November 11, known as Veterans Day in the United States, Remembrance Day throughout the Commonwealth and Armistice Day in many other nations, marks the end of World War I. Throughout the world, we honor those who died in the first world war. In America, we also honor all veterans of our armed forces, and we show gratitude to current servicemembers.
At ZS, we celebrate the diversity of experiences that each ZSer brings. Veterans@ZS is an diversity, equity and inclusion group that helps ZS recruit, retain, unite and develop talented people with military experience around the world. The group takes pride in empowering its members to translate their military experience into success at ZS.
ZSer and veteran Rob says, “I joined Veterans@ZS to connect with other veterans and share experiences translating our military experience into being effective consultants."
Get to know some of our Veterans@ZS members below.
Aaron is the research and development excellence practice lead in our San Mateo office and has been with ZS for 17 years. Aaron served in the US Army for three years, where he worked as an engineer while stationed at Fort Lewis, Washington.
Aaron says, “My military service has been essential to my success over my civilian career. The Army helped me develop important leadership and problem-solving skills that I still rely on today. Moreover, the military has provided me with a network of fellow soldiers that will always be there when I need them throughout my life.”
When asked why he joined the Veterans@ZS group, Aaron explained “I like to stay connected to my military roots and help other veterans transition to civilian life and be successful at ZS.”
Shawn is a decision analytics associate consultant in our Evanston office, and joined ZS five years ago. Shawn served in the US Navy for a year and a half, where he was a student naval aviator in Pensacola, Florida.
“Veterans@ZS has helped me get to know others in the firm with a similar background and set of values. It has also provided the opportunity to do some pro-bono work and organize some get-togethers with veterans and allies outside of work,” explains Shawn.
Rachael is a strategy insights and planning manager in our Chicago office, and has been with ZS for 10 years. Rachael was an adjutant general in the US Army, where she served for five and a half years.
Rachael says her military service equipped her with lots of transferrable skills, including teamwork, leadership, and project management. “I've been a part of Veterans@ZS from the beginning. Initially it was a great avenue for social events with fellow veterans, but as we've grown it's become a great resource for supporting veteran ZSers and the veteran community,” Rachael says.
Andrew is the head of marketing and communications and has been with ZS for two years. Andrew served in the US Navy for six years, where he was a surface warfare officer.
Andrew derives a lot of value from his military service in his corporate work. “Serving in the military, especially at such a young age, helps one learn to deal and cope with high pressure situations and environments which translates well to the corporate world,” Andrew explains.
Matt is an associate consultant in our Chicago office, and came to ZS one year ago. Previously, Matt served in the US Marine Corps for six years, where he worked in logistics.
Matt joined ZS just two weeks after leaving the Marine Corps! Matt is a part of Veterans@ZS because, “I appreciate the support I receive from the network.”
Rob is a strategy insights and planning manager based in our Chicago office. Rob’s been with ZS for five years. Rob also served in the US Army for seven years, where he was an armor officer.
Rob says that his military career has had an impact on his career at ZS, “My military career has definitely influenced my civilian career. There are a lot of similarities between the military and consulting - tight timelines, problem-solving and needing to ‘get it right’ in everything that you do. The lessons I learned in the military influence how I approach projects and leading teams at ZS.”
Christen is a strategy insights and planning manager in our Philadelphia office, and has been a ZSer for three years. Previously, Christen served in the US Navy for six years, where she was a surface warfare officer in San Diego and in Washington, D.C.
“I joined the Veterans@ZS resource group to create awareness of veteran impact at ZS and to establish a network at ZS of those who understand military experience.”
Christen S.
When asked why she joined the Veterans@ZS group, Christen said, “When I joined ZS, I did not know there were other veterans at the company. It’s a pretty unique professional experience, and it’s helpful to see others who have a similar experience who are doing well and bringing those skills to bear in a consulting career. I joined the Veterans@ZS resource group to create awareness of veteran impact at ZS and to establish a network at ZS of those who understand military experience.”
Michael is a consultant in our New York office, and has been with ZS for three years. Michael also served as an operations officer in the New Jersey National Guard for 11 years.
“I joined Veterans@ZS to connect with other veterans and share experiences translating our military experience into being effective consultants. By being part of Veterans@ZS I have met veterans I would have likely never met, given our different expertise and projects we work on. It is also great to meet people with similar objectives to bring light to the veteran presence at ZS, recruit more veterans and try to give back to veterans outside of ZS,” says Michael.
Blaine is a decision analytics consultant in our Princeton office, and he’s been a ZSer for a year and a half. Previously, Blaine served in the US Coast Guard, where he held roles as a machinery technician and a search and rescue team leader.
Blaine, however, didn’t find Veterans@ZS so much as they found him. “Veterans@ZS connected me with veteran ZSers before I joined. The conversations we had made my decision to start my professional career at ZS easier. I joined the group so that I can ‘pay it forward’ and be a resource for veterans within ZS and those looking to join,” explains Blaine.
Matthew is an associate consultant in our Chicago office, and he’s been a ZSer for two years. Before ZS, Matthew served in the US Army for nine years, where he served as a field artillery officer stationed at Fort Bliss, Texas, and Fort Benning, Georgia.
Matt joined Veterans@ZS right away, saying, “It was important to interact with like-minded individuals during a transition. Having a core group who identifies with your experiences is a great resource in the first months adapting. You spend time reframing your thinking and interactions, and having a safety net that understands that process is vital.”
Thank you to all who have served and are serving. To learn more about our Veterans@ZS group visit: https://www.zs.com/careers/veterans-at-zs.
