Just like service members instinctively look out for each other, we look out for each other here at Bank of America. And one of the best ways to do so is to thank them for their service and make sure we connect employees who are veterans or military spouses with colleagues who share similar backgrounds and experiences.
Veterans like Ann Peterson and Brian Jones have taken advantage of the training programs and mentorship opportunities Bank of America offers. At Bank of America, Ann and Brian are able to focus on advancing their careers, all while paying it forward through mentorship to other service members, veterans and military spouses — helping them navigate the uncharted territory of civilian life and their new roles.
Meet the veterans
Ann Peterson
Brian Jones
Meet Ann Peterson – an Army veteran and corporate mentor
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/assets/images/ann-still.jpg|Ann|VIDEO: We help veterans like Ann have the power to successfully transition to rewarding new careers
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[Ann Peterson]
Leaving the military can be a very difficult transition. There was nobody with a roadmap. There was nobody telling me where to go when I got out of the military.
SUPER: Ann Peterson / Bank of America Employee / US Army Veteran
[Ann Peterson]
I’d never worked in banking before, was actually quite intimidated by it.
Without the adequate military training that I had I would not have been successful in those roles.
I was able to grow and develop in my own career, more than I thought I even could because of the challenges and opportunities they put in front of me.
I work in HR in one of the largest banks in the world and I’ve made that transition from military life to civilian life.
I now have the power to help other veterans and their families succeed in their careers.
When I first met Cami Briggs I understood the challenges she was up against.
SUPER: Cami Briggs / Bank of America Employee / Military Spouse
[Cami Briggs]
I never wanted to be like “oh the poor military spouse”
She really took the time to invest in giving me the right council and making sure I understood the environment that I was moving into.
[Ann Peterson]
Her family situation with her husband being in the military, I’ve been there. I understood being part of a military family.
[Cami Briggs]
Somebody like Ann who carries passion with her in everything that she does. She is one of those people that you can’t just fly under the radar with.
She expects a lot of people, and she gives a lot back.
[Ann Peterson]
I’ve never seen anybody work so hard to overcome the challenges that Cami was up against.
[Cami Briggs]
My husband’s deployments are very random. His biggest worry isn’t necessarily where he’s going or what he’s doing, but it’s what’s happening at home and making sure that we’re taken care of.
He knows that I have people like Ann looking out for me. There’s just a steady aspect that I don’t have to worry about because sometimes the rest of my life feels chaotic I know that this is my home.
[Ann Peterson]
Bank of America was able to help us along the way. It’s about caring about the person, understanding the person, and helping them grow.
Music softens
END CARD
[Bank of America Logo]
go to bankofamerica.com/militarysupport to learn more
Images do not represent any endorsement, expressed or implied, by the Department of Defense or any other United States government agency. Bank of America and the Bank of America logo are registered trademarks of Bank of America Corporation. Bank of America, N.A. Member FDIC. © 2018 Bank of America Corporation. ARC95TPL
VIDEO: We help veterans like Ann have the power to successfully transition to rewarding new careers
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Ann Peterson was 20 years old and attending the University of Nebraska when she and a friend met an Army recruiter. “I was ready to get out of Nebraska and see the world,” Ann said. “My recruiter was very persuasive and sold me on what the military could offer — travel, being outdoors and getting paid to work out. It sounded great to me.”
Ann’s family was not as enthusiastic. But the more they tried to talk her out of it, the more convinced she became to enlist and did so shortly before the start of the first Gulf War in 1990. “I was the youngest of nine children and was always in someone else’s shadow,” she said. “I never felt I had a voice until I joined the military.”
Ann got her wish to see the world and spent three years in Germany. Upon returning to the states, she made the decision to get out of active duty, join the National Guard and get her MBA.
After graduation, she married and moved with her husband to Seattle. Her daughter, Reagan, was born a few years later and she and her husband divorced. “My ex-husband is in the military and travels all over the world. He is gone for long periods of time so I’ve had to adjust to being a single parent 24/7, 365 days a year.”
In 2006, Ann and her daughter moved to Charlotte after she was offered a job at Bank of America. Since then, she’s been promoted several times and is currently an HR executive. Ann credits her success to the skills she learned in the military and through support from bank leaders and mentors. “There’s not a doubt in my mind: I would not be where I am today without my military training and having the internal support I needed to juggle my responsibilities at home,” she said. “At Bank of America, I have been able to grow and develop in my own career because of the challenges and opportunities that have been put in front of me.”
Ann’s unique perspective of being both a veteran and a former military spouse is one of the reasons she mentors other teammates in similar situations. “I’ve made the transition from military to civilian life and I have the power to help other veterans and their families succeed in their careers. That starts with caring about the person, understanding them and helping them grow which is what we do every day at Bank of America.”
Meet Brian Jones – a veteran who is paying it forward
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/assets/images/brian-still.jpg|Brian|Our training and mentorship programs give veterans like Brian the power to advance their career.
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[Brian Jones]
All I’d known was the military. My friends were in the military. As you’re getting out and trying to parlay your skills- The leadership, the team work…
SUPER: Brian Jones / Bank of America Employee / US Army Veteran
[Brian Jones]
all the experiences you’ve had in the military and being able to bring that forward.
[Brian Jones]
Bank of America had a veteran’s program where they were able to see that you’ve had these experiences, but then recognize that they can take these skills that you can bring over and they can give you the tools to be successful in finance.
I had my mentor, Bill, giving me guidance as far as crafting your story, why you want to be here, what translates.
Career advancement is one of the reasons why coming to Bank of America was important for me. Being able to have the opportunity to have a career versus a job was exciting.
Now I have the power to pass on what other people have given me. Whether it’s guidance, or tips, or just conversations.
Tom and I met in 2015 as he was transitioning out of the military. I was able to help him make introductions, help him tell his story, and help him see how his skill set applied.
SUPER: Tom Cai / Bank of America Employee / US Army Veteran
[Tom Cai]
It is an absolutely terrifying experience for many veterans.
[Tom Cai]
I think the great thing I found as I was making my transition was having the network of veterans at Bank of America because there was always someone I could go to to answer a question.
What the Bank does really well is to help that integration process. By bringing veterans and pairing them up with mentors allowing the veterans to essentially find themselves and then seek out different paths within the Bank itself.
Brian was really able to help me to figure out how to carve my own career path.
If it wasn’t for Brian and the role that he played through his mentorship in helping me make this transition, my family and I wouldn’t be able to have the life that we currently have.
I actually mentor a couple of veterans. In many ways, I emulated what Brian did for me in the way I interacted with them.
[Brian Jones]
Being able to see the concept of paying it forward and to see that through Tom and through his work with his mentee.
It’s exciting to see that lineage continue. It’s what we hope for.
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END CARD:
[Bank of America Logo]
go to bankofamerica.com/militarysupport to learn more
Images do not represent any endorsement, expressed or implied, by the Department of Defense or any other United States government agency. Bank of America and the Bank of America logo are registered trademarks of Bank of America Corporation. Bank of America, N.A. Member FDIC. © 2018 Bank of America Corporation. ARC95TPL
Our training and mentorship programs give veterans like Brian the power to advance their career.
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Our training and mentorship programs give veterans like Brian the power to advance their career.
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For Brian Jones, a U.S. Army veteran who joined the bank in 2015, making the decision to leave the military after eight years was scary. “The Army was the only life I knew and it was hard to take that first step but I am so glad I did because of where I am today,” Brian said. “Having said that, my first few months were stressful. I had to learn a new culture and new language while at the same time a brand new career.”
Shortly after joining the Bank, Brian was paired with Bill Golden, a former Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Army. “Bill was instrumental in helping me understand that the skills veterans bring to the table — like leadership and working on a team — were assets that the bank valued.”
Today, Brian is a mentor to Tom Cai, a veteran who served in the U.S. Army for 10 years before coming to Bank of America. For Tom, having a network of veterans like Brian is critical. “It is an absolutely terrifying experience for many veterans who are transitioning from military life,” Tom said. “Brian is someone I can always go to, no matter what the issue or question is. If it wasn’t for Brian and the role that he has played through his mentorship, my family and I wouldn’t be able to have the life we currently have. I am forever grateful and, as a mentor, I try to emulate all that he has taught me.”
“Being able to help Tom transition from the military to where he is today has been so rewarding,” Brian said. “I can pass on what Bill has given me, and that’s what our veteran mentorship program is all about. I want veterans to know that being at Bank of America is more than a job — it’s a career.”
10/30/18
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