From Veterans Serving Our Country To Leaders Serving Our Customers

Featuring Darin Lawrence, Kristen Inoa and Rob Fuller

November is National Veterans and Military Families Month with November 11 celebrated as Veterans Day, honoring and celebrating those who served in the United States Armed Forces. With more than 18 million veterans in the United States (BLS, 2020), veterans are a key part of the workforce and our businesses.

Part of celebrating an inclusive and diverse workforce at Jabil is about showcasing the voices of our veterans, who bring unique experiences to make our people, customers and communities better.

WHO ARE THEY?

Darin Lawrence, technical business unit manager, enlisted in the United States Navy after high school and was selected to join the electrical engineering program, traveling the world and establishing crucial communication centers in remote areas and at sea. After more than a decade in the Navy, Darin joined the Jabil family and combines his military, engineering and business skills to be successful.

Similarly, Kristen Inoa joined the United States Marine Corps upon graduating high school, deploying multiple times, including as part of Operation Enduring Freedom and among the first troops in Pakistan and Afghanistan following the September 11th attacks. Now a business unit manager in our healthcare sector, Kristen has brought skills learned from her service to drive positive results for high-demanding customers over the last 17 years with Jabil. 

Rob Fuller was an Aviation Electronics Technician for the United States Navy, participating in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. After working at sea for his military career, he progressed into the oil and gas industry and found his way to Jabil four years ago.

BUILDING AN INCLUSIVE WORKPLACE

Unemployment rates for veterans have increased in recent months, greatly impacted by COVID-19 effects on the economy. It’s an important time to showcase the diverse attributes veterans can bring to an organization.

Darin: My experiences provided a unique insight into different cultures, ethnicities and people, which are all invaluable assets in a global manufacturing company like Jabil. Because of all the diverse people I worked with during my military career, it was an easy transition into a civilian job that involves cross-function collaboration with people from across the world.

Kristen: Most of military training is about discipline, adapting quickly to new situations and problem-solving in highly stressful environments for the greater good. This translates into a civilian job by putting the teams’ goals first to be truly successful when times get tough. And the manufacturing and technology industries are changing by the hour, so it’s a natural fit for those with military experience.

Rob: Veterans of all branches of service bring a strong sense of camaraderie to wherever they work. With collaboration and teamwork both core parts of Jabil’s culture, our ability to work with and build up a team brings a strong sense of servant leadership to any position.

MAKING JABIL BETTER

Darin: Veterans bring a presence of leadership and experience which serves to compliment, balance and strengthen a work environment. My expertise has always been making a unit – whether of servicemen and women or my Jabil peers and customers – operate cohesively, regardless of cultural, age, gender or racial differences.

Kristen: During the early stages of the COVID-19 crisis, I worked however many hours it took to ensure our customer, which makes respiratory ventilators, was efficiently and properly supported during these especially crucial circumstances. It was my military experience of working with many different teams to collaborate while being under pressure that helped make Jabil, our customers and ultimately the patients better.

Rob: Much of the training for servicemen and women is around continuous learning and preparing for any situation that might arise. I bring this mentality to my work as a facility engineer, ensuring our equipment is ready for any task or customer need and the job is done correctly and efficiently while exceeding customer standards. 

With agility, commitment to a team, and a passion for success, veterans are changing the workforce in every industry. Here at Jabil, we’re honored to share how our veterans are positively impacting our organization.

To all who have served in the United States Armed Forces, National Guard or are currently Active Reservists, thank you.