Supporting our Veterans and Allies

2023

Veterans Day

Remembrance Day

Armistice Day

Veterans and Allied Network | BlackRock

Gary Shedlin

Hello I'm Gary Shedlin, Vice Chairman and proud Co-Executive Sponsor of the Veteran and Allies network. Depending on where you are in the world November 11th might be known to you as Armistice Day, Remembrance Day, or Veteran’s Day. No matter the denomination it is a special day and an opportunity to honor the service of those who have gone to extraordinary lengths to defend our freedom and protect our nations. At BlackRock we understand the power of diversity of thought, veterans bring unique skill sets and perspectives that are valued and contribute to the firms success.

Michelle Bolten

Global Co-Chair of VET

In EMEA, the veterans transition program has been in place for eight years. Over that time the programme has become an amazing pipeline for talent. Many service leaders underestimate the skills and experience they bring to the table when they leave the armed forces. We as the network are here to help them realize their full potential.

Franklin Middlebrooks

VET Member

I'm a proud member of the inaugural U.S. veterans transition program. Successes we achieve are rarely ones we celebrate alone, opportunity and connectivity to impactful aspects of the veteran’s transition program make the program a success in diversifying our workforce providing opportunities to service members and connecting each with peers and leaders create inclusion embodies 1 BlackRock and supports the mission of creating a better financial future for our clients.

Tristian Burwell

VET Member

I'm currently on BlackRocks Veterans Transition Program following thirteen years of service in the British Army. The transition program has provided a fantastic opportunity for me to embark on a second career that's a world removed from where I previously worked and shows that my diverse skill sets can be well harnessed in the financial sector.

Aaron Lehn

Global Co-Chair of VET

The Veterans and Allies network strives to maintain the same core values that military culture is known, for giving back to something bigger than oneself, the focus on teamwork, the spree decor and it's so exciting to see the passion and energy that employees bring to the network, the collaboration that takes place across geographies and the sharing of experiences with one another. I hear it from members time and time again who say how rewarding it is to be part of this global community and I'm proud to be part of it.

Sudhir Nair

Co-Executive Sponsor of VET Network

Hi I'm Sudhir Nair and I recently joined Gary as Co-Executive Sponsor of the VET network. While Remembrance Day is a great reminder to show gratitude to our veterans, your support is encouraged all year long. Personally, I'm a proud ally of our vet community. While I didn't serve in the military myself, my father-in-law did and I feel incredibly connected and honored to be part of our network. I'd like to leave you with a few action items #1 join, join the veterans and allied network today you can sign up with just one click #2 give back by making a donation through the Vests for Vets Benevity page to the American Corporate Partners and the Royal British Legion and #3 be an active champion and look for opportunities to show your support and engage with the veteran community regularly. Lastly join the VET teams’ channel to share stories and photos to honor loved ones who have served in the military. To the service members around the world who have bravely served our communities, we thank you.

Jazmine

A [VET] Story

My, name is Jazmine and this is How I Lead.

Oh, goodness. That's all I got.

(Laughs)

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I'm from Newark, New Jersey, born and raised, but moved to South Jersey around the age of seven. I'm the third oldest out of the seven and first to go to college.

I think moving to more of a suburban neighborhood gave us that safety and the freedom to do certain things. Particularly, they had a JROTC, program which is Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps, that's the leadership program in military. I joined the National Guard in 2015 and I was in a chemical unit. I simultaneously was working for this chemical unit in the National Guard in Virginia while going to college. So I think having that balance within that lifestyle was very different and unique to my experience. When you come from a service life of the military and then you jump into a corporate life, you take one uniform off and then put on a suit. It's kind of a different experience. But there are all types of military individuals here. So not only the service members that have served as well, but also additional people, allies, within the veterans program. Having an opportunity to create that family and that dynamic, that support system, that's kind of like that moment where I felt like I belonged here, but I could thrive here as well. And that was one of my happiest moments here at BlackRock so far.

A real leader cares, but cares enough to inspire others to really push for the same goals or even surpass those goals. People only want to give in what you're putting out. So I think taking that time to really understand that is something that not all leaders have been able to do. If I had to give one word for my type of leadership, it's inspiring. I think even putting on the uniform each day when I walk outside, how often do you see a black woman who is a leader, not just any type of soldier, but also leading a whole company of over 200 soldiers? Being a part of that type of rare opportunity and rare experience and position gives me that unique view on life, but also gives others that unique view that, no this is not a one-time thing. There's others to follow me.

I think when we look at our full selves, we think more than just-- I think more than just the military, I think more than just being a black woman. There's so many things I identify as. And I think they have a network for almost every single thing that I identify as. But even the things I don't even know I will be a part of in the future.

From the Out & Allies to the Veterans Network, but also Black Professionals, I've

been able to tap into each one of them and find some different type of support that made me feel comfortable in my own way. And I think that's an awesome experience and feeling, but also impactful for the networks to actually-- to actually put in the work and give that support and make it feel like more than a job. It feels like fun.

BlackRock

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