At Staff Management | SMX, we thank all of our veterans for their service. Here are stories of what being a veteran means to our employees.
Mike Hart
Executive Director, SDG – Staff Management | SMX
Mike Hart spent most of his career in the Army. He retired from the US Army on Jan. 30, 2000, and joined Staff Management | SMX three months later. He is retiring from Staff Management on December 20.
He was attracted to his first role at Staff Management | SMX because the description looked a lot like an Army Operations position requiring leadership.
Thought initially it was a challenge to convert his military experiences into civilian terms, he found that continuing to bring that experience to the workplace every day has helped him and his teams succeed. And he’s learned that setting the example as a veteran to be successful in a civilian company while holding true to things like duty, honor and country is vital.
”Everyone around me will tell you I still use some military terms and processes that still work after 20 years of being out of the Army,” said. “I use various military terms and processes that I feel are more impactful than civilian terms. Hopefully the people around me will have a deeper understanding and respect for our men and women in the military in everyday life.
And his teams do it, too.
“We focus on the mission. We conduct reconnaissance of the market to understand the area, the geography and our competition. We use a decision-making process. I call my managers, leaders.”
One major takeaway he’s learned from service is being a leader.
“It is one thing to lead, it is another thing to manage something. My only mission, my purpose is to develop my leaders to operate independently and to train my replacement to continue the mission. Anyone can manage a widget but to lead people is really a task and that’s what we do.”
Military summary
Source of Commission: Officer Candidate School
Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
Branch: Infantry Officer
Leadership Assignments: Platoon Leader (25 soldiers), Company Commander (150 soldiers), Battalion Commander (700 soldiers), Deputy Brigade Commander (3,000 soldiers)
Staff Assignments from Battalion to Brigade Level: Personnel Officer, Intelligence Officer, Operations & Training, Logistic Officer
Tracy Freeman
Account Supervisor – Staff Management | SMX
Thirty years ago when the Berlin Wall fell, Staff Management | SMX’s Tracy Freeman was there. He was stationed in Germany and witnessed the historic event. He even brought home a souvenir of a piece of the wall.
For nine years in the Army, Tracy traveled to various places around the world. Being exposed to different cultures, people and customs has helped him in his work at Staff Management | SMX.
“Here at SMX we have a melting pot of people from various countries, which also means that there are a variety of cultures and customs,” he said. “My experience in the military helps me to navigate daily the challenges that come with working within such a culturally diverse work environment.
I have been with SMX for 4 months. Every day when I get out of bed, I see my day as a mission and no matter what challenges happen during that day which may hinder me from completing my mission, I must find a way to improvise adapt and overcome so I can complete my mission for that day. One of the biggest lessons I learned being in the military and I use it every day of my life is a "can do" attitude and spirit. The "can do" attitude keeps me positive and a positive attitude, like a negative attitude, is contagious. That also has an impact on the working environment around me.
“The most important aspect of my being a veteran that I see in my work and my relationships is that I get a chance to serve not only the associates that I manage but also, I get an opportunity to serve and help my coworkers daily. I served my country for 9 years and now I get a chance to serve people by helping them stay employed and by making a positive impact on their lives by treating them with dignity and respect.”
Jonathan Singleton
Recruiter – Staff Management | SMX
Jonathan Singleton started with SMX as a recruiter in July 2019 in Mankato, Minn. He began his military career signing up for active duty in the Marine Corps in Fargo, N.D., in 2012.
He was a Rifleman for 2 ½ years and Marine Corp Security Guard for 2 years prior to his Honorable Discharge in 2016. Jonathan has a passion for working and helping his fellow veterans achieve success. He is actively networking with other veterans in and the surrounding greater Mankato area with our SMX opportunities at our client location.
Tiffany Reeves-Brackett
Account Director – Staff Management | SMX
- Active Staff Sargent with 168th Military Police Battalion. Currently 12 years of service
-Hired as associate in 2005, promoted to our service team in 2013
Anthony Gerald
Account Manager – Staff Management | SMX
- Veteran Marines 1989-1995
-Deployed for Desert Shield and Desert Storm
-Been with Staff Management since 2007
Gary Johnson
Production Manager – Staff Management | SMX
-Veteran United States Army 2001-2006
-Participation in Operations Anaconda, Enduring Freedom, and Iraqi Freedom
Carlos Rojas
Safety Manager – Staff Management | SMX
-Veteran E-6 Staff Sargent United States Army 2005-2013
-Been with Staff Management since 2001
About the Author
Follow on Linkedin More Content by Casey Nighbor
