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UHS leaders to mentor returning veterans

November 09, 2018

One of the greatest challenges faced by recent veterans of military service is making the transition back to the civilian workforce. But with personal encouragement and practical guidance, veterans can and do succeed in finding their way to productive, rewarding careers.

UHS have joined the effort to make these transitions as smooth as possible.

UHS has teamed up with dozens of other U.S. employers, such as AT&T, IBM, Disney, Harvard University and Kaiser Permanente, to participate in American Corporate Partners (ACP).

UHS’ first executive mentors are seasoned members of the management team, some with military experience themselves and all with extensive backgrounds in leadership:

  • Dave MacDougall, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
  • Christian Burdick, Director of Financial Planning and Analysis
  • Bob Schmidt, System Director of Pharmacy
  • Dave Finney, Vice President for Nursing and Facilities Services, UHS Chenango Memorial Hospital
  • Karla Dotts, Vice President for Clinical Services and Chief Operating Officer, UHS Home Care

ACP is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to helping post-9/11 veterans of military service, principally those who served in Iraq or Afghanistan, transition to the private sector through career guidance and one-to-one mentoring.

Mentors and protégés are paired for one year based on age, shared career interests, education level and location.

ACP pairs meet for an hour each month, by phone, e-mail or videoconference, or in person. The mentors coach and encourage the veterans, helping them gain self-confidence while also developing their skills in such areas as goal-setting, career planning, networking, résumé preparation and job interviewing.

In conjunction with Veterans Day, Nov. 11, 2018, an advertisement has been prepared detailing the mentoring program and UHS executives' commitment to it. Click here to view the ad.