Reflecting on My Time At VIQTORY

By Mike Stevens, National Executive Director for the Navy League of the United States

DEAR EMPLOYERS,

To all those who recognize and seek the tremendous talent of our veterans and have made a deliberate effort to bring them into your organization as employees, franchisees and students, on behalf of all veterans, I thank you.

Today I was reflecting on my time as the COO and CEO of VIQTORY, the veteran-owned small business which publishes G.I. Jobs magazine, and felt compelled to pen this letter, unsolicited I might add. VIQTORY provided me an amazing opportunity to serve as their chief operating officer shortly after my retirement from the Navy in September 2016. During my time with them, I learned a great deal about what it takes to run a business in the private sector and will forever be grateful for the professional education and lifelong relationships that were built. The VIQTORY crew includes some of the most honest, committed and hardworking people you will ever meet. It is a company formed by veterans and for veterans. Their employees are smart, talented, technically savvy and possess years of marketing experience in the veteran space. When you couple that with their gritty Pittsburgh “blue collar” mentality, there’s nothing they can’t accomplish. They don’t see what they do as a job — they see it as a mission.

I’m no longer with VIQTORY. For family reasons, my wife and I had to relocate to Northern Virginia in early 2019. I now serve as the national executive director for the Navy League of the United States. Not a day goes by where I don’t think of my time at VIQTORY and use what I learned to assist in my new duties. I’m proud to have served with my VIQTORY shipmates. I’ve asked them to share this letter with all of you. If you ever want the scoop on VIQTORY, or if there is anything I can do to assist in connecting you with them, please feel free to contact me anytime. If you’re a veteran, I encourage you to visit GIJobs.com and register for their job board and emails where you’ll receive helpful and inspiring content along with civilian employment and educational opportunities.

Originally published in the September 2020 issue of G.I. Jobs.