How tapping into the veteran pool can help create a vibrant economy

Join us as we release our third talent supplement, Untapped Opportunities, which focuses on veterans and the opportunities presented to this highly educated, well-trained community.

In addition to sharing findings from the report, virtual attendees will gain insights from panel discussions with prominent business and community leaders with expertise on hiring veterans at their place of business and organizations that help transition veterans from their military experience to the civilian workforce.

Panel Discussions

Supply Panel

Moderated by:

• James Dignan, Principal: AMK Professional Services, Consultant to JobsOhio Military & Federal Sector

Confirmed Panelists:

• Mark Trew, Chief Operating Officer: Goodwill Industries of Greater Cleveland and East Central Ohio, Inc.
• Jeff Finefrock, Chief Executive Officer: MilitaryHire
• Brandon Thompson, Director Veteran Student Services Program: Cleveland State University

Demand Panel

Moderated by:

• Andy Jones, Chief Executive Officer: Fortress

Confirmed Panelists:

• Joel Martin, Manager, Marketing Training & Services: Swagelok
• Paige Sanchez, Program Manager: Huntington National Bank

Thank you to our event sponsors!

Publication Sponsor

Supporting Sponsor

Interested in becoming an event sponsor? Contact Dawn Southard at [email protected].

Additional Information

This supplemental report is part of Team NEO’s continuing efforts to address the regional talent supply/demand gap with our annual report known as Aligning Opportunities. Since 2017, we have released this signature report exploring the gap for entry-level jobs in the Northeast Ohio Region. The report is now being used as a tool to develop, enhance or modify offerings for job training programs and higher education institutions like Baldwin Wallace University, the University of Akron, College Now Greater Cleveland, Cuyahoga Community College and Lorain County Community College.

In 2020, Team NEO introduced Misaligned Opportunities, a report that examines racial equity as it relates to labor force opportunities, in order to inform conversations and influence solutions that we as a region can implement to affect positive change.

In 2021, we launched a second supplement, Lost Opportunities, examining gender inequities in our region’s talent pool and the significant impacts that the pandemic had on women in the workforce. To have a vibrant regional economy we must have a talented workforce that is inclusive. Our goal with this new supplement is to bring awareness to the opportunities and strengths of veterans in the region’s workforce, inspire conversation and explore creative solutions to enhance the veteran workforce experience as they transition from military to civilian life. We hope you can be part of the conversation.