Quad Cities business owners, employers, and other hiring professionals are invited to Vet TalkX on Wednesday, June 17, to learn about the talents and experiences area veterans can bring to their workforces.
Vet TalkX: Why Hiring Veterans is Good for Business will be presented by UnityPoint Health Trinity and the Quad Cities Community Veterans Engagement Board (QCCVEB). The free event will be from 1-4:30 p.m. at Black Hawk College’s Hawk’s Nest, located in room 118 of Building 4 on the Moline campus.
The first-time Quad Cities event is designed to educate area companies and other workplaces on the advantages of hiring veterans to fill their job openings. Employers, nonprofits, human resources professionals and others are encouraged to attend.
The event also is open to veterans and both active duty and transitioning military. Registration is required here.
Dillon Behr, sergeant first class (retired), U.S. Army, 3rd Special Forces Group, will be the keynote speaker. The Quad Cities native is a Silver Star Medal and Purple Heart recipient.
He now resides in Falls Church, Virginia, where he works as executive lines producer and broker for Risk Placement Services, Inc., and maintains multiple Quad Cities clients. Mr. Behr also serves on the Yellow Ribbon Fund Board of Directors. He holds an MBA from the University of Virginia Darden School of Business, a MA from Georgetown University, and a BA from the American Military University.
Other local speakers will be:
- Col. Daniel Mitchell (retired), U.S. Army, Special Forces officer; former Rock Island Arsenal garrison commander; current program manager of Fontaine Consulting, LLC; and president of the Rock Island Chapter Association of the U.S. Army. He is a West Point and U.S. Army War College graduate.
- Lt. Col. Bryan Miller (retired), U.S. Army, field artillery officer, deputy program manager for the FEMA Public Assistance Technical Assistance Contract at Serco, founder of the Quad Cities Veterans Network (QCVN); and board member of QCCVEB and Directors Uncommon Valor nonprofit.
- Sgt. Dave Underwood, U.S. Marine Corps, combat veteran. He now is the global executive recruitment & governance lead for John Deere. The co-founder of QCVN, where he has shared his success story and challenges in transitioning from military service to civilian work. He is a graduate of Southern New Hampshire University.
Among the topics to be discussed are: Benefits & Advantages of Hiring Veterans, Networking to Employment, Veteran Career Transition Challenges, Internships and SkillBridge Opportunities, Strategies for Hiring Veterans and the Importance of Education and Community Service. Other community resources and networking opportunities will be available.
Vet TalkX is sponsored by NDIA Iowa-Illinois Chapter, Constellation, South Moline Township, Fontaine Consulting, Black Hawk College.
For more information visit Quad Cities CVEB on Facebook or Linkedin.
