Marcone Inducted as MSEP Partner for Hiring Military Spouses

December 18, 2014 /3BL Media/ - This month, Marcone’s Vice President Rick Vogel represented his company in Washington, D.C. to accept induction as a new partner in the Military Spouse Employment Partnership (MSEP), part of First Lady Obama’s Joining Forces Initiative. According to the official press release from Department of Defense News, Marcone and 37 other organizations were recognized for making “substantial efforts to reduce the high unemployment rate and close the wage gap that military spouses face as a result of frequent relocations that service members’ missions often require.” Marcone joins the ranks of 266 longstanding partners that recognize the reciprocal benefits afforded to both the company and the new employee when hiring a military spouse.

Despite typically being well-educated and professionally skilled, military spouses face a staggering unemployment rate of around 25 percent, according to MSEP. Through programs like Military Spouse Corporate Career Network (MSCCN), Marcone helps ensure that this ready workforce is given more opportunity. Principal Deputy Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness Dr. Laura Junor aptly notes, “You’re not going to find a more resilient, motivated, and adaptable group out there. If you’re willing to give them a shot, you will get more than that in return.”

Under Mr. Vogel’s guidance, Marcone became a flagship member of MSCCN in 2010. Through this relationship, Marcone actively recruits and regularly hires “trailing spouses” for jobs that can be performed from home and that will move with the employee. This type of remote work provides both stability of income and flexibility to travel without upending careers. 

"There's always the fear of starting a new career because you never know how long you will be at any given base," says Eva Rogers, Retail Lead at Marcone's St. Louis call center and wife of retired Air Force Master Sergeant and active Reservist Anthony Rogers. "Not many companies are willing to accommodate this lifestyle, but Marcone's support of the military is a truly remarkable approach."

Marcone has been supporting service members and their families through a multi-faceted corporate social responsibility campaign since the early 2000s. Marcone has been recognized for these initiatives by organizations like HEROES Care, the Navy League of St. Louis, Missouri Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR), and now MSEP. 

"I was proud to represent Marcone at the induction ceremony," says Mr. Vogel. "Standing on stage with other new partners such as McDonald's Corporation, Office Depot, and W.W. Grainger while Dr. Jill Biden and others thanked us for our efforts to help military families was truly special."

ABOUT MARCONE
Marcone Supply is North America’s longtime leader in authorized OEM appliance parts distribution, partnered across the industry with top brands like Whirlpool, GE, Electrolux, Bosch, and Samsung. With more than 48 retail locations throughout the U.S. and Canada, 12 warehouses, six multilingual call centers, and over 500,000 individual SKUs—Marcone's reach is undeniably broad. Family-owned since the beginning in 1932, and with an ongoing focus on family and community, Marcone takes pride in its strong culture of corporate social responsibility. Read more about the company's CSR programs and business updates at blog.marcone.com.