Penske's sixth annual Veterans Day Recognition Program took place on Monday at its corporate headquarters in Reading, Pennsylvania.
More than 100 associates, including senior leadership, were in attendance to honor and recognize the sacrifices made by the more than 1,200 veterans who work at the company nationwide – including the dozens of veteran associates who work in the Reading and Allentown, Pennsylvania, districts.
The event kicked off with opening remarks from Penske Transportation Solutions President and CEO Brian Hard. He highlighted how much of a strong focus the company has in hiring veterans as a part of their staffing strategies.
Hard said that in the last five years alone, Penske has hired more than 4,000 veterans.
The ceremony continued with speeches from Capt. Steven Zahuranec, Army veteran and now an executive officer for the 2nd Squadron, 104th Cavalry Regiment, as well as Army veteran and Penske associate Lee Schiller.
Pictured from left to right are Capt. Steven Zahuranec, President and CEO of Penske Transportation Solutions Brian Hard, Senior Vice President of Government Relations and Chief Compliance Officer Mike Duff, and Director of Customer Operations at Penske Logistics Lee Schiller.
Both touched on the significant value veterans bring to any organization, traits like a strong work ethic, being detail-oriented and adept leadership. Schiller went on to share how some of the things veterans learn or apply in the military can be carried with them through the transition to civilian life.
"Each soldier realizes that without the support for each other, then we could not complete the mission and come home safely to our families," said Schiller. "Our veterans are uniquely defined by these shared experiences and teamwork. We carry these experiences into our transition and life after service. We look for ways to be outstanding teammates and put the company mission ahead of our needs."
Schiller said that Veterans Day allows us to pause and think about the brave men and women who have served, as well as those who are serving currently.
"As you go to your homes tonight and recall about our program, remember the veterans here today and the 1.3 million service members on active duty today provide us with a blanket of security and the freedoms we enjoy as a nation," said Schiller.
As the event came to a close, each veteran in attendance received a gift of appreciation for their time in the military serving our nation. New this year, the event concluded with a brief flag ceremony that took place outside the corporate headquarters (pictured right). All attendees were invited to attend.
Respect Earned. Opportunities Delivered.
Penske Truck Leasing and Penske Logistics take great pride and make strong efforts in hiring veterans to join their team.
Each year since 2012, Penske has been recognized as a Top Military Friendly Employer by G.I. Jobs Magazine and VIQTORY Media. The honor goes to military-friendly companies that demonstrate a commitment to recruiting America's veterans.
Penske has also teamed up with Veteran Recruiting and other leading employers to support the VetFriendly Jobs Initiative to hire or train 100,000 veterans by 2020.
In addition to hiring, the company is proud to partner with and support military-friendly organizations, including The Paralyzed Veterans of America's Mission: ABLE campaign, Support Military Spouses and World T.E.A.M. Sports.
Penske Truck Leasing and Penske Logistics offer a range of career opportunities, including truck fleet maintenance technicians, truck drivers, fleet maintenance supervisors, operations management roles, logistics and supply chain operations roles and many others. Visit www.GoPenske.com/veterans for more information on career opportunities.
By Chris Abruzzo