Jim Cramer promotes hiring military veterans: ‘It’s good business’
On the eve of Veterans Day, Jim Cramer hosted his annual “Salute to Service” special on “Mad Money.”
The CNBC personality traded in his stock commentary for a moment Tuesday to highlight public corporations that he admires for having gone above and beyond the call of duty to hire Americans who have served in the military.
Veterans are highly trained and are known for a strong work ethic, but often have a hard time finding work in the civilian workforce after returning from active duty.
“We’ve got millions of veterans, some of the best-trained people in the world, yet they often struggle to find jobs when they come home,” Cramer said.
“That’s why tonight we’re celebrating the companies that go out of their way to hire vets. We’re going to recognize them so that people understand this is who we admire, not just because it’s the right thing to do, but, you know what, because it’s good business.”
Cramer referenced efforts by companies like Starbucks, JPMorgan, Amazon and Home Depot, who have combined hired more than 100,000 veterans, and some military spouses, within the last seven years.
Walmart, he noted, achieved nearly triple that. The grocery giant added 265,000 veterans to its payrolls since 2013. The company made a goal to hire more than 250,000 former military personnel starting that year, he pointed out.
Campbell Soup is another company that has focused on efforts to hire military vets. Mark Clouse, the food producer’s chief executive, is a former Army captain and appeared on “Mad Money” Tuesday touting his company’s efforts working with Hirepurpose, an organization that helps veterans find jobs, and American Corporate Partners, a mentorship program that helps veterans transition from service to civil work life.
“I can tell you that there are so many attributes of military veterans and what they can bring to corporate America,” Clouse said. “It is really an extraordinary source of talent that is out there.”
Johnson & Johnson, Verizon, Procter & Gamble and Comcast are among a long list of companies that Cramer highlighted in his salute segment.
Cramer also shared three resources where viewers can seek out more information on what corporations are doing to hire veterans, including lists published on Military.com, in the Military Times and Forbes Magazine.
“Every year when we do this Veterans Day show, I’m struck by just how successful these companies are who hire a lot of vets,” Cramer said. “Time after time, the businesses that hire tons of veterans tend to be really well-run with good long-term prospects.”
“I’m recommending them all.”
