EquipmentShare Commits to Grow Veteran Employment by 50% Over Next Two Years in Celebration of Veterans Day

EquipmentShare and its employees also raised $20,000 to support nonprofits Welcome Home and Hire Heroes USA.

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Nov 13, 2020, 15:33 ET

COLUMBIA, Mo., Nov. 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- EquipmentShare, a construction technology company, announced plans to increase the number of military veterans it employs by 50% within the next two years. This news comes on the heels of Veterans Day and the conclusion of EquipmentShare's fundraising campaign, which raised $20,000 to be gifted to two veterans-centric nonprofits, Welcome Home and Hire Heroes USA.

EquipmentShare San Antonio pledges to the American flag and their veterans on Veterans Day, November 11, 2020. (PRNewsfoto/EquipmentShare)

"These men and women have served in our place, and we are extremely grateful for the sacrifice they've made," said EquipmentShare's CEO and co-founder Jabbok Schlacks. "Some of them have even made the ultimate sacrifice and given their lives for our country. On this day, we want to thank them for their service and show them our appreciation."

Today, veterans make up about 10 percent of EquipmentShare's workforce. It is the company's goal to increase the number of veteran employees to 15 percent, or 300 veterans. EquipmentShare will commit to participating in military-focused job fairs and will review all job applications that indicate military service, in addition to partnering with Hire Heroes USA to support efforts to transition more service members to civilian work.

"Hire Heroes exists to empower veterans to find success in the civilian workforce," said Andrew Sandoe, chief executive officer at Hire Heroes USA. "When companies like EquipmentShare make an investment like this, they ensure success after service is a reality for our nation's military families. We are honored to partner with them in this mission."

"It's a privilege and honor to have veterans be a part of our team, and we're humbled to be able to work alongside them," Schlacks said. "EquipmentShare has always hired veterans and service members, but with today's announcement, we are making it a commitment for the long-term. We're proud to partner with Hire Heroes USA so we can make good on our promise to continuously support our veterans."

Together, EquipmentShare and its employees raised $20,000 to support both Hire Heroes USA and Welcome Home, a nonprofit in Columbia, Mo., that empowers homeless and at-risk veterans in mid-Missouri to return to society as productive, self-supporting citizens.

"Welcome Home is honored to partner with EquipmentShare for their annual Veterans Day campaign," said Interim Executive Director of Welcome Home Megan Sievers. "The company and its employees are deeply passionate about supporting the mission to honor veterans and restore lives. We could not be more grateful for their partnership and generosity during this special week."

Recently, EquipmentShare learned of a story involving an employee's young daughter who turned her school project into a show of appreciation for U.S. Marine Corps Veteran Eric Benjamin, who also works at EquipmentShare. Watch the video, which highlights the girl's admiration of a real-life hero.

"It's hard to explain what's going through a veteran's head," Benjamin said in the video. "You're constantly (thinking) no one cares. The key is that unsolicited gesture. For an 8-year-old child to pick you and write a letter... and be proud (of you), that will choke you up."

EquipmentShare is actively hiring for various positions at locations across the country and encourages veterans to explore opportunities within the company. Glassdoor recently named EquipmentShare one of the top growing companies in the country despite the pandemic.

Welcome Home is a nonprofit, veteran-centric organization based in Columbia, Mo., which is also the home of EquipmentShare's headquarters. Welcome Home helps veterans experiencing homelessness and at-risk veterans through transitional living programs and individualized services that serve the unique needs of each veteran. Most veterans residing at Welcome Home struggle with physical or mental disabilities, coupled with chronic instability in employment and housing. Welcome Home helps veterans get back on their feet by providing comprehensive wrap-around services to homeless veterans and their families, as well as those at risk of becoming homeless.

Hire Heroes USA empowers U.S. military members, veterans and spouses to succeed in the civilian workforce. It offers personalized one-on-one coaching, professionally revised resumes, mentoring, workshops, a job board, career fairs and more to tens of thousands of job-seeking veterans and military spouses annually. Hire Heroes USA prioritizes transparency, earning a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator and the GuideStar Platinum Seal. Funded exclusively through public donations and private grants, Hire Heroes USA provides its services at no cost to clients.

Headquartered in Columbia, Mo., EquipmentShare is a nationwide construction solutions ecosystem provider that solves industry pain points through smart jobsite technology and equipment rental, retail and service distribution. More than a rental company, EquipmentShare's cloud platform enables construction and industrial companies to gain a real-time view into the connected jobsite. EquipmentShare's enterprise suite is OEM-agnostic and can track any piece of equipment, regardless of brand, to help fleet managers monitor assets, prevent theft and machine misuse, track employee hours and shifts, increase machine utilization, streamline maintenance and prevent unplanned downtime.

Founded in 2015, EquipmentShare employs nearly 2,000 team members of diverse perspectives that push the boundaries of possibilities to create unparalleled customer value, support their communities and empower construction professionals to work more efficiently. EquipmentShare's growing presence of more than 70 locations, which includes equipment and service yards, research and development sites, administrative offices and specialty solutions, serve the rapid demand for the company's equipment and digital solutions. To learn more about the company, visit equipmentshare.com.

For additional information, contact:
Amy N. Susan
(573) 890-0609
[email protected]

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SOURCE EquipmentShare