Air Force Veteran Drives Innovation in Healthcare

Chris Preffer leverages military and teaching experience to lead at UPMC Health Plan. Air Force veteran Chris Preffer started his career teaching high school, an experience that serves him well in his current role in healthcare. In between he served six years on active duty. “I started my career as a history and math teacher, …

Shannon Kelly: From Navy Pilot to Healthcare Sales at Johnson & Johnson

Shannon Kelly had to have confidence in herself as a Navy pilot. Lives depended on it. Transitioning to the civilian workforce, though, left her feeling a little less sure. She worried about finding a job with purpose, and when she did she struggled to learn a new way of communicating. “There’s not a lot of …

Success After Service: Dan Jablonsky

Navy veteran and Maxar CEO explains why the world’s largest commercial satellite manufacturer hires military. Dan Jablonsky is the president and chief executive officer of Maxar Technologies, one of those really cool tech space companies that builds and flies satellites. If you’ve been down range, Maxar satellites kept you connected. If you listen to Sirius …

Embracing Independence in IT Careers

In the Army, everything was decided for Kimberly An. As her ETS approached, she realized each move was up to her. “I realized that I had to figure out what I wanted to do, where I wanted to live, along with all the other aspects that the military used to take care of for me, …

Oil, Gas Employers Hunger for Veterans

Meet Randall Stremmel, a Marine veteran who owns one of many companies that are recruiting from the military. There are many ways transitioning service members and veterans can find rewarding careers in the oil and gas industry. For Randall Stremmel, his path from the Marine Corps led to inspections. Certified by the American Petroleum Institute, …

NCO Still in the Fight with his Civilian Career at USAA

Imagine if you could transition from the military into a civilian career that still allows you to defend against bad guys and pays really well. That’s what Air Force veteran Rob Smith did. Smith leads a team at USAA* in San Antonio that conducts vulnerability and security configurations assessments across the company’s network. It pays …

Why One Marine Keeps Coming Back to Construction

Like most industries in the US right now, construction needs workers. If you want to work outdoors building things, you can do that. You can also work in field operations running teams. You can work in IT, finance or plenty of other roles. The first time he left the Marines, Brandon Frazee didn’t want to …

Healing, Texas Style

This Iraq veteran found healing through BBQ and helping others in healthcare. Jason Wilson is a cardiopulmonary manager for Baylor Scott & White Health in Waxahachie, Texas. He’s been helping others heal through respiratory therapy for more than a decade. Yet his service in healthcare also has helped him heal from the psychological wounds of …