership team members, and profiles on various members. We also have dedicated Slack channels, use email distribution and other channels to communicate.

We also share many of the ways we honor the military community with external audiences. These include hosting flyovers of our theme parks, honoring guests who are veterans during daily flag retreat ceremonies at Magic Kingdom and Disneyland Park, recognizing our cast members with military service and so much more. A lot of these stories are showcased on the Disney Parks Blog, The Walt Disney Company’s homepage, the Disney Experiences newsroom and more.

One of the things we’re honored to have recently debuted in June was former U.S. President George W. Bush's collection of paintings called the Portraits of Courage: A Commander in Chief’s Tribute to America’s Warriors . This traveling exhibit provides a spotlight on the valiant service of veterans on the battlefield, their resilience in recovering from injury and their contributions they make in their post-military careers. We were honored to bring this collection of paintings to the American Adventure Pavilion at EPCOT at Walt Disney World Resort. It features paintings of more than 60 veterans including stories of their journey written by President Bush himself. The exhibit honors post-9/11 veterans and hosting it through June 2025 is another example how Disney recognizes the service and sacrifice of military service members, veterans and their families.

We also recently had the special opportunity to honor a cast member who is an Army veteran with the Portraits of Courage as a backdrop this summer. He reached out to our Disney SALUTE leadership team around March or April and said, "Hey, I received a Purple Heart citation from the Army for a traumatic brain injury I sustained in Mosul, Iraq. My son has never seen me in uniform. Could I put my uniform on, and maybe the SALUTE team could present the Purple Heart in a conference room somewhere where my family could join us for this special moment?" Knowing we work at Disney, we knew we could do better than that and give this veteran the recognition this distinguished award merited.

It was so incredible seeing the support from Disney leaders across the company resulting in us presenting him the Purple Heart medal inside the American Adventure Pavilion before park opening one day in June . As this cast member shared, he was inspired to join the Army after hearing President Bush’s inspirational words on 9/11 as he stood on a fire truck in Manhattan with a megaphone so hosting the ceremony amidst the former President’s paintings was special. The event was even more special as the veteran’s wife, his 13-year-old son, his father and brother as well as his father-in-law (a retired Navy three-star admiral) attended the event. Other veterans, including members of Disney SALUTE, showed up in force to support him. We also presented him with letters from Bob Iger (CEO of The Walt Disney Company), Josh D'Amaro (Chairman of Disney Experiences), President Bush, and Congressman Mike Walz, a Green Beret, who flew a flag over the U.S.Capitol in his honor. We flew a flag over EPCOT in the cast member’s honor as well.

It was an amazing day to recognize this fellow veteran and cast member. It's an example of the power of our BERG and the company's dedication in saluting U.S. military service. These kinds of events are so important because they are part of our company culture that began with the service to country by our founders Walt and Roy Disney during the First World War and has continued throughout the 100-year history of our company.

What role has strategic communications played in the success of SALUTE, and what lessons can other organizations learn from Disney’s approach?

Cappy Surette: Every year, our Disney SALUTE chapters host strategic planning meetings to map out the strategy for the year ahead. A key part of developing the strategy is communicating with our membership. Communication is vital. It’s the foundation of the direction you want to go. You need to know what you want to do, who your audience is, and what you’d like them to do after receiving the information you share with them. You also need to determine what channels or mechanisms you'll use to deliver that information.

When communicating with our members, we not only want them to be aware of upcoming events but want to hear what they want from the BERG. What kind of value do they derive from being part of it? What types of events would they like to participate in?

We’re helping veterans grow here at Disney, and strategic communications is a big part of it. How do we get that information to our membership, so they find value in it, read it, and participate in events that contribute to their growth? We want them to find satisfaction in their careers and recapture some of that camaraderie they had in the military as they build their careers at Disney. Veterans often have fond memories of the tight-knit camaraderie they experienced in service, and we aim to bring this part of the military service culture here to our Disney SALUTE ERG.

Hear more from Cappy and other ERG leaders during American Veterans Group's virtual panel discussion, VetSuccess: Empowering Veteran Resource Groups on October 23, 2024 1:30-2:30 pm ET.

Leveraging Industry Collaboration to Enhance Veteran Support

mwade@americanvetsgroup.com (Ben Biles) — Thu, 19 Sep 2024 16:52:13 GMT

A conversation with UPS' Lloyd Knight

If anyone knows how impactful collaboration can be for employee resource groups, it’s Lloyd Knight.

Knight is the Veteran Talent Acquisition Strategy Manager at UPS and the co-founder of VETLANTA, a collaborative initiative aimed at making Atlanta a leading community for veterans. With extensive experience in veteran engagement and industry collaboration, Lloyd has played a pivotal role in enhancing veteran support through innovative programs and partnerships.

Knight sat down with American Veterans Group to share his insights into how organizations can leverage collaboration opportunities to better support veterans. You can hear more from Knight during “VetSuccess: Empowering Veteran Resource Group” webinar on October 23, 2024.

What led you to starting UPS’ first veterans resource group?

Lloyd Knight: I’m retired from the Air Force, spent 20 years in, and had a great transition to UPS. During my time at UPS, I was successful, got hired as a manager, and was promoted three times in my first four years to the director level. But something was missing.

As far as professional development, there was women’s leadership development. UPS was years ahead of many companies in this area, and they were inclusive. I used to attend their workshops and lunch and learns, and afterward, I’d find my nearest HR professional and ask, “Will there be something for other groups?” Eventually, they called me on it.

UPS was starting business resource groups at UPS for different communities (like LGBTQ, African-Americans, Latinos, single working parents, and a few others) and they wanted me to start the first veterans group. I was busy, traveling all the time, and finishing up a Master’s degree. But I agreed, and ran it for two years, which set the foundation for what eventually became 22 chapters at UPS across the country.

What’s the story behind VETLANTA? What was the inspiration?

Ten years ago, I connected with David Watermaker and John Phillips (who would go on to be the co-founder and the Vice President of VETLANTA) from Coca-Cola. John knew that many companies in the Atlanta-area had recently started Veteran Business Resource Groups (VBRGs) and wanted to get them together to find out what everyone was doing for veterans. So, we hosted our first meeting with 25 people from about 15 organizations in the Atlanta-area.

We were amazed at what our companies were doing nationally and locally for veterans, collectively hiring hundreds of thousands of veterans each year, giving tens of millions of dollars to veteran causes, and volunteering at staggering rates with veteran nonprofits. But what was missing was the network; nobody was really connected. Because of that, the space was ill-informed in many ways. That first meeting was very productive, and ended up laying the foundation for VETLANTA.

The ball ended up getting passed to me, and I was totally out of my element. I had no clue what I was doing, but because of that, we were able to piece together something very different than most veteran organizations.

VETLANTA is about honest and open dialogue about the good, the bad, and the ugly in the veteran resource group space. We’re blessed in Atlanta. Ten and a half years ago, we had a lot of “good,” and we have a lot more “good” now, based on what we've done. I define good as an individual contributor, a nonprofit, or a business providing the right resources at the right time, to the right people, and getting the right results in a timely fashion.

The bad falls into two categories: sometimes large organizations get too focused on fundraising instead of providing service deliverables, and lose focus. The second type of bad is when people start nonprofits for the right reasons but don’t have the management ability or leadership know-how to be successful with donor dollars or volunteer hours. Sometimes we can help those, and sometimes they’re lost causes.

Then there's the ugly, the fraudsters, scammers, and schemers. Unfortunately, a lot of those scammers are fellow veterans. So, we decided to form a group to connect the network, advertise the good, try to help the bad, and isolate the ugly.

How is VETLANTA different than other veteran support organizations?

We weren’t formed as a 501(c)(3) or an LLC; we were just a chartered club. Our charter didn’t allow us to take or give money, so we focused on volunteerism, collaboration, and in-kind support.

I'd love to say this was some master brilliant long-term plan, but honestly, I was just thinking, “What are we going to need money for?” There were only a handful of us, not realizing that 10 years later, there would be 14,000 of us. I knew that if we formed as a 501(c)(3), we could get money from our companies, but I didn’t want to do that. I didn’t want to take money that our companies were giving to credible organizations and shift it to what we were doing; it seemed counterproductive.

The way we formed was kind of brilliant. It allowed us to get around a lot of red tape, and it allowed us to play nicely with the government. Our companies loved the message of in-kind support versus monetary support.

We figured out that networking was the most important part, so our main service offering is summits. We would host quarterly summits– usually, a company will host the summit, provide the venue, and provide food. We have an hour and a half of networking with 25 to 50 tables where nonprofits, companies hiring, academia, and government agencies can look for those in need or those wanting to give back and get involved. Then we have about an hour of content with guest speakers.

We grew rapidly. Before COVID, we were averaging 550 participants per summit, and our biggest turn out had 1,200 people with Governor Brian Kemp was our keynote speaker. Post-COVID, we’re still getting back to normal, with about 350 this year.

We had to become comfortable in our own skin that we’re not a service organization; we’re a networking organization. With that network, so much good happens: People get hired, employers get better at hiring, people get help, find coaches, mentors, and champions — all without money.

What kind of challenges did you run into along the way that others trying to replicate this may also face? How did you overcome those?

We were fortunate because we’ve shared our playbook, our charter, lessons learned, and best practices with over three dozen cities across the country. It’s been really hard for other people to replicate it.

We were blessed to be started from within Fortune 50 companies, and that gave us a lot of momentum. People started showing up because they trusted our brand.

Other cities have tried to start it from outside the Fortune 500 or Fortune 50 companies, often from an existing nonprofit or a new one. Eventually, many figure out they need to tie money to it. We’ve been blessed that we’ve never had to tie money into it. I think because of that, we have the secret sauce here in Atlanta.

Why is it so important to have these resources for veterans? How does this benefit companies and veterans?

I would say that 95-99% of veterans are high performers – they just need a little bit of assistance. I'm a great example. I joined the Kentucky Air National Guard when I was 17, went active when I was 18, and retired when I was 38. I'd never written a resume, never had a real civilian job interview, and I was frankly out of my element.

A lot of these organizations provide veterans and their families with focused expertise, whether it’s on resumes, networking, or finding a mentor. That’s important for our companies when we talk about employment.

Companies like UPS, VETLANTA, and others across the country aren’t just hiring veterans because it’s the right thing to do. We hire veterans because we know they’re going to give us a competitive advantage.

They bring a unique perspective, a diverse skill set, and global experience that most non-veterans don’t have. By going the extra mile and supporting nonprofits that help veterans, it’s just a win-win situation.

About Lloyd Knight

Lloyd Knight is the Veteran Talent Acquisition Strategy Manager for UPS based at UPS Global Headquarters in Atlanta, GA where he oversees hiring and retention for a 19,000 military veteran work force. He is very active in veteran engagement at UPS serving many roles including starting the first Veterans Business Resource Group, developing the first Veterans Management Training Program, and served as the Chairman of the UPS Veterans Council. He is the co-founder and President of VETLANTA, an industry collaboration of veteran motivated organizations striving to make Atlanta the premier community in the country for veterans and their families.

He is a Career Readiness Instructor for FourBlock teaching at Emory University's Goizueta Business School for their Masters in Business for Veterans Program. Lloyd is an active volunteer supporting multiple non-profits including Leadership Forsyth American Corporate Partners, Travis Manion Foundation FourBlock & Hire Heroes USA. He is the recipient of the 2018 UPS Jim Casey Community Service Award. This award is given annually to just one of 500,000 global UPS employees for demonstrating an exceptional commitment to helping their community. He is the author of KNIGHTWORK, My Unfinished Journey of VETLANTA. Lloyd has associate degrees from the Community College of the Air Force in Human Resources and Aircrew Operations, BA and MA Degrees from American Military University in Transportation and Logistics Management and a Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Management from the University of Georgia.

Learn more at VetSuccess: Empowering Veteran Resource Groups

American Veterans Groups is dedicated to advancing veteran employment. The VetSuccess conference series aims to connect leaders to advance military veteran employment and career success. VetSuccess: Empowering Veteran is designed to give organizational leaders the opportunity to share ideas, bridge the gap between different teams – from finance to HR, and hear from experts on how to empower organizations’ Veteran Resource Groups (VRGs)

Why should corporate recruiters prioritize student veterans in their hiring efforts?

mwade@americanvetsgroup.com (Ben Biles) — Tue, 16 Apr 2024 15:55:25 GMT

With 48% of companies ranking recruiting top talent, and 68% reporting difficulty reaching ideal candidates in the recruitment process, organizations are looking for ways to optimize their talent attraction strategies and processes. Prioritizing the recruitment of student veterans is one way that corporate recruiters can tap into a top talent pool that is often overlooked in companies’ recruitment efforts.

From excellent academic achievements to prior work experience, here is why recruiters should prioritize student veterans in their hiring efforts.

On average, student veterans outperform their non-veteran peers academically.

Student veterans are more likely to pursue and graduate with highly sought after business and STEM degrees. Beyond attaining degrees in demanding and complex fields of study, student veterans also earn, on average a 3.35 GPA , in comparison to the non-veteran student average GPA of 3.11.

Student veterans have a proven professional track record.

Organizations that learn to translate military experience and identify transferrable skills gain a major competitive advantage; many companies overlook or misplace veteran hires because they don’t know what various responsibilities and jobs in the military entail. Student veterans have a proven professional track record from their time in the service, and advanced degrees. While their working experience is specific to the military, the transferrable skills student veterans have developed make them stand out from their non-veteran student peers.

Student veterans are diverse candidate pool.

The majority of employees report that their employers need to do more to increase diversity at their organizations. Prioritizing the hiring of student veterans enhances diversity and inclusion initiatives within organizations by encouraging inclusive hiring practices and processes. The student veteran pool is made up of a diverse set of candidates, with different backgrounds, creeds, ethnicities; by targeting student veterans, recruiters and organizations can enhance their organizations’ approach to intersectional, inclusive hiring.

Military experience instills highly-desirable qualities in student veteran candidates.

Student veterans typically have many of the qualities corporate recruiters and hiring managers prioritize in candidates; these qualities are indicative of candidates’ potential and anticipated contribution to an organization. Military service cultivates and requires a strong work ethic , leadership skills, reliability, loyalty, teamwork, problem-solving skills, time-management, and organization. These soft skills, coupled with advanced academic achievement and prior work experience, make for highly desirable candidates.

Recruiting top talent is a highly time-intensive, expensive undertaking. As corporate recruiters and hiring managers are considering how to get the most out of their investment in talent, finding candidates who possess both the hard and soft skills that will help make their organizations thrive, prioritizing student veterans in recruitment strategies should be a priority .

To learn more about how to best tap into the student veteran talent pool, join American Veterans Group for its virtual panel discussion – VetSuccess: Campus to Career – on April 24, 2024 from 1:00-2:00 pm EST.

How recruiters can help prevent veteran underemployment

mwade@americanvetsgroup.com (Ben Biles) — Thu, 04 Apr 2024 13:02:36 GMT

Today's corporate landscape is missing out on a valuable, yet untapped resource: military veterans. Despite serving in various professional fields and career levels within the military, veterans are still an undervalued talent pool in today’s workforce.

According to a recent study by ZipRecruiter and the Call of Duty Endowment, 33% of veterans experience underemployment – meaning they are significantly overqualified for their current position. Despite valuable experience from years of military service, veterans are 15.6% more likely to be underemployed than their non-veteran peers.

This doesn’t just apply to veterans entering the civilian workforce straight out of service – veterans with college degrees face underemployment too.

Veterans with bachelor’s degrees enter the corporate workforce with twice as much work experience than non-veterans with the same level of education, according to LinkedIn’s “Veteran Opportunity Report.” They’re also three times more likely than non-veterans to have a graduate degree or higher.

"Veterans with bachelor’s degrees enter the corporate workforce with twice as much work experience than non-veterans with the same level of education...Despite this, veterans are half as likely as non-veterans to reach senior leadership roles in the corporate world – and even when promoted, their progression is notably slower than their peers."

Despite this, veterans are half as likely as non-veterans to reach senior leadership roles in the corporate world – and even when promoted, their progression is notably slower than their peers. According to the same LinkedIn report, on average, it takes veterans two more years than non-veterans to reach their first director or vice president position.

This disparity often begins at the campus recruiting level , where student veterans find themselves in entry-level positions that fail to leverage their skills and potential. The disconnect between the skills acquired in the military and the civilian labor market exacerbates this issue, leading to prolonged delays in professional development.

Though student veterans may not have experience in a civilian workplace, many have developed critical professional skills during their time in the military that are simply incomparable to the typical college graduate.

To combat this critical mismatch, company recruiters must adopt a skills-first strategy when working with student veterans to ensure they are being placed in positions that are appropriately challenging and make the best use of their skills and experience. Skills-first hiring isn't just an act of goodwill for the veteran talent pool — it's a strategic decision for employers.

Skills-first hiring can help employers:

• Expand their talent pools

• Improve equity and representation

• Create a workforce adaptable to the changing labor market

• Meet the skills demands of changing industries

• Bridge the opportunity gap between veterans and non-veterans

Military veterans are ready to apply their skills and experience in the civilian workplace but hiring processes are not always ready for them. By being intentional and strategic about veteran hiring, companies can tap into this diverse talent pool and unlock unparalleled value, foster innovation, and promote a culture of inclusivity and growth.

To learn more about how to advance student veteran employment, join American Veterans Group's virtual panel discussion, VetSuccess: Campus to Career on April 24, 1-2 pm EST.

6 Tactics Corporate Recruiters Should Leverage to Create Pathways for Student Veteran Hires

mwade@americanvetsgroup.com (Ben Biles) — Thu, 28 Mar 2024 13:49:42 GMT

More than half of the 200,000 veterans who leave the service each year turn to higher education, with 115,000 veterans enrolling in college annually. Student veterans represent a highly-skilled, competitive talent pool, combining advanced degrees with years of working experience from their time in the service. However, corporate recruiters often struggle to determine how to identify and connect with student veteran candidates, who are more likely than their non-veteran peers to live off-campus, work full or part-time jobs, and have families. While advancing student veterans’ civilian career prospects requires a concerted and coordinated effort by both higher education institutions and hiring organizations, corporate recruiters can more effectively create pathways for student veteran hires using the following tactics.

Connect your veteran and early career resources internally.

If companies have resources and personnel dedicated to military veteran recruiting and early career recruiting, it is critical that these two entities collaborate. While military veteran recruiters within companies typically have some experience translating military experience, understand military rank and structure, and may be veterans themselves – the early career programs recruiting student veterans likely do not. Conversely, early career recruiters have relationships with universities, have experience connecting with students, and may be more familiar with working with candidates just starting out in civilian careers. The expertise both groups bring to the table makes it more likely that your organization will effectively connect and engage with military veterans, speaking to the unique circumstances and background of this candidate pool.

Offer flexible or alternative options to the traditional summer internship.

47% of veteran students have families , and 50% are working full-time throughout school. Consequently, the 12-week summer internship program that many companies offer, designed to fit the more traditional student demographic, is untenable for many student veterans. Providing alternative options like apprenticeships or part-time student roles gives student veterans the chance to get their foot in the door.

Take another look at your target schools list.

Companies have finite resources to recruit early career candidates. As a result, most organizations will identify target schools, typically those that are geographically proximate to company offices or headquarters, to focus their recruitment efforts on. However, if organizations are looking to specifically recruit student veterans, it’s critical that they include colleges with a student veteran population. Companies should also not necessarily limit their recruitment efforts to four-year institutions; including community colleges and trade schools in your company’s recruitment strategy can create pathways for even more high-quality student veteran candidates.

Offer a mix of on-campus and virtual recruiting events.

With the diverse needs and circumstances of student veterans, it's prudent to provide networking and recruiting events that aren’t strictly in-person, or on-campus. With many student veterans living off-campus, and potentially less plugged in to on-campus events, companies that offer a healthy mix of in-person and virtual events are more likely to connect with student veterans who may otherwise miss out due to family or work commitments.

Stay mindful of skill-matching to prevent student veteran underemployment.

Though student veterans may not have experience in a civilian workplace, many have years of work experience through the military, developing critical professional skills that are simply not comparable to the typical 22-year-old college graduate. Veterans are 15% more likely to be underemployed than their non-veteran peers, with 33% of veterans experiencing underemployment. Recruiters need to prioritize skill-matching when working with student veterans to ensure they are being placed in positions that are appropriately challenging and make the best use of their skills and experience.

Coordinate with other companies.

Collaborating with other companies that share a commitment to hiring and supporting veteran talent can amplify recruitment efforts and expand opportunities for student veterans. This collaborative approach benefits individual companies and strengthens the broader support network for student veterans transitioning into the workforce.

Working to advance military veteran employment, and opening pathways for student veterans requires collaboration across the education, private, and public sectors. Together, organizations can move the needle and enhance outcomes for veterans throughout their transition to their civilian life and careers. To learn more about how to improve employment prospects for student veterans, join American Veterans Group’s virtual panel discussion, VetSuccess: Campus to Career on April 24, 2024 1-2pm EST .

Four Ways Higher Education Can Better Connect Graduating Student Veterans With Employers

mwade@americanvetsgroup.com (Ben Biles) — Tue, 19 Mar 2024 15:03:16 GMT

Transitioning from military to civilian life can be daunting, especially for veterans who choose to pursue an undergraduate degree after their military service.

Student military veterans account for three-to-four percent of U.S. college students and more than 2.9 million veterans have entered higher education in the post-9/11 era, according to Student Veterans of America.

It’s a unique population – and higher education institutions can better-serve veterans by connecting graduating student military veterans with employers and supporting their transition from military service to civilian life.

Ensure Your Institution Has Military Support Services and Resources

Institutions that want to ensure that military veterans are empowered and supported on campus need to have adequate services and resources avaliable to this small student population.

Dedicated student veteran services, with advisors who understand the distinctive needs and challenges they face during their transition to civilian life, are paramount to an institution’s ability to serve its student veterans. These services may include academic advising, career counseling, and assistance with VA benefits, and should ensure that students have access to career development, mental health, and financial aid resources.

These services not only provide critical support to veteran students, but provide deeper insight for institutions into this segment of the student body.

Facilitate Networking Opportunities

Student veterans face unique challenges that often prevent them from accessing opportunities typically avaliable to traditional college students.

Veterans in higher education juggle many roles. They are statistically more likely to be older than other college students, and are likely employed, and married and/or supporting a family. According to the VA, 75% of student veterans are taking courses full time, and are twice as likely to hold off campus jobs. With various off-campus responsibiliites, most student veterans are unable to take unpaid internships – a luxury typically afforded to traditional students that are financially supported through school.

Facilitating networking opportunities this student population not only enables veterans on campus to build a professional network that may otherwise be out of reach, but celebrates their perspectives and skillsets.

Establish Partnerships With “Veteran-Friendly" Employers

Creating partnerships with employers who prioritize hiring military veterans is essential for higher education institutions aiming to facilitate the transition of graduating student veterans into the civilian workforce.

Employers are increasingly recognizing the value that military veterans bring to their organizations. Companies are beginning to understand that hiring veterans doesn’t just provide their workforce with employees that have valuable skills and experiences, but also contributes to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace culture.

Identifying and collaborating with employers in your region that actively seek to hire military veterans is key. These employers are not only accommodating to a veteran workforce but also prioritize it as part of their recruitment strategy. By partnering with such organizations, higher education institutions can create a pipeline of job opportunities specifically tailored to graduating student veterans.

Celebrate And Promote Military Veteran Talent

Institutions have the ability (and deep networks) to provide a massive platform for jobseekers.

In today's competitive job market, it's crucial to amplify the valuable, transferable skills that military veterans bring to the table. These skills – including leadership, teamwork, adaptability, and problem-solving – are highly sought after by employers across various industries. By actively promoting the talents and experiences of veterans, institutions not only advocate for the employment of veterans but also help employers recognize the immense value they can bring to their organizations.

Institutions can leverage their platforms to showcase the achievements and success stories of graduating veteran students. By shining a spotlight on the achievements of veteran students, institutions not only demonstrate their support for the veteran community but also provide tangible evidence of the caliber of talent available among graduating veterans.

By implementing these practices, accredited colleges and universities can play a pivotal role in a veteran's life as they transition from military life, to undergraduate, and into civilian careers.

To learn more about how higher education institutions can better collaborate with corporate recruiters and advance employment for the veterans students on their campus, join American Veterans Group’s virtual conference on April 24th, 2024 1-2pm.

Connecting Leaders to Advance Military Veteran Employment

mwade@americanvetsgroup.com (Ben Biles) — Mon, 11 Dec 2023 16:26:47 GMT

VetSuccess: Veteran Employment White Paper

American Veterans Group hosted the 2023 VetSuccess conference to bring key players in the veteran employment space together to create connections, provide resources, and drive positive momentum in the areas of recruitment and retention of veterans. The VetSuccess White Paper features insights from leaders across the business, nonprofit, and higher education landscape, and delves into how organizations can better collaborate to advance military veteran employment.

American Veterans Group Hosts VetSuccess 2023 Conference to Help Employers and U.S. Military Veterans Connect

mwade@americanvetsgroup.com (Ben Biles) — Thu, 12 Oct 2023 19:23:05 GMT

MELVILLE, N.Y., Oct. 12, 2023 — American Veterans Group, PBC — a social impact investment bank and Wall Street's only public benefit corporation — is hosting a virtual conference Wednesday, Oct. 25, to explore industry best practices in the recruitment, hiring and retention of Post-9/11 U.S. military veterans.

The conference - VetSuccess 2023: Connecting Leaders to Advance Military Veteran Employment - will bring together veteran-focused nonprofit organizations, universities and corporate leaders to explore how to more effectively recruit, retain and support veterans and their partners in the transition from military service to civilian life.

"Research into the state of HR indicates that people and skills shortages remain critical concerns for most organizations. Veteran hiring, specifically, continues to lag that of other diverse employee groups," said Ben Biles, co-founder and CEO of American Veterans Group. "Our mission is to help recruiters better understand the unique and extraordinary soft and hard skills that America's skilled veterans bring to the table — and to illustrate by example how everyone can win with them in the workforce."

The virtual conference will feature keynote speaker Tracy A. Neal-Walden, Chief Clinical Officer of Cohen Veterans Network.

Neal-Walden, a retired U.S. Air Force colonel, served 24-plus years as a military psychologist/clinician, officer, leader and academic. Having served in numerous clinical and senior-level leadership positions, Neal-Walden led policy development and implementation for 75 military treatment facilities. During her deployments to Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom, she earned the Bronze Star Medal for leading a team of clinicians who served U.S. military personnel across nine locations.

In her current role as Chief Clinical Officer at Cohen Veterans Network, she leads the development and implementation of clinical practice and training for a national network of mental health clinics.

Following the keynote address, a panel discussion will be moderated by Eric Eversole, president of Hiring Our Heroes and a vice president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Panelists, who also will serve as facilitators of topically focused breakout sessions, will include nationally recognized experts on the topic of recruiting and retaining military veterans.

Media and those interested in attending VetSuccess 2023 may register for the event at no cost.

About American Veterans Group

American Veterans Group, PBC, is a military veteran-owned, social impact-focused broker dealer that delivers value to institutional clients while providing meaningful philanthropic support to the military veteran community. The company reinvests 25% of its earnings in national and local military veteran nonprofit organizations that provide worthy services and support to one of America's most vulnerable, at-risk populations. As Wall Street's only public benefit corporation, American Veterans Group empowers instutional clients to partner in its social mission while enabling them to remain focused on key business objectives and goals. To learn more about American Veterans Group, visit their website at http://www.americanvetsgroup.com .

Media Contact
Mark Kroeger
The Boldsquare Group
(513) 236-3109 / mark@boldsquare.com

Veteran Employee Retention Best Practices with Dr. Tracy Neal-Walden and Eric Eversole

mwade@americanvetsgroup.com (Ben Biles) — Thu, 05 Oct 2023 10:00:00 GMT

The competition for talent is intense. Some of the factors contributing to this competition include brain drain in major economic hubs , job seekers’ prioritization of work-life balance and purpose-driven employers, and the expansion of remote and hybrid work options.

With the competition for talent more pressing than ever, organizations need to invest in retaining their top talent, particularly veterans, who are 39% more likely to be promoted than their nonveteran peers and have 2.9 times more work experience on average.

While many companies are still looking to improve their processes specific to military veteran recruitment, many of the best practices for employee retention can be applied to keep veteran employees on board. American Veterans Group discussed the broadly applicable, and more nuanced considerations of military veteran retention with Dr. Tracy Neal-Walden, chief clinical officer at Cohen Veterans Network , and Eric Eversole, vice president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and president of Hiring our Heroes .

Meet people where they are, and look for the right fit.

While veterans, of course, share the experience of having been in the military, their life experience prior to active service, position and length of service, and process for transitioning back to civilian life varies greatly. Employers should consider this diversity of experience, skill, and background, as they seek to recruit and retain veteran employees. As Eric Eversole says, “there is no one-size-fits-all approach to how we help service members transition.” The key, Eversole shared, is to meet people where they are.

“We really focus on the that model, meeting people where they are, not where we want them to be. We’ll get them there and figure out what the pathway looks like based on their unique needs.” -Eric Eversole

Meeting veteran job seekers where they are and assessing individual strengths and transferrable skills is critical to ensuring that veterans are hired into the right positions. As reported by Forbes , employees across the board expect a personalized, high-quality employee experience, throughout their job search, onboarding, and professional development. This personalization is perhaps even more applicable to veteran job seekers however, as they are 38% more likely to be underemployed than nonveterans . Employers can use programs like apprenticeships and internships to get to know their veteran candidates better, and ensure they are hired into positions that best fit their skillsets.

“We have to start to evaluate talent and skillsets beyond a piece of paper, and the best way to do that is to get up close and personal. It allows companies to really evaluate military talent in the workforce … and to better understand what level to bring the person in, how they’re going to fit in, and whether they’re going to be a good fit” - Eric Eversole

Drive home your company’s mission and purpose.

As millennials and Gen-Z comprise an increasing portion of today’s workforce, the power – and business proposition – for purpose-driven companies has increased significantly as a primary driver for employee engagement and performance . The importance of organizations' missions and employees’ sense of purpose is highly relevant to veteran job seekers as well.

The military has a very clear mission and active service members have clarity on exactly how their day-to-day activities contribute to that overarching mission. Veterans often value that same sense of purpose and clarity in their civilian careers.

“Veterans want to have a strong mission, and to feel like they’re making a difference.” - Dr. Tracy Neal-Walden

Organizations should emphasize their mission in their employee branding , and specifically call out the role the veteran job seeker, or hire, plays in driving the mission forward.

Provide continual feedback and development opportunities.

With a clearly defined structure for rank and advancement in the military, many veterans are accustomed to more rigid promotion and evaluation processes, and professional development opportunities and requirements.

“It is inherent for most veterans, because when you’re in the military, you continue to advance in your rank, and with those advancements comes additional coursework, so you continue to learn and grow throughout your career.” - Dr. Tracy Neal-Walden

Having clearly defined and regular performance review opportunities, sharing upskilling and professional development resources and programming, and plugging veteran employees into mentorship networks are valuable ways to keep veteran employees, and employees in general for that matter, engaged and dedicated to the organization.

Veterans, like civilian employees, are ultimately looking for employment in which they are adequately challenged, feel a sense of purpose and mission, and have opportunities for growth and advancement. And while there is not a silver bullet for veterans’ transition to civilian life, meeting people where they are and investing in getting it right for the individual will ultimately pay back dividends.

If you’re interested in more specific feedback and guidance on how to better recruit and retain veteran employees, join American Veterans Group, Dr. Tracy Neal-Walden, Eric Eversole, and other veteran employment experts for the virtual VetSuccess 2023 conference, October 25 1-3 pm EST.

About Our Guest Experts

Dr. Tracy Neal-Walden served 24-plus years as a military psychologist in the U.S. Air Force, retiring in the rank of Colonel, she served as the Air Force’s Director of Psychological Health and Chief of Behavioral Health. Now, as Chief Clinical Officer, Dr. Neal Walden provides clinical vision and strategic leadership for Cohen Veterans Network in mental health, psychiatry, substance use, case management and clinical training focusing on the needs of veterans and military families, and clinical staff.

Eric Eversole has spent 20-plus years advocating on behalf of active-duty military, veterans, and their spouses. Served as a Judge Advocate in the Navy JAG Corps, founding the Military Voter Protection Project. Currently is a vice president at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and president of Hiring Our Heroes. Hiring our Heroes Hiring advances nationwide efforts to improve the quality of life, morale, and stability of military families by connecting veterans, transitioning service members, and military spouses with meaningful employment opportunities across the country and internationally.

Individualized, Authentic, and Skill Centered: Effective Veteran Employee Recruitment with VetJobs’ Stacy Bayton

mwade@americanvetsgroup.com (Ben Biles) — Thu, 21 Sep 2023 13:08:00 GMT

Employers have made a concerted effort to attract military veteran talent. With 61% of employers prioritizing veteran hiring in the next five years, there is definite demand for military veterans in the civilian workforce. This demand is highly understandable, as military veteran employees typically have attributes that contribute to companies’ bottom lines, like being dedicated to teamwork, having a strong work ethic, performing well under pressure, and having acute problem-solving skills.

Despite the enthusiasm for hiring military veterans, 53% of employers reported needing resources and guidance for veteran recruitment . While there is no one-size-fits all solution for ensuring veterans’ successful transition into a civilian career, American Veterans Group sat down with Stacy Bayton – Senior Executive at VetJobs, Corporate America Supports You – Military Spouse Corporate Career Network (CASY-MSCCN) and Marine Corp veteran, to discuss how employers can improve their military veteran employment efforts.

VetJobs is the leading online resource for military-affiliated job seekers looking to attain a rewarding career and maximize their earnings. Over the past two decades, VetJobs has placed over 91,000 Veterans, Transitioning Military Members, National Guard and Reserves, and Military Spouses, into industry leading and high-earning careers. Through its partnership with VetJobs, American Veterans Group has helped 68 veterans transition into rewarding civilian careers.

Look at veteran job seekers as individuals.

Companies have been eager to hire veterans and military spouses, but would center these efforts, disproportionately, on entry-level positions or positions in very specific industries . While the intent was good, it often led to veterans’ underemployment, and job dissatisfaction.

However, as Stacy Bayton shared, there has been a real shift in recent years, where companies are making a more concerted effort to find the best fit for their prospective military veteran employees.

“One of the biggest evolutions has been that companies aren’t really trying to fit military into an entry level box anymore. Instead, they’re looking at them as individuals.”

Yes, companies need to have employee recruitment and retention programming that is responsive to veteran job seekers’ common challenges and perspectives – but they need to evaluate all candidates as individuals, with unique skills, interests, and personalities. Veterans reflect the diversity of America, and companies need to match veterans with positions that are the right fit.

Evaluate your company’s employee branding and how it speaks to military veteran job seekers.

Military veterans, like all job seekers, use a variety of methods when they are looking for their next opportunity. An Indeed survey of military veteran job seekers reported:

· 62% use online job sites/boards

· 58% visit job sites in person

· 39% attend job fairs

· 37% leverage their personal network

· 34% use online social network

· 33% connect through recruitment staff

· 31% use their local newspaper

· 29% use temp agency specializing in Military experience job seekers

Veterans will often look to see how “veteran-friendly” an employer is by searching for explicit veteran hiring programs and initiatives, whether the company has veteran representation in leadership and HR, and reading reviews from current and past employees on their experience within the company.

For companies to align their employee branding with their veteran recruitment efforts, they should:

· Explicitly call out and highlight veteran-centered programming, initiatives, and leadership.

· Ensure job descriptions and titles use military-friendly keywords, and skill translations

· Train and educate hiring managers and recruiters on best practices for hiring military veterans.

· Allocate the appropriate recruiting marketing resources based on the company’s prioritization of veteran job seekers.

Bayton stressed how critical open and consistent communication is in the veteran recruitment process, which is central to companies crafting their employee branding strategy and practices.

“Be honest… We really encourage open communication and understanding on all sides.”

Center skill translation and matching in all military veteran recruiting.

Companies and veteran job seekers alike have struggled to translate military experience and expertise to the skills required of different civilian jobs. Employers need to invest in training hiring managers and recruiters on how to translate veterans’ skills so job seekers are placed in positions that best fit and utilize their talents and experience.

Bayton emphasized the importance of this skill translation and warned against companies simply directing veterans to their job boards.

“We actually want to pre-qualify our people, identify gaps, make sure they’re qualified… We want them to land in the right company and understand their role so they can grow. Then the retention is there. The company is happier, the person is happier. We just do a much better job on both sides when we put a little bit of work into it.”

Companies’ military veteran recruiting efforts should reflect the genuine values and needs of each organization. Just as with the non-veteran talent pool, veteran job seekers reflect a wide array of skills and interests that would positively impact organizations at all levels. The key is to take the time and effort to find the right fit.

Join the conversation on military veteran recruitment and retention at VetSuccess 2023 .

Cross-Industry Collaboration: The Path to More Impactful Veteran Services

mwade@americanvetsgroup.com (Ben Biles) — Sat, 09 Sep 2023 06:33:05 GMT

Transitioning to civilian life is an ongoing process, not an end destination. While the U.S. military has the Transition Assistance Program (TAP), it primarily focuses on guiding separation of military members in their education and employment pursuits, and raising benefits awareness. And while education and employment comprise a significant portion of the transition to civilian life, there is much more to consider .

Whether its learning to navigate civilian health insurance, finances, housing, shifting family dynamics, or an altered sense of identity and community, veterans are typically faced with significant changes when they leave the military. The impact of these changes does not happen in a vacuum; challenges in certain domains of the transition to civilian life often impact other areas. For example, a veteran who doesn’t know how to best navigate civilian health care costs may experience financial strain, which can, in turn, impact mental health. Or veterans seeking medical assistance may be experiencing food insecurity, which directly contributes to, and perpetuates, their poor health outcomes.

There is no shortage of nonprofits providing necessary services to veterans; however, the impact of these efforts is compounded when organizations collaborate to deliver holistic solutions.

Veteran-focused nonprofits that primarily focus on veteran employment and education can partner with other nonprofits to provide more comprehensive support for veterans as they transition. Benefits of nonprofit collaboration include:

· Providing access to more expansive services without directly taking on the cost of that service

· Streamlining costs and mitigating scope and mission creep

· Improved organizational efficiency and effectiveness

· Broader and more effective impact for served populations

· Access to new funding opportunities

Collaboration isn’t restricted to nonprofits – companies, universities and higher-education institutions, nonprofits, and government entities can work together to create a comprehensive network of services that ensure veterans are set up for success in all facets of their civilian life. To begin exploring opportunities for collaboration, organizations should:

Reflect on organizational gaps, aspirations, and trends . Are there common issues your service population struggles with that your organization cannot address? Are there other organizations delivering the same services as yours, creating competition for funding? What does your organization do exceptionally well, and are there services that complement your existing efforts?

Get input from different stakeholders . Survey your colleagues, veterans in your organization, or served by your organization, board members, and other relevant stakeholders to better understand what resources are available and what collaborative opportunities may be worth pursuing.

Meet with other organizational leaders . Use insights from your stakeholder discussions and organization reflection to help identify potential partners, and start building relationships.

Explore collaborative model options . From joint partnerships on issue advocacy to co-sponsored programming, there are abundant collaborative models your organization can pursue. Which model you select will be determined by the specific outcomes you are aiming to achieve, and challenges you are attempting to overcome.

By leveraging each other's strengths, and collaborating on common issues, organizations can build a stronger support system for veterans. Through intentional, and strategic collective efforts, veteran-centered nonprofits, corporations, and higher-education institutions can ensure veterans receive comprehensive assistance to thrive in all aspects of their civilian lives.

Open the door for new collaborative opportunities at VetSuccess 2023, October 25, 1-3pm Eastern time.

From Education to Employment: How Institutions of Higher Education Can Better Support Veterans Transition to Civilian Careers

mwade@americanvetsgroup.com (Ben Biles) — Fri, 18 Aug 2023 13:58:46 GMT

One of the most difficult barriers veterans face in their transition to civilian life is finding employment opportunities that are the right fit. Whether it’s an issue of underemployment or cultural misalignment and unfamiliarity, many veterans struggle to find and stay in positions after the service . Universities and institutions of higher education have long been a conduit for veterans transitioning to civilian careers and can play a powerful part in veterans’ long-term career success.

Veterans that pursue postsecondary education gain access to numerous experiences and resources that better position them to thrive in the civilian workforce. For example, employers may struggle to translate veterans’ transferrable military experience, but a degree from a postsecondary or vocational institution is a clear indication of veterans’ qualifications.

Continued education also provides veterans with the opportunity to upskill or explore industries they may not have had exposure to while in the service. Furthermore, in pursuit of their continued education, veterans become more familiarized with civilian terminology and professional norms and can access valuable networking opportunities.

However, while institutions for higher learning offer a myriad of benefits that support students’ career aspirations broadly speaking, they are not always prepared to accommodate student veterans’ specific life circumstances or professional development needs . To best support student veterans’ professional aspirations, postsecondary institutions need to familiarize themselves with the unique opportunities and challenges their student veterans face, both while in school and in the workforce.

American Veterans Group sat down with Hudson Miller, United States Marine Corps veteran, recent Harvard University graduate, and former president of the Harvard Undergraduate Veterans Organization to discuss some of the barriers student veterans face, and how universities can better support their veteran student population.

How can postsecondary institutions better support their student veterans and set them up for long-term career success?

Gain a clear picture of the institutions’ student veteran population.

Career development and postsecondary offices that provide student support should keep in mind that the majority of student veterans have similar profiles to other “nontraditional” students. The Institute for Veteran and Military Families and the Student Veterans of America report that 47% of student veterans are married and have one or more children, 85% are between 24 and 40, 62% are first generation college students, and 60% of student veterans are employed, working 35 hours a week on average. Miller emphasized that while student veterans share common life circumstances as other “non-traditional” students, universities need to be careful not to simply lump veterans into this group, and must walk the fine line of accommodating student veterans’ specific needs while not isolating them from the rest of the student population.

“Getting them in the door is incredible, but you still need to take care of them – and you need to take care of them in the way they need to be taken care of,” Miller asserted, “not in the way that everyone is being taken care of.”

Each postsecondary institution should know the specific demographics of its student veterans to better anticipate and accommodate their needs, whether it be providing flexible course hours, or connecting them with university childcare providers.

“You’ve built a program that’s designed to help 18- to 22-year-olds who are single, who haven’t had a job before, and all these things are great,” Miller continued, “but you now need to expand on that.”

Universities also need to be prepared to support student veterans transition to campus life – whether it be providing resources and information related to mental health supports, or campus culture guides. The first step in supporting student veterans advance in their civilian careers is removing barriers that may prevent them from exceling in their education, including barriers to social acclimation on campus.

Advocate for veteran representation in postsecondary administration.

Veteran representation in post-secondary administration enables institutions to better develop policies and resources that enable student veteran success. For example, having individuals in the career development departments of universities who are either veterans themselves, or have been trained in the veteran transition process are better-equipped to place and advocate for student veterans through their job search. The Institute for Veterans and Military Families reports that “campuses with personnel dedicated to serving student veterans were described as being better equipped to engage with employers, VSOs, and community-based organizations.”

While reflecting on his own experience transitioning from service to university, Miller said. “If you’re to have success, I think you need somebody within the institution who’s willing to push for you.”

Given the different experiences, challenges, and needs of student veterans, it’s necessary for postsecondary institutions to ensure they have a voice at the administrative level.

“I think it would be nice to have somebody at the institutional level to be like, ‘hey, this is what our mission is for veterans and this is how we get there,’” Miller said.

Create a central student veteran career hub.

It can be difficult and overwhelming to find and leverage relevant career resources. By housing this information in a central hub, whether it be a portal on the university’s website, or a monthly newsletter, student veterans can more easily access training opportunities and job postings.

For Miller, networking has played a powerful role in both his university and post-graduate success, but he also explained that it isn’t always easy for student veterans to find the connections they need.

“Veterans honestly don’t know what they’re qualified to do when they’re looking for internships,” he said, “there’s not a lot of resources for finding internships that are specifically looking for veterans either.”

With this in mind, postsecondary institutions can also use these hubs as a repository for student information; for example, student veterans may submit their resumes and preferred industries so the career and development office can connect students with tailored opportunities.

By offering tailored assistance, institutions can bridge the gap between military experience and the civilian job market, helping veterans translate their skills and qualifications into meaningful employment opportunities.

Experienced Equities Sales Trader Joins American Veterans Group

mwade@americanvetsgroup.com (Ben Biles) — Thu, 01 Jun 2023 19:25:42 GMT

Frank Baxter brings 20-years' experience to role as equity sales director

MELVILLE, N.Y., June 1, 2023 -- Frank Baxter, an experienced equities sales trader responsible for covering large institutional accounts, has joined American Veterans Group (AVG) as director of equities sales. AVG is a social impact investment bank and Wall Street's first and only public benefit corporation.

Baxter comes to AVG from BTIG Financial Services where he served six years as a director and institutional sales trader covering institutional accounts on the firm's high-touch cash desk. He will have similar sales responsibilities at AVG.

"Frank enhances AVG's equities trading capabilities, adding his 20 years of experience and strong contacts in the institutional business," said Jared Kurtzer, AVG's managing partner. "We're fortunate to have someone of Frank's caliber and abilities on the team as we continue to grow our best-of-class investment banking services and fulfill our social mission to help U.S. military veterans."

Prior to joining BTIG, Baxter was director of institutional sales at GMP Securities and held similar positions at Convergyx and Dahlman Rose & Co., both of which were acquired by Cowen. He also served in roles of increasing responsibility – vice president, senior vice president and managing director – at Knight Capital Group LP. Other experience includes serving in equities sales roles at Dillon Read where he was promoted to vice president and then to associate director. Dillon Read merged with Warburg and was later acquired by UBS during Baxter's tenure there.

Baxter began his career out of college on the institutional sales desk at Janney Montgomery Scott.

About American Veterans Group

Media Contact:

Mark Kroeger

The Boldsquare Group

(513) 236-3109

Mark@boldsquare.com

DirectBooks Welcomes BMO Capital Markets, Blaylock Van, and American Veterans Group

mwade@americanvetsgroup.com (Ben Biles) — Tue, 23 May 2023 14:19:07 GMT

DirectBooks Welcomes BMO Capital Markets, Blaylock Van, and American Veterans Group via DirectBooks

American Veterans Group approved as diversity-owned firm by Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac

mwade@americanvetsgroup.com (Ben Biles) — Wed, 08 Mar 2023 19:28:57 GMT

Status enables AVG to underwrite fixed-income securities for government-sponsored, shareholder-owned mortgage corporations

MARCH 8, 2023 — MELVILLE, N.Y. – American Veterans Group (AVG), a social impact investment bank and Wall Street’s first and only public benefit corporation, has been approved as a diversi- ty-owned broker dealer by Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae. The designations enable AVG to un- derwrite and distribute fixed income securities for the government-sponsored, shareholder- owned mortgage corporations.

At Fannie Mae, AVG has been approved as an ACCESS program firm. The program, established in 1992, provides opportunities for diversity-owned broker dealers to distribute Fannie Mae fixed income securities, including debt, mortgage-backed securities, and credit risk transfer, to the capital markets.

At Freddie Mac, AVG has been designated as a participating Diverse Business Enterprise, en- abling the firm to support Freddie Mac reference bill securities, discount note securities, medi- um term notes and reference note securities.

AVG is a rapidly growing social-impact investment banking firm that dedicates 25% of its earn- ings to support veterans causes. The firm directs its philanthropic giving to communities where it and its clients do business. Since its inception, AVG has donated about $614,000 to 40 veteran non-profit organizations across the U.S., directly impacting the lives of 3,200 U.S. military veterans.

About American Veterans Group

Media Contact:

Mark Kroeger

The Boldsquare Group

(513) 236-3109

Mark@boldsquare.com

Five Minutes With Ben Biles

mwade@americanvetsgroup.com (Ben Biles) — Wed, 01 Feb 2023 13:47:13 GMT

Five Minutes With Ben Biles via USNA Shipmate Magazine

Social Mission Director, Wade Franklin Recognized as The Home Depot Hometown Hero Veteran Of The Game

mwade@americanvetsgroup.com (Ben Biles) — Sat, 31 Dec 2022 13:49:34 GMT

Social Mission Director, Wade Franklin Recognized as The Home Depot Hometown Hero Veteran Of The Game via Chick Fil A Peach Bowl

American Veterans Group provides grant to Cohen Veterans Network

mwade@americanvetsgroup.com (Ben Biles) — Wed, 14 Dec 2022 19:31:51 GMT

$60,000 gift will help underwrite the nonprofit’s mental health services for post-9/11 veterans, active-duty service members, and their families

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DECEMBER 14, 2022 — MELVILLE, N.Y. – American Veterans Group (AVG), a social impact investment bank and Wall Street’s first and only public benefit corporation, has provided a grant to Cohen Veterans Network (CVN), a national not-for-profit network of mental health clinics for post-9/11 veterans, service members and their families, to support their work to improve mental health in the veteran community.

The $60,000 gift from AVG will be used to fund one clinical fellow (recently graduated or early career clinicians) for one year who will provide more than 700 clinical sessions to military or vet- eran clients while enabling the fellow to become a licensed clinician. CVN fellows serve at CVN locations in Clarksville, Tennessee; Fayetteville, North Carolina; Silver Spring, Maryland; San Diego, California; Anchorage, Alaska; Tampa, Florida; Lakewood, Washington; and San Antonio, Texas.

AVG is a rapidly growing social-impact investment banking firm that dedicates 25% of its earn- ings to support veterans causes. The firm directs its philanthropic giving to communities where it and its clients do business. Including the donation to CVN, AVG has donated more than $600,000 to 37 veteran non-profit organizations.

“An important part of our social mission is to collaborate with like-minded organizations on im- portant social impact initiatives,” said Ben Biles, co-founder and chief executive officer of Ameri- can Veterans Group. "Bank of America is a strong supporter of the work CVN does, and we at AVG are excited to serve alongside them as, together, we make a broader impact on the veter- an community. We wholeheartedly support CVN in the important work they are doing to improve the lives of veterans and their families.”

CVN provides client-centered, evidence-based mental health services to post-9/11 veterans, active-duty service members, and their families. Services are available regardless of discharge status, role while in uniform, or combat experience. The network seeks to improve mental health 1 outcomes for a variety of concerns through its 22 outpatient clinics in high-need communities across the country.

“Directing their philanthropy to CVN in recognition of Bank of America’s partnership with us un- derscores the unique approach to philanthropy that sets AVG apart from its peers,” said Dr. An- thony Hassan, president and CEO of Cohen Veterans Network. “We are grateful for the contri- bution AVG has made to CVN in support of our efforts to develop the next generation of clini- cians and promote access to high-quality care. We additionally applaud their mission to further the social impact that companies such as Bank of America are having on the veteran community.”

“For many veterans, accessing mental healthcare is vital to a successful transition to civilian life,” said Lindsey Streeter, Senior Vice President of Military Affairs at Bank of America and re- tired Army Command Sergeant Major. “The work done by both AVG and CVN creates a mean- ingful difference in the lives of our military veterans and their families. With this generous sup- port from AVG, CVN can continue to prioritize mental healthcare for our nation’s heroes.”

American Veterans Group donates $30,000 to Bunker Labs

mwade@americanvetsgroup.com (Ben Biles) — Tue, 22 Nov 2022 19:49:51 GMT

Gift will support CEOcircle Program, Powered by JPMorgan Chase Commercial Banking

NOVEMBER 22, 2022 — MELVILLE, N.Y. – American Veterans Group (AVG), a social impact in- vestment bank and Wall Street’s first and only public benefit corporation, has donated $30,000 to Bunker Labs. Bunker Labs is a national non-profit organization dedicated to helping veterans and military spouse entrepreneurs successfully start and grow new businesses.

American Veterans Group’s gift will be used to support 50 to 80 veterans and military spouses who will be participating in the organization’s 2022-23 CEOcircle cohort. CEOcircle, Powered by JPMorgan Chase Commercial Banking, is a 13-month peer accountability group for growth-stage companies. The program is designed to provide participants with a peer network of business leaders that serves as a resource to problem-solve and enable success.

“A key component of our mission at AVG is aligning with our clients on important social impact initiatives,” said Ben Biles, co-founder and chief executive officer of American Veterans Group. "We’re proud to support Bunker Labs as we broaden the positive impact we both are making on the veteran community. We wholeheartedly support the good work Bunker Labs is doing, con- tributing to the success of entrepreneurial military veterans and military spouses.”

AVG is a rapidly growing social-impact investment banking firm that dedicates 25% of its earn- ings to support veterans causes. The firm directs its philanthropic giving to communities where it and its clients do business. Including the donation to Bunker Labs, AVG has donated more than $600,000 to 37 veteran non-profit organizations across the U.S.

Bunker Labs provides community, programs, and courses to help military veterans and military spouses start and grow successful businesses. CEOcircle is a year-long program that builds a brain-trust of peers dedicated to helping veteran business owners scale their companies and grow as CEOs through education, connections, and mentorship.

“We are grateful to become one of the many veteran nonprofits that AVG supports through their unique social impact strategy,” said Blake Hogan, CEO, Bunker Labs. “AVG’s gift is a direct investment in the leaders of our community, and it will make an economic impact for years to come.”

About American Veterans Group

About Bunker Labs

Bunker Labs is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and a national network of veteran and military spouse en- trepreneurs dedicated to helping members start their own businesses. Bunker Labs is commit- ted to seeing veterans and military spouses have the network, tools, and resources they need to launch and grow their own business.

Media Contact:

Mark Kroeger

The Boldsquare Group

(513) 236-3109

Mark@boldsquare.com

American Veterans Group Aligning with Veteran Nonprofits Important to its Clients

mwade@americanvetsgroup.com (Ben Biles) — Fri, 11 Nov 2022 16:45:24 GMT

Today on Veterans Day we are sharing our final veteran profile in this series highlighting some of the veterans who have benefited from AVG’s philanthropy. We are overw helmed by the success of our Foundation and are even more satisfied at the broader impact all of our corporate clients have made on the veteran community.

It’s almost unbelievable to say that we’ve donated just over $600,000 to 37 nonprofits since our founding. The donations our Foundation has made have had a direct impact on the lives of 3,100 plus veterans in 46 American cities.

There’s been a tangible, multiplier effect to our giving and that's because we align ourselves with our clients on their social missions to support veterans in their communities. Today, we recognize our clients who make the hiring and training of veterans a key part of their CSR goals and we thank them for the opportunity to share our giving with veteran organizations important to them. We also salute all our service men and women who have served our country bravely.

Here’s Killian’s story about how he transitioned from the Marine Corps to landing a great job with Amazon Web Services from the Hiring Our Heroes corporate fellowship program.

Transition Story of Captain Killian Byrne

Killian went to the University of Pittsburgh on an ROTC scholarship, graduating in 2015. He then entered the Marine Corps officer candidate school. He thought he wanted to be an infantry leader, but after officer basic training he chose to do something more in the supporting establishment. He decided to become a communications officer.

His time as a communications officer sent him overseas to Australia, Kuwait, Syria and finally Iraq. In Iraq, he was the single point of contact for all the coalition forces on that base. He linked up and used the combined joint task force network ensuring communications stayed intact.

Killian initially enlisted to serve only four years, but served eight years with his last duty station being the Pentagon working in the command control communications and computers office as an action officer. It was his deployment to Iraq that caused him to consider transitioning out of the military. His wife, a dentist, had landed a job after having been unemployed due to Covid for some time and he did not want to risk being deployed overseas again, pulling her away from a job she worked so hard to find. So, in 2021 he began looking at his options for transitioning out. He was hopeful after a friend shared his positive experience with the HOH corporate fellowship program. His friend, who was already transitioning out, shared with Killian how smooth that experience made the job search process.

“The hardest part about Marine Corps transition or DOD transition, I would say, is that as much as you’d like to have something lined up for when you're done, companies don't hire a year out,” Killian shares. “So if you're trying to make plans in advance, it's very difficult to plan to transition in one year and then wait nine months to start the job search process.”

Killian says you cannot accrue more than 60 days leave, so even if he had planned to take terminal leave, that’s not enough time to find employment.

“There’s a lot of stress around that timeline,” adds Killian. “I was lucky in that my chain of command was very open to me doing the SkillBridge process. A friend of mine actually delayed his exit strategy by about a year because he wasn't able to get that time at the end to make his transition smooth.”

Because Killian did have a lot of accrued time off, he was able to take that time off to prepare for the application process for the HOH corporate fellowship program.

Killian says it took about six weeks to prepare for and finally be selected for his fellowship. During that time, he was completing paperwork and doing informational sessions and interviews. With the help from his program coordinator and support team at HOH, Killian was able to tailor his resume to specific job roles and companies that were in the corporate fellowship pool of opportunities. He said he had about 16 interviews.

The preparation paid off. Soon after Killian was selected for a corporate fellowship with Amazon Web Services. The internship was based in Herndon, Virginia, which was only about 40 minutes from where he was living at the time. Killian was able to participate primarily virtually but did go into the office on occasion to meet with teams.

“It was full-time every day but on the last day of the week, Hiring Our Heroes reserves that day to provide informational sessions,” says Killian. “Different companies were slotted for those Fridays to talk about various things. For example, Deloitte did a huge presentation talking about the transition from military to civilian life and sharing things like how power structures are organized in leadership roles and some of the unspoken rules and regulations in the corporate sector that aren't as well defined in the military.”

Killian’s goal going into the fellowship was to look for a company that was looking for fellows with intent to hire. As his 12-week fellowship was coming to an end he was invited to participate in what Amazon calls loops, which is a part of their hiring process. Killian participated in six different interviews at the end of which he was given a solid job offer that far exceeded his expectations in terms of compensation.

“I have been and will continue to recommend Hiring Our Heroes to every transitioning veteran that I know because it is so good to have a mechanism by which to transition,” Killian says. “These companies have a vested interest in hiring veterans. So, you are treated with that priority. Hiring Our Heroes, just mainlines you straight to those folks and it’s made the process so much more manageable and less stressful than just trying to do it on my own.”

Spotlight Dealer Diversity: Meet our Veteran-Owned Dealers via TradeWeb

mwade@americanvetsgroup.com (Ben Biles) — Thu, 10 Nov 2022 13:50:50 GMT

Spotlight Dealer Diversity: Meet our Veteran-Owned Dealers via TradeWeb

American Veterans Group Directs Philanthropy to Nonprofits Important to its Clients

mwade@americanvetsgroup.com (Ben Biles) — Wed, 09 Nov 2022 15:17:57 GMT

One way companies can better communicate their ESG efforts is by considering the broader social impact they are making when working with a company like AVG. Veterans are a deeply diverse group of people and reflect the fabric of the American people and experience. There are many companies in the United States that consider the hiring and training of veterans as a key CSR goal, but we also know that simply hiring X number of vetera ns and checking a box is not enough. Companies that think “outside the DEI box” and take it to the next level will shape the new standards for their workforces and society . In honor of Veterans Day we are profiling some of the veterans who have benefitted from our philanthropy. By directing our philanthropy to nonprofits important to our clients, they can make a broader impact on veterans in their communities. Here’s the transition story of US Army Major Lenora R idley.

Air Defense Artillery Officer, Major Lenora Ridley decided it was time for her to transition out after serving 11 years in the U.S. Army. Based in Aberdeen, Maryland, she and her four-year-old son for almost two years have been living apart from her husband who is in the U.S. Air Force stationed in California.

A West Point graduate, Lenora has spent the last three years of her service in Maryland. During her service she was deployed to Turkey during the Syrian civil war, and to the United Arab Emirates. The separation from her husband has been challenging, and while she would have wanted to stay on active duty, she made the difficult decision to transition from active to reserve duty. Not long after making that decision, Lenora received an email from her first sergeant with an informational presentation about Hiring Our Heroes and its corporate fellowship programs.

“I just kind of flipped through it and then thought, this is actually perfect, and I think this would be a really good opportunity,” Lenora says. “I went to the website and got in contact with a local POC (point of contact) and did the research about what the program would be like and decided that that was perfect for me. ”

She applied for the fellowship program but was also considering other SkillBridge offerings. The SkillBridge program is an opportunity through th e Department of Defense for service members to gain valuable civilian work experience through specific industry training, apprenticeships, or internships during the last 180 days of service.

“I was also looking into some of the other SkillBridge opportunities and researching that, but nothing stood out to me as strongly as the Hiring Our Heroes corporate fellowship program ,” Lenora says.

The first step in her journey was to find out where she wanted to do her internship. Hiring Our Heroe s works with companies across America. She thought through her transition plan and realized it would be easier to do her internship where she could have support for her son. She connected with the Hiring Our Heroe s program manager in the region where she wanted to apply and was selected for a program.

Even though she was still on active duty, she had managed to save up enough leave to take the extended time off to relocate temporarily to Kansas where her parents are located. She completed her 12-week internship virtually with Catalyzer, Inc, a veteran-owned, leadership consulting company. Lenora has since been offered a contracting role to project manage various projects with Catalyzer, and the company leadership is i n full support of her continuing to seek permanent, full-time work as she transitions to be with her husband in California.

Lenora said that the networking opportunities provided through Hiring Our Heroes has been one of the best things for her.

“I didn't have the folks in my network that I do now, most of whom are veterans,” says Lenora. “All of them were really, really eager and willing to network and willing to talk about their experiences and share what they’ve learned, all of which I feel has been extremely valuable. I also feel like I gained a mentor from my boss in the program (Catalyzer). He seems to really want me to succeed and help me find what's best for me.”

American Veterans Group Aligns with Clients on their Mission to Support Veterans in their Communities

mwade@americanvetsgroup.com (Ben Biles) — Mon, 07 Nov 2022 17:14:44 GMT

At American Veterans Group (AVG), we leverage our expertise as broker-dealers to help military service members and their families make the often-difficult transition to civilian life.

We fulfill our social mission by providing direct financial support from our charitable foundation to veteran-focused nonprofits that provide job training and placement, career counseling and mental health services to veterans . We direct our philanthropy to organizations that are important to our clients thus broadening the impact our clients have on the veterans in their communities.

In honor of this coming Veterans Day we thought we would tell the transition stories of a few of the veterans who have benefited from AVG’s philanthropy. We’ve aligned with our client, Bank of America, on their mission to support Hiring Our Heroes, a U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation . The veterans we are profiling have all participated in the Hiring Our Heroes corporate fellowship program. Here’s Major Robert Buck’s story.

Transition Story of Major Robert Buck

U.S. Marine Corps Major Robert Buck, helicopter pilot and Naval Academy graduate knows all too well the challenges of transitioning from the military to the civilian workforce. After a distinguished 24-year career including five combat tours, two to Iraq and three to Afghanistan, Robert decided to look at his post service options for employment more than a year before his retirement. Robert was serving his last tour of duty as the Air Operations Officer aboard the USS Iwo Jima LHD-7 which is based in Norfolk, Virginia. A few months into the process of researching opportunities Robert was connected with an organization that offers coaching to senior level military personnel called Commit Foundation. It was through his coach there that he learned about Hiring Our Heroes.

After applying for and being awarded a corporate internship with Deloitte, Robert said the hardest part of the process was getting his command to agree to the extended time off to participate.

“They're very hesitant to let people go because your position may be needed to actually work until the very end (of your duty),'' Robert says. “If something were to happen and we were called to war, I would need to go. But, with the ship in the shipyard I knew there wouldn’t be anything for me to do, which gave me a clear runway to do the corporate fellowship program.”

Robert studied engineering at the academy and with his background in aviation, he thought he’d try something completely different. He started applying for a fellowship in the Fall of 2021 and was awarded the internship in May of 2022 on Deloitte's finance and enterprise performance team.

“My goal for the fellowship was to practice doing everything,” adds Robert. “I wanted to practice getting my resume together, practice interviewing and obtain that practice in the civilian world.”

Not only did Robert achieve his goals, he also was offered a job with the finance and enterprise performance team at the end of his internship in July 2022. However, through the process, Robert discovered that he really wanted to do something more aviation centric.

“Deloitte has been very supportive, and during my internship I had been doing a lot of networking on the government and public services side of the business,” shared Robert.

Robert’s networking paid off and just before his internship wrapped up, he received an offer from the government services side of Deloitte and will be working with the Navy again doing modeling for aircraft maintenance upon the completion of his service with the Marine Corps.

There is undoubtedly a lot of uncertainty in transitioning from military service to the civilian workforce, but Robert credits his positive transition experience a lot in part to HOH.

“Some of my peers have been going through a really tough time and I credit (my success) to Hiring Our Heroes and the corporate fellowship program,” Robert says. “I didn't realize how good of an opportunity it was and just how well designed it was in terms of matching veterans with prospective employers and the added benefit of a sort of try before you buy on both sides. The contrast between trying to go and apply on job boards versus this sort of bespoke process meant to match employers with veterans is just incredible.”

On Course Foundation, American Veterans Group partner for 2023 PGA Championship

mwade@americanvetsgroup.com (Ben Biles) — Mon, 17 Oct 2022 13:52:23 GMT

On Course Foundation, American Veterans Group partner for 2023 PGA Championship v ia The First Call

American Veterans Group in collaboration with Wells Fargo Foundation provides funding to support development of veteran transitional housing in North Minneapolis

mwade@americanvetsgroup.com (Ben Biles) — Tue, 26 Jul 2022 19:52:40 GMT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MELVILLE, N.Y. – July 26, 2022 – American Veterans Group (AVG), a social impact investment bank and Wall Street’s first and only public benefit corporation, through a collaboration with the Wells Fargo Foundation has provided funding to the Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans (MACV), allowing them to move forward with the purchase of four lots for the development of a veteran transitional housing project in North Minneapolis.

AVG’s and Wells Fargo’s combined donations will enable MACV to purchase the properties and begin developing homes to provide permanent or transitional housing for veterans. Each property will accommodate a single family or up to five single veterans. The donation was made possible by AVG’s on-going investment banking relationship with Wells Fargo. AVG has served as the co-manager for several Wells Fargo transactions over the past year.

“We appreciate the commitment the Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans has made to support the many veterans throughout Minnesota who rely on their services,” said Ben Biles, co-founder and chief executive officer of AVG. “Joining forces with Wells Fargo to help MACV further their great work is an example of how AVG is committed to making a difference for veterans in the communities where we and our clients do business.”

“Our programs address the variable factors negatively impacting veterans’ stability by providing supportive housing, case management, and other services to empower veterans who may believe they have nowhere left to turn,” said Neal Loidolt, president and CEO, Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans. “More than eighty-five percent of our annual budget directly funds programming, ensuring that the generosity of AVG and Wells Fargo will have the maximum impact on veterans in need.”

“Since 2015, the Wells Fargo Foundation has provided more than $36 million in grants to support sustainable housing and homeownership for veterans through a suite of several programs,” said Sean Passmore, head of enterprise military and veteran initiatives for Wells Fargo. “Having a 1 safe and affordable place to call home is an essential pathway for wellness, dignity, and economic opportunity. We are thankful that AVG can join with us to provide the necessary funds enabling MACV to move forward with this housing project.”

American Veterans Group is a rapidly growing social-impact investment banking firm that dedicates 25% of its earnings to support veterans causes. The firm directs its philanthropic giving to communities where it and its clients do business. Including the donation to MACV, AVG, since its inception, has donated more than $465,000 to 33 veteran non-profit organizations. The donations have directly supported transitioning veterans in 38 communities across the U.S.

About American Veterans Group

Media Contact:

Mark Kroeger

The Boldsquare Group

(513) 236-3109

Mark@boldsquare.com

American Veterans Group helps establish veteran employment initiative for Kansas City business

mwade@americanvetsgroup.com (Ben Biles) — Tue, 19 Jul 2022 19:57:10 GMT

Grant to U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Hiring Our Heroes will help connect veterans to employment opportunities with Custom Truck One Source

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MELVILLE, N.Y., JULY 19, 2022 - American Veterans Group (AVG), a social impact investment bank and Wall Street’s first and only public benefit corporation, has helped establish an initiative to support veterans in connecting with long-term career opportunities with a leading Kansas City, Mo., employer.

Leveraging its growing philanthropic relationship with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Hiring Our Heroes program, AVG has donated funds to support Hiring Our Heroes in preparing military service members and their spouses for the transition to civilian employment and connect with leading employers such as Custom Truck One Source (NYSE: CTOS). This is the latest in a series of donations in support of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s premier programs to help veterans, transitioning service members, and military spouses find meaningful employment.

AVG’s contribution to Hiring Our Heroes is facilitating a connection between Custom Truck One Source and Hiring Our Heroes programs and events. The company will have the opportunity to engage with active-duty service members and their spouses who are preparing to separate from military service to educate them about employment opportunities in the industry and region. Custom Truck One Source will focus on closing the talent gap in technical roles that leverage skills and experiences gained during military service. Hiring Our Heroes helps service members and their spouses transition to civilian careers from Fort Leavenworth, Fort Riley, and other military installations in the region.

“Making valuable connections between employers who want to hire veterans and the non- profit organizations that can make that happen is just another way we help create economic opportunity for U.S. military veterans,” said Ben Biles, co-founder and CEO of American Veterans Group. “Bringing Custom Truck One Source and Hiring Our Heroes together seemed an obvious and mutually beneficial path for the company and for the veterans and military spouses they’ll be supporting.”

AVG is a rapidly growing investment banking firm that dedicates 25% of its earnings to help military veterans and their spouses find meaningful careers after completing their military service. The firm directs its philanthropic giving to communities where it and its clients do business. AVG served as a member of the underwriting team for a secondary stock offering that was initiated last year by Custom Truck One Source stockholders who were affiliated with Blackstone.

“Establishing this valuable recruitment pipeline is a win-win for the company and the veterans they seek to hire,” said Eric Eversole, president of Hiring Our Heroes and vice president at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation. “Working with Custom Truck One Source aligns perfectly with our mission to connect the military community with civilian companies to create economic opportunity and a strong and diversified workforce. Our thanks to American Veterans Group for their gift and for taking the initiative to connect us with Custom Truck One Source.”

“Supporting veterans is a priority for our company, particularly because the skills many develop while in the military align well with the technical nature of our core business and product offerings,” said Fred Ross, chief executive officer of Custom Truck One Source. “The connection AVG has made for us with Hiring Our Heroes provides us with an effective tool to recruit the most qualified candidates to our team and support the military community at large.”

About American Veterans Group

Media Contact:

Mark Kroeger

The Boldsquare Group

(513) 236-3109

Mark@boldsquare.com

American Veterans Group Provides Donation to Harvard Undergraduate Veteran Organization

mwade@americanvetsgroup.com (Ben Biles) — Tue, 12 Jul 2022 20:00:16 GMT

Gift will foster academic success for student veterans; Gift made possible by Harvard University’s decision to appoint AVG as co-manager on recent bond issue

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MELVILLE, N.Y., July 12, 2022 - American Veterans Group (AVG), a social impact investment bank and Wall Street’s first and only public benefit corporation, has provided a donation to Harvard Undergraduate Veteran Organization (HUVO). HUVO will use AVG’s gift to foster academic success among military veterans who are studying as undergraduate student veterans at Harvard College.

The gift to HUVO is a result of Harvard University’s decision to appoint AVG as co-manager on its recent $500 million, President and Fellows Harvard College taxable bond issue.

AVG is a rapidly growing investment banking firm that dedicates 25% of its earnings to support veteran causes. The firm directs its philanthropic giving to communities where it and its clients do business.

“At AVG, we make it a priority to support veterans who choose to further their education by studying at colleges and universities after their military service,” said Ben Biles, co-founder and CEO of American Veterans Group. “One way we furthered that mission is by directing our investment banking expertise to support bond transactions initiated by institutions of higher learning. Harvard’s decision to engage our services points to the success we’ve had developing expertise managing higher ed bond issues. The related support for HUVO furthers the student organization’s worthy mission and aligns perfectly with our commitment to deliver broader social impact for clients such as Harvard University.”

HUVO guides military veterans through the process of applying to attend Harvard, fosters their academic success during their years on campus and prepares them for the next steps in their professional or academic careers.

“AVG’s generosity will go a long way toward helping student veterans thrive at Harvard,” said Hudson Miller, president of Harvard Undergraduate Veterans Organization. “We truly appreciate AVG’s support and admire its commitment as a public benefit corporation to improve the lives of veterans and their families nationwide through its philanthropy.”

About American Veterans Group

About Harvard Undergraduate Veteran Organization

Since being established in 2018, HUVO has grown from eight to 49 members. Every undergraduate student veteran who is accepted into Harvard is referred to HUVO. HUVO provides veterans access to information about on-campus events and resources; networking opportunities with other veteran and non-veteran students; transportation to medical appointments and the VA; and assistance for veterans who rely on public transportation to get to campus. HUVO fosters a community of service through its annual Veterans Day Challenge fundraiser, which benefits non-profit organizations in the Boston area that support local veterans. HUVO also arranges mentorships for Harvard ROTC students, matching them with veteran students to share their military experiences with future military leaders.

Media Contact:

Mark Kroeger

The Boldsquare Group

(513) 236-3109

Mark@boldsquare.com

American Veterans Group’s Social Mission Director, Wade Franklin Chosen for George W. Bush Institute’s 2022 Stand-To Veteran Leadership Program

mwade@americanvetsgroup.com (Ben Biles) — Wed, 22 Jun 2022 20:03:54 GMT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MELVILLE, N.Y. – JUNE 22, 2022 – Wade Franklin, social mission director for American Veterans Group, has been selected to participate in the 2022 class of the George W. Bush Institute’ s Stand-To Veteran Leadership Program.

One of only 50 selected through a rigorous application and review process, Franklin and his fellow scholars gathered at the George W. Bush Presidential Center last week for the opening ceremonies. Scholars will convene again in mid-July and continue through October. Throughout the five-month program, participants will meet with a variety of nationally known and distinguished professionals, educators, and experts in veteran transition and leadership development.

The program is part of the Bush Institute’s commitment to developing and supporting effective leaders. Program participants are veterans and non-veterans representing a diverse range of professions and industries. All are committed to improving the lives of post-9/11 veterans. Throughout the program, each participant will work on a personal leadership project, which allows them to implement what they learn.

“It’s truly an honor to have been selected for this program and I’m looking forward to the opportunity to build on skills and develop collaborative relationships with others whose work and passions are centered on improving the lives of military veterans and their spouses,” said Franklin.

Franklin, a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, served for seven years as an active-duty naval officer where he completed several deployments including on the ground in Afghanistan and aboard naval ships serving in Operation Enduring Freedom. As the social mission director for American Veterans Group Franklin identifies and establishes partnerships with non-profit organizations that are the beneficiaries of the company’s philanthropy. American Veterans Group is a social impact investment banking firm that dedicates 25% of its earnings to help transitioning military veterans and their spouses.

Since its inception, American Veterans Group has donated about $423,000 to 31 non-profit organizations that support veteran job training, internships and apprenticeships. The donations have directly supported more than 2,300 veterans in 36 communities across the U.S.

“Wade works tirelessly on behalf of military veterans and their spouses by identifying and directing our company’s philanthropy to the non-profit organizations where it counts the most,” said Ben Biles, co-founder and CEO of American Veterans Group. Being accepted into the Bush Institute program is an affirmation of all that Wade does for our company and for the veterans and their families who benefit from his dedication and hard work.”

About American Veterans Group

Media Contact:

Mark Kroeger

The Boldsquare Group

(513) 236-3109

Mark@boldsquare.com

American Veterans Group provides grant to JVS SoCal; supports job placement programs for veterans in Los Angeles County

mwade@americanvetsgroup.com (Ben Biles) — Tue, 24 May 2022 20:06:33 GMT

Grant will fund job placement initiatives for 290 high-barrier veterans; investment banking relationships with State of California, Los Angeles County made donation possible

MELVILLE, N.Y., May 24, 2022 -- American Veterans Group (AVG), through its investment banking relationship with the State of California and Los Angeles County, has provided a grant to JVS SoCal, a Los Angeles-based non-profit organization that offers programs to support, train and place high-barrier veterans in thriving wage jobs.

AVG's grant will provide support for the JVS Veterans First Program which will allow the organization to bring 290 Los Angeles County, high-barrier veterans through its job readiness and job placement program. The grant was made possible by the State of California and Los Angeles County choosing AVG as a co-manager on a number of bond issues during the past year.

AVG, a social impact investment bank and Wall Street's first and only public benefit corporation, dedicates 25% of its profits to support veterans' causes. The firm directs its philanthropy to the communities where it does business.

"Our support for JVS SoCal demonstrates how the state's and county's decisions to partner with us translates into meaningful support for veterans living in the Los Angeles area," said Ben Biles, co-founder and chief executive officer of American Veterans Group. "JVS SoCal's career-readiness and training program for veterans aligns with our mission at AVG to help post-9/11 veterans transition successfully to civilian life and find rewarding careers after their military service."

Including the grant to JVS SoCal, AVG, since its inception, has donated more than $412,000 to 31 non-profit organizations that support veteran job training, internships and apprenticeships. The donations have directly supported transitioning veterans in 36 communities across the U.S.

"Veterans face multiple obstacles to employment success, and grants like this one from American Veterans Group enable JVS SoCal to continue to help them maximize their earning potential," said Alan Levey, chief executive officer of JVS SoCal. "This grant will have a positive impact on our work and every dollar contributed will be allocated to helping veterans find employment."

About American Veterans Group

American Veterans Group, PBC, is a military veteran-owned, social impact-focused broker dealer that delivers value to institutional clients while providing meaningful philanthropic support to the military veteran community. The company reinvests 25% of its earnings in national and local military veteran nonprofit organizations that provide worthy services and support to one of America's most vulnerable, at-risk populations. As Wall Street's only public benefit corporation, American Veterans Group empowers institutional clients to partner in its social mission while enabling them to remain focused on key business objectives and goals. To learn more about American Veterans Group, visit their website at www.americanvetsgroup.com.

About JVS SoCal

Founded in 1931, JVS SoCal is a nonprofit, non-sectarian social service agency, providing job training, career services, mentoring and placement assistance to diverse and multicultural populations, transforming lives and empowering individuals to achieve dignity and economic independence through sustainable employment. With over 20 locations throughout Southern California JVS SoCal currently serves 40,000 to 50,000 clients annually in Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernadino and Orange Counties.

Media Contacts:

For American Veterans Group

Mark Kroeger

The Boldsquare Group

(513) 236-3109

mark@boldsquare.com

www.boldsquare.com

JVS SoCal

Fabiola Prieto

(323) 306-4135

Fabiola.Prieto@jvs-socal.org

American Veterans Group CEO and Co-Founder, Ben Biles Joins Enlarging The Sustainable Purchasing Frame Panel; Addresses Procurement’s Role in Creating More Equitable Communities

mwade@americanvetsgroup.com (Ben Biles) — Tue, 26 Apr 2022 20:11:00 GMT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 26, 2022 — MELVILLE, N.Y. – Ben Biles, CEO of American Veterans Group (AVG), a social impact investment bank and Wall Street’s first and only public benefit corporation, will be participating as a panelist in the Sustainable Purchasing Leadership Council’s (SPLC) Deep Dive event, Enlarging the Sustainable Purchasing Frame happening today at 2:30 pm. Those interested in joining the discussion are invited to register for the event here.

This virtual convening promotes the convergence of social, economic, and environmental equity in support of thriving communities. The discussion will focus on procurement’s role in building prosperous, equitable, and environmentally sustainable communities for all.

“It’s our duty to rethink how we steward change and support our communities,” said Ben Biles, CEO and co-founder of American Veterans Group. “Understanding how sustainable procurement affects how we all deliver services will ultimately contribute to a more equitable future for our communities. “I'm looking forward to collaborating with the other panelists and sharing our story and how our social mission plays a role.”

The discussion will kick off with keynote speaker, Tiffany Keaton, Senior Manager, Business Diversity & Supply Chain Sustainability, TIAA, followed by the panel discussion. Ben Biles will be joined by esteemed panelists Dr. Ellonda Williams, Director of Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion at BLab, and Detra Dillon, Procurement Administrator for the County of Alameda, CA. This event also features a workshop on Impact Sourcing to Advance Economic Inclusion in Global Supply Chains led by BSR’s Jessica Custer of the Global Impact Sourcing Coalition (GISC).

About American Veterans Group

Media Contact:

Mark Kroeger

The Boldsquare Group

(513) 236-3109

Mark@boldsquare.com

American Veterans Group CEO and Co-Founder, Ben Biles Joins Enlarging The Sustainable Purchasing Frame Panel; Addresses Procurement’s Role in Creating More Equitable Communities

mwade@americanvetsgroup.com (Ben Biles) — Tue, 26 Apr 2022 12:40:54 GMT

For immediate release

April 26, 2022 — MELVILLE, N.Y. – Ben Biles, CEO of American Veterans Group (AVG), a social impact investment bank and Wall Street’s first and only public benefit corporation, will be participating as a panelist in the Sustainable Purchasing Leadership Council’s (SPLC) Deep Dive event, Enlarging the Sustainable Purchasing Frame happening today at 2:30 pm. Those interested in joining the discussion are invited to register for the event here .

About American Veterans Group

American Veterans Group, PBC, is a military veteran-owned, social impact-focused broker dealer that delivers value to institutional clients while providing meaningful philanthropic support to the military veteran community. The company reinvests 25% of its earnings in national and local military veteran non-profit organizations that provide worthy services and support to one of America’s most vulnerable, at-risk populations. As Wall Street’s only public benefit corporation, American Veterans Group empowers institutional clients to partner in its social mission while enabling them to remain focused on key business objectives and goals. To learn more about American Veterans Group, visit their website at www.americanvetsgroup.com .

Media Contacts:

For American Veterans Group

Mark Kroeger

The Boldsquare Group

(513) 236-3109

mark@boldsquare.com

95 Express Lanes refinancing fosters $28,000 grant to support U.S. veterans

mwade@americanvetsgroup.com (Ben Biles) — Tue, 12 Apr 2022 13:56:57 GMT

95 Express Lanes refinancing fosters $28,000 grant to support U.S. veterans via Transurban

Harvard Borrowing Goes Green

mwade@americanvetsgroup.com (Ben Biles) — Tue, 12 Apr 2022 13:54:27 GMT

Harvard Borrowing Goes Green via Harvard Magazine

American Veterans Group provides grant to U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation's Hiring Our Heroes Fellowship Program

mwade@americanvetsgroup.com (Ben Biles) — Mon, 11 Apr 2022 20:13:59 GMT

$28,000 grant to support corporate and military spouse fellowship programs on behalf of Transurban North America

MELVILLE, N.Y., April 11, 2022 -- American Veterans Group (AVG), a social impact investment bank and Wall Street's first and only public benefit corporation, has provided a grant to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation's Hiring Our Heroes Fellowship Program. Hiring Our Heroes (HOH) connects military service members, military spouses, and veterans with American businesses to help them find meaningful employment.

The $28,000 gift from American Veterans Group will be used to support the non-profit's corporate and military spouse fellowship programs. The funds will be used to support the operating costs of facilitating learning opportunities for five active-duty service members and four military spouses in the National Capital Region. The fellowships will be awarded to populations with the greatest need, including enlisted service members, women, and persons of color.

American Veterans Group is a service-disabled, veteran-owned investment bank that dedicates 25% of its earnings to support veterans' causes. The gift to Hiring Our Heroes was made possible by Transurban North America's appointment of AVG as a co-manager on a recent Commonwealth of Virginia bond issue. The global transportation company is developing and operating a growing network of dynamically-tolled Express Lanes in the Greater Washington Area in partnership with government – including along I-95, I-395, and I-495. AVG was co-manager for a $638 million series 2022 senior lien revenue refunding bond issuance by the Commonwealth of Virginia Small Business Financing Authority on behalf of 95 Express Lanes, LLC, operated by Transurban.

"Supporting Hiring Our Heroes aligns perfectly with our corporate social mission to help veterans make the often-difficult transition from military to civilian life," said Ben Biles, co-founder and chief executive officer of American Veterans Group. "Fellowship programs like Hiring Our Heroes forge strong relationships between veterans and military spouses and key business decision makers who are invested in fostering their success. We wholeheartedly support the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation in this important work and share Transurban's commitment to making a difference for veterans in the D.C. area."

Hiring Our Heroes fellowships are designed to provide workforce development programs that place highly skilled and educated service members, veterans, military spouses, and military caregivers with employers who are committed to hiring them. Service members receive experiential work opportunities prior to their departure from the military, creating direct pathways to employment.

"It's support from partners such as American Veterans Group that makes our work possible," said Eric Eversole, president of Hiring Our Heroes and vice president at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation. "Thanks to their generosity and belief in our mission, we're able to deliver best-in-class solutions to connect diverse military talent with American businesses regardless of their location in the world. Through our engagement of the business community, we have worked with our partners to help more than 600,000 veterans and military spouses find meaningful careers."

"At Transurban, our mission is to strengthen communities through transport and that means investing in the communities we serve," said Michael Discenza, chief financial officer of Transurban North America. "We thank American Veterans Group for their partnership and dedication to the meaningful investments they bring forward to serve communities. We are honored Hiring our Heroes is using this donation to support our military and their spouses who have made invaluable contributions to serve and defend our country."

About American Veterans Group

Media Contact:

Mark Kroeger

The Boldsquare Group

(513) 236-3109

Mark@boldsquare.com

American Veterans Group Co-Founder William Frazier honored for advocacy for post-9/11 military veterans

mwade@americanvetsgroup.com (Ben Biles) — Mon, 11 Apr 2022 19:17:30 GMT

American Veterans Group Co-Founder William Frazier honored for advocacy for post-9/11 military veterans

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/american-veterans-group-co-founder-william-frazier-honored-for-advocacy-for-post-911-military-veterans-301516975.html?tc=e

American Veterans Group supports veteran workforce initiatives in Nashville

mwade@americanvetsgroup.com (Ben Biles) — Wed, 26 Jan 2022 20:22:35 GMT

Gift made possible by work on recent Metropolitan Government bond issue

MELVILLE, N.Y., Jan. 26, 2022 -- American Veterans Group, a social impact investment bank and Wall Street's first and only public benefit corporation, today announced a $12,000 donation to Operation Stand Down Tennessee (OSDTN) to support its veteran workforce initiatives in the greater Nashville area.

As the only VA-approved veteran service center in the state of Tennessee, OSDTN provides vital transitional services which address homelessness, financial insecurity, hunger, unemployment and underemployment among veterans.

"Operation Stand Down Tennessee's forward-thinking and holistic approach to connecting with and supporting veterans made it easy for us to direct resources their way to further their mission," said Ben Biles, co-founder and chief executive officer of American Veterans Group. "Support for OSDTN demonstrates how the Metropolitan Government's decision to work with us translates into tangible support for veterans in their community."

The donation was made possible by the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County's decision to choose American Veterans Group as a co-manager on a recent bond issue. American Veterans Group was appointed as a co-manager on the Metropolitan Government's $609,595,000 water and sewer revenue refunding bonds. The issues were classified as green bonds, indicating that the financing supports projects for specific climate or environmental sustainability purposes.

"Working with American Veteran's Group resulted in an outstanding outcome for our community," said Michell Bosch, treasurer for the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County. "Not only were we able to save money for taxpayers through low rates, our decision to engage American Veterans Group resulted in direct support for Tennessee veterans. Our thanks to American Veterans Group for their generous gift to Operation Stand Down."

Andrea Blackman, Metropolitan Government's chief diversity, equity and inclusion officer, added, "We strive to further our diversity, equity and inclusion objectives by working with a veteran-owned supplier like American Veterans Group. An added bonus is their social-impact mission to support veterans in local communities like ours where they do business. The diverse, and often at-risk community of veterans in Nashville and Davidson County will directly benefit from American Veterans Group's vision and generosity."

American Veterans Group, a public benefit corporation, is a growing investment banking firm that dedicates 25% of its profits to support veterans causes.

Penny Anderson, chief development and external affairs officer for Operation Stand Down TN, said, "Our team and community of supporters are dedicated to helping provide for and connect veterans and their families with comprehensive transition resources for their professional transition. The contribution made by American Veterans Group will provide support for 24 Nashville veterans receiving assistance through our Workforce Initiatives."

About American Veterans Group
American Veterans Group, PBC, is a military veteran-owned, social impact-focused broker dealer that delivers value to institutional clients while providing meaningful philanthropic support to the military veteran community. The company reinvests 25 percent of its earnings in national and local military veteran nonprofit organizations that provide worthy services and support to one of America's most vulnerable, at-risk populations. As Wall Street's only Public Benefit Corporation, American Veterans Group empowers institutional clients to partner in its social mission while enabling them to remain focused on key business objectives and goals. To learn more about American Veterans Group, visit their website at www.americanvetsgroup.com .

About Operation Stand Down Tennessee
Operation Stand Down of Tennessee provides and connects Veterans and their families with comprehensive resources focused on transition, employment, housing, benefits, peer engagement, volunteerism and connection to the community.

Media Contacts:

For American Veterans Group
Mark Kroeger
The Boldsquare Group
(513) 236-3109
mark@boldsquare.com

For Operation Stand Down Tennessee
Penny Anderson
(615) 248-1981, Ext. 106
penny.anderson@osdtn.org

The Opioid Epidemic: How it Affects Veterans and Municipal Access to Capital

mwade@americanvetsgroup.com (Ben Biles) — Fri, 14 Jan 2022 15:04:20 GMT

Physical trauma incurred in the line of service often has long-lasting implications on veterans' well-being and quality of life. In fact, the VA health system reported that one-third of its veterans have chronic pain. In addition to physical pain, many veterans face barriers to their mental health that puts them at risk for a myriad of issues including an increased risk for substance abuse and addiction. The prevalence of chronic pain in conjunction with the increased risk of substance abuse has made the veteran population particularly susceptible to the opioid epidemic; while the veteran population has suffered directly from the effects of opioid painkillers, the epidemic’s impact on municipal access to capital poses an additional long-term threat to veteran well-being.

Background on the Opioid Epidemic in the United States

The opioid epidemic has plagued the United States for approximately 30 years. Starting in the late 90s, pharmaceutical companies propagated the mass distribution of opioid medications by marketing them as a low-risk, non-addictive, and highly effective option for pain management. Though there was no evidence to back the claims that these drugs were non-habit-forming, doctors started prescribing medications like OxyContin indiscriminately. Many patients were prescribed an opioid medication when alternative forms of pain management would’ve sufficed or were prescribed dosages that were unnecessarily high. Due to the highly addictive nature of opioid painkillers, which share a similar chemical composition to heroin, overdose rates skyrocketed. While the U.S. government has since taken active steps to limit the number of opioid painkillers prescribed, and the public has become wise to the addictive nature of these drugs, issues persist.

How the Opioid Epidemic Has Affected Veterans Directly

Opioid painkillers were prescribed to many veterans to treat chronic service-related pain; many veterans were also given opioid prescriptions to help manage symptoms related to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Dependency and opioid-related overdoses amongst the veteran population far exceeds that of the general population, and in 2012, one in three veterans were prescribed an opioid painkiller .

The federal government has taken strides to reduce the number of opioid prescriptions; in a 2020 report , the Department for Veteran Affairs announced that since 2012 prescription opioid use had decreased by 64%, the number of veterans prescribed opioid and benzodiazepines had decreased by 87%, and the number of high dosage opioid prescriptions had decreased by 80%.

Though the reduction of prescription opioids reported by the VA reflects steps in the right direction, these numbers fail to reflect the continued dependency on opioids in the veteran community and beyond. Many patients who had been prescribed and developed a dependency on an opioid painkiller have turned to heroin or synthetic opioids like fentanyl when access to prescriptions became more limited.

After the implementation of the VA’s Opioid Safety Initiative (OSI) in 2013, which drastically reduced the number of opioid prescriptions, there has been a sharp increase in the number of veteran suicides and non-prescription opioid overdoses, particularly in rural communities where there’s less access to mental health and substance abuse treatment.

Ask AVG how they can help you support the well-being of veterans in your community

The Opioid Epidemic’s Impact on Municipal Access to Capital and Long-Term Implications for Veterans

Beyond the immediate and direct threats the opioid epidemic poses to veterans’ health, there are more subtle consequences that can affect their long-term well-being, namely the impact the epidemic has had on communities’ access to municipal capital.

In order to address the continued dependency on non-prescription opioid abuse and addiction, communities need mental health and substance abuse treatment programs. However, as the Principles for Responsible Investment reported , the communities with the highest need are least likely to get the support required to eradicate the very issue that’s precluding them from funding.

The Principles for Responsible Investment found counties with high levels of opioid abuse:

Have a high demand for capital, but struggle to find investors
Have annual interest costs approximately $300,000 more than those in low-abuse counties.
Miss out on approximately $15 million in annual funding due to lower issuance amounts of new municipal debt.

When we consider the opioid epidemic and veteran health and well-being, we need to expand our thinking beyond the immediate and direct threats these substances pose. If we are dedicated to supporting veterans’ health in the long-run we need to consider policy-based changes that support municipalities struggling with these issues.

Veteran Under-Employment: How Companies can Bridge the Skills Gap and Become Veteran-Ready.

mwade@americanvetsgroup.com (Ben Biles) — Thu, 06 Jan 2022 19:13:27 GMT

The latest figures from U.S . Department of Labor indicate the unemployment rate for veterans is down from 4.2% in October to just 3.8% as of November, 2021. That’s quite an improvement since the start of the pandemic. But, as the rate of veteran employment has improved, the issue of underemployment has become a leading barrier to meaningful post-service careers for many veterans. Underemployment refers to not having enough paid work, or work that doesn’t make full use of a person’s skills and abilities.

Veterans have much to offer in the private sector. They leave the service with valuable transferable skills. Many are educated, disciplined, professional, self-starters and detail oriented. They have a strong work ethic and are grounded in ethical decision-making — important attributes companies rely upon to build and sustain their good reputations. The leadership and management training many veterans receive while in the service meets or exceeds what corporate America offers. Yet, veterans are underemployed at a rate 15.6% higher than non-veterans . As a result, nearly half of all veterans leave their first post-military position within a year, and between 60% and 80% of veterans leave their first civilian jobs before their second work anniversary.

One reason this figure is so high is because many veterans take the first job available, as opposed to finding something that better matches their skill set and experience. The reason may be due to the transition process itself, which often results in veterans taking jobs they are overqualified for to replace income immediately after service.

While hiring veterans to advance diversity, equity and inclusion objectives is a positive step forward, corporate recruiters and hiring managers may need to explore more deeply how best to match veterans’ skills and experience with their company’s particular business needs. Often, veterans themselves aren’t clear how their service experience best translates to private sector needs.

How can companies learn to bridge the skills gap and establish pathways into their companies that are less traditional and attract and integrate qualified veterans into their workforce?

Leverage your network and existing veteran personnel

Consider how job descriptions are w orded and employ existing veteran team members to help identify transferable skills. Encourage them to share open positions within the company to their veteran friends and networks. Also, have veterans within the organization serve as mentors for new recruits. This can be done by creating an employee/veteran resource group (VRG). A VRG can help recruit and retain veteran hires by providing a structured system that veteran employees can rely on for professional engagement, networking, and mentorship. To learn how to build a successful VRG read our recent blog post here . These mentors can help prospective employees translate military skills into skills that civilian employers will understand.

Partner with local non-profit or private sector initiatives

Microsoft’s Military Affairs division created the Microsoft Software and Systems Academy (MSSA) , a program designed to help veterans and service members prep are for careers in the tech industry. It has more than 600 corporate hiring partners. After 17 weeks of immersive training in MSSA, graduates emerge ready to enter the workforce and build meaningful careers in technology.

There are also many non-profit vete ran organizations who train, mentor and deploy departing service members, preparing them to make the transition to the civilian workforce. One example is the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Hiring Our Heroes Fellowship Program , which connects businesses with accomplished individuals from the military community who are ready to work. Hiring Our Heroes fellowships are designed to provide workforce development programs that place highly skilled and educated service members, vet erans, military spouses, and military caregivers with employers who are committed to hiring them.

These types of organizations, while they work with corporate partners all across the country, may be located in the same city a company is located. For companies to maximize long-term and sustainable impact, they can support veterans in their local communities by partnering with one where they are headquartered.

For most hiring managers, sourcing, and hiring employees is only half the battle. Retaining and engaging them is critical. Companies with solid leadership that address the recruitment and retention issue head-on will find that veterans will tend to stay on the job longer. Offering veterans pathways to management, employers will learn that veterans will thrive, are eager and are motivated to take on leadership roles.

Banking on the Success of America's Returning Military

mwade@americanvetsgroup.com (Ben Biles) — Tue, 21 Dec 2021 14:13:28 GMT

Banking on the Success of America's Returning Military via U.S. Veterans Magazine

American Veterans Group to support job placement and assistive services for Connecticut veterans

mwade@americanvetsgroup.com (Ben Biles) — Thu, 11 Nov 2021 20:24:45 GMT

Grant to WorkPlace made possible through role on state bond issue

MELVILLE, N.Y., Nov. 11, 2021 -- American Veterans Group, a social impact investment bank and Wall Street's first and only public benefit corporation, has provided a grant to a Connecticut non-profit organization that helps underemployed and unemployed U.S. military veterans prepare for careers while strengthening the workforce for employers.

The grant to The WorkPlace will help underwrite the cost of career development services for up to four Connecticut veterans. The grant was made possible by Connecticut State Treasurer Shawn Wooden's decision to appoint American Veterans Group as a co-manager on a bond issue earlier this year.

American Veterans Group dedicates 25% of its earnings to support veterans causes. The firm directs its philanthropy to communities where it and its clients do business. Since its founding in 2018, American Veterans Group has donated $184,000 to 22 non-profit organizations nationwide, directly impacting the lives of more than 1,300 veterans.

"The WorkPlace delivers a vital service to all citizens including military veterans who aspire to have meaningful careers," said Ben Biles, co-founder and CEO of American Veterans Group. "It's important to note, particularly on Veterans Day, that The WorkPlace and American Veterans Group share a common mission of helping veterans become well-educated, well-trained, and self-sufficient so they can confidently compete in today's workforce."

Based in Connecticut, The WorkPlace acts as a convener, catalyst, collaborator and advocate for workforce development throughout Connecticut and the nation.

"In honor of Veteran's Day, I want to express my gratitude by saluting all those who have served our nation," said Connecticut State Treasurer Shawn Wooden. "Given that we're home to so many military veterans, active-duty service members, defense contractors, and the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, initiatives to support veteran focused non-profits groups, such as this contribution from American Veterans Group, are especially meaningful to our State."

"When my Office updated our bond underwriter pool a year ago, I was proud to add several Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned bond underwriting firms including American Veterans Group," Wooden said. "In addition, I expanded our policy for allocating bond sale commissions to require at least two women-owned, minority-owned or Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned firms receive a minimum designation."

American Veterans Group served as a co-manager on the State of Connecticut's nearly $1 billion general obligation bond sale in May 2021.

The WorkPlace collaborates with a wide scope of business leaders, local officials and other stakeholders to develop innovative workforce development plans that identify and address the area's employment needs and interests.

"We understand the unique challenges veterans face re-entering the workforce," said Joseph Carbone, President and CEO, The WorkPlace. "The support from American Veterans Group will help fill the job training gap by supplementing public job training funds and provide additional opportunities for veterans to obtain the skills they need to secure employment."

About American Veterans Group
American Veterans Group, PBC, is a military veteran-owned, social impact-focused broker dealer that delivers value to institutional clients while providing meaningful philanthropic support to the military veteran community. The company reinvests 25% of its earnings in national and local military veteran nonprofit organizations that provide worthy services and support to one of America's most vulnerable, at-risk populations. As Wall Street's only public benefit corporation, American Veterans Group empowers institutional clients to partner in its social mission while enabling them to remain focused on key business objectives and goals. To learn more about American Veterans Group, visit their website at www.americanvetsgroup.com .

About The WorkPlace
The WorkPlace conducts comprehensive planning, and coordinates regional workforce development policy and programs to prepare people for careers while strengthening the workforce for employers. As a national leader in the field, The WorkPlace regularly shares ideas and best practices with lawmakers, foundations, think tanks and other workforce development organizations around the country.

Media Contacts:

For American Veterans Group
Mark Kroeger
The Boldsquare Group
(513) 236-3109
mark@boldsquare.com

The WorkPlace
Tom Long
SVP Communications
(203) 610-8528
tlong@workplace.org

State of Connecticut
Michelle Woods Matthews
Press Secretary
(860) 502-5499
michelle.woods-matthews@ct.gov

ESG Investing: How Climate Change Will Affect Municipal Finance

mwade@americanvetsgroup.com (Ben Biles) — Thu, 11 Nov 2021 16:01:38 GMT

The municipal bond market is an absolutely essential component of the American economy and infrastructure. Local and state governments rely on their access to capital markets to fund infrastructural development, maintenance and other basic services. In fact, the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board reported that approximately two-thirds of all infrastructure initiatives depend on municipal bond financing. Despite the integral role the municipal market plays in the American economy, the consideration and integration of environmental, social and governance (ESG) risk into municipal investment has been slower than in other financial sectors.

As climate change continues to progress and communities are faced with infrastructural risks like floods, fires, and hurricanes, and the future reliability of municipal bonds’ returns is thrown into question, there is growing pressure for ESG risk to be considered and integrated into municipal valuations and analysis.

Why are ESG considerations becoming increasingly important for the municipal market?

1. There’s growing investor interest in responsible investment and sustainability.

Retail investors, with whom municipal investment is highly popular, are becoming increasingly interested in ESG investment. A study by OnePlanetCapital revealed that a tenth of all investors hold ESG investments, with that number set to double in 2021. With ESG investing becoming prominent in other sectors, it stands to reason that retail investors will demand similar ESG ratings and risk disclosures from the municipal market. The demand will likely increase as the effects of climate change on municipal investments becomes more evident.

2. Climate related events threaten municipal bonds’ default rate .

Historically, investors are drawn to municipal securities because municipal bonds have a low default rate of 0.18%, and investors aren’t required to pay federal or state income tax on income accrued through bonds’ interest. However, climate change stands to negatively impact the reliability of municipal bonds’ low default rate.

For example, in 2008, there was a wildfire in Butte County, California, that devastated the community. It destroyed 19,000 buildings, killed 85 people and drove 90% of the population to move away from the town of Paradise. The fire’s effect on the population and infrastructure caused the Moody credit rating for the California Statewide Communities Development Authority to plummet.

The wildfire’s impact on the credit rating illustrates the catastrophic effects climate change, and by extension ESG related risk, can have on the municipal market. The results of climate change can lead to changes in property and land valuations, businesses relocating, and an increase in public spending to address infrastructural repairs.

3. Municipal bonds’ maturities make them vulnerable to the effects of climate change.

While the effects of climate change are already observable today, climate-related weather events, and their consequential destruction, stand to become even more prominent over the next couple of decades. This timeline coincides with the 15-to-30-year maturity length that’s typical of municipal bonds and reveals how municipal cash flow is threatened by the effects of climate change. For example, the BlackRock investment firm conducted an analysis in 2019 that concluded 15% of the current S&P National Municipal Bond Index would be tied up in areas facing economic loss due to climate change in the next decade if warming gas emissions aren’t curtailed. So, while municipal cash flow may not be under an immediate threat, the length and nature of municipal maturities and the projected rate and timeline of climate related infrastructural damages is indicative of future risk.

Learn more about ESG investment with American Veterans Group

What are the challenges and next steps for ESG integration into municipal investment?

Though there is growing interest in ESG integration amongst municipal investors, the nature of the municipal market poses some distinct challenges including:

· Large and heterogenous issuer base that makes security analysis difficult

· ESG factors potentially blunted by federal or state support

· Dispersal, accessibility and extent of data

· Issuers lacking resources or interest in sharing ESG information with investors

Principles for Responsible Investment identified steps investors want taken to incorporate ESG into their municipal investments. These include:

· Openness to engagement

· Data that’s specific to issuer’s geography and sector, but is still comparable across sectors

· Information related to issuers’ ESG risk identification and management

· Improved dissemination of ESG information

The critical role that the municipal market plays in the American economy and the inevitable effect climate change will have on the market make ESG risk evaluations and disclosures of the utmost importance.

Lessons on Leadership: Capitalizing on Talent

mwade@americanvetsgroup.com (Ben Biles) — Thu, 11 Nov 2021 13:58:59 GMT

Lessons on Leadership: Capitalizing on Talent via Chief Executive

AVG Provides Support to U.S. Military Veterans

mwade@americanvetsgroup.com (Ben Biles) — Wed, 10 Nov 2021 14:06:45 GMT

AVG Provides Support to U.S. Military Veterans via Traders Magazine

American Veterans Group provides grant to Hope For The Warriors

mwade@americanvetsgroup.com (Ben Biles) — Tue, 09 Nov 2021 20:27:54 GMT

Funds to provide valuable resources for veterans starting new careers

MELVILLE, N.Y., Nov. 9, 2021 -- American Veterans Group, a social impact investment bank and Wall Street's first and only public benefit corporation, has provided a grant to Virginia-based non-profit organization, Hope For The Warriors.

Hope For The Warriors provides comprehensive support programs for service members, veterans, and military families that are focused on transition, health and wellness, peer engagement, and connections to community resources.

The grant will help Hope For The Warriors serve four Fairfax County, Va., veterans who are underemployed or unemployed in securing professional and financially rewarding careers after their military service.

Earlier this year, American Veterans Group served as a member of the investment banking team that participated in the Fairfax Countysewer revenue bond issuance. American Veterans Group is a growing investment banking firm that dedicates 25% of its profits to support veterans causes. The firm, a public benefit corporation, directs its philanthropy to the local communities where it and its clients do business.

"Our mission at American Veterans Group is to help as many veterans in the U.S. as possible by sharing the successes we achieve as a respected and trusted investment banking company," said Ben Biles, co-founder and CEO of American Veterans Group. "We share a common goal with Hope For The Warriors and that's a strong desire to meet the evolving needs of service members and their families across the country."

Hope For The Warriors serves the nation's military and their families in all 50 states. With headquarters in Northern Virginia, the organization was founded by military families aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, N.C., in 2006 as they witnessed, firsthand, the effects war has on service members and their families. Hope For The Warriors has remained grounded in family values as the organization expands programs offered and the number of veterans it supports.

"We, along with the thousands of veterans and military families that we serve each year, are grateful for the contribution made by American Veterans Group," said Hope For The Warriors Co-founder and CEO Robin Kelleher. "AVG's gift will make a positive and tangible difference to a community that is hardworking and dedicated but needs assistance in finding meaningful employment outside service to our country."

About American Veterans Group
American Veterans Group, PBC, is a military veteran-owned, social impact-focused broker dealer that delivers value to institutional clients while providing meaningful philanthropic support to the military veteran community. The company reinvests 25% of its earnings in national and local military veteran nonprofit organizations that provide worthy services and support to one of America's most vulnerable, at-risk populations. As Wall Street's only public benefit corporation, American Veterans Group empowers institutional clients to partner in its social mission while enabling them to remain focused on key business objectives and goals. To learn more about American Veterans Group, visit their website at www.americanvetsgroup.com .

About Hope For The Warriors
Founded in 2006, Hope For The Warriors is a national nonprofit dedicated to restoring a sense of self, family and hope for post-9/11 veterans, service members and military families. Since its inception, Hope For The Warriors has served over 36,000 veterans through a variety of support programs focused on clinical health and wellness, sports and recreation and transition. One of the nonprofit's first programs, Military Spouse and Caregiver Scholarships, has awarded over 170 scholarships to caregivers and families of the fallen. For more information, visit hopeforthewarriors.org .

Media Contacts:

For American Veterans Group
Mark Kroeger
The Boldsquare Group
(513) 236-3109
Mark@boldsquare.com

Hope For The Warriors
Erin McCloskey
(336) 207-5222
emccloskey@hopeforthewarriors.org

Building Equity and Inclusivity in the Workplace: The Value of Veteran Resource Groups

mwade@americanvetsgroup.com (Ben Biles) — Wed, 13 Oct 2021 20:04:17 GMT

Despite robust hiring efforts, many organizations struggle to retain their veteran hires. Retention issues occur when companies emphasize diversity in the hiring process but don’t invest in equity and inclusion initiatives that support veteran employees. Companies need to strategize how to establish and sustain scalable and impact-oriented systems that support their veteran employees and boost retention and job satisfaction. One step leaders can take to foster an inclusive environment is to establish a Veteran Resource Group (VRG).

VRGs are a type of Employee Resource Group (ERG). These groups are employee-led, voluntary, and work to create an inclusive workplace that aligns with an organizations’ goals and values. Diversity Best Practices reports that ERGs, and VRGs by extension, are business assets that have a positive impact on brand enhancement, marketing, employee recruitment and retention, employee development, and training. According to The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), these groups can identify and generate employee support for organizations that align with their company’s mission, provide feedback on HR practices and policies, help translate veteran resumes in civilian terms, help with recruitment, and give insight into which job boards would best reach veteran applicants.

How do VRGs support veterans in the workplace?

VRGs help recruit and retain veteran hires by providing a structured system that veteran employees can rely on for professional engagement, networking, and mentorship.

Boost professional engagement .

VRGs should be open to veterans and non-veterans alike. When non-veteran employees are part of a VRG they’re able to learn more about veteran employees’ experiences, working styles, strengths, and the intricacies of transitioning to a civilian workplace. When more employees participate in VRGs there’s more professional engagement across the board, which leads to a more cooperative working environment.

Provide networking opportunities

Veterans can connect with others in their organization who have undergone similar experiences. As VRGs are not exclusive to just veterans, they also provide an opportunity for veterans to network with non-veterans who are invested in their success.

Support veteran intersectionality

VRGs and ERGs are a great way to acknowledge and support veterans’ intersectionality. Veterans are a deeply diverse group of people and can benefit from being involved in various ERGs.

Connect veteran hires with mentors

VRGs provide mentorship opportunities in which recent veteran hires can connect with other veterans who have successfully transitioned into the civilian workforce. Mentors can lend advice to recent hires about navigating their career after service, and field common questions and concerns related to entering a new work environment.

How do companies build a successful VRG?

When leaders establish any type of ERG, including a VRG, there are best practices they should follow to optimize the group’s efficacy and impact on their organization.

Support VRGs with corporate policy

Groups tend to be more impactful and gain better access to budgetary resources when they’re backed by corporate policy. The formal support of VRGs increases the likelihood that groups will get a say in business operations and decisions by keeping lines of communication open between group members and leadership.

Define charters

Establish a VRG with a clearly defined charter to ensure that leadership and members of the group are on the same page. This alignment can result in higher efficacy rates in areas including community engagement, career development, intersectionality, and recruitment and retention.

Keep groups open to everyone

VRGs and other types of ERGs that are open to everyone provide a space for communities to feel supported and give allies a clear way to get involved and lend support. There should be a sense of community and involvement in the group and its goals across job levels and departments. The more people that are involved in the group, the more impact the group can have on the company at large.

Have designated liaisons and group leadership

A VRG should have a designated leader who’s responsible for periodically getting feedback from members and guiding the group as it sets its goals and purpose. Groups should also have liaisons like executive sponsors, HR personnel, or other full-time employees who help alleviate the responsibilities of group leadership and can function as a direct communication channel to organizational stakeholders.

Establishing a VRG is a concrete step towards improving organizational inclusivity and equity for veteran employees . American Veterans Group’s social mission is to support post 9/11 veterans, especially as they transition to the civilian workforce; by partnering with organizations across the U.S. that help veterans transition to civilian life, American Veterans Group has seen the positive impact resources like VRGs can have on veteran well-being and professional success first-hand. VRGs and other types of ERGs ensure that companies don’t stop their diversity, equity and inclusion efforts once the recruitment phase is over and drive sustainable and impactful inclusive policies and practices.

Two Sides of the Same Coin: Why Companies Need CSR and ESG

mwade@americanvetsgroup.com (Ben Biles) — Wed, 06 Oct 2021 16:10:33 GMT

Many companies have implemented corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives to reflect their values and culture to investors, consumers and employees. Historically, CSR encapsulates a company’s approach to economic, environmental and social policies. However, as more investors use these factors to evaluate risk and pro-social corporate practices, the subjectivity and qualitative nature of CSR have demonstrated the need for a more quantifiable approach.

Is CSR still relevant? Should companies still invest time and energy in developing CSR strategies? Absolutely. CSR practices, however, are not enough on their own . They work best when integrated with companies’ environmental, social and governance (ESG) strategies.

What is ESG and how is it different than CSR?

ESG refers to a company’s environmental (E), social (S) and governance (G) practices. And while that definition makes ESG sound somewhat synonymous with CSR, there are some key differentiators.

Quantitative vs. Qualitative: CSR’s main purpose is to align a company’s business values and mission with its environmental and social activities and policies, while ESG builds off that alignment and establishes measurable goals. In other words, CSR outlines a company’s qualitative mission, while ESG establishes quantifiable metrics to evaluate progress towards that mission. For example, a CSR initiative may outline the company’s commitment to carbon neutrality, while its ESG strategy will dictate the steps the company will take to reduce its carbon footprint by a quantifiable amount.

Top-Down Implementation: For many companies, CSR strategies have largely been crafted and implemented in an uncoordinated fashion. The Harvard Business Review reports that CEOs have typically not been actively engaged in the creation and application of CSR strategies. In many cases, it’s internal managers who initiate CSR directives. Consequently, these efforts often stand in isolation and are not integrated into a larger, company-wide strategy. On the flip side, CEOs tend to take a more active role in crafting their organizations’ ESG strategy. CEOs’ investment in their ESG strategies drive a more top-down approach to ESG implementation.

Evolving Strategy vs. Stagnant Goals: If a company’s values and purpose evolve over time, then its CSR strategy will change as well. However, a company’s fundamental values and goals tend to change less often, remaining largely stagnant, than the factors that influence its ESG strategy . To keep their ESG strategy effective, companies need to stay on top of new potential risk, technology, social issues, and other factors that influence ESG ratings. ESG strategies require continuous maintenance, adaptation, and evaluation.

Why do companies need both CSR and ESG?

Practices related to environmental impact, diversity, equity and inclusion, and socially responsible corporate governance are driving value-oriented investment. The number of investors using ESG criteria to determine which companies they invest in continues to grow. While CSR often doesn’t lend itself to quantitative evaluation, it adds value and lays the groundwork for companies’ ESG strategies. Companies can use their existing CSR infrastructure as a stepping-stone in building ESG strategies that yield quantifiable data. CSR and ESG are the two sides of the “pro-social” company coin; you need CSR to guide components of your ESG strategy, and you need ESG to measure the efficacy and extent of your CSR goals.

American Veterans Group to support employment transition programs for veterans

mwade@americanvetsgroup.com (Ben Biles) — Wed, 15 Sep 2021 20:33:51 GMT

Grant will help 500 veterans successfully transition to civilian workforce

MELVILLE, N.Y., Sept. 15, 2021 -- American Veterans Group, Wall Street's first and only public benefit corporation, is collaborating with Wells Fargo to fund programs that provide transition and employment assistance for veterans.

Together, American Veterans Group and Wells Fargo have donated to the Mt. Carmel Veterans Service Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado, which will help the non-profit organization align recently discharged military personnel, veterans and their spouses with suitable and satisfying employment. The gift will help 500 veterans transition to the civilian workforce.

The donation will allow the agency's Transition & Employment team to help individuals through a multi-step process from assessing needs, helping develop resumes and interview skills, to connecting them with potential employers, among other coaching and wellness services. The team collaborates with employers, military installations, and community partners to ensure success.

"Mt. Carmel's holistic approach to providing wellness and career services to the veteran community is truly exceptional," said Ben Biles, co-founder and chief executive officer of American Veterans Group. "Collaborating with Wells Fargo to support this worthy cause will ensure they can continue the work they are doing to empower the lives of veterans and strengthen the communities in which they live."

American Veterans Group is a social-impact investment banking firm that dedicates 25% of its earnings to support veterans causes. The gift to Mt. Carmel Veterans Service Center was made possible by American Veterans Group's investment banking relationship with Wells Fargo. Wells Fargo has included American Veterans Group as co-manager on several debt offerings during the past year-and-a-half.

"Wells Fargo is committed to empowering military communities to effectively navigate life's transitions to achieve ongoing career and financial success," said Sean Passmore, head of military initiatives for Wells Fargo. "We are proud to support Mt. Carmel's career transition program that makes it easy for veterans and their families to access critical resources needed to achieve success."

Mt. Carmel Veterans Service Center provides transition and employment assistance, behavioral health and wellness, supportive services, connection to community resources, and safe event space for veterans, military members and their families. Their services are free and confidential and open to veterans of all eras regardless of discharge status.

"The majority of transitioning service members have numerous fears, doubts and concerns about their level of preparedness to transition to the civilian workforce," said Robert McLaughlin, Executive Director of Mt. Carmel Veterans Service Center. "We are extremely grateful to Wells Fargo and American Veterans Group for recognizing the valuable work our organization is doing to help veterans transition to civilian life and find meaningful employment. Their collective gift will make it possible for our Transition & Employment team to continue to offer support to members of the veteran community as they pivot to civilian life."

About American Veterans Group
American Veterans Group, PBC, is a military veteran-owned, social impact-focused broker dealer that delivers value to institutional clients while providing meaningful philanthropic support to the military veteran community. The company reinvests 25% of its earnings in national and local military veteran non-profit organizations that provide worthy services and support to one of America's most vulnerable, at-risk populations. As Wall Street's only public benefit corporation, American Veterans Group empowers institutional clients to partner in its social mission while enabling them to remain focused on key business objectives and goals. To learn more about American Veterans Group, visit their website at www.americanvetsgroup.com .

About Mt. Carmel Veteran Service Center
Mt. Carmel Veterans Service Center provides transition and employment assistance, behavioral health and wellness, supportive services, connection to community resources, and safe event space for veterans, military members and their families.

About Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC ) is a leading financial services company that has approximately $1.9 trillion in assets, proudly serves one in three U.S. households and more than 10% of small businesses in the U.S., and is the leading middle market banking provider in the U.S. We provide a diversified set of banking, investment and mortgage products and services, as well as consumer and commercial finance, through our four reportable operating segments: Consumer Banking and Lending, Commercial Banking, Corporate and Investment Banking, and Wealth & Investment Management. Wells Fargo ranked No. 37 on Fortune's 2021 rankings of America's largest corporations. In the communities we serve, the company focuses its social impact on building a sustainable, inclusive future for all by supporting housing affordability, small business growth, financial health, and a low-carbon economy. News, insights, and perspectives from Wells Fargo are also available at Wells Fargo Stories.

Media Contacts:

For American Veterans Group
Mark Kroeger
The Boldsquare Group
(513) 236-3109
mark@boldsquare.com

For Mt. Carmel Veterans Service Center
Alexa Gromko
AdPro 360 Communications Director
719-360-8401
agromko@adproresults.com

Hope for Veterans: Overcoming Barriers to Mental Health Treatment

mwade@americanvetsgroup.com (Ben Biles) — Thu, 02 Sep 2021 17:02:40 GMT

Veterans face significant barriers to mental health treatment. From a lack of access to care to the stigma surrounding mental health, veterans have several barriers to overcome before they can successfully start the journey toward recovery.

An increasing number of military service members who served during Operation Enduring Freedom (2001), Operation Iraqi Freedom (2003), and Operation New Dawn (2010), have been receiving care to address mental health conditions that developed following their military service.

More recently, the uptick in calls to veterans crisis hotlines since the American evacuation began in Kabul is alarming and evidence that there is a significant need for support. Unfortunately, many veterans do not receive timely or adequate treatment.

Barriers to Mental Health Care

According to an extensive study conducted by the Department of Veteran Affairs , mental health conditions are the third most frequently diagnosed category of conditions at the VA, for both men and women .

Despite 41 percent of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans having a mental health need, there are still a number of factors that contribute to the barriers facing them:

Access to facilities - Many veterans in need of mental health care report that they would need to travel more than an hour to reach the needed services. Among veterans who rely on public transportation in rural locations, seeking services and returning home can take an entire day.

Financial Distress - Lack of adequate income can result in an inability to pay for gas to reach a treatment facility, ownership of an unreliable vehicle or lack of a vehicle, or a lack of affordable or reliable public transportation prevent many from seeking the needed care.

Confusion about services offered - Many veterans appear to be unaware of both the existence of services and their own eligibility. Understanding how various benefits and services are organized within the VA system is also a major hurdle for many veterans seeking VA care.

Shame/Fear of losing security clearance - Two obstacles cited by the greatest number of veterans were being denied their security clearance and shame over needing to seek mental health treatment or fear of being viewed as weak by others.

Improving access to mental health services for post 9/11 veterans has become a top public health priority . Thankfully, the Department of Defense (DoD) and the VA have introduced several initiatives to increase referral of recently separated veterans to existing health services, but the barriers still exist and the support from non-VA facilities has become a necessity.

Find out how you can directly support the veteran community through your ESG practices

Toll of Mental Trauma

Every day, on average, 20 U.S. military veterans commit suicide. The Department of Defense has reported recently that they have seen an increase in suicides since the beginning of the pandemic. One study noted that the increasing rates of suicide for both veterans and active duty personnel are outpacing those of the general population.

To reduce that number and provide veterans with urgently needed options for mental trauma such as PTS (Post-Traumatic Stress), organizations like SoldierStrong are partnering with the VA to offer programs that help veterans recover from Post-Traumatic Stress. Many veterans and active service members are haunted by memories of specific disturbing events that occurred during combat. SoldierStrong’s program, BraveMind is a virtual reality therapy program that leverages cutting-edge technology to make therapy more effective and more appealing to younger generations. But veterans, especially those with depression in addition to PTS, often have a hard time willingly summoning those memories. Virtual reality therapy changes the equation.

They use exposure therapy , which involves using the imagination to recall the troubling event and talking through it with a therapist. It has been scientifically demonstrated to be a helpful treatment for PTS. Exposure therapy can gradually make difficult memories less harrowing and help veterans with PTS shut off flight-or-flight mode. This allows veterans to take part in civilian life in more meaningful ways.

There is still a huge gap in connecting those who need help with those who want to give it. The organizations are out there but it will take community support for our veterans to make those connections. Research shows th at those who are surrounded by community -- whether military or otherwise -- have better mental and emotional health in the long run, and that translates into stronger relationships and stronger communities.

Did you know that you can support the veteran community with your ESG strategy? To find out how, contact American Veterans Group today.

American Veterans Group supports Pennsylvania career development program for military veterans

mwade@americanvetsgroup.com (Ben Biles) — Tue, 31 Aug 2021 20:35:40 GMT

Grant made possible by AVG's work on Turnpike Commission bond issue

MELVILLE, N.Y., Aug. 31, 2021 -- American Veterans Group, a social impact investment bank, has provided a grant to a Pennsylvania non-profit organization that helps underemployed and unemployed U.S. military veterans find professional and financially rewarding careers after their military service.

The $5,000 grant to the Veterans Leadership Program (VLP) will help underwrite the cost of career development services for up to 20 Pennsylvania veterans. The grant was made possible by the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission's decision to choose American Veterans Group as a co-manager on a bond issue earlier this year.

American Veterans Group dedicates 25% of its earnings to support veterans causes. The firm, Wall Street's first and only public benefit corporation, directs its philanthropy to communities where it and its clients do business.

"The Veterans Leadership Program delivers a vital service to post-9/11 military veterans who aspire to successful civilian careers," said Ben Biles, co-founder and CEO of American Veterans Group. "VLP and American Veterans Group share a common mission of helping veterans transition from military life, so it makes perfect sense to direct our philanthropy in Pennsylvania to support their career development efforts."

Based in Pittsburgh, VLP provided employment assistance to 572 men and women military veterans during 2020 through its Veteran Career Development Program. The organization's mission and vision are to empower veterans to navigate life transitions and help them reach their full potential as civilians.

"We, along with the thousands of local veterans and their families that we serve each year, are grateful for American Veterans Group's generosity," said Toshua Jarrett, CDO of Veterans Leadership Program. "AVG's gift will provide much needed employment support to veterans, service members, and their families. We appreciate their confidence in the Veterans Leadership Program and support of our mission."

American Veterans Group served as a co-manager on the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission's $250 million, 2021 Series A, Turnpike Revenue Bond issue.

"The Turnpike is committed to partnering with veteran's organizations and diverse businesses as part of its mission," said Richard Dreher, chief financial officer of the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission. "The PTC is particularly attracted to the social mission of American Veterans Group, and we are proud to be a part of this donation to the Veterans Leadership Group."

About American Veterans Group
American Veterans Group, PBC, is a military veteran-owned, social impact-focused broker dealer that delivers value to institutional clients while providing meaningful philanthropic support to the military veteran community. The company reinvests 25% of its earnings in national and local military veteran nonprofit organizations that provide worthy services and support to one of America's most vulnerable, at-risk populations. As Wall Street's only public benefit corporation, American Veterans Group empowers institutional clients to partner in its social mission while enabling them to remain focused on key business objectives and goals. To learn more about American Veterans Group, visit their website at www.americanvetsgroup.com .

About VLP
The Veterans Leadership Program of Western Pennsylvania empowers Veterans to navigate the transitions of life. We provide essential housing, employment, and other vital supportive services to eligible veterans, service members and their families to improve self-sufficiency, sustainability and quality of life.

Media Contacts:

For American Veterans Group
Mark Kroeger
The Boldsquare Group
(513) 236-3109
Mark@boldsquare.com

For Veterans Leadership Program
Toshua Jarrett, MS
Chief Development Officer
Veterans Leadership Program
(412) 481-8200
jarrettt@vlpwpa.org

Investment in Decarbonization is an Investment in Veteran Wellbeing

mwade@americanvetsgroup.com (Ben Biles) — Tue, 24 Aug 2021 16:19:31 GMT

How Climate Change Affects Veterans and How Investors Can Help

Climate change is wreaking havoc on our globe. Regardless of where we call home, we’re all witness to its effects. CNN reported the wildfires on the West Coast this July have contributed to the worst air quality New York has seen in 15 years.

According to the Department of Defense, this issue poses a monumental threat to our national security. In fact, the DOD asserted that two-thirds of the military’s operationally critical installations are threatened by the effects of climate change , including floods, droughts and wildfires.

How does climate change affect veterans?

Many veterans have voiced their concerns about climate change and its threat to national and global security and military infrastructure. As veterans, we are uniquely affected by climate change’s consequences as many of us have undergone energy-related experiences during active service such as leading oil convoys or securing refueling platforms. We also face climate-related health risks.

The Department of Veterans Affairs details how climate change impacts veterans’ health and healthcare. Climate change affects public health through background health factors such as inferior air-quality and increased allergen load. Access to emergency services is often compromised during natural disasters when resources and personnel are strained.

The veteran population is deeply diverse and represents all facets of our country, including those groups who are most vulnerable to the effects of climate change, such as communities of color, older adults, the disabled, low-income families or individuals or those experiencing homelessness.

Veterans have often been exposed to environmental health risks , such as contaminated water, hazardous chemicals, asbestos and carcinogens during active service, which can lead to long-term chronic illnesses as well.

In short, climate change negatively affects veterans’ wellbeing.

The good news is that investors can steward change through climate-conscious action. Action that will ultimately contribute to veteran wellbeing by mitigating the health risks climate change poses.

Invest Responsibly with American Veterans Group

How can investors help?

It’s c ritical investors push corporate climate responsibility, including decarbonization efforts . Ambitious pledges to net zero emissions continue to increase, as leadership across the financial sector is charged with turning promises into action.

The Investor Agenda has developed the Investor Climate Action Plans (ICAPS) Expectations Ladder for investors of all levels to operationalize their climate targets and track their progress. The ladder outlines actions investors can take in governance, corporate engagement, policy advocacy, investor disclosure and investment strategy. In addition to providing a framework for climate action plans, the ladder also calls for lobbying alignment.

Real change will require a united, well-organized, and focused effort from investors. The ICAPs provides a pathway for that systematic and structured change. And while this energy transition is unprecedented and complex, success is non negotiable.

The climate crisis affects us all – as people, as veterans, as Americans. When we invest in climate responsibility, we invest in ourselves.

Santee Cooper board approves bond transaction

mwade@americanvetsgroup.com (Ben Biles) — Sat, 21 Aug 2021 14:08:14 GMT

AVG Provides Support to U.S. Military Veterans via The Times & Democrat

Beyond the Hire: How DE&I Practices Can Help Retain Veteran Employees

mwade@americanvetsgroup.com (Ben Biles) — Wed, 28 Jul 2021 13:15:02 GMT

As his administration began, President Biden issued an executive order that outlined his administration’s vision for a federal workforce that reflects the country’s diversity.

This order directs government agencies to examine how their hiring, professional development, and employee retention practices promote and foster equity in the workplace. It prioritizes employment opportunities for historically marginalized groups and those who have faced employment barriers due to their background or identity.

Veterans and military spouses are recognized in the order, and for good reason. Beyond being circumstantially diverse by virtue of their employment, veterans reflect the diverse makeup of the country on the whole . Though federal agencies and corporations have enthusiastically created hiring programs specifically for veterans, veterans’ employment retention for their early post-service jobs is shockingly low. In fact, the Harvard Business Review reports that 60-80% of veterans leave their first post-service position in less than two years.

Veterans have a strong work ethic and are committed to excellence. So why is it that so many of us struggle with the transition to a civilian workplace? While employers may be using their DE&I programs to hire a diverse workforce, they seem to be falling short on using them to create an inclusive workplace .

A report from VetAdvisor and Syracuse University’s Institute for Veterans and Military Families indicates that the top reasons veterans leave their first civilian jobs include lack of advancement and professional development opportunities, unfamiliar work environment/culture, and feeling their civilian work lacks meaning. In short, employers are not implementing inclusive practices to retain their veteran hires.

So how can organizational leaders, managers and recruiters foster inclusivity for their veteran employees? Here are some DE&I best practices and how they can be implemented to specifically improve veteran retention and improve support in the civilian workspace.

Think before you act - check your (organization’s) mindsets . Before inclusive practices can be enacted, you need to consider how diversity, equity and inclusion are talked about in your organization. Research conducted by Dr. Lisa Leslie , associate professor of management and organizations at the Stern School of Business, indicates that employees are more likely to support and put effort into diversity and inclusion initiatives if organizational leaders talk about both the importance and difficulties of working in a diverse environment. Leaders need to acknowledge the work may be hard but is critical in order to increase employee buy-in.

It starts from the top – hire leaders who are dedicated to the success of everyone on the team . For there to be a culture of inclusivity, organizations n eed to purposefully hire leaders who are dedicated to nurturing the success of every member of their team. These leaders are responsible for modeling inclusive practices, establishing and maintaining support structures, and ensuring their employees have all the tools they need to succeed.

For veterans , that might look like organizational leaders connecting newly hired veterans with a company mentor who has successfully undergone the transition to civilian employment and who can offer informed support and guidance.

It’s a team effort – set habits of team-wide perspective taking . Establish protocols and operational structures that imbed opportunities for team me mbers to share and take on different perspectives. Encourage individuals to partake in new experiences and explore novel ideas.

For veterans , this may look like educating leaders and teams on aspects of military culture. Develop transitional resources for newly hired veterans that outline the organization’s structure, vocabulary, and norms. As a result, both veteran and non-veteran employees will be able to better understand their coworkers’ perspectives and working style.

It’s bigger than you and me – set and center collective team goals . Set and center collective goal(s) that resonate with the team in order to encourage a collaborative and inclusive culture. Diverse teams may struggle when individual approaches, communication styles, or ways of thinking do not align; however, by emphasizing a clearly defined, and shared objective, teams can shift to a collaborative working model.

For veterans, working toward a shared goal is nothing new. It’s important to clearly communicate and articulate the mission and pu rpose of their new civilian position . Define how their contributions support the collective objective set by their team so they’re able to find meaning in their work.

While I have outlined some of the DE&I best practices and how they can be used to support veteran retention, it is critical to remember that veterans are not a monolith . There are veterans of every color and creed whose difficulty with transitioning to civilian employment falls on a spectrum.

While these practices are not a catch-all, they’re a good first step toward increasing veteran retention by honoring the diversity, centering the equity, and emphasizing the inclusion of veterans in the workforce.

Social Irresponsibility: The Ultimate Threat to Your Business

mwade@americanvetsgroup.com (Ben Biles) — Tue, 20 Jul 2021 21:22:35 GMT

The wave of ESG investing has expanded tremendously in recent years, but some companies still aren’t convinced. What many critics neglect to remember is that ESG isn’t just about values – It’s about long-term risk management too.

As regulations tighten and consumer preferences shift, companies that don’t take ESG considerations into account could face government action, reputation-hurting public scandals, and even lawsuits .

These potential pitfalls can hurt short-term returns and degrade a business’s long-term value. Thus, companies that fail to make progress on ESG goals may end up excluded from consideration by many investors. (Larry Wieseneck)

What are ESG risks?

ESG issues deserve heightened attention for companies that want to maintain long-term value and align with shareholder interests. Here’s what we know about the risks and the cost of ignoring them: (Morningstar)

Environmental

Corporate management of environmental risks plays a critical role in assessing firm sustainability. The way in which business models are adapted to environmental and regulatory change can make or break an investor’s decision.

Companies that are not environmentally friendly could be subject to greater government regulations, which can include tax increases or raises on emission fees.

Environmental issues can directly damage brand equity too. Litigation tends to follow environmental disasters, such as the BP oil spill, which can be a real blow to company capital.

If nothing else, it’s important to remember that every business should have an environmental risk management plan – Not just the resource and energy industries.

Consumer preferences have seen an immense surge in environmentally friendly products and firms. Taking measures to prepare, advance or support environmental goals can provide a competitive advantage.

Social

Social risks typically involve the impact a company has on all of its stakeholders, which include employees, customers, suppliers, and local communities.

The nature of the relationship between a business and its stakeholders can shift public trust and brand equity – For better or for worse.

While social risks comprise a variety of issues, here are some common concerns to note:

Data Security
Product Safety
Workplace Safety
Diversity
Compensation
Benefits

Managing and responding to these risks effectively is imperative for corporate sustainability.

Governance

Strong corporate governance is in the best interest of long-term shareholders. It promotes accountability and provides transparency.

Governance failures typically happen when companies place too much emphasis on meeting short-term goals, leaving the interests of long-term investors out of the equation.

Corporate governance is also threatened when there is a lack of appropriate risk oversight, which can lead to poor capital-allocation decisions and other missteps that threaten sustainability.

Why should you care?

Social irresponsibility is the ultimate threat to corporate longevity. Given the increased demand for sustainability reporting, every publicly listed company can expect the need to disclose ESG performance metrics to investors and stakeholders. (Robert Hirth – Sustainability Accounting Standards Board)

Further, experts predict that all Wall Street research within 12 months will include an “ESG score.” This means that businesses that are not moving forward with ESG goals could be un-investable.

Investors Are Aligning their Investments with their Values: Can Companies with Strong ESG Records Outperform their Peers?

mwade@americanvetsgroup.com (Ben Biles) — Tue, 22 Jun 2021 21:07:02 GMT

Investors injected record sums into ESG funds during the pandemic but many still maintain the notion that ESG investing detracts from performance. To embrace sustainable business practices, they say, means sacrificing returns.

There’s plenty of pre-pandemic evidence, however, that companies with strong ESG records outperform their peers.

In 2018 Bank of America reported that three years’ worth of returns show companies with strong ESG records outperformed their peers. And just this year, Blackrock reports that 88% of sustainable indexes did better than their non-sustainable counterparts during the first quarter of 2020. Expectations are that ESG criteria will increasingly become central to all investment decisions, particularly as the global health crisis subsides into our rearview mirrors.

During the height of the global pandemic in 2020, large funds with environmental, social, and governance (ESG) criteria outperformed the broader market, according to a report published in April, 2021, by S&P Global . ESG fund managers say their focus on so-called non-traditional risks led to their building portfolios of companies that were resilient to the worst of COVID-19’s negative effects on the overall economy.

ESG Issues Becoming Critical Performance Metric for Investors

How well a company performs on ESG issues is becoming an increasingly critical performance metric for investors, consumers, and management. Investors and rating agencies are demanding ESG reporting. There’s no longer any doubt. Investors now believe that companies with strong ESG strategies that are core to their business objectives perform better and are more stable.

Research from Harvard Business School professor George Serafeim found that sound strategies not only contribute to corporate outperformance in the long term, they also help them outperform during economic downturns. Professor Serafeim analyzed the performance of more than 2,000 US companies over 21 years. They found that the companies that improved on material ESG issues significantly outperformed their competitors, suggesting that investors are becoming wise enough to see the difference between greenwashing and true value creation.

Serafeim identified five actions companies can take to get ahead of the trends and realize tangible financial benefits from their ESG programs:

Adopt strategic ESG practices.
Create accountability structures for ESG integration.
Identify a corporate purpose and build a culture around it.
Make operational changes to ensure the ESG strategy is successfully executed.
Commit to transparency and building relationships with investors.

Insights collected from some of the world’s largest institutional investing firms during the past year show that ESG was top of mind for nearly 70 senior executives surveyed. While investors have been voicing interest in ESG-related issues for decades, it’s only recently that their concerns have translated into action. A question corporate leaders are asking themselves today is, “Do our financial disclosures adequately reflect how we’re addressing ESG issues?”

It’s clear that corporate leadership has become broadly enlightened on this topic. The Conference Board and Datamaran speak to the heightened awareness in their global insights report, T he Three Big Wake Up Calls for Boards. The report is worth the read. It points to the importance of corporate social responsibility as we rebound from the pandemic, do something about climate change and make a meaningful difference with our diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.

ESG is here to stay and will play a crucial role as the global economy emerges from the pandemic and embraces whatever new reality awaits us.

Bringing Conscious Business Practices to Cutthroat Wall Street with Ben Biles

mwade@americanvetsgroup.com (Ben Biles) — Thu, 17 Jun 2021 14:09:46 GMT

Bringing Conscious Business Practices to Cutthroat Wall Street with Ben Biles via Conscious Profits Unfiltered Podcast

American Veterans Group supports USO Wisconsin program to help military transition to civilian life

mwade@americanvetsgroup.com (Ben Biles) — Tue, 01 Jun 2021 20:37:34 GMT

Grant made possible by AVG's work on State of Wisconsin bond issue

MELVILLE, N.Y., June 1, 2021 -- American Veterans Group, a social impact investment bank, is supporting a USO Wisconsin program that helps currently serving military and their spouses successfully manage their transition from military to civilian life.

American Veterans Group has provided a $3,500 grant for the USO Pathfinder® Transition Program. The grant was made possible by the State of Wisconsin's decision to choose American Veterans Group as co-manager on a bond issued earlier this year.

"Supporting the USO Wisconsin Pathfinder Transition® Program aligns perfectly with our mission to help our military members find pathways to success once their service has ended," said Ben Biles, co-founder and chief executive officer of American Veterans Group. "From the moment they put on the uniform to the day they return to civilian life, USO Wisconsin is there and has an unparalleled record of supporting U.S. military personnel and their families."

American Veterans Group was co-manager on the State of Wisconsin's issue of Series A, $118,750,000 General Fund Annual Appropriation Refunding Bonds. The grant to USO Wisconsin is a direct result of the work American Veterans Group did on the bond issue.

"The State of Wisconsin included American Veterans Group as a co-manager for the recent sale and issuance of General Fund Appropriation Refunding Bonds. The issuance of these refunding bonds provided the State with debt service savings and USO Wisconsin was another beneficiary" said David Erdman, State of Wisconsin Capital Finance Director.

USO Wisconsin's Pathfinder Transition® Program provides transitioning service members and military spouses with individualized support that focuses on education, employment, financial readiness, mentoring and navigation of VA benefits. USO Transition Specialists spend an initial two weeks collaborating with transitioning service members and military spouses to identify personal and professional goals, then help them create a roadmap to achieve success.

"American Veterans Group's support will go a long way toward USO being able to reach more military who are in need of help finding a financial direction, educational guidance, or a career that fits their skills," said Josh Sova, executive director of USO Wisconsin.

About American Veterans Group
American Veterans Group, PBC, is a military veteran-owned, social impact-focused broker dealer that delivers value to institutional clients while providing meaningful philanthropic support to the military veteran community. The company reinvests 25% of its earnings in national and local military veteran nonprofit organizations that provide worthy services and support to one of America's most vulnerable, at-risk populations. As Wall Street's only public benefit corporation, American Veterans Group empowers institutional clients to partner in its social mission while enabling them to remain focused on key business objectives and goals. To learn more about American Veterans Group, visit their website at www.americanvetsgroup.com .

About USO Wisconsin
The USO strengthens America's military service members by keeping them connected to family, home and country, throughout their service to the nation. At hundreds of locations worldwide, we are united in our commitment to connect our service members and their families through countless acts of caring, comfort, and support. The USO is a private, nonprofit organization, not a government agency. Our programs, services and entertainment tours are made possible by the American people, support of our corporate partners, and the dedication of our volunteers and staff. To join us in this important mission, and to learn more about USO Wisconsin, please visit wi.uso.org.

Media Contacts:

For American Veterans Group
Mark Kroeger
The Boldsquare Group
(513) 236-3109
Mark@boldsquare.com

For USO Wisconsin
Josh Sova
Executive Director
414-379-3097
jsova@uso.org

Shining A Light on ESG Investing: Where Performance Meets Accountability

mwade@americanvetsgroup.com (Ben Biles) — Wed, 19 May 2021 21:12:51 GMT

As BlackRock’s former sustainable investing chief, Tariq Fancy, opines about ESG “greenwashing,” he definitely is raising some eyebrows in the financial world.

The focus on ESG as mainstream investing, he warns, is a distraction that may not be having the environmentally woke impact on climate change that many investors are hoping for . He makes a good point.

In many cases ESG investment products labeled as “green” include companies whose commitment to addressing climate change is, at best, suspect.

Shareholders are getting wise to these questionable practices and so is the SEC. The commission’s new Climate and ESG Task Force is expected to call out ESG-labeled investment products that fall short of their claims. As investor awareness grows, the SEC is promising to proactively evaluate and pursue tips, referrals, and whistleblower complaints as they relate to ESG claims. It’s going to be all about accountability.

ESG Metrics and Accountability

For most investors, the lack of standardization in ESG data is the most significant challenge they have to overcome. Those who want to be conscientious with their capital want reliable and accurate data to better evaluate their ESG investing strategies.

There has been progress. The big four accounting firms have recommended environmental, social, and corporate governance metrics for all companies to use as part of their financial reporting processes. At last count, 61 companies, including Unilever, PayPal and Sony, have committed to these metrics. The wild west of ESG standards may soon be tamed.

A widespread commitment to accountability in ESG messaging to consumers would go a long way with the work that is already being done in communicating ESG policies to investors. Investors have considerable leverage to hold companies accountable, especially as ESG investing has grown in popularity.

According to a survey, there was a meaningful increase in corporate ESG Disclosure from 2019 to 2020 . The top seven categories that companies focused on were:

Human capital
Environmental
Corporate culture
Ethical business practices
Board oversight and Environmental & Social (E&S) issues
Social impact/community
E&S issues in shareholder engagement

Social Impact

The focus most often seems to fall on environmental and sustainability issues, overshadowing the other equally important categories. That’s especially true as the Biden Administration refocuses attention on climate change. The aftermath of the pandemic and 2020’s racial injustices, however, is shining a light on the social impact companies can make with their ESG strategies.

Though consumers rely on businesses for information about their current corporate approaches to social issues, ESG messaging is not something that consumers can easily confirm for themselves.

A new trend in corporate social impact is on the rise. The events during the past year are making corporate leaders realize that the focus on diversity and inclusion-related issues cannot be limited to inside a company’s own walls. Rather than simply focusing on diversity in terms of representation in their workforce or their suppliers, corporations are realizing that investing in making all of society more inclusive and equitable is of paramount importance.

Having an inclusive society avoids the costs incurred when people are excluded – from jobs, from businesses and from accessing social services. Providing all of society with the best opportunities to enjoy life and prosper is a source of economic strength.

Here are a few of the benefits of focusing on social impact strategies:

Improvement in mental and physical health: Social inclusion can counteract isolation and increase community participation, which helps to alleviate health problems, especially mental health issues such as anxiety and depression.

Reduced cost of social services: Social inclusion reduces the cost of social services by easing pressure on the public health system and reducing the need for income and housing support payments.

Inclusive growth: By raising wages and workforce participation in geographical areas of socioeconomic disadvantage, the benefits of economic growth can be shared more evenly across all communities.

People, broadly, are taking a closer look at how they can play a part in spreading the word and raising awareness to help make our societies more inclusive and diverse. Each of us can play a role in promoting and advancing an inclusive and integrated society and as evidence of the connection between a company’s social impact and its financial performance continues to grow, the companies ignoring these trends do so at their own peril.

An Ongoing Battle: COVID-19’s Lasting Impact on Veteran Communities

mwade@americanvetsgroup.com (Ben Biles) — Mon, 26 Apr 2021 16:22:36 GMT

As COVID-19 loosens its grip on society, returning to pre-pandemic life will present a new set of challenges for military veterans .

The pandemic left its mark on everyone. For veterans, it had a lasting impact that furthers their need for support.

Veterans were hit hard by COVID-19, which intensified several of their most pressing issues. Here’s what we know:

The veteran unemployment rate rose from 3.5% in 2020 to 5.5% in 2021.
15% of veterans work in industries most negatively affected by the pandemic.
At the peak of the pandemic, about 700,000 veterans lost their jobs.
About 50% of those 700,000 worked in the service industry, which was severely impacted by the pandemic.

What does all this mean?

Transitioning out of the pandemic will be a challenge. Veterans who were already experiencing obstacles securing post-service jobs, continuing their education or managing financial difficulties, now have to contend with a return to normal in a post-pandemic world. Relief efforts and support, by necessity, will need to take into account issues that are unique to veterans.

What support strategies already exist?

We’re already seeing some progress along these lines. The $2 trillion stimulus bill that President Biden signed into law March 11 included $17 billion for programs for veterans.

Here’s what’s being made available to veterans in the American Rescue Plan :

Support for higher education.
Additional direct stimulus payments.
Basic needs assistance.
Support for healthcare services.
Increased mental health supports.
Childcare assistance.
Help to access reliable internet.
Extended unemployment assistance.
Additional veteran-specific supports.
Tax-free student loan forgiveness.

How can veterans access support?

The provisions of the American Rescue Plan are not universal. Eligibility requirements and restrictions may hinder veterans’ ability to fully enjoy its benefits.

Here are the eligibility requirements for veterans to participate in its rapid retraining program:

Be between the ages of 22-66.
Unemployed as a result of the pandemic.
Not eligible for any federal GI Bill program (If eligible for Post-9/11 GI Bill, benefits must be transferred to family members).
Not be VA rated as totally disabled due to unemployability.
Not enrolled in any other federal or state employment programs.
Not receiving any unemployment or CARES Act benefits.

The program will also only run until $386 million has been spent or 17,250 veterans have been trained. It won’t cover any courses that are designed to lead to a college degree, only those that lead to a job. Therefore, courses must be approved under the VET TEC program or be on the list of high-demand occupations outlined by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Another provision of the American Rescue Plan calls for the allocation of $500 million to help states upgrade State Veterans Homes and $250 million in one-time emergency grants to support these facilities and ensure they can provide care to veterans during the pandemic.

Funding will not be consistent across every state home. The one-time emergency payments will be distributed to state homes based on their current number of veteran residents. State Veterans Homes can expect about $14,285 per veteran.

Other Information & Eligibility Requirements

Lower-income families may be eligible for childcare assistance . The American Rescue Plan includes a new tax program aimed at reducing child poverty and income inequality.

This applies to those who have lost their jobs or were forced to reduce their workload to address childcare issues stemming from the pandemic. Unemployed veterans can greatly benefit from this section of the plan. Here’s what we know about the childcare assistance program:

Temporarily raises the existing child tax credit from $2,000 a year per child to $3,000 for each child aged 6 to 17 and $3,600 for children under 6.
Offers the option for families to receive advance monthly payments.
Will be in effect for one year, but lawmakers have said they want to make the change permanent.

Individuals who make less than $75,000 a year and jointly filed married couples who make less than $150,000 a year can qualify for the child tax credit.

Under the same requirements, veterans can expect to receive an additional direct stimulus payment of $1,400. Eligible recipients will receive the full amount per person, for themselves and their dependents.

Experienced equities trader joins American Veterans Group

mwade@americanvetsgroup.com (Ben Biles) — Thu, 08 Apr 2021 20:39:02 GMT

Brian Knapp to guide global equities for Wall Street's only public benefit corporation

MELVILLE, N.Y., April 8, 2021 -- Brian F. Knapp, an experienced securities trader who has led and built teams at large as well as boutique investment firms, has joined American Veterans Group as the company's director of global equities.

Knapp comes to American Veterans Group after heading energy and utility trading for SunTrust Financial Services. He has more than 20 years of equities trading experience working for such high-profile firms as Solomon Smith Barney, JP Morgan, Susquehanna International Group and Cornerstone Macro.

"Brian's addition to the team expands the best of class capabilities of our equity line of business," said Ben Biles, president and chief executive officer of American Veterans Group. "He is a proven professional who has contributed to the growth and success of large and small firms. He is a perfect fit for our growing business."

Knapp is a U.S. Army veteran and United States Military Academy graduate. A Captain in the 4th Infantry Division, he was deployed with his unit to Kuwait from 1995 to 1997 as a force deterrence following the first Gulf War. After graduating from West Point, Knapp attended the U.S. Army Airborne School at Fort Benning, Ga., and completed the field artillery officer's basic course at Fort Sill, Okla.

Knapp began his financial career at Solomon Smith Barney, where he was accepted into an associate training program after leaving the military in 1999. The program provided Knapp with broad exposure across all areas of equity and fixed-income trading. He was selected to join Solomon Smith Barney's equity listed trading desk and in 2004 was promoted to senior equity trader to co-manage the firm's energy pad.

In 2006, Knapp joined JP Morgan where he was responsible for trading and capital commitment of domestic energy and utility related equities. He left JP Morgan for Susquehanna's equity trading desk to focus on the energy and industrial super cyclical U.S. sectors. He was promoted to head trader, leading a team of seven and having oversight responsibility of all daily operations of the firm's trading desk.

In 2014, Knapp joined Cornerstone Macro as head of sales and trading to build and operate the equity trading business for the macro research boutique. At SunTrust Financial, Knapp headed energy and utility trading.

"American Veterans Group combines its worthy social-impact mission with best of class investment banking services, providing a truly unique value proposition for corporate and public financial managers," Knapp said. "I'm looking forward to working with the AVG team to help accelerate the company's rapid growth and further it's support of U.S. military veterans."

Knapp graduated from West Point in 1994 with a bachelor's degree in civil engineering and minored in mathematics. He earned his master's degree in business administration from the University of Phoenix in 1998.

About American Veterans Group
American Veterans Group, PBC, is a military veteran-owned, social impact-focused broker dealer that delivers value to institutional clients while providing meaningful philanthropic support to the military veteran community. The company reinvests 25% of its earnings in national and local military veteran nonprofit organizations that provide worthy services and support to one of America's most vulnerable, at-risk populations. As Wall Street's only public benefit corporation, American Veterans Group empowers institutional clients to partner in its social mission while enabling them to remain focused on key business objectives and goals. To learn more about American Veterans Group, visit their website at www.americanvetsgroup.com .

Media Contact:
Mark Kroeger
The Boldsquare Group
(513) 236-3109

Enhanced Focus on the “S” in ESG on the Rise Among Institutional Investors

mwade@americanvetsgroup.com (Ben Biles) — Thu, 01 Apr 2021 15:09:43 GMT

Let us help you develop the "S" in your ESG Strategy

While ESG issues have long been a concern of institutional investors, it was the events of 2020 -- most notably the public reaction to the death of George Floyd - that brought sharper focus on the social impact of their portfolios.

Historically, ESG research among institutional investors has focused mostly on the “E” and the “G,” leaving social issues as somewhat of a forgotten middle child. There was no shortage of companies jumping on the bandwagon last year to express their views on racial injustice and diversity and inclusion.

ESG Accountability

While many business leaders were publicly embracing diversity and inclusion as company policy, Standard & Poor announced that it would be holding them accountable for actual results when deciding who they’ll be including in their S&P 500 ESG Index.

According to the United Nations Principles for Responsible Investment report on ESG integration, the social element of ESG issues can be the most difficult for investors to assess.

While environmental and governance issues are relatively easy to track as they are linked to real market data, and can be accompanied by lots of regulations, social issues are less tangible.That makes it very difficult to develop a quantitative model for understanding how these matters impact corporate performance.

Increasingly, asset owners, investment managers and brokers are applying a social lens toward corporate value to recognize the extent to which social issues can impact financial performance, risk and return. There’s no question that the heat is on to increase socially responsible investing. As shareholders demand action, companies will need to adapt or face the consequences.

Diversity and Inclusion Matter

Racial inequality, however, isn’t the only issue driving the move to more socially responsible investing. Investors are also interested in other aspects of the ‘S’ component of ESG , including how a company manages relationships with its workforce, the communities in which it operates and the geopolitical environment, among other things.

It’s evident that diversity and inclusion matters to a growing number of investors . Some of the criteria they’re using to decide what companies they’re willing to invest in includes:

Hiring practices; awarding advancement opportunities and raises to employees.
Ethical and diverse supply chain vendors.
Mission or higher purpose.
Diverse workforce.
Performance history for consumer protection issues, including lawsuits, recalls, and regulatory penalties.
Public stance on social justice issues, as well as lobbying efforts.

Those are just a few of the gating factors ESG-minded investors are considering. Bottom line, what they want to know is, are the companies their fund managers are investing in doing all they can to make a positive impact in the communities where they are located? What’s more, they want to know how can that social impact be measured.

Deepening the Impact of Corporate Social Responsibility

One diversity and inclusion opportunity that often gets lost in the broader social impact conversation relates to issues and challenges confronting returning U.S. military veterans. To risk stating the obvious, veterans are not a homogeneous group, but are as diverse a group of people as is the country itself. A company directing its social impact efforts toward veterans is helping women, people of color and Americans of nearly every ethnicity and socio-economic background.

In its 2018 Military to Civilian Transition report, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs had this to say about returning military veterans:

“While the men and women of our armed forces are better trained, better educated, and better prepared for transition than ever before, they still face unique challenges in accessing health care, attaining education, and establishing careers that necessitate definitive action to help take care of their special needs.”

Returning military veterans have much to offer their communities, but many have endured life altering physical injuries or are coping with post traumatic stress. It’s estimated that 550 more veterans, beyond the projected 20 per day, will take their own lives within the next year due to the pandemic. One study suggests that increased social isolation and higher levels of unemployment are pushing the projections higher.

Developing proactive ESG strategies that include a veterans-focused “S” component could be a compelling value proposition for like-minded investors.

Accountability is becoming the popular refrain for ESG funds and their component companies. If you’re interested in a respected resource to evaluate a company’s social impact commitment and performance, try the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI). The GRI doesn’t confine itself to environmental issues. It includes information on how companies treat their employees, the suppliers they use, and how they’re giving back to their communities.

Of the world’s 250 largest companies, 80 percent issue Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) reports using GRI’s Sustainability Reporting Standards.

Minority-Owned Bond Traders Get a Way to Be Seen on Wall Street

mwade@americanvetsgroup.com (Ben Biles) — Wed, 17 Mar 2021 14:11:06 GMT

Minority-Owned Bond Traders Get a Way to Be Seen on Wall Street via Bloomberg Law

American Veterans Group, Helping Veterans While Doing Business

mwade@americanvetsgroup.com (Ben Biles) — Sat, 06 Mar 2021 14:12:10 GMT

American Veterans Group, Helping Veterans While Doing Business via VeteranCrowd Podcast

When is the right time to develop an ESG strategy?

mwade@americanvetsgroup.com (Ben Biles) — Fri, 05 Mar 2021 13:50:55 GMT

Find out how American Veterans Group can advance your ESG goals

Here are some interesting new numbers just out from Morningstar.

ESG funds captured $51.1 billion of net new money in 2020. That’s more than double from the year before, and the fifth consecutive year of ESG fund growth.

Last year ESG investing accounted for a full one-fourth of all money that flowed into stock and bond mutual funds. Compare that to 1 percent just six years earlier.

If there were any doubts before, I’d say they’ve been obliterated. ESG investing is here to stay, especially as young people increasingly put their money where their hearts are. It’s obvious that the up and coming, next generation of investors care very much about companies that are addressing climate change, racial inequality and injustice, wealth disparity and socially responsible corporate governance.

Another reason to embrace ESG?

We’re hearing that the Biden Administration is giving thought to codifying ESG reporting to keep pace with the European Union which is rolling out some new rules. Put it all together and it’s becoming increasingly difficult – and potentially perilous - for C-suite executives to ignore ESG as a key component of their investor relations strategy.

So, when is the right time for you and your company to take a deeper dive into ESG?

First a little primer on ESG. ESG is the current, favored acronym for sustainable, socially impactful or responsible investing. “E” stands for the environment; “S” for social; and G for “governance.” It’s shorthand for investment strategies, and corporate polices, that are driven by the growing number of people who are serious about investing in companies that are doing the right things and proactively working to make the world a better place.

The growth in ESG investing last year has been attributed to a number of factors, not the least of which are concerns among younger investors that not enough is being done in the public or private sectors to address climate change.

Also, the social outrage and civil unrest that erupted following George Floyd’s murder last summer drew investor and corporate attention to the “S” part of the ESG equation, as did the global pandemic and its universal impact on all our lives.

In other words, ESG takes corporate social responsibility to the next level. And, as evidenced by Morningstar’s numbers, it’s rapidly gaining momentum. That’s why ESG needs to rise now as a core operating principle.

If you’re a cynic, you might say that many companies and their corporate executives have been scared “woke” by the pandemic, recent extreme weather, natural disasters and last summer’s civil unrest. But for many companies, being leaders in developing ESG strategies isn’t something they decided to do just last summer.

The companies that are good at ESG also tend to be the same ones that stand out for delivering quality products and services, treating their employees well, giving back to their communities, and consistently creating value for their shareholders. Th ey’ve been focused on ESG for years because it makes good business sense and because it’s the right thing to do.

Do companies do well because they’re committed to ESG?

It’s like the proverbial chicken and egg question: Do companies do well because they’re committed to ESG? Or are they committed to ESG because they do well? The companies that have proactively embraced ESG are the same ones that are inclined to embrace best practices in all they do.

There are plenty of studies and financial analyses linking quality ESG practices to outperforming operating results. While making solid profits may not be an entirely altruistic motivation for socially conscious investors, it follows that those companies that are committed to making a positive difference in the world also do well for all their stakeholders.

Credit Suisse recently reported that more than 85% of S&P 500 firms now disclose ESG information, up from just 20% in 2013. They recognize that socially conscious investors are an important source of capital that can’t, and shouldn’t, be ignored.

The handwriting’s on the wall. The time to devote time and resources to building out your ESG strategy is now.

If you’re not thinking about ESG you’re falling behind. The time’s come to take the first step toward making this an important part of your business.

It’s the right, and smart, thing to do.

American Veterans Group supports entrepreneurship program for veterans at the University of Connecticut

mwade@americanvetsgroup.com (Ben Biles) — Tue, 23 Feb 2021 20:40:41 GMT

Gift made possible by AVG's investment banking work for UConn

MELVILLE, N.Y., Feb. 23, 2021 -- American Veterans Group, Wall Street's first and only public benefit corporation, is helping returning U.S. military veterans realize ambitions of starting their own businesses through a gift to the University of Connecticut's Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans.

The Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans program offers cutting edge, experiential training in entrepreneurship and small business management to veterans. American Veterans Group has donated $2,500 in support of the program.

"UConn's Entrepreneurship Bootcamp is renowned for providing veterans with the real-world knowledge and skills they need to launch successful new business ventures," said Ben Biles, co-founder and chief executive officer at Americans Veterans Group. "Not only does the program help vets get re-established at home, it also creates jobs and further investment in our local communities. The program's tremendous track record of success made it the obvious choice for our support in Connecticut."

American Veterans Group is a growing investment banking firm that dedicates 25% of its earnings to support veterans causes. The firm directs its philanthropic giving to communities where it and its clients do business.

The grant to the Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans was made possible by American Veterans Group's investment banking relationship with the University of Connecticut. American Veterans Group was a co-managing underwriter for the State of Connecticutand University of Connecticut on a recent bond issue. The bond issue, the UCONN2000 General Obligation Debt Service Commitment Bonds, raised $200 million for new projects and saved the state $29 million in debt service.

"American Veterans Group has delivered transparent social impact through its support of Connecticut military veterans," said John Sullivan, manager of treasury services for the University of Connecticut. "The decision by the State Treasurer and UConn to include American Veterans Group as a co-managing underwriter on the bond issue made a clear impact on the human side as well as helping us achieve record low yields. Their direct support of Connecticut veterans is especially meaningful to us in Connecticut given that we're home to many defense contractors, a submarine base and the U.S. Coast Guard Academy."

The gift from American Veterans Group will be used to support the signature Veteran's Day event at EMPOWER Leadership Sports & Adventure Center, a Connecticut-based, service-disabled veteran owned business in South Windsor, Conn. The day at EMPOWER is an important brand differentiator for the UConn program, providing training in communication, team-building and problem solving. About 20 area veterans will participate in the event, which also is intended to create psychological performance breakthroughs for the aspiring veteran entrepreneurs.

"This partnership with American Veterans Group could not come at a more important time in our nation's economic recovery from the pandemic," said Michael Zacchea, director of the Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans. "Their donation will materially contribute to the startup of veteran owned business through the UConn EBV in 2021 and beyond. We look forward to building a strong mutually supportive relationship with American Veterans Group in the near future."

About American Veterans Group
American Veterans Group, PBC, is a military veteran-owned, social impact-focused broker dealer that delivers value to institutional clients while providing meaningful philanthropic support to the military veteran community. The company reinvests 25% of its earnings in national and local military veteran nonprofit organizations that provide worthy services and support to one of America's most vulnerable, at-risk populations. As Wall Street's only public benefit corporation, American Veterans Group empowers institutional clients to partner in its social mission while enabling them to remain focused on key business objectives and goals. To learn more about American Veterans Group, visit their website at www.americanvetsgroup.com .

About the Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans
The Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans, established at UConn 10 years ago, educates and mentors U.S. military veterans as they launch their first businesses and continues to offer support as they grow. Offered at no cost to participants, the program includes online coursework, an intensive 10-day, on- campus "business bootcamp" experience and additional advising.

Media Contacts:

For American Veterans Group
Mark Kroeger
The Boldsquare Group
(513) 236-3109
mark@boldsquare.com

For the University of Connecticut
Stephanie Reitz
(860) 508-5615
Stephanie.reitz@uconn.edu

For the Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans
Michael Zacchea
(860) 337-5554
michael.zacchea@uconn.edu

American Veterans Group Supports Women Vets Seeking To Launch Businesses In Chicago Area

mwade@americanvetsgroup.com (Ben Biles) — Wed, 10 Feb 2021 20:42:33 GMT

$10,000 grant lifts program at the Women's Business Development Center Grant made possible by AVG and the Bob Woodruff Foundation, thanks to investment banking support of UScellular

MELVILLE, N.Y., Feb. 10, 2021 -- American Veterans Group, Wall Street's first and only public benefit corporation, is supporting the ambitions of entrepreneurial-minded women veterans and women military spouses by partnering with the Bob Woodruff Foundation to provide a $10,000 grant to the Women's Business Development Center (WBDC) in Chicago.

The Women's Business Development Center is a nationally recognized leader in women's economic development delivering equitable access to business resources to women and all underserved business owners.

The grant will be used to help fund the Center's Fempreneur Online Business Basics Bootcamp , a program designed to teach women veterans the foundational skills of how to develop, launch and market a business online. About 15 women veterans and women military spouses will directly benefit from the Bob Woodruff Foundation grant made possible by support from American Veterans Group.

"We applaud the Women's Business Development Center and the important work they're doing to help women veterans and women military spouses realize their dreams of going into business for themselves," said Ben Biles, co-founder and chief executive officer of American Veterans Group. "There are precious few programs that are dedicated specifically to helping women veterans succeed as entrepreneurs, so it made perfect sense to us to direct our philanthropy to support their good efforts."

"Without great donors who recognize the importance of fueling opportunities for underserved entrepreneurs, the WBDC would not be able to provide women-, minority-, and veteran-owned businesses with the tools and resources they need to succeed," said Emilia DiMenco, president and chief executive officer of the WBDC. "We are proud to deliver the Fempreneur cohort, a great starting block for veteran and military spouses looking to turn their business idea into a reality, and we thank American Veterans Group for their support."

The grant to the WBDC was made possible by American Veterans Group's investment banking relationship with UScellular, which is headquartered in Chicago. UScellular included American Veterans Group as a member of a selling group led by Wells Fargo on a recent UScellular senior debt offering.

The grant to the WBDC is the second in the Chicago area resulting from the investment banking relationship with UScellular. Late last year, American Veterans Group donated $10,000 to the Chicago-based nonprofit, Leave No Veteran Behind, which used the grant to expand the organization's recruitment and referral efforts to connect 100 Chicago-area veterans with transitional job opportunities.

"The action by American Veteran's Group to support Women's Business Development Center in Chicago and their Fempreneur Online Business Basics Bootcamp is a cause we're proud to stand behind," said Deirdre Drake, executive vice president and chief people officer at UScellular. "The ability to support initiatives like this and do good in communities is one of the many reasons we choose to work with AVG."

American Veterans Group partnered with the Bob Woodruff Foundation to identify and invest in best-in-class programming that provides measurable outcomes for the populations they support. The WBDC's Fempreneur program offers a robust approach to business and financial education to women veterans and military spouses.

The six-week virtual program is delivered in weekly 90-minute sessions. Each participant works directly on producing projects transferable to starting their online business, such as drafting a two-minute business pitch presentation and creating a sales landing page. The WBDC also offers business owners one-hour, one-on-one business coaching and planning sessions. This investment in their online bootcamp will enable the WBDC to help more women veterans and military spouses achieve their business goals.

About American Veterans Group

American Veterans Group, PBC, is a military veteran-owned, social impact-focused broker dealer that delivers value to institutional clients while providing meaningful philanthropic support to the military veteran community. The company reinvests 25% of its earnings in national and local military veteran nonprofit organizations that provide worthy services and support to one of America's most vulnerable, at-risk populations. As Wall Street's only public benefit corporation, American Veterans Group empowers institutional clients to partner in its social mission while enabling them to remain focused on key business objectives and goals. To learn more about American Veterans Group, visit their website at www.americanvetsgroup.com .

About the Bob Woodruff Foundation

The Bob Woodruff Foundation (BWF) was founded in 2006 after reporter Bob Woodruff was wounded by a roadside bomb while covering the war in Iraq. Since then, the Bob Woodruff Foundation has led an enduring call to action for people to stand up for heroes and meet the emerging and long-term needs of today's veterans, including suicide prevention, mental health, caregiver support, and food insecurity. To date, BWF has invested over $76 million to Find, Fund and Shape™ programs that have empowered impacted veterans, service members, and their family members, across the nation. For more information, please visit bobwoodrufffoundation.org or follow them on Twitter at @Stand4Heroes .

About the Women's Business Development Center

The Women's Business Development Center (WBDC) is a 501(c)(3) nationally recognized leader in the field of women's economic development. The organization was founded in 1986 to support and accelerate business development and growth, targeting women and serving all diverse business owners, in order to strengthen their participation in and impact on the economy. Learn more at www.wbdc.org .

Media Contacts:

For American Veterans Group

Mark Kroeger
The Boldsquare Group
(513) 236-3109
mark@boldsquare.com

For the Bob Woodruff Foundation
Katherine Cook
Bob Woodruff Foundation
(917) 708 0063
Katherine.cook@bobwoodrufffoundation.org

For Women's Business Development Center
Mia Mastandrea
(224) 688-8104
mia@hawthornestrategy.com

American Veterans Group, Santee Cooper team up to support military veterans in South Carolina

mwade@americanvetsgroup.com (Ben Biles) — Wed, 16 Dec 2020 13:52:36 GMT

Gift to Vantage Point Foundation will directly benefit eight area veterans

MELVILLE, N.Y., Dec. 16, 2020 -- American Veterans Group and South Carolina's largest provider of electrical power, Santee Cooper, have teamed up to support a Charleston-based foundation that helps military veterans and their families successfully transition back to civilian life.

American Veterans Group has donated $5,000 to the Vantage Point Foundation. The gift will support the participation of eight South Carolina veterans in the foundation's leadership development course. The year-long program facilitates personal growth and provides a path for veterans to translate their military experience and leadership skills to civilian life.

The donation was made possible by Santee Cooper's decision to choose American Veterans Group as an investment banking partner. American Veterans Group is a growing investment banking firm that dedicates 25% of its profits to support veterans causes. The firm, a public benefit corporation, directs its philanthropy to the local communities where it and its clients do business.

"We applaud Santee Cooper's commitment to supporting veterans in their community and are grateful that their finance team recognized the value of partnering with a public benefit corporation like ours," said Ben Biles, co-founder and chief executive officer of American Veterans Group. "By engaging our firm, eight deserving military veterans will directly benefit from the Vantage Point Foundation's outstanding leadership development work."

Veterans participating in the Foundation's leadership development course are provided with complete access to training, resources, and a robust network of support. At the conclusion of the course, participating veterans work with the Foundation's mentors, clinical staff of registered nurses and social worker, and the VPF extended team to pursue professional, educational, volunteer and personal goals.

"The partnership between Santee Cooper and American Veterans Group, and their shared goal of investing in veterans, sets a great example for our community," said Mark Holyfield, executive director of The Vantage Point Foundation. "Furthermore, it signals to the veterans and their families in our program that our community wants to see them succeed as they push forward into civilian life. On behalf of the eight veterans and families that these funds will support, and the VPF Board of Directors thank you for your support."

Earlier this year, American Veterans Group served as a co-manager of a syndicate led by Barclay's Capital Inc. and Bank of America Securities to facilitate a $663.6 million revenue bond issue for Santee Cooper. The donation to the Vantage Point Foundation represents a percentage of the underwriting fees American Veterans Group earned for its role in facilitating the transaction.

"Santee Cooper is pleased to work with American Veterans Group and salutes AVG's contributions to veterans causes around the country, and to Vantage Point Foundation here in Charleston," said Santee Cooper President and CEO Mark Bonsall. "In fact, Santee Cooper got its start supporting the military – our first customer was a local defense contractor supporting the U.S. during World War II. From supporting our own employees and retirees who serve or served in the military, to partnering with firms that support veterans more broadly, Santee Cooper recognizes the enormous sacrifices and contributions veterans have made to keep us safe and our country strong."

About American Veterans Group

American Veterans Group, PBC, is a military veteran-owned, social impact-focused broker dealer that delivers value to institutional clients while providing meaningful philanthropic support to the military veteran community. The company reinvests 25 percent of its earnings in national and local military veteran non-profit organizations that provide worthy services and support to one of America's most vulnerable, at-risk populations. As Wall Street's first and only Public Benefit Corporation, American Veterans Group empowers institutional clients to partner in its social mission while enabling them to remain focused on key business objectives and goals.

American Veterans Group was co-founded by CEO Ben Biles, a U.S. Naval Academy graduate, and William Frazier, an investment banking executive with more than three decades of experience in the fixed income marketplace. To learn more about American Veterans Group, visit their website at www.americanvetsgroup.com .

About Santee Cooper

Santee Cooper is South Carolina's largest power provider, the largest Green Power generator and the ultimate source of electricity for two million people across the state. Through its low-cost, reliable and environmentally responsible electricity and water services, and through innovative partnerships and initiatives that attract and retain industry and jobs, Santee Cooper powers South Carolina. To learn more, visit www.santeecooper.com and follow #PoweringSC on social media.

About The Vantage Point Foundation

The Vantage Point Foundation (VPF) is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to guide and support post 9/11 military veterans and families on a new path toward healing and civilian success. VPF primarily supports veterans and families throughout the greater South Carolina region who have experienced wartime trauma.

Media Contacts:

For American Veterans Group
Mark Kroeger
The Boldsquare Group
(513) 236-3109
mark@boldsquare.com

For Vantage Point Foundation
Mark Holyfield, Executive Director
(843) 790-3131
mark@vantagepointfoundation.org

American Veterans Group, UScellular team up to support Chicago-area military veterans

mwade@americanvetsgroup.com (Ben Biles) — Tue, 08 Dec 2020 13:56:57 GMT

100 area veterans will benefit from gift to Leave No Veteran Behind

MELVILLE, N.Y., Dec. 8, 2020 -- American Veterans Group, through its business relationship with UScellular, has provided support for a Chicago-based non-profit organization that works to alleviate the problems of unemployment and underemployment among returning U.S. military veterans.

American Veterans Group has donated $10,000 to Leave No Veterans Behind, a non-profit organization that supports returning veterans by providing them with transitional jobs, job training, and long-term employment placement services. The gift will be used to expand the organization's recruitment and referral efforts to connect 100 Chicago-area veterans with transitional job opportunities.

The donation was made possible by American Veterans Group's investment banking relationship with UScellular. American Veterans Group is a growing investment banking firm that dedicates 25% of its profits to support veterans causes. The firm, a public benefit corporation, directs its philanthropy to the local communities where it and its clients do business.

"Leave No Veteran Behind is doing yeoman's work providing valuable support to veterans who are transitioning back to civilian life," said Ben Biles, co-founder and chief executive officer of American Veterans Group. "They're leveraging the skills veterans have acquired during their time in the service, while at the same time solving issues in some of the country's most disadvantaged communities. We admire the win-win nature of the work they do and applaud their mission to never leave a veteran behind."

Leave No Veteran Behind employs veterans in transitional jobs on a fee-for-service contract basis. Veterans employed through the program are encouraged to leverage their talents to help solve problems and resolve issues in distressed communities. Leave No Veteran Behind also provides job training and helps find long-term employment for its client veterans. Since its founding in 2008, Leave No Veteran Behind has provided more than 1,000 transitional jobs for veterans and has paid more than $9 million in wages to military families, while leveraging veterans' talents to transform local communities.

"We appreciate the commitment American Veterans Group and UScellular are making to support veterans through non-profit organizations like ours," said Eli Williamson, an Army veteran and Founder of Leave No Veteran Behind. "Their generosity enables us to further our mission and demonstrate to veterans that we truly value the tremendous skills and talents they bring to the table. Veterans employed through our program are making a profound difference in their communities, and its philanthropic support like this that helps make that happen."

Earlier this year, American Veterans Group served as a member of a selling group led by Wells Fargo on a UScellular senior debt offering. The $10,000 gift to Leave No Veteran Behind represents a percentage of the fees the firm earned for its role in facilitating the transaction.

"That we're able to direct our philanthropy to organizations that support veterans in our clients' hometowns is further incentive to corporate and public financial managers to include us when assembling their investment banking teams," Biles said. "By considering us and our team of experienced traders when initiating transactions in the capital markets, our clients can advance their social missions by having a positive impact on a large number of veterans in their communities."

About American Veterans Group

American Veterans Group, PBC, is a military veteran-owned, social impact-focused broker dealer that delivers value to institutional clients while providing meaningful philanthropic support to the military veteran community. The company reinvests 25% of its earnings in national and local military veteran nonprofit organizations that provide worthy services and support to one of America's most vulnerable, at-risk populations. As Wall Street's only public benefit corporation, American Veterans Group empowers institutional clients to partner in its social mission while enabling them to remain focused on key business objectives and goals. To learn more about American Veterans Group, visit their website at www.americanvetsgroup.com .

About Leave No Veteran Behind

Leave No Veteran Behind (LNVB) is one of the only veteran non-profits built around the promise that every veteran is a tremendous asset to their community. LNVB is a national social venture that invests in veterans to build better communities through employment training, transitional jobs, and our veteran educational debt relief scholarship. The organization started 10 years ago by two Army veterans from the South Side of Chicago, when they encountered transition challenges and a want to improve their community. Leave No Veteran Behind invests in heroes who have served their country honorably and who seek to continue their service as assets in communities across America. LNVB is a 501c3. For more information visit http://www.leavenoveteranbehind.org .

Media Contacts:

For American Veterans Group
Mark Kroeger
The Boldsquare Group
(513) 236-3109
mark@boldsquare.com

For Leave No Veteran Behind
Tom Aiello
tom.aiello@marchcorp.com
(312) 620-0206

American Veterans Group, State of Michigan partner to support Detroit's military veterans

mwade@americanvetsgroup.com (Ben Biles) — Tue, 08 Dec 2020 13:54:30 GMT

100 area veterans will benefit from gift to Leave No Veteran Behind

MELVILLE, N.Y., Dec. 8, 2020 -- American Veterans Group, through its work with the State of Michigan, is providing support for a non-profit organization that works to alleviate the problems of unemployment and underemployment among returning U.S. military veterans in the Detroit area.

American Veterans Group has donated $10,000 to Leave No Veterans Behind, a non-profit organization that supports returning veterans nationwide by providing them with transitional jobs, job training, and long-term employment placement services. The gift will be used to expand the organization's recruitment and referral efforts to connect 100 Detroit-area veterans with transitional job opportunities.

The donation was made possible by the State of Michigan Building Authority choosing American Veterans Group as an investment banking partner. American Veterans Group is a growing investment banking firm that dedicates 25% of its profits to support veterans causes. The firm, a public benefit corporation, directs its philanthropy to the local communities where it and its clients do business.

Leave No Veteran Behind employs veterans in transitional jobs on a fee-for-service contract basis. Veterans employed through the program are encouraged to leverage their talents to help solve problems and resolve issues in distressed communities. Leave No Veteran Behind also provides job training and helps find long-term employment for its client veterans. Since its founding in 2008, Leave No Veteran Behind has provided more than 1,000 transitional jobs for veterans and has paid more than $9 million in wages to military families, while transforming local communities using veteran talent.

"We appreciate the commitment American Veterans Group is making to support veterans through non-profit organizations like ours," said Eli Williamson, an Army veteran and founder of Leave No Veteran Behind. "Their generosity enables us to further our mission and demonstrate to veterans that we truly value the tremendous skills and talents they bring to the table. Veterans employed through our program are making a profound difference in their communities, and its philanthropic support like this that helps make that happen."

Earlier this year, American Veterans Group served as a co-manager of a syndicate led by Jefferies Group to facilitate the sale of State of Michigan Building Authority bonds totaling $789.2 million. The $10,000 donated to Leave No Veteran Behind represents a percentage of the underwriting fees the firm earned for its role in facilitating the building authority's bond issue.

"Our service men and women make many sacrifices to protect us," said Debbie Roberts, director of the State of Michigan's Treasury Bureau of Local and State Finance. "We're pleased that American Veterans Group will be donating a percentage of their underwriting fees to assist our veterans as they transition back to civilian life."

"That we're able to direct our philanthropy to organizations that support veterans in our client's home states is further incentive to corporate and public financial managers to include us when assembling their investment banking teams," Biles said. "By considering us and our team of experienced traders when initiating transactions in the capital markets, our clients can advance their social missions by having a positive impact on a large number of veterans in their communities."

About American Veterans Group
American Veterans Group, PBC, is a military veteran-owned, social impact-focused broker dealer that delivers value to institutional clients while providing meaningful philanthropic support to the military veteran community. The company reinvests 25% of its earnings in national and local military veteran nonprofit organizations that provide worthy services and support to one of America's most vulnerable, at-risk populations. As Wall Street's only public benefit corporation, American Veterans Group empowers institutional clients to partner in its social mission while enabling them to remain focused on key business objectives and goals. To learn more about American Veterans Group, visit their website at www.americanvetsgroup.com .

About Leave No Veteran Behind
Leave No Veteran Behind (LNVB) is one of the only veteran non-profit built around the promise that every veteran is a tremendous asset to their community. LNVB is a national social venture that invests in veterans to build better communities through employment training, transitional jobs, and our veteran educational debt relief scholarship. The organization started 10 years ago by two Army veterans from the South Side of Chicago, when they encountered transition challenges and a want to improve their community. Leave No Veteran Behind invests in heroes who have served their country honorably and who seek to continue their service as assets in communities across America. LNVB is a 501c3. For more information visit http://www.leavenoveteranbehind.org .

Media Contacts:

For American Veterans Group
Mark Kroeger
The Boldsquare Group
(513) 236-3109
mark@boldsquare.com

For Leave No Veteran Behind
Tom Aiello
tom.aiello@marchcorp.com
(312) 620-0206

For the State of Michigan
Ron Leix
leixr@michigan.gov
(517) 335-2167

American Veterans Group, City of Norfolk partner to aid peer-support program for student veterans

mwade@americanvetsgroup.com (Ben Biles) — Tue, 01 Dec 2020 14:14:55 GMT

American Veterans Group, City of Norfolk partner to aid peer-support program for student veterans via Veterans News Report

American Veterans Group, City of Norfolk partner to aid peer-support program for student veterans

mwade@americanvetsgroup.com (Ben Biles) — Tue, 01 Dec 2020 13:58:48 GMT

Gift will help Old Dominion University veterans ease transition to college

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Supporting Veteran-owned businesses, employees, and communities – are corporations doing enough to help?

mwade@americanvetsgroup.com (Ben Biles) — Wed, 18 Nov 2020 14:15:55 GMT

Supporting Veteran-owned businesses, employees, and communities – are corporations doing enough to help? via ESG News & Views Podcast

What's New and Next in Dallas-Fort Worth Innovation

mwade@americanvetsgroup.com (Ben Biles) — Tue, 10 Nov 2020 14:16:54 GMT

What's New and Next in Dallas-Fort Worth Innovation via Dallas Innovates

American Veterans Group Joins AT&T in support of tech training for veterans in Dallas-Fort Worth

mwade@americanvetsgroup.com (Ben Biles) — Tue, 10 Nov 2020 14:00:11 GMT

Growing investment banking firm donates $25,000 to NPower Texas

MELVILLE, N.Y., Nov. 10, 2020 -- American Veterans Group has joined AT&T in its support of a Dallas-Fort Worth non-profit that provides tech training and job placement services for under-employed, at-risk U.S military veterans.

NPower Texas has received a $25,000 grant from American Veterans Group. The grant was made in recognition of AT&T's leadership supporting U.S. military veterans and in appreciation of the company's $200,000 gift to NPower Texas earlier this year.

The grant American Veterans Group has made to NPower Texas will help the organization prepare 19 veterans and military spouses for high-need, high-growth tech careers. Specifically, the grant will fund technical instruction, computer equipment, and industry-recognized certifications through NPower's successful Tech Fundamentals program.

"AT&T has made it a priority to support U.S. military veterans by hiring them and funding great organizations like NPower that prepare veterans for good-paying, high tech jobs," said Ben Biles, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer for American Veterans Group. "We wholeheartedly applaud those efforts and join AT&T in supporting veterans in the Dallas-Fort Worth community."

"We are honored by the generosity of American Veterans Group. Their contribution will go a long way in sustaining our free tech training program and supporting veterans, military spouses and their families land quality employment and self-sufficiency," said Russ Medina, Executive Director of NPower Texas.

American Veterans Group is a rapidly growing investment banking firm dedicated to improving the lives of post-9/11 veterans and their families. Wall Street's first and only public benefit corporation, the company sets aside 25 percent of its profits to alleviate the high rates of unemployment and suicide among America's returning veterans. The firm directs its philanthropy to support veteran-focused non-profit organizations in communities across the country where its key business partners and clients do business.

"Our mission at American Veterans Group is to help as many veterans in the U.S. as possible by sharing the successes we achieve as a respected and trusted investment banking company," Biles said. "We want our clients to know that by doing business with us they're also providing tangible, meaningful support for a population of Americans who have sacrificed much and deserve a hand up."

In September, American Veterans Group served as a member of the investment banking team that participated in an AT&T debt exchange offering. The $25,000 granted to NPower Texas by America Veterans Group represents a percentage of the dealer manager fees the firm earned for its role in facilitating the AT&T offering.

"That we're able to direct our philanthropy to organizations that support veterans in our clients' hometowns is further incentive to corporate financial managers to include us when assembling their investment banking teams," Biles said. "By considering us and our team of experienced traders when initiating transactions in the capital markets, our corporate clients can advance their social missions by having a positive impact on a large number of veterans in their communities."

About American Veterans Group

American Veterans Group, PBC, is a military veteran-owned, social impact-focused broker dealer that delivers value to institutional clients while providing meaningful philanthropic support to the military veteran community. The company reinvests 25 percent of its earnings in national and local military veteran non-profit organizations that provide worthy services and support to one of America's most vulnerable, at-risk populations. As Wall Street's first and only Public Benefit Corporation, American Veterans Group empowers institutional clients to partner in its social mission while enabling them to remain focused on key business objectives and goals.

About NPower

NPower is a national nonprofit on a mission to move people from poverty to the middle class by training youth from underserved communities and veterans in a range of tech skills and placing them in quality jobs. Students who enter their free, six-month program, earn industry-recognized certifications and graduate with the competencies of an IT professional with one to two years of experience. NPower also places students in paid internships with corporate and nonprofit organizations. Eighty percent of NPower graduates get a full-time job or continue their education. Not only is NPower changing life trajectories for individuals from vulnerable communities but they are also strengthening the overall competitiveness of U.S. businesses hamstrung by today's limited pool of IT talent. To learn more about NPower, visit www.npower.org .

Media Contacts:

For American Veterans Group

Mark Kroeger
The Boldsquare Group
(513) 236-3109
mark@boldsquare.com

For NPower

Mark Macias
Macias PR
(646) 770-0541
mmm@maciaspr.com

For AT&T

Brittany Siwald
AT&T Corporate Communications
Bs726n@att.com

Santee Cooper Board Approves $638.2M In Bond Sales

mwade@americanvetsgroup.com (Ben Biles) — Sat, 31 Oct 2020 14:17:49 GMT

Santee Cooper Board Approves $638.2M In Bond Sales via The Berkeley Observer

American Veterans Group deepens bench

mwade@americanvetsgroup.com (Ben Biles) — Thu, 01 Oct 2020 14:01:37 GMT

Karan Chopra joins high-yield, fixed income trading team for Wall Street's first and only public benefit corporation

MELVILLE, N.Y., Oct. 1, 2020 -- American Veterans Group, Wall Street's first and only public benefit corporation, is enhancing its high-yield, fixed income trading capabilities with the addition of Karan Chopra to its growing team.

Chopra joins American Veterans Group from Samuel A. Ramirez & Co., where he built a distribution team in the diversity-inclusion broker marketplace, providing and sourcing liquidity for real money and hedge fund clients. He will have a similar role at American Veterans Group as Senior Vice President of Corporate High-Yield Trading.

"Karan is an important addition to our team, bringing with him a wealth of knowledge, experience and relationships in the marketplace that will deliver uncommon value to our clients," said Ben Biles, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of American Veterans Group.

Jared Kurtzer, Managing Partner at American Veterans Group, added, "Karan will be a tremendous asset as we continue to build a meaningful presence with issuers and institutional accounts across public and private markets."

Chopra has worked in the high-yield, leveraged-loan markets for more than 15 years as a portfolio manager and trader, with discretionary responsibility positioning high-yield bonds, credit default swaps, leveraged loans, trade claims and equities. Prior to his role at Ramirez, Chopra was head of high-yield, distressed trading at Friedman Billings Ramsey (FBR) and, prior to FBR, was a lead portfolio manager for Dreman Value Management.

"I'm excited to be joining American Veterans Group, as the company continues to elevate its full product suite of capabilities and build on its reputation as a trusted partner for clients and issuers in the debt capital markets," Chopra said. "I'm looking forward to making a meaningful contribution as we continuously expand the company's debt capital market sales, trading, market commentary and distribution capabilities."

Chopra has a Master's of Business Administration degree in finance from the Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree at Colgate University in Hamilton, N.Y.

About American Veterans Group

American Veterans Group, PBC, is a military veteran-owned, social impact-focused broker dealer that delivers value to institutional clients while providing meaningful philanthropic support to the military veteran community. The company reinvests 25 percent of its earnings in national and local military veteran non-profit organizations that provide worthy services and support to one of America's most vulnerable, at-risk populations. As Wall Street's first and only Public Benefit Corporation, American Veterans Group empowers institutional clients to partner in its social mission while enabling them to remain focused on key business objectives and goals.

For more information, contact:

Mark Kroeger
The Boldsquare Group
513 236 3109
mark@boldsquare.com

A Salute to Veterans in the Financial Services Industry via The Bond Buyer

mwade@americanvetsgroup.com (Ben Biles) — Tue, 13 Nov 2018 14:18:41 GMT

A Salute to Veterans in the Financial Services Industry via The Bond Buyer