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The Honor Foundation Announces Jon Skinner as New Chairman of the Board of Directors

Jon Skinner, Chief Executive Officer of PSP Partners, Elected Chairman of the Board of the Foundation Starting in 2023

The Honor Foundation [THF], a unique nonprofit transition institute created for transitioning members of the U.S. Special Operations Forces community has announced that Jon Skinner will assume the role of the Chairman of THF’s Board of Directors, starting in 2023. For the last eight and a half years, THF has successfully developed and implemented a nationally recognized transition program for elite members of the Special Operations Forces [SOF] Enterprise, helping them to navigate the complex career transformation from military to civilian life. It accomplishes this by way of an executive education-style curriculum that combines world class one-on-one executive coaching and industry mentoring, three months of intensive classroom instruction, and access to an elite nationwide professional network. Skinner, who has served as a member of THF’s board for the last four years, has been a long-time supporter of The Honor Foundation and various causes.

Skinner brings an extensive finance and executive management background and a history of philanthropic contributions to his new role. He currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer of PSP Partners and its affiliates, PSP Capital, PSP Growth and Pritzker Realty Group based in Chicago, Illinois, and is responsible for implementing and overseeing the company’s strategic direction and is a member of the investment committee. Previously, Skinner was a Partner at William Blair & Company from 2008 to 2021, having been named a Vice Chair of Investment Banking at William Blair in 2021 after serving as the Head of Technology Investment Banking from 2015 to 2020. Prior to joining William Blair in 2006, he worked as both an investment banker and an attorney.

In addition to serving as chairman of the Board of Directors of The Honor Foundation, Skinner is also a member of Bottom Line Chicago’s regional Board, a member of the Chicago History Museum’s Board of Trustees, and is a member of the Springboard Foundation. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from Brown University and his Juris Doctorate, magna cum laude, from Boston College Law School.

Skinner is also a frequent guest lecturer at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management (in addition to others) on the topic of values-based leadership.

“As incoming chairman, I am fortunate in this new role to continue working alongside fellow board members, advisors and the dedicated THF Staff in growth and expansion of the organization and in the success of its program. Thank you to Harry Leonhardt, former chairman, for his exceptional leadership and contributions over the past two years. His commitment to The Honor Foundation is unmatched.

The Honor Foundation and I are grateful for the opportunity to support the men and women of the Special Operations Forces community who have dedicated their lives to serving our country. These American heroes and their families deserve a seamless career transition after their years of sacrifice, and I believe that this organization will provide the experience they deserve — and will continue to provide — long after they remove their uniform.

When I was first introduced to The Honor Foundation, the organization had one campus in San Diego and had its eyes set on opening a Virginia Beach location to have a greater reach in the Special Operations community. Today, our transformational transition program has benefited over 1,800 Alumni with eight campuses, serving personnel from each of the Special Operations components. Each participant is given a comprehensive set of tools and access to world class coaching and networking, to help translate their skills, talents and expertise into fulfilling and impactful leadership positions in the civilian workforce.

As elite members of the Special Operations Forces, their elevated levels of professionalism, maturity and diverse experiences will serve to benefit our nation’s workforce tremendously.”

Skinner is assuming the role of Chairman of the Board at an exciting time for THF as the organization continues to steadily expand its scale and impact while maintaining a high-touch, high-value experience and curriculum. To date, about 2,800 individuals and families have utilized THF, either through the full transition program or through specially tailored workshops, to assist those in the SOF community who are looking to jumpstart their own transition journey.

Matt Stevens, CEO of The Honor Foundation, who also serves on the THF Board of Directors, is excited to welcome Skinner as Chairman.

“I have had the pleasure of working with Jon over the past several years on the THF Board and I can think of no one better to lead this organization into its next phase! Over the years, his generous support and expertise have enabled THF to thrive and achieve our vision of impacting more men and women in the SOF community. I am looking forward to working closely with Jon to positively impact the lives of every member of the Special Operations community throughout their transition.”

About The Honor Foundation
The Honor Foundation (THF) is a career transition program for U.S. Special Operations Forces that effectively translates their elite military service to the private sector and helps create the next generation of corporate and community leaders. It achieves this through a three-month program which provides tailored executive education, one-on-one coaching, and access to a nationwide professional network. This program was built by the desire to serve others with honor for life, so that their next mission is always clear and continues to impact the world. Every step is dedicated to preparing these outstanding men and women to continue to realize their maximum potential during and after their service career. The Honor Foundation has 1,800+ graduates to date and has campuses in San Diego, CA; Virginia Beach, VA; Camp Lejeune, NC; Fort Bragg, NC; Eglin, FL; Tampa, FL; and two virtual campuses (THFv). The Navy SEAL Foundation is a Founding Partner of The Honor Foundation.
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THF Houston

Please join The Honor Foundation in Houston this October for a wonderful evening that includes testimonials from our Alumni and a guest speaker, cocktails, a three-course dinner, and an auction to benefit The Honor Foundation.

For sponsorship or questions regarding the event, please contact J.P. Tuthill at jp@honor.org

Matt Stevens on NewsNation

On September 16, 2022, THF CEO Matt Stevens was a featured guest on NewsNation’s “On Balance with Leland Vittert” to speak about The Honor Foundation and the nation’s current events.

Special forces soldiers struggle to find jobs in civilian life | On Balance

THF’s J.P. Tuthill Featured on The Philanthropy United Podcast

Listen to THF’s Director of Impact, J.P. Tuthill, on The Philanthropy United Podcast share the mission of The Honor Foundation and how he found fulfillment after his own career as a U.S. Army Green Beret.

Thank you for sharing your time with us, The Philanthropy United! Visit the link below to listen to J.P.’s full episode.

 

https://www.philanthropyunited.com/podcast

THF Dallas Event Featured in Bubble Life

Plano Fundraiser Connects Local Veterans with National Military Transition Organization

Michelle Buckalew – Guest Contributor

The Honor Foundation, a military career transition organization that serves U.S. Special Operations Forces, and Surefox North America, a local veteran-owned and operated security consulting firm, were proud to host local veterans and Plano City Council Member Rick Grady for an exclusive fundraiser and networking event at Haywire Plano on May 12.

Honored guests of the evening also included graduates of The Honor Foundation’s transition program which helps special operations veterans translate their military service to careers in the private sector. Its nationally recognized curriculum combines one-on-one executive coaching and industry mentoring as well as access to an elite, nationwide professional network.

The event was sponsored by Surefox.  About 80% of the company’s employees are veterans.

“The Honor Foundation and Surefox North America share the same values and the same vision to help our veterans transition to civilian life,” said Brian Sweigart, Surefox Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer. “We both provide veterans a safe place to learn and grow alongside other veterans who understand the challenges, and we empower them to succeed by placing them in positions where their unique skills and expertise are valued.”

“The Honor Foundation helps our Special Ops Forces transition through one of the most difficult times of their lives and find fulfillment after the military,” said Matt Stevens, THF Chief Executive Officer. “We are grateful to have a partner like Surefox support us so we can continue to help veterans. Our goal is to make sure their next mission is always clear.”

91% of Special Operators feel transition out of the military is more difficult than combat deployment and being separated from family. Vietnam veteran and Plano City Council Member Rick Grady says it’s important that veterans receive support and training to help them integrate back into civilian life.

“Military transition programs like this are critical to our veteran community. For many veterans, returning to civilian life can be like going to a foreign country. They don’t know where they are going to live, how to build a resume, or how to find a job.  That’s why so many veterans end up homeless,” said Grady. “I hope that more corporations will see the incredible value and skillset our veterans offer and welcome them into their organizations.”

Since 2014, more than 1,500 veterans have graduated from The Honor Foundation’s career transition program.

 

Find the full article HERE as featured on:

Plano Bubble Life

Preston Hollow Bubble Life

Addison Bubble Life

Garland Bubble Lie

Lakewood/East Dallas Bubble Life

 

Swim for SOF on 10News

THF’s Swim for SOF on ABC 10News!

The Honor Foundation’s Swim for SOF event on September 18 is a high-performance athletic challenge that will raise awareness and funds for transitioning members of the Special Operations Forces community.

This event is the first of its kind in San Diego and will feature a 3.3-mile open swim, push-ups, pull-ups, a ceremony at the USS Midway Museum and after-party at the Intercontinental San Diego.

Visit the link to view the full clip!

THF Featured on SOFcast Podcast

“Transition is a layered approach and it certainly depends on all the factors like your job, your deployments — things like that. Whatever you do, you have to make sure you have an offramp and not a cliff. You don’t want to come to the cliff and fall off. You want to walk down the ramp and have a smooth landing…” — Matt Stevens

Listen to THF CEO Matt Stevens, SEAL (ret.), and VP of Operations, Michael Halterman, Marine Raider (ret.), share their challenges of transitioning from the world of Special Operations to the civilian sector on the official USSOCOM podcast, SOFcast.

Click to listen to the full interview HERE.

Matt Stevens Featured on the Everyday Coach Podcast

THF CEO Matt Stevens was recently a guest on the Everyday Coach Podcast, hosted by Harrison Bernstein, Founder of Soldiers to Sidelines.

 

 

Listen NOW:

Harrison is the Founder/Executive Director of Soldiers To Sidelines. The organization educates and certifies veterans and service members of every branch to become expert coaches. Then helps them earn coaching positions within their community.
Prior to his work with STS, Harrison has coached in the NFL with the Washington Redskins, Cleveland Browns, a football coach for High School and NCAA, an adjunct teacher of Exercise Science at George Washington University, and an entrepreneur in fitness/wellness/human performance.
Soldiers To Sidelines provides training and opportunities for military members to be excellent coaches in various sports so they will inspire, motivate, and encourage athletes.

One is None | 6.4.21

Save the date! JUNE 4, 2021 in San Diego, CA.

Join The Honor Foundation for an exclusive, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to spend an intimate day with former U.S. Navy SEALs, EOD Technicians, Marine Raiders and other Special Operations Leaders.

Stay tuned for more details on this event!

THF Participates in Harvard Business School Case

This November, Harvard Business School published “The Honor Foundation: Accessing Special Operations Talent,” an extensive case study focusing on the THF organization and highlighting the unique skill sets of individuals from the Special Operations Forces community. Though not readily available to the public, it was reflective on the significance of integrating men and women from SOF into the workforce and the value they bring to the private sector, especially in times of crises.

“Amid a pandemic, executives are finally realizing the importance of bringing outsiders who are comfortable dealing with the unexpected onto their teams. As these crises wear on, the singular and eminently portable skills of our country’s highest-trained servicepeople are becoming more and more valuable…”

Read the summary article from Harvard Business Review, “Lessons on Leading Through Chaos from U.S. Special Operations,” for insights from several THF Alumni on how their knowledge gained from their SOF training and experiences greatly play a role in their career outside of the Teams.

 

THF Alumni Ted Handler Featured on SOFSpot Podcast

“The experiences that veterans bring to the table — I have yet to find a leadership challenge that I wasn’t able to draw a parallel to in the military. […] To the transitioning people out there, you will have the experiences to draw off of to make yourself successful.”

Tune in to Episode #49 “Comfortable in the Chaos” of SOFSpot, the podcast of the Global SOF Foundation and listen to the transition stories of THF Alumni Ted Handler along with Blake Moore and Dennis Moore.

Thank you to Chelsea Hamashin and Global SOF Foundation for the opportunity and to Ted for sharing your insight and experience.

Listen to the full episode HERE.

Victory Strategies | THF: MasterClass Series

Expand your leadership while investing in the future of transitioning U.S Special Operators!

The Honor Foundation has partnered with the Victory Strategies team for a monthly LIVE MasterClass delivered by former Fortune 500 Executives and former Military Special Operations.

100% charitable donation to THF! Sign up today to take part in a series that features 40 minutes of live wisdom followed by 20 minutes of real-time questions and responses.

Click the link below to reserve your seat now!

https://www.victory-strategies.com/store/masterclass-2020-series

THF Shout-out on Fox & Friends

Watch THF Alumni and other U.S. Special Operators swim across the Hudson River on August 8, 2020 to benefit military veterans! The clip below was captured from Fox & Friends! Extra bonus:  the THF shoutout from Kristen Seiff (check us out at the 1:13 mark)! 

Pete Swims with Navy SEALs to Support Veterans

For a second straight year, Pete joins the Navy SEALs for a swim across the Hudson River to support our nation’s heroes!

Posted by Fox & Friends on Sunday, August 9, 2020

THF on The Victory Podcast

Life. Leadership. Journey. Join Jacob Werksman, host of The Victory Podcast, for an hour of storytelling and reflection with THF CEO Matt Stevens. 

Listen to Matt’s interview (Episode 18) by visiting the link below!

https://www.victory-podcast.com/episodes

THF on High Performance Pathways Podcast

Listen to a podcast interview with Court Whitman, and his featured guest, THF CEO Matt Stevens. 

“High Performance Pathways is a purpose-built and specially selected collection of someone’s experience as they discuss how they understand, chase & discover high performance in their life. This content is collected during a One-on-One interview and then shared with you. Why? Because I believe everyone has a different pathway to high performance. And hearing about the paths that other professional’s have journeyed along is informative and inspiring.”

Visit the link to listen to the full interview and be sure to follow Court and the podcast for more insightful and inspirational stories.

Spotlight on nCino

We’re excited to introduce another valued Employer Partner of The Honor Foundation and an Alumni who is now part of their family.

These are companies and organizations who have hired men and women from our program and/or who have generously given us their time, resources and connections in an effort to help build a stronger network for our Fellows after service — a community post community. 

 

Q1  What advice do you have for those who are experiencing transition?

Mark George: This will be foreign, but as much as you can, take time to focus on yourself. Do nothing for a little while and get reacquainted with your family. When you can tell you are getting on your spouse/significant other’s nerves, then it is time to get back after it. Also, plan plenty of time for the VA. I am four months out and still trying to get everything straight. Be sure to grow and cultivate your network – when people tell you they will help (to make introductions), take them up on it.

nCino: We understand that those transitioning from military to civilian life are juggling many priorities, and we encourage those transitioning to be open and honest with their managers. It is important that they feel empowered to verbalize if they need time off or a more flexible work schedule as they adjust. We also encourage our veterans to stay connected, finding a coworker or group of coworkers who have a similar background and experience transitioning to the civilian work/life. Camaraderie is important. 

Q2  What is your favorite interview question?

MG: What sales experience do you have?

nCino: nCino’s culture is built on six core values, one of which is to “Always bring Your A-Game”.  In interviews, we love to hear how potential employees brought their A-game to a situation, or “Made someone’s Day” – another value that’s really important to our company culture. 

Q3  What similarities did you find between your role at nCino and your previous experience in the SOF community?

MG: Definitely still leading, but just in a different way.  My FID training/deployed experiences have been invaluable, especially in sales.  The ability to build rapport, cultivate relationships, and navigate the human terrain are essential skills and can’t be faked.  

Q4  What makes the culture at your company special?

MG: From my first day, everyone has bent over backwards to assist and ensure my success. The success of the individual means the success of the team and everyone bands together to make it happen.  From the top down there is a tremendous amount of transparency and communication.  In the military we talk often of “big boy/girl rules” and autonomy — nCino truly offers that.  Additionally, nCino is very philanthropically-driven, giving back non-profits and to the local community.  Each employee is encouraged use two paid days per year to volunteer and support a charity or organization of their choosing. 

nCino: We have an incredible culture at nCino, and that’s because we have incredible people who are committed to preserving it. We hire people who embody and add to our core values and who can bring something unique to the team. Our employees support and trust each other and because of that, everyone has the confidence to do their best work. 

Q5  What question are you asked more than any other?

MG: The question I get most often is “Do you miss the Marine Corps?” “Why sales?” is a close second.

Q6  What drives you everyday?

MG: I am hypercompetitive, so I try to bring my “A-game” and help the team.  This sounds cliché, but I really enjoy helping others. Particularly, those trying to help themselves – the hand-up versus the handout!

Q7  What unanticipated skills, talent, and/or competencies did you gain for employing Special Operators at your organization?

nCino: Each veteran hired to work at nCino brings a special skill set to our company. Many are outstanding leaders, they know how to manage complicated projects, can motivate other employees and have a competitive mindset that encourages their fellow coworkers to bring their A-game every day. 

Q8  What book do you find most valuable?

MG: Candide by Voltaire

Q9  What is a lesson you learned the hard way?

MG: Listen and think before you speak.

Q10  What defines a leader?

MG: One who knows who he/she is leading and tailors that leadership to the individual.  One in charge who learns individuals’ strengths and assesses the best way to maximize those strengths, task accordingly, and achieve the greatest results. 

Q11  What is your favorite quote?

MG: “I am a firm believer in the people. If given the truth, they can be depended upon to meet any national crisis. The great point is to bring them the real facts, and beer.”  — Abraham Lincoln 

The Honor Journal: Summer 2020

The June 2020 newsletter is here! Read to see what The Honor Foundation has been up to for the first half of the year — how THF pivoted to address COVID-19, the on-boarding of new team and board members, Spring graduations, new partnerships, fundraising campaigns, featured spotlights on Carrington Charitable Foundation and Alumni, and more!

THF_June 2020_Newsletter_Distribution

PayPal CFO John Rainey Shares His Commencement Address with Graduating Fellows

THF had the honor of having PayPal CFO John Rainey as the commencement speaker for our Group 30 Graduation. His address was timeless, thoughtful and inspiring for not only members of the Special Operations community, but for all those who will be experiencing a new career transition. Read his full post below.

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/john-rainey-pypl_classof2020-activity-6668904724516892672-zrhd