Veterans Blog - Scott's Corner » TopVet and TopRank

Last Chance For Special Medal of Honor Commemorative Coins

vadmin — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 19:03:25 +0000

I just got back from our company’s annual holiday party for staff, board members and VIPs, where we distributed these fabulous commemorative coin gift sets recognizing the 150th Anniversary of the Congressional Medal of Honor, courtesy of the US Mint and the Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation. The CMOH Foundation is co-chaired by Bruce Whitman, the CEO of Flight Safety International, and a recent Veterans Advantage TopVet, who we also honored at our event.

Let me tell you – they make great gifts, and family heirlooms. For more information, about the Medal of Honor commemorative coins click here .

Coins may be purchased directly online from the U.S. Mint by clicking here. — But hurry, this offer is good only through Friday, December 16, 2011 before this limited edition gets discontinued from circulation.

Honoring West Point’s Col. Douglas Wheelock

vadmin — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 19:53:36 +0000

With the last Space Shuttle mission scheduled for July 8, we want to introduce you to our TopRank, Col. Doug “Wheels” Wheelock of the US Army and NASA, the commander of the International Space Station (ISS), Expedition 25. Long-time friend Mark Sullivan introduced us to “Wheels” recently, and we’re grateful he did. There’s an adage that says true success comes to those who genuinely and freely share their gifts with others. Col. Wheelock embodies that adage. He is truly an inspiring individual with a deep respect for those who serve and those who need a little extra inspiration in order to serve. Enjoy!

Celebrating the Army’s Birthday, and an Army TopVet

vadmin — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 12:45:19 +0000

As we celebrated on our Facebook page last week, Happy 236th Birthday to the US Army, and a special “Thank You” to all my fellow Army Vets.

Special recognition to Ed Fuller, this month’s TopVet, an Army Vietnam Vet, who rose to become President of Marriott’s International operation.

We Honor Marriott’s Edwin D. Fuller as a Veterans Advantage TopVet

vadmin — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 12:22:12 +0000

There’s a lot to be said for employee loyalty. It’s critical for success in any business enterprise. Yet, it seems less prevalent today than ever before. That’s why it was so refreshing to meet with Edwin D. Fuller, President of Marriott’s International lodging business recently. A fellow Vietnam Vet, over the last 38 years, Ed has singlehandedly put his fingerprints on every Marriott hotel you’ve ever seen outside of the United States…and even some in the states, too!

And yes, he’s logged more miles than George Clooney in last year’s hit movie “Up in the Air.”

We honored Fuller as a Veterans Advantage TopVet last week, in recognition of his Army service and extraordinary professional achievements at Marriott, proving once again, that the skills gained through military service are invaluable in building great companies.

I was joined by Peter Eldredge from our Board, and Roy Asfar, our VP of Marketing. We listened to Fuller cover the world’s capitals and datelines like we talk about our neighborhood coffee shop. Ed is also building world-class hotels in a land he once visited as a young LT. braced for war: Vietnam. For those of us who served in Vietnam, we marvel at how much the world has changed in our lifetime!

And now that he is nearing 40 years of service with the same employer, working with Navy Veteran and CEO J.W. Marriott, Fuller is planning a change of pace in a year or so - writing books, hitting the speaking circuit and teaching at UC-Irvine. In the meantime, there’s plenty of work to do and Ed always has his bag packed, so he can get it done!

Marriott's Edwin D. Fuller with Veterans Advantage Founder & CEO Scott Higgins

Verizon Wireless CEO Lowell C. McAdam, Navy Veteran, Gets A Key Promotion

vadmin — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 14:04:29 +0000

It seems to have become peak season on the newswires for those who are linked by military service. I was pleased to see that Lowell C. McAdam, a Veterans Advantage TopVet Award recipient last summer, was promoted from CEO of Verizon Wireless to President and COO of the corporate parent, Verizon Communications Inc.

“The Board’s selection of Lowell to this key, central position underscores its commitment to reward success while working with me to prepare our company for an executive transition in the future,” Verizon CEO – and fellow Veteran – Ivan Seidenberg said in a news release.

Elsewhere, in sports, soon-to-be football Hall of Fame Quarterback Kurt Warner, linked to our military thanks to his Marine Corps wife, is hoofing it on Dancing with the Stars, and turning quite a few heads.

Finally, a friend was excited to pass along an email that he received from the International Space Station (ISS) 200 miles above the earth. His friend and West Point graduate Douglas H. Wheelock, assumed command of the ISS last week, and became the first Active Duty Army Astronaut to do so. Congrats Wheels!

WWII Navy Vet Ernest Borgnine to Receive Screen Actors Guild Honors

vadmin — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 13:42:29 +0000

Just crossing the wires — Ernest Borgnine, a man who served his country and knows how to play a Vet, will be receiving the Screen Actors Guild lifetime achievement award. The former star of the hit 60′s comedy “McHale’s Navy” served 10 years in the U.S. Navy, including a re-enlistment so he could serve during World War II. Borgnine went on to co-star in “AirWolf,” a 1980s military-themed action drama where he played a WWII Veteran. A great patriot and a fine actor!

We Honor Roland Smith, CEO of Wendy’s / Arby’s, as a Veterans Advantage TopVet

vadmin — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 03:42:41 +0000

We visited the headquarters of Wendy’s / Arby’s Group last week to honor its CEO Roland Smith with our TopVet Award. Like most West Pointers, he has a strong desire to do things in a big way. But I must say, I’ve rarely seen it on this scale. A lot of us are athletes with some notable accomplishments, but have you ever met a guy who just successfully climbed Mt. McKinley, shoots an 81 in golf, having played only 4 times in the last 4 years, and bowls on average over 200? Look no further than the corner office of this $12 billion company. Is there anything this guy doesn’t do well?!

Kidding aside, Roland’s diverse range of talents is only exceeded by his desire to lead people and assist his employees to reach their personal dreams. His track record at this goal is impressive…read more about our TopVet here.

Veterans Advantage Visits OfficeMax To Honor Its CEO Sam Duncan

vadmin — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 17:06:01 +0000

We stopped by Sam Duncan’s office last week in Naperville, Illinois to present him with a TopVet award. Sam is an extraordinary American success story, rising from humble beginnings to CEO of OfficeMax, a Fortune 500 company. Sam married early, proudly served in the Army, and applied those lessons learned to his life and business.

Read Sam Duncan’s Profile. He has transformed OfficeMax from a struggling office supplier to a successful enterprise, a family of 35,000 associates, generating more than $7 billion in revenue. With his wife of 40 years, he is the proud father of three daughters and three grandsons. This Fathers Day, Veterans Advantage honors Sam.

OfficeMax CEO Sam Duncan receives “TopVet Award”
from Veterans Advantage Founder and CEO Scott Higgins.

TopVet Salute: Snap-on CEO Nicholas Pinchuk

vadmin — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 20:45:40 +0000

In this internet and email age, thank goodness there are those who still value the art of the physical “thank you” note. I was delighted to receive an extremely well-written one in my mailbox from this week’s TopVet Nicholas Pinchuk, CEO of Snap-on (NYSE: SNA).

A fellow Vietnam Veteran, Pinchuk warmly welcomed us to his offices in Wisconsin last month. We exchanged stories about our service and the many ways military service contributes to success in Corporate America. Former 1st Lieutenant Pinchuk is a shining example of success and achievement in American business.

As he told us in an exclusive TopVet interview:

“In Vietnam, you learned the lesson of being confident and collected under pressure. And what you saw more graphically than in any other situation is that in such a pressure environment, your team can get rattled, but they look to you, as their leader, for stability. …They will take their cues from you. They will be confident or concerned, depending on how you react to the situation.”

In Vietnam, Pinchuk led with confidence and by example. Today, under his leadership, Snap-on greatly values these traits in their business. Check out “Snap-on salutes our Veterans,” a special video profiling a career Navy Veteran-turned successful Snap-on franchisee. Here are the lessons learned from military service successfully playing out in the civilian world of work. Snap-on is a proud supporter of the Wounded Warrior Project, an important partner of Veterans Advantage, too.

So, here’s to Nicholas Pinchuk! We honor him for his service and salute him for his achievements and continued leadership in business.

Snap-on CEO Nicholas Pinchuk receives his TopVet Award
from Veterans Advantage Founder Scott Higgins (l. to r.)

Veterans Advantage Visits Verizon Wireless To Honor Its CEO Lowell McAdam

vadmin — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 17:59:12 +0000

Just prior to Veterans Day, we honored Navy Vet and Verizon Wireless CEO Lowell McAdam with a TopVet Award. Lin, Board member Peter Eldredge and Roy Asfar, our marketing VP, travelled to the sprawling corporate headquarters of Verizon Wireless in Basking Ridge, NJ and met with Lowell and his corporate communications chief, Jim Gerace. We presented Lowell with a framed copy of his TopVet Award for his service and achievements following his 4-year Navy stint. Lowell attributes his remarkable climb to the top of the largest U.S. carrier in part to the skills and experience he acquired in the Navy. “The things you learn in the service will stay with you your whole life,” he said. Lowell’s a wonderful guy, smart, knowledgeable and proud to be recognized for his service. It was truly a pleasure to meet him and recognize his achievements. Read our profile of Lowell McAdam.

Verizon Wireless has been very active lately with new products and services, and we salute the company for having one of the Navy’s best at the helm. Veterans Advantage hopes to work with Lowell’s team in the future to recognize service to our nation. Stay tuned.

Verizon Wireless CEO Lowell McAdam receives "TopVet Award” from Veterans Advantage Founder and CEO Scott Higgins