FOX BUSINESS – Veterans are uniquely suited to address ongoing talent shortages in the private sector due to the wealth of skills developed through their service, from technical skills to leadership experience – yet, they are often overlooked for high-paying, high-performance roles, Hire Heroes USA CEO Ross Dickman told FOX Business.
As the head of a nonprofit supporting veteran and military spouse employment, he is determined to change that, especially with National Hire a Veteran Day on Friday.
Dickman, who spent more than a decade in the U.S. Army, knows how transferable a veteran’s skills are in the private sector. The problem is that those skills can be difficult to convey clearly on paper due to the complexities of the job and the significant cultural and industry shifts, according to Dickman. To exacerbate the issue, there is also a misunderstanding about the roles and leadership positions where veterans truly excel.

As design director at Cookerly, Tim serves as the creative lead in the development of branding campaigns, print collateral and digital media for clients across a broad range of industries, including consumer, professional services, healthcare and technology.
As a senior vice president at Cookerly, Mike Rieman is a strategic communications leader specializing in media relations and reputation management. With a proven track record of securing high-profile placements in top-tier outlets such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, CNN and USA Today, he excels at crafting compelling narratives that resonate across print, broadcast and digital platforms.
Mike Touhill is vice president at Cookerly Public Relations, where he helps lead traditional, social and digital media programs for B2B and B2C clients in packaging, telecommunications and technology, among other industries. As a communication leader, he develops and executes public relations strategy, provides proactive and reactive counsel to C-level executives and secures earned media coverage for client initiatives and product.
Andrew Agan is a vice president at Cookerly Public Relations, overseeing the agency’s internship program and leading media relations, content strategy and social media initiatives. He provides counsel and executes campaigns for clients across various sectors, including finance, healthcare, hospitality, technology, automotive and many others. Andrew excels at crafting compelling stories and building media relationships, resulting in clients being featured in notable outlets such as CNBC, Associated Press, Business Insider, Fox Business, HBO, Inc. Magazine, Sirius XM, The Wall Street Journal and USA Today, among others.


As vice president of Cookerly, Sheryl Sellaway uses her extensive corporate communications background to lead consumer PR efforts, deliver strategy for marketing programs and share expertise about community initiatives.