Contact Us
We salute our veterans and extend our gratitude for their service. Military service members are often on the front lines, sacrificing everything to protect our freedom. And at Allied Universal, these unsung heroes help do their part to serve, secure and care for the people and businesses in every corner of our communities. When they join our ranks, they bring with them leadership attributes, significant life experiences and military core values that are a perfect fit to be successful among a large security force, helping to make a difference in our communities. That is why we have hired more than 33,000 veterans in the last five years.
They fill such roles as security professionals, site supervisors, managers, HR directors, recruiters, and yes, vice presidents—of course, after having established a long-term career path. Over 65% of our management and leadership positions have been filled by our employees, some of them being veterans who were promoted up through the ranks.
From active reservists to retired/separated veterans, we have employees representing each of the military branches who are leveraging their military acquired skills to add value for our Allied team. Here are a few thoughts, in their own words, about why our company is a great fit for them:
- Cara Dark, Regional Recruiting Director for the Southeast and Retired Air Force Veteran of 20 years, said “I joined Allied Universal because the company and job paralleled everything that I did in the Air Force and everything I believe in—protecting our people. I’m out in the field, making a difference and adding value every day.” Her recruiting colleague says she shares similar values with the company. From formative “years in the military to being in public service for the state of California, knowing that the company hires veterans like myself was important to me, especially because of the role that I play in the organization,” says Julie De La Mora, MBA, U.S. Army Retired, Southwest Regional Recruiting Manager.
- “When I left active duty in 1992, I saw an ad for an after-hours supervisor with Allied in 1994, applied, and was hired. What attracted me was that security is a people business where I thought the leadership skills I’d learned in the service would help me. I wasn’t disappointed,” said Dave Rekow, Regional Vice President. “Through several promotions, I went from field supervisor to RVP. I like the job because it is never boring and there are always new challenges to face. I couldn’t imagine a job where I went to an office and did the same thing, day after day, for nearly 25 years. AU isn’t like that at all. There is never a dull moment,” says Rekow. He was Captain, U.S.M.C., and is a veteran of the Beirut deployment in 1982-83 and Desert Shield/Desert Storm in 1990-91.
- In a World Economy News article, Army veteran and Security Professional Jeffery Sanford Jr. explains what making the move to Allied Universal means to him. After working two near-minimum-wage jobs at restaurants and sleeping in a homeless shelter, he joined Allied Universal and has been promoted several times…, including to site manager, and to his current role working to win new contracts for the company. “Things are changing for me. I know what kind of work it takes to earn more money, and it’s really paying off,” Sanford, who now works in Washington, D.C., says.
Brenda Studley is Vice President of Recruiting, West, for Allied Universal.
