U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation Announces Finalists for 9th Annual Hiring Our Heroes Awards

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The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation has announced the finalists for the 9th annual Hiring Our Heroes awards. These 24 finalists have demonstrated leadership in addressing the challenges faced by veterans, transitioning service members, military spouses, and military caregivers in their search for meaningful employment.

“This year’s award finalists are recognized for their tremendous impact on the military community by leading innovative employment programs and initiatives for military-connected talent,” said Eric Eversole, a vice president at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and president of Hiring Our Heroes. “They have demonstrated leadership in creating long-term economic opportunities for transitioning service members, veterans, military spouses, and caregivers.” The Hiring Our Heroes awards are presented in six categories: Veteran and Military Spouse Employment; Military Community Nonprofit Leadership; Post-9/11 Veteran Employment; Wounded Veteran and Military Caregiver Employment; Military Spouse Employment and Mentoring; and Individual Leadership. This year’s finalists are:

Lee Anderson Veteran and Military Spouse Employment Award, for overall excellence in hiring and retaining veterans, transitioning service members, and military spouses: Accenture; DaVita; Prudential Financial; and Walmart.

Military Community Nonprofit Leadership Award, for demonstrated commitment to supporting veteran and military spouse employment and economic opportunity: PenFed Foundation; PsychArmor; NextOp; and Operation Gratitude.

Steve Robinson Post-9/11 Veteran Employment Award, for effective and sustained efforts to enhance the ability of post-9/11 veterans and transitioning service members to find meaningful employment: Cushman & Wakefield; LinkedIn; Salesforce; and Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation.

Wounded Veteran and Military Caregiver Employment Award, for demonstrated leadership in addressing the unique challenges and demands for wounded, ill, and injured veterans as well as military caregivers in their search for meaningful employment: AARP; Amazon; Hilton Hotels; and Wounded Warrior Project.

Military Spouse Employment and Mentoring Award, for demonstrated hiring, mentorship, and support of military spouses in their search for meaningful employment: B.E.A.T. LLC; Lockheed Martin;  Board of Veterans' Appeals; and Walmart.

Colonel Michael Endres Leadership Award for Individual Excellence in Veteran Employment, for an individual who has gone above and beyond to make a difference in employment opportunities for veterans, transitioning service members, and spouses: Jim Beamesderfer, Prudential Financial; Danny Chung, Microsoft; Al Hanley, Troops Into Transportation; and Melissa Stirling, Hilton Worldwide. 

The winner in each category will be announced during the 9th Annual Lee Anderson Hiring Our Heroes Awards Gala presented by Toyota at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce on November 13, 2019. The Hiring Our Heroes Awards Committee will select the winners.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Hiring Our Heroes initiative launched in March 2011 as a nationwide effort to connect veterans, transitioning service members, and military spouses with meaningful employment opportunities. Working with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s vast network of state and local chambers and strategic partners from the public, private, and non-profit sectors, the goal of Hiring Our Heroes is to create a movement across America in hundreds of communities where veterans and military families return every day.

Early on, the organization adopted two strategies: (1) grassroots engagement and (2) public-private partnerships. Through its commitment-based engagement of the business community, more than 1,200 job fairs held across the country and on military installations overseas, and a suite of free online career tools, we’ve worked with our partners to help hundreds of thousands of veterans and military spouses find jobs.