Tulsa recognizes veteran employer champions

(TULSA, Okla.) Mayor G.T. Bynum, Community Service Council (CSC) and Oklahoma Veteran Alliance recognized 14 companies Monday for becoming Veteran Employer Champions. The Veteran Employer Champions program was created after a statewide survey was launched at a Governor’s Veteran Symposium in October 2017 with the goal of building an employer network to create programming and peer-to-peer learning for organizations interested in recruiting, hiring and developing veterans in the workplace. This is the second year for the Veteran Employer Champion Survey. This year, recipients had to show a deeper level of work to be recognized. The survey encourages employers to continually take intentional steps to ensure they are creating a veteran-ready workplace to be recognized as a champion. The City of Tulsa is taking a lead effort in expanding employment opportunities for veterans within the Tulsa community. “We want Tulsa to be a city where veterans are honored for their sacrifice with community support, economic opportunities and quality healthcare,” Mayor G.T. Bynum said. “Our goal with this program is to properly recognize those community partners who demonstrate their commitment to supporting Tulsa veterans with meaningful employment and growth opportunities.” The Community Service Council and the Oklahoma Veteran Alliance Employment Committee developed a scoring rubric and survey process and scoring rubric to carefully identify Veteran Employer Champions in Oklahoma and the Tulsa region. To become recognized as a Veteran Employer Champion, companies must meet six benchmarks, including: veteran hiring and recruiting; veteran resource groups, onboarding, or buddy programs; veteran programs and community support; veteran employee resources and/or supports; veteran executive sponsor leading veteran strategies; and guard and reserve employee supports. The 14 companies recognized Monday include: American Electric Power/Public Service Company of Oklahoma; Americon Technologies; Baker Hughes, a GE Company; Berryhill Fire Protection District; Chesapeake Energy Corporation; City of Tulsa; Enterprise Holdings; Goodwill Industries of Tulsa; Lowe’s; Melton Truck Lines; NextOp; ONE Gas; ONEOK; Spirit AeroSystems. Bizjet International came very close to meeting all criteria and is being recognized as an honorable mention. “The Oklahoma Veteran Employer Champions Network was developed to enhance community collaboration and camaraderie among regional employers who feel called to respond to the needs of our local veterans, and want to make a difference in their lives,” said Pete Luitwieler, Veteran and Program Manager for the Community Service Council’s Oklahoma Veteran Alliance that sponsors the network. “We want to celebrate these special and noteworthy organizations and give them a forum to learn from and share with each other as they work to build a veteran-friendly workforce.” Partners of the Veteran Employer Champions are the City of Tulsa, Community Service Council, DR Consulting, Key Personnel, Oklahoma Department of Veteran Affairs and Oklahoma Veteran Alliance. If a company wants to join the Veteran Employer Champion Network, please contact Pete Luitwieler, Program Manager for CSC’s Oklahoma Veteran Connections and Oklahoma Veteran Alliance, pluitwieler@csctulsa.org. City of Tulsa Veterans Resource Center: www.cityoftulsa.org/veterans Community Service Council Veterans Resource: http://csctulsa.org/veterans-support/