New advisory board to connect with West Valley veterans

Editor's note: This story is part of our Salute to Service coverage, Nov. 8–18. Learn about the schedule of events.  

Army veteran Abe McCann is a man about town. He lives in Ahwatukee, works in Tempe and recently volunteered for an advisory board in the West Valley.

Seems like a lot of running around but it’s worth it to him.

“It doesn’t matter where it is, because if a military veteran is in need, I want to be there to help,” said McCann, who is a veteran’s service coordinator for the city of Tempe and now an inaugural member of the Pat Tillman Veterans Center advisory board at Arizona State University's West Valley campus. “This is a great opportunity to expand the efforts of the Tillman Center and offer ways to interact with our veteran community on the other side of the Valley.”

The Pat Tillman Veterans Center recently formed the philanthropic support board to draw on the area’s large service population and to show them the university is a gathering place for networking, job search and fellowship. It’s also part of ASU’s West Valley Forward, a new initiative that demonstrates the university’s commitment to meeting the educational and economic growth needs of the booming West Valley.

Tillman Center Executive Director Shawn Banzhaf said it was important to form the advisory board for three reasons: career readiness, having an outsider’s perspective on how things are run and finding philanthropy to fund their goals.

“Our center’s staff has tons of ideas and innovations, but we should always ask ourselves, 'Just because we can, should we?'” Banzhaf said. “Having outside voices gives me a broader context on whether we should move forward with some of our ideas. Lastly, our dreams are big and that takes the help of others by way of philanthropy. The board can help connect us in the West Valley to those who wish to support our scholarships, events and programs here at the Pat Tillman Veterans Center.”   

The new board is a voluntary group that exists to support Tillman programs and fundraising efforts with philanthropic investments to champion military-connected and student-fundraising success at ASU and beyond.

Their first meeting took place in September, and they met again on Nov. 2 for a tour of the West Valley campus to become familiar with the programs, educational opportunities and spaces available to student veterans. Their role will be to shape the strategy and vision of all Tillman programs; share professional expertise, insights and experiences to help develop Tillman staff members; and to develop professional networking opportunities for student veterans.

Board members will serve a two-year term, and have made a $1,000 philanthropic commitment to support Tillman programs on ASU’s West Valley campus. They represent a cross-section of private-sector and nonprofit organizations, ASU alumni, veteran service organizations and higher education-related organizations. They have also committed to quarterly board meetings, to serve as an advocate for the Tillman Center to other individuals and organizations, and to identify fundraising and community-building opportunities.

McCann said serving on the board is not an obligation but a continuation of his current work.

“My background is primarily veteran programming and workforce development, and felt it would not only be a great way to bring more veterans to the West campus and to the Tillman Center but help them figure out relationships and programs where they can exit the university and get into great careers,” McCann said.

Pat Tillman Veterans Center West Valley campus board member Abe McCann speaks during a meeting held at the campus on Nov. 2. Photo by Charlie Leight/ASU News

And when an employer hires a veteran, they are getting a prized worker that can offer a variety of skills, board member Paul Smiley said.

“Veterans know how to lead, they know how to come to work on time and understand the value of organizational culture,” said Smiley, founder and president of Sonoran Technology and Professional Services in Goodyear, Arizona, and a retired Air Force lieutenant colonel. “Once businesses realize there’s a whole population that can make their businesses better, they will keep coming back.”  

Smiley speaks from experience. Of his company’s 200 employees, 85% of them are veterans.

“There is so much value you get when hiring a veteran,” said Smiley, whose company was honored in September by the U.S. Small Administration as a “Legacy Small Business” for Arizona. “They have not only served our country with honor but are great citizens as well.”

Retired Air Force Col. Benita Beckles said she joined the board because she still remembers how hard the transition was when she left the service.

“I didn’t think the change from military to civilian life was going to be easy, but actually understanding how companies worked was tough,” said Beckles, who served seven years active duty and 23 in the reserves. “In the military, everything was about the goal of your unit. But in the corporate world, it felt like it was all about the goal of the person. I realized there were a lot of adjustments I needed to make.”

Beckles, who is also running for Goodyear City Council, said she views her work on the advisory board as part of her duty.

“It’s super important we support our vets when they are in the service and when they transition out of the military,” Beckles said.

McCann said the board should establish short and long-term goals. He thinks the board’s first order of business is developing a public awareness strategy.

“When you hear about The Pat Tillman Veterans Center, most people think it’s a place near the football stadium in Tempe,” McCann said. “We need to let people know that ASU has a campus in the West Valley and is also a gathering place for veterans.”

Smiley agreed.

“There’s a world class university in the West Valley, and veterans can pursue their degree there,” Smiley said. “And after that degree, ASU can help them find a meaningful career after they graduate.”

Pat Tillman Veterans Center board member Paul Smiley wants veterans in the West Valley to know that the university is there to help them. Photo by Charlie Leight/ASU News

Board member Jonathan Robles also wants ASU to have a meaningful relationship with nearby Estrella Community College, where Robles works.

“It’s a natural bridge for us to have a relationship with ASU at the West campus being that we’re all partners in higher education, and (we) wanted to make sure we had a seat at the table,” said Robles, director of alumni corporate and foundations relations at Estrella. “I also have a personal reason — my son is now in the United States Army and is training to become an aviator helicopter pilot.”

Robles said many veterans seeking a degree often start out at Estrella and then transition to ASU. With the campus now equipped with a Pat Tillman Veteran Center, he envisions big things.

“The potential for partnership, wraparound services, collective fundraising and educational pathways is enormous,” Robles said. “And this is just the start.”

The Tillman Center is hoping to expand and build future advisory boards for the other ASU campuses, according to Michelle Loposky.

“Creating our first-ever advisory board means we are taking our support and services to the next level,” said Loposky, director of development and strategic partnerships for the Pat Tillman Veterans Center. “Turning to our community leaders, partners and supporters means more opportunities and support for our student veteran and military-connected learners.

"It’s about being much more than a military-friendly university, but a military-supportive university.”