IVMF takes part in CGI America June 7-8 in Chicago

Mike Haynie, executive director and founder of the Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF) and Barnes Professor of Entrepreneurship in the Whitman School of Management at Syracuse University, has been invited to participate in the second Clinton Global Initiative America (CGI America) meeting to be held June 7-8 in Chicago. CGI America brings together nearly 1,000 leaders from business, government and the nonprofit sector to promote cross-sector collaboration and address economic growth in the United States through job creation, innovation, education and workforce development.

The IVMF participated in the first CGI America last June, which brought together national leaders with the common purpose of getting America back to work. These leaders and their organizations, including the IVMF, made more than 100 Commitments to Action, which are new, specific and measurable plans that address a challenge facing the nation. When completed, the commitments will create, or fill, thousands of jobs in the United States.

During last year’s CGI America, the IVMF committed to develop and launch a multifaceted educational program over 24 months to increase the economic advancement of veterans and their families. The comprehensive initiative’s aim was to reach 2,000 people directly with a portfolio of integrated programming elements that, taken together, contribute to increasing access to education for veterans and their families; facilitate success of veterans and their families in higher education; and educate veterans, families and industry on best practices related to recruiting, assimilating, retaining and advancing veterans in the civilian workforce.

In relation to its CGI commitment, the institute convened an Employment Best Practices Summit aboard the U.S.S. Intrepid in November 2011, with more than 30 major employers in attendance focused on civilian employment for veterans; released its “Business Case for Hiring a Veteran: Beyond the Clichés” in March 2012, which was cited by the White House as an extraordinary study; reached more than 815 participants through its portfolio of veteran and military family member entrepreneurship training programs, with more than 60 percent of participants starting businesses; offered seven Entrepreneurship Bootcamps for Veterans with Disabilities (EBV), two EBV-Families, three Veteran Women Inspiring the Spirit of Entrepreneurship (V-WISE) conferences, and four Operation Endure & Grow distance trainings; presented at more than 50 panels, speeches and symposia; and had its research and education programs cited in more than 65 national media feature stories, with more than 100 media mentions.

During this year’s meeting, CGI America participants will join one of 12 topic-specific working groups that will provide opportunities to share knowledge, build partnerships and generate new Commitments to Action. Working group topics include advanced manufacturing, clean electricity and efficiency, clean fuel and transportation, early childhood education, entrepreneurship, financial inclusion, housing recovery, reconnecting youth, small business, STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education, wellness and workforce development.

Haynie will participate in the entrepreneurship working group focused on identifying optimal strategies for creating a supportive, high-growth entrepreneurship ecosystem, the group will explore what lessons can be learned from successes across the country and how organizations from a variety of sectors can help startups in their communities flourish. Topics include the role of business, the role of universities, financial capital challenges, human capital challenges and underserved populations. In addition, Haynie will take part in the “Championing Veterans: America’s Next-Generation Leaders” meeting, which will offer an additional opportunity to discuss key cross-cutting issues.

The full agenda for CGI America can be found at http://cgiamerica.org. Follow on Twitter at @ClintonGlobal and Facebook at facebook.com/clintonglobalinitiative for meeting news and highlights. The event hashtag is #CGIAmerica.