(All Times Are Eastern Time)
8:00am-8:45am
Registration/Continental Breakfast
Sponsored by VETS Indexes
8:45am-9:00am
Welcome and Opening Remarks
George Altman
Managing Director | VETS Indexes
9:00am-9:30am
Morning Keynote
Jonathan Cleck
Director | Greencastle Associates Consulting
9:35am-10:25am
5-Star Employer Best Practices: Veteran Employee Retention & Promotion
A panel comprised exclusively of the top rated, 5-Star VETS Indexes Employers, discussing how best to improve retention rates for veteran employees and to promote them to higher-ranking positions throughout the organization. It’s not just about recruiting veterans; it’s about helping them develop strong careers and become senior leaders at your organization.
MODERATOR
George Altman
Managing Director | VETS Indexes
PANELISTS
John Perez
Head of Military & Veterans Affairs | Johnson & Johnson
George Bernloehr
Lead Associate, Corporate Affairs/Military and Veteran Affairs | Booz Allen Hamilton
Edward Carr
Sr. Director, Military & Veteran Affairs | Comcast NBCUniversal
Phil McConkey
President and Partner | Academy Securities
10:30am-11:00am
Morning Break and Networking Session
Sponsored by Comcast NBCUniversal
11:05am-11:55am
Veterans Leading the Way As Ideal Entrepreneurs
Sponsored by Fiserv
With an estimated 2 million-plus veteran-owned businesses in the U.S., accounting for over 6 million jobs, it should come as no surprise that many of the skills learned through military service translate directly to the world of entrepreneurship. Our panel of experts will explore how veterans are using their military mindsets to become their own bosses, how they are addressing the challenges they encounter and what resources are available to assist them.
MODERATOR
Meg Hendricks
Vice President, Head of Military and Veterans Affairs, Corporate Citizenship | Fiserv
PANELISTS
Misty Stutsman Fox
Director Entrepreneurship and Small Business at Institute for Veterans and Military Families | IVMF
Christopher Dambach
Owner | Industry Standard USA and Empire Material
Stephannie Addo-Zuniga
Principal Owner | ACJ Luxury Maintenance LLC
Founder | Champs for Autism
12:00pm-12:50pm
Addressing Unemployment and Underemployment of Female Veterans
Sponsored by AmeriVet Securities
Too often, female veterans are forgotten or under-represented in veteran initiatives. This trend can make it particularly difficult for women leaving the military to get their civilian careers off to a good start. Our expert panel will discuss unemployment and underemployment of female veterans and what companies can do to address these issues.
MODERATOR
Sidney Covington, LMSW
Associate, Veterans Engagement | AmeriVet Securities
PANELISTS
Nneka Bell
Owner | Celebrities Fashion Group
President | Celebrities Quality Painting
Adjunct Professor | Metropolitan College of New York
Alec Mizner
Manager of Military Recruiting | Werner Enterprises
Flossie Hall
CEO/Founder | FHall Consulting
Laura McKenna
Academy Advisor and Field Representative | USAA Military Affairs
12:50pm-1:50pm
Luncheon & Afternoon Networking
Sponsored by Oracle
1:55pm-2:45pm
How Veterans Service Organizations (VSOs) can help you improve your veteran recruiting, support, and outreach
Sponsored by Spectrum
With their large numbers of veteran members, expertise in veteran issues, and nonprofit missions to improve conditions for veterans, Veterans Service Organizations (VSOs) can be uniquely valuable partners for employers that need help building or improving their veterans programs. This panel will discuss the ways that VSOs can help employers, detail how to build such partnerships with VSOs, and explore the elements of a successful collaboration.
MODERATOR
Timothy Cochrane
Vice President Growth | Tenova LLC/HireMilitary
PANELISTS
Patrick Sence
Military Program Manager | General Dynamics Bath Iron Works
Blake Hogan
CEO | Bunker Labs
Thor O’Connell
American Legion
Omari J. Faulkner
Veterans and Military Ambassador | ManTech International Corp.
2:50pm-3:40pm
Branding your organization as a top veteran employer: How to use marketing & promotion to get the recognition you deserve
Sponsored by FASTPORT
Building a strong veterans program is a significant undertaking, requiring buy-in from your organization’s senior leaders, support from your staff, and engagement with your veteran employees. But once you’ve built that great veterans program, how do you spread word about it outside of your organization? Our panel of experts will discuss the techniques they have used to market and brand their organizations as employers of choice for veterans.
MODERATOR
Anthony “Tony” Gilbert, MA, USA (Ret)
Program Manager, Military and Veteran Recruitment | Raytheon Missiles & Defense
PANELISTS
Bruce Townshend
Chief – Employment Engagement | DOD/ESGR
Clayton Still
National Director of Military Affairs | Power Home Remodeling
Dave Harrison
Executive Director, Workforce Development and Government Relations | National Apprenticeship
Nikita Wallace
Manager of Military Talent Attraction | Spectrum
3:45pm-4:00pm
Closing Remarks
George Altman
Managing Director | VETS Indexes