Diane Richards has more than twenty (20) years of human resources management experience.  Currently, she is the Associate Vice President of Human Resources for the National University System, the second largest, private, non-profit institution of higher learning in California.

Diane has served in human resources leadership positions in both the private and public sectors representing a variety of industries: manufacturing, public accounting, law, health care, direct-mail retail, high technology, satellite communications, aviation, and public school education.

She is a member of the Society of Human Resources Management and the National Human Resources Association and while president of that organization, the San Diego Chapter was recognized as Chapter of the Year.

Diane is a former teacher and holds a Bachelor of Science degree from James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA and a Master of Science degree from Lesley University, Cambridge, MA

I am very honored to be here today.   Thank you for this opportunity.

As Tom mentioned, I have a background in human resources and have served at an executive level in many different types of companies.

Throughout my career, I have had the great pleasure and honor of hiring and working with hundreds of veterans and reservists.

Recently, while the director of human resources for the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority, I had the pleasure of having as my human resources manager, Mike Ellington, a retired Navy master chief. 

Some of you may know Mike.  He’s active in the San Diego Veterans’ Employment Committee.

I learned a lot from Mike.  The respect and appreciation I already had developed from working with veterans in the past, Mike continually reinforced throughout the time we worked together. 

Mike had the ability to maintain a perspective that sometimes I could not. 

Now - I have worked in a hospital and I thought I was able to maintain the appropriate balance of level-headedness, alarm, and sense of urgency, but I recall a very delicate situation Mike and I were addressing one day, and he said, “Boss, we can figure out this one.  It really can’t be so bad.  I’ve had guys shot out from under me, so I know we can certainly handle this one.” 

Mike’s perspective, his support, and attitude demonstrate what, in my business, we refer to as “soft skills” – characteristics, attributes, and behaviors that transcend the technical aspects of performing the job.

I’m certain all of us know someone we’ve worked with who was very technically competent, but they did not have the “soft” skills to really get the job done.  Interpersonal skills, cooperation, teamwork.  As a result, they really weren’t successful at their job.

In looking back on my experience, most of the terminations I have had to oversee or conduct have been the result of employees who lack the soft skills rather than lacking technical expertise.

How many of you in the audience are in hiring authority positions?  I hope you’ll take my message to heart.

For those of you who are not, I hope you’ll take my message seriously and take it back to your hiring authority colleagues.

Based on many years of experience, here’s what I know you’ll get when you hire a veteran:

• Veterans have the proven ability to learn new skills and concepts. 
• They enter your workforce with identifiable and transferable skills – already proven in real-world situations. 
• With their proven skills, they can be productive and contribute “value” immediately.
• They also enthusiastically embrace training. 
• Veterans understand the importance of training and its critical tie to doing the job well. 
• They are taught to view training as a positive, continuous learning activity rather than an obligation or a job requirement. 

• The military trains all people to lead by example as well as through:
• Direction,
• Delegation,
• Motivation,
• And inspiration – regardless of rank 
• Veterans receive leadership training the first day they report for duty. 
• Veterans understand the practical ways to manage behaviors for results, even in the most trying circumstances. 
• More importantly, they also know the dynamics of leadership as part of both hierarchical and peer structures. 

• Veterans know what it takes to attain results through teamwork. 
• Veterans understand how genuine teamwork grows out of a responsibility to one’s colleagues. 
• Their military duties involve a blend of individual and group productivity. 
• Veterans understand the importance of teamwork, and they are trained to put the good of the team before all else. 
• They know how groups of all sizes relate to each other and to the overarching objective. 
• Veterans are able to communicate and coordinate to get results.  
• They have been trained to identify “line of sight”
• Comprehending this line of sight and focusing on what is mission-critical are fundamental to having outstanding teamwork.

According to Marty Evans, once President and CEO of the American Red Cross:

“We need people who are flexible and very mission-oriented, don’t stop until the job is done, and put service to others above self.  These values are exactly what the military inculcates in people, literally from the moment they arrive at boot camp.”

• The experiences veterans have had during their career results in a degree of social maturity higher than most others their age. 
• This maturity provides the basis needed for exercising sound decision-making and problem solving.

Oscar Horton, President of Sun State International Trucks says:
“At our company we focus on more than the hard skills.  We look for a set of attributes that emphasize strengths:  innovation, customer service, accountability.”

Sun State spent several years defining the kind of characteristics they wanted for their culture.
When they had settled on these attributes, Horton realized that veterans had the right qualities for his service-oriented business.
According to Horton:
“We found it really was a treasure for us.  All we had to do was introduce them to our product.  We can get people through the skills part, but what we can’t get them through is learning to be accountable, having respect for people, and maintaining a positive attitude.”>

• Veterans have learned to work side by side with individuals regardless of diverse race, gender, geographic origin, ethnic background, religion, and economic status – as well as mental, physical, and attitudinal attitude capabilities. 
• They have the sensitivity to cooperate with individuals from many different backgrounds.

• Veterans understand the rigors of tight schedules and limited resources. 
• They have developed the capacity to know how to accomplish priorities on time, in spite of tremendous stress.
• They know the critical importance of staying with a task until it is done right.

• Veterans have gained a unique perspective on the value of accountability. 
• They can grasp their place within an organizational framework, thus becoming responsible for subordinates’ actions to higher supervisory levels. 
• They know how policies and procedures enable an organization to exist and succeed

• Do not mistake the respect for procedures with a lack of adaptability or flexibility. 
• Veterans have had to make many changes throughout their careers. 
• Bosses, duty stations, and assignments that had no relation to their training and backgrounds. 
• They knew they had to make these situations successful and they did.   They will do so in your work environment.

Regions Financials Chairman and CEO, Jackson Moore believes:
“Veterans are especially equipped to help business deal with change.  You want people who perform effectively while providing leadership to other employees.  Today, every organization faces not only routine pressures, but unexpected occurrences that can quickly disrupt business as usual.  When you’ve served in the military, you can persevere in getting work done regardless of challenges.”