Rethinking Work for Veterans, Military and Their Families

Susan Weinstock, Vice President of Financial Resilience, is responsible for the overall strategic direction of AARP programs and education competencies to improve the financial security of persons age 50 and older. Prior to AARP, Susan was the director of the office of consumer policy at the U.S. Treasury Department, focusing on emerging trends and the growing use of technology in consumer financial products and services. Previously she directed The Pew Charitable Trusts’ Consumer Banking Project, advocating for policies to improve the safety and transparency of consumer banking products. Her team identified current practices and consumer needs to inform and promote policy solutions. Prior to Pew, Susan was the financial reform campaign director at the Consumer Federation of America, leading media, coalition, public education, and grassroots efforts to promote consumer financial protections in the Dodd-Frank Act. She has more than 20 years of advocacy, communications, research, grassroots and legislative experience.

John Caine is the South Region Vice President, for AARP, with offices located in several states, which include West Virginia, Maryland, South Carolina, Virginia, Mississippi, Alabama, Kentucky, Louisiana, and Washington, DC. In that capacity, he serves in the key position of leadership and oversight to ensure success of activities in all state offices, throughout the region. Caine provides leadership and assures a nationwide focus is maintained at the state level by communicating and implementing AARP’s vision, mission, goals and strategic direction, outcomes, and priorities. Caine is responsible for the recruitment, development, supervision, and performance management of State Directors and Regional office staff. Mr. Caine began his career with AARP, 24 years ago as an Economic Security Representative, working out of the Midwest Region Office, in Chicago, Illinois. AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that empowers people to choose how they live as they age. Before he joined AARP, Mr. Caine was General Manger and Senior Vice President of GreenStone Industries; a quality-conscious, low-cost provider of light density cellulose insulation with national manufacturing and distribution capability. As an Executive with the company, Mr. Caine directed several Manufacturing Plant Operations, Research & Development, Logistics, Technical Training & Development, Supply Chain Operations, and the Eastern Sales Region. GreenStone Industries products were sold nationwide to contractors, manufactured home builders, modular home builders and retailers. Manufacturing facilities were located in: Atlanta, Georgia; Charlotte, North; Carolina; Delphos, Ohio; Elkwood, Virginia; Norfolk, Nebraska; Phoenix, Arizona; Sacramento, California; Tampa, Florida; and Waco, Texas. After his military service, Mr. Caine began his corporate career, working at Johnson & Johnson, by contributing in the domain of Robotics and Packaging Engineering, Research & Development, Plant Engineering, and Manufacturing Operations. Johnson & Johnson's more than 250 operating companies manufacture and market thousands of branded health care products in hundreds of categories. He later continued his successful business career by assuming increasing responsibilities at Frito Lay, Inc. and then later at the Ralston Purina Company. Mr. Caine holds a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Howard University and an M.B.A. from the University of Dallas, Graduate School of Management. He has also completed Post Graduate and Executive Development Programs from the Eli Broad Graduate School of Management at Michigan State University, and the McDonough School of Business, at Georgetown University. A native of Jacksonville, Florida, Mr. Caine, who is a “Distinguished Military Graduate”, earned a Regular Army Commission, and served our country for six years in the United States Army, achieving the rank of Captain. He served in several remote locations and was attached to the 82nd Airborne Division, the 101st Airborne Division, and the Big Red One (1st Infantry Division). Mr. Caine and his wife Lynn Caine, primarily live in Atlanta, Georgia. They are the proud parents of two adult children – a son John B. Caine, III, a daughter, Mikelle Gabriel Holmes (Kendell) and a three year old grandson, Kent Mason Holmes.

As a Senior Manager on Amazon’s Military Affairs team, Beau is a leader of an organization that is tasked with elevating the cross-company strategic impact, inside and outside of the company, of the considerable investment Amazon has made in the US Military Veteran community. The Military Affairs team is responsible for creating scalable veteran programs, developing policies and strategic planning for military recruiting and outreach efforts, and focusing on hiring, developing and retaining the best and the brightest military talent available for positions within Amazon. Beau leads all talent acquisition efforts for the team which include efforts on developing Amazon’s programs to increase hiring of Veterans, military spouses and wounded warriors, to engage with multiple Military Support Organizations (MSO’s) to share best practices on talent acquisition and to educate transitioning veterans on Amazon opportunities and culture. Prior to joining Amazon in 2016, Beau served for 25 years as an intelligence officer with the Marines. This included deployments to Somalia, Bosnia, 3 tours to Iraq, and 3 tours to Afghanistan. He had the privilege to command 1st Reconnaissance Battalion and Headquarters Battalion, 2nd Marine Division. Following his retirement in 2014 he ran operations for a fiber optic cable assembler for 2 years. Beau has a Masters in Business Administration from George Mason University and a Masters in Military Strategy from the Air War College. He is married to the former Elizabeth McKee of Green Bay, Wisconsin. They have one daughter, and four sons, His personal awards include the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal with one gold star and the Combat Action Ribbon. Col Higgins was chosen as the Marine Corps Intelligence Officer of the year in 2002 and received the Marine Corps award for Intelligence writing in 2006.

Mr. Larry Stubblefield is the Associate Administrator for the Office of Veterans Business Development (OVBD) at the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). In this role, Mr. Stubblefield oversees the OVBD team in formulating, implementing, administering, and promoting policies and programs that equip veterans, service members (active duty, National Guard, Reserve), and military spouse-owned small businesses with counseling and education, access to capital, and contracting opportunities. Mr. Stubblefield joined the SBA in 2016, serving as the Assistant Administrator for the Office of Diversity, Inclusion and Civil Rights, and most recently as the Acting Associate Administrator for OVBD. Prior to the SBA, he held numerous leadership positions with the US Army, including Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Diversity and Leadership and Functional Chief Representative for the Army’s Equal Employment Opportunity Career Program. Mr. Stubblefield has first-hand military experience, having served 30 years as an enlisted soldier and active duty officer in the US Army. In 2005, he retired from the military as a Colonel and was appointed to the Senior Executive Service. He holds an MBA from the University of Tennessee and a BS in Business Management from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University.

Omari Faulkner currently serves as the Employer of Choice Ambassador for ManTech International. In this role, Mr. Faulkner is responsible for developing and implementing a company-wide strategic vision to assure that ManTech is the best place to work and help Secure the Future. As ManTech’s lead Military Liaison, he spearheads veteran outreach through a host of channels and assures that active duty military members are prepared for a successful transition to civilian life after their service. Prior to this role, Omari served as a Federal Civilian Business Development leader at ManTech, focusing on strategic development for long-term growth in the federal civilian market place. He collaborated internally and externally at all levels to align and communicate company growth targets and strategy, all of which led to significant market growth at record levels. Prior to joining ManTech International, Omari served at the U.S. Department of State for four years as a Cultural Ambassador, traveling to over 40 countries, as well as Human Resource and Financial Management Officer in Mumbai, India. Today Omari serves as a Public Affairs Officer in the U.S. Navy Reserves. He is active in his local community through serving on a variety of boards including the Virginia Governor’s Advisory Board on Service and Volunteerism, the Loudoun Education Foundation, and as Vice Chairman for the Loudoun Museum. In 2019 he authored his first book called Athlete for Life which is geared towards helping student-athletes understand how to harness their talents for success throughout life. “My success at ManTech, one of our countries best tech and innovation companies is rooted in my achievements as a student-athlete.”