Veteran’s Forum Event
“Celebrating our Heroes: Strategies and Tools to Attract, Hire and Retain Talented Vets and Active Military” – organized by
the RI SHRM Workforce Development Committee
Thursday, November 7, 2019
7:30 am registration and breakfast
8:00 - 9:30 a.m. program
Join us to Celebrate our Hero’s and hear from our expert panel who will share their perspectives on the benefits and best practices to employ and retain active and reserve military employees.
Panelist Biographies
Major General Christopher P. Callahan
Major General Christopher P. Callahan assumed his duties as The Adjutant General, Rhode Island on 5 August 2015. He also serves as the Commanding General, Rhode Island National Guard. He is responsible for the mission readiness of all Rhode Island Army and Air National Guard units for both federal and state missions.
General Callahan has served in a variety of command and staff positions during his career. He was commissioned through the Early Commissioning Program into the United States Army National Guard in May, 1984. General Callahan has commanded Charlie Company, 1st Battalion 126th Aviation; Headquarters Commander 1st Battalion, 126th Aviation as well as Commander for Rhode Island Headquarters State Area Command Aviation Division. In 2003 he became the Commander of the 1st Battalion, 126th Aviation Combat Support Aviation Battalion. In 2005 General Callahan commanded Task Force Dragonwing Aviation Battalion in Balad, Iraq in support of Iraqi Freedom III. This unit was selected as the Army National Guard Unit of the year in 2005. General Callahan served as the State Army Aviation Officer for the Rhode Island National Guard from 2006 until March 2011 and as the Director of Operations/J3 for the Rhode Island National Guard from April 2011 to April 2014. Prior to this assignment General Callahan served as the Brigade Commander of 56th Troop Command when he was appointed by the Governor as The Adjutant General. He is a 1986 Fitchburg State College graduate with Bachelors of Science, Communications, Fitchburg, Massachusetts, a 2008 United States Army War College graduate with Master of Arts, National Security and Strategic Studies, Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania
Justin Hsu
A native of New York City, Justin Hsu graduated from Carnegie Mellon University with a B.S. in Policy and Management and was commissioned through the NROTC program. Upon completion of flight training, he was designated a Naval Flight Officer in the F-14 Tomcat. Over the course of his Navy career, Justin completed several deployments including Iraq in from 2002-2003, tsunami relief in Indonesia in 2005, and as commanding officer and executive officer of a Navy battalion in Iraq from 2008-2009. Justin transitioned to the F/A-18F Super Hornet and served as a flight instructor as well as managing all multinational maritime exercises in Europe and Africa for Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe/Africa and Commander, U.S. Sixth Fleet. He earned an M.S. in Defense Analysis from the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School in 2010. Justin concluded his 20-year naval career as a faculty member at the U.S. Naval War College in Newport, RI teaching operational planning and staff processes. Upon retiring from the Navy, Justin accepted a position as a Senior Vice President and Senior Program Manager at Citizens Bank managing the cyber security project portfolio. He recently moved to a new position at the bank driving strategic alignment and prioritization.
Since his military retirement and transition to his current role, he has worked tirelessly to connect employers with military personnel and visa-versa. He is the community lead for the Citizens Bank veteran’s group, a board member of Stand Beside Them, and he runs the RI veterans networking group. Justin will share is own experience transitioning to civilian work and his current perspective on military personnel transitioning and key skill sets for employers to consider and how best to support them at work.
J. Jack Andrade
A USAF Veteran, who served under Presidents Nixon and Ford, he transitioned from Security Police into the AF Environmental Health Services.
Honorably discharged, he traveled America for four years to readjust to civilian life and to find out what he missed. After this adjustment, he returned and entered the personal computer industry for software companies along Route 128.
During the wild west of the industry’s heyday, he graduated from Bryant College with a degree in business. The expanding success of the technology industry from personal computers to connected networks to the explosion of the internet, allowed him the luxury of giving back to his brothers and sisters in arms.
Since 2010, he has served as a Local Veteran Employment Representative for RI’s Veteran Services Unit of the DLT. He brings a unique ability to listen and address the personnel needs of small business to Fortune 500 companies. To help Rhode Island companies grow, he passionately advocates the benefits and value of hiring Veterans.
Whether translating the military language of MOS, AFSC, Ratings and their occupational equivalents, to tax credits and On-The-Job-Training for Veteran hires, Mr. Andrade is passionate about matching Employers needs with qualified Veteran candidates.
Anthony M. Ordway
Anthony Ordway is a Senior Account Executive with RecruitMilitary & Bradley-Morris Inc., the nation’s largest and most effective connection point between organizations and the highly sought-after military-experienced talent pool. He served as a CH-53E Super Stallion Helicopter Crew Chief for the duration of his 9 years enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. Anthony participated in multiple military schools including the Aviation Water Survival Training school (AWSTD), Navy East Coast SERE and Weapons & Tactics Instructor school. From 2010-2013 he served under Marine Aircraft Group 29, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing aboard MCAS New River, NC reporting to Squadron HMHT-302. There he supported Marine Aviation training, gaining depth of expertise in several technical areas, including aerial gunnery, heavy lift operations, night systems employment, and land and sea operations. From 2013-2018 He reported to Marine Aircraft Group 16, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing where he participated in two WESTPAC deployments. He provides a vast wealth of knowledge regarding the full military lifecycle from entering the military, serving in it, exiting the service and now providing resources to those who served in their quest for post-military success. He and the Bradley-Morris/RecruitMilitary Team have more than 60 combined years in the military to civilian employment niche and stand as a trusted resource and asset to Civilian Industry, Educational Institutions, Government Agencies, and Federal Contractors creating and enhancing their military hiring and outreach strategies. Anthony is a graduate of Southern New Hampshire University and holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Organizational Leadership Magna Cum Laude.
Cost:
- RI SHRM Members, Members in Transition and Students Free!
- Non-members and non-member guests: $30
Cancellations and refunds allowed up until 2 days before the event.
This event is presented by RI SHRM in partnership with our Sponsors.
