To highlight BEAP and how common values help grow and scale the company, Novolex is featuring a regular series focused on how our employees embody our values to create value for the company. This month, in honor of Veterans Day, this blog focuses on the Novolex value of behaving with integrity and humility, treating everyone fairly and with respect.

Greg Pope and Odyssey McNeill live in different states, have unique educational backgrounds, and have been with Novolex for varying amounts of time. However, they are bonded through service to their country and united by the shared experience of transitioning out of the military into civilian life. The recent Novolex inclusion panel, “Veterans at Work” discussed their transition from the military into the private sector.

For six years, Greg Pope served in the United States Air Force and was deployed to Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom in 2009. Odyssey McNeill served in the National Guard for 13 years and was deployed to Kuwait in 2011. Both Greg and Odyssey’s career paths led them to recruiting, and ultimately to the talent acquisition team at Novolex where they are both corporate recruiters.

For veterans who successfully transition into civilian life and find a fulfilling employer match like Novolex, it is often because these companies share mutual values with veteran employees, including a commitment to excellence, an affinity for teamwork, and appreciation for collaboration and the perspectives of others. “I really learned how to be more of a team player because you’re on one team, in one fight, when you’re in the military,” shared Greg. “You bond with everybody, and you have to work with them really closely.”

These skills and values are front-of-mind for all Novolex employees, but for veterans, it is their core function and something they can’t (and won’t) shake. “You never stop being a soldier. Whether it’s a need for camaraderie, whether it’s the discipline, the time management, the punctuality, the fitness piece of it, or the structure in chaos,” reflected Odyssey. “It’s built inside of us forever, even long after we take off the uniform.”

Both Odyssey and Greg exemplify the values of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I) at Novolex, particularly as it pertains to compassion and understanding for others. They stress the importance of being sensitive towards someone’s background since it is never entirely obvious what someone is dealing with internally. “We have to think about each individual and make sure that everyone feels like their contributions are appreciated,” said Odyssey.

This Veterans Day, and every day, the Novolex Family applauds veterans who proudly and fiercely behave with integrity.