Project Transition USA Group Celebrates It’s 3,000th Member, Don Mann, Former Navy SEAL Team 6 Instructor

Posted on February 1, 2016 Written by Nancy Leave a Comment

Project Transition USA Welcomes Our 3,000th LinkedIN Group Member, Don Mann, Former Navy SEAL Team SIX Commando!

It’s exciting to reach our 3,000 member milestone, and we are grateful to Anthony Almon, Retired Navy SEAL Commander, for inviting his long-time friend Don Mann to join our group.

Don’s military biography includes being a decorated combat veteran and SEAL Team 6 Instructor, as well as many other credentials. He is the author of 11 books including the NY Times Best Selling autobiography “Inside SEAL Team SIX: My Life and Missions with America’s Elite Warriors”.

Also an endurance athlete, Don is known for producing and directing more multi-day, multi-sport, adventure races, triathlons and SEAL training events than any other person in the world. This April he will climb Mt. Everest to realize his life-time goal and “to raise awareness for the sacrifices that our veterans endure”.

His 501(c)(3) nonprofit, Frogman Charities, conducts virtual run/walk events for organizations seeking to support its mission of raising $1M for nonprofits that support U.S. Navy SEAL veterans, military personnel and their families. Evander Holyfield chose to celebrate his recent 53rd birthday by completing a 5K with Don in support of this mission.

We are delighted and honored to welcome Don Mann as the 3,000th member of our group, and we are grateful to ALL our members for being a part of this life-changing community. Please join us and give Don a hearty, “Project Transition USA-style” welcome!

ABOUT PROJECT TRANSITION USA:

Project Transition USA is the only 501c3 nonprofit that specializes in teaching transitioning U.S. military veterans and their families how to fully utilize the powerful business networking site, LinkedIN.

We are best known for teaching inspiring & entertaining LinkedIN Job Search Workshops for troops, providing personal introductions to VIPs, and managing the highly-popular “Project Transition USA” group on LinkedIN which is frequented by military-friendly hiring managers and business celebrities from all walks of life.

We invite you to show your support for our troops by joining our group today!

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GTE Financial will be our LinkedIN Workshop Lunch Sponsor again through 2016!

Posted on January 5, 2016 Written by Nancy Leave a Comment

I am thrilled to announce GTE Financial has extended their sponsorship and will be providing lunch at our MacDill AFB LinkedIN Workshops throughout 2016!

GTE Financial, one of the largest credit unions in Florida, is a passionate supporter of transitioning troops and their families at MacDill Air Force Base.

GTE recently celebrated its 80th anniversary of serving the financial needs of its local residents and businesses, as well as enriching the Tampa Bay community. They are a not-for-profit financial cooperative and have been able to help multiple charity organizations and its members year-round. Giving back to the community is important to GTE and is embedded in its culture.

Scott DeThomas, former Wing Commander and CEO of MacDill Air Force Base, and now SVP of Products and Member Sales of GTE Financial, continues to actively support transitioning military and veterans in Tampa Bay by speaking at our LinkedIN Workshops on MacDill.

Our Jan. 22nd workshop will kick off the fourth year Project Transition USA has been invited to teach workshops on MacDill AFB, and it will be the third time Scott DeThomas has been our guest speaker.

Scott recently commented: “We are very thankful for organizations like Project Transition USA that work hard to support our military members as they transition to civilian life. Nancy and her team of volunteers do a great job.”

David Bode, AVP of Talent Management of GTE Financial, has been a member of LinkedIN for nearly eight years, and he had this to say: “Having access to resources like this workshop will no doubt be a huge help to the troops in establishing valuable relationships in the civilian world. Having a professional network is important in the transition phase.”

David continued, “Recruiters are using LinkedIN as one of their main recruiting tools, so it’s very important that job hunters put themselves out there in a variety of creative ways to catch their attention.”

Joe Brancucci, CEO of GTE Financial, kindly noted: “We believe in supporting organizations that help people better their lives, and these workshops are a wonderful opportunity for veterans to learn new and effective ways to search for employment.”

“We are aware that transitioning from the military can be a difficult process,” Joe added, “but with the right tools and support, our troops will be able to confront any hurdle and get right back into the workforce.”

Our next LinkedIN Job Search Workshop on MacDill AFB is scheduled for Friday, Jan. 22nd, 2016, and it is open exclusively to transitioning military personnel and dependents who are enrolled in MacDill’s TAP program.

To learn more about Project Transition USA’s LinkedIn Job Search Workshops on MacDill AFB, visit www.ProjectTransitionUSA.org, or contact me, Nancy Laine, at 727-415-3878.

ABOUT PROJECT TRANSITION USA:

Project Transition USA is a 501c3 nonprofit organization that has been providing career-related services to U.S. military veterans since 2012. We are the only 501c3 that specializes in teaching transitioning military veterans and their families how to fully utilize the powerful business networking site, LinkedIN.

We are best known for teaching inspiring LinkedIN Job Search Workshops for top military leaders, providing personal introductions to VIPs, and managing the popular Project Transition USA group on LinkedIN which is frequented by military-friendly hiring managers and business celebrities nationwide.

After training over 1,000 transitioning military heroes to secure meaningful & rewarding employment by building supportive professional networks on LinkedIN, we are now developing an exciting new program that will place our veterans face-to-face with military-friendly business professionals in their communities.

Our new “Bring a Hero to Work” initiative will pair military veterans with civilians working in their target industries — allowing our heroes to experience day-to-day activities in the civilian workforce by “shadowing” their business hosts for a half-day (and particularly executives who are U.S. veterans themselves!)

We invite you to show your support for our transitioning troops and their families by joining our Project Transition USA group and offering your support for our job shadowing program today!

About GTE FINANCIAL:

GTE Financial is a not-for-profit financial cooperative with more than $1.7 billion in assets and 22 Community Financial Centers located throughout West Central Florida. Chartered in 1935, GTE Financial is locally owned and operated in the Tampa Bay area, serving more than 228,000 individuals and businesses.

More information on GTE Financial can be found at www.gtefinancial.org.

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Introducing our Project Transition USA YouTube Channel for Transitioning Military Veterans

Posted on April 30, 2015 Written by Nancy Leave a Comment

We’ve created our new YouTube Channel especially for transitioning military veterans seeking meaningful and rewarding new careers!

And here’s a Quick Start Guide to help you find the videos you need most right NOW:

* Want to learn how to build solid professional relationships with people “on the inside” who can help you get hired fast? Click HERE

* Need to polish your Interview Skills? Click HERE

* To learn if your Resume’ is hurting or helping you, click HERE

* Click HERE to listen & learn from military-friendly business execs who CARE!

(We’ll be adding new videos often, so check back soon!)

ENJOY!

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Pane Rustica Sponsors Jan. 2015 LinkedIN Workshop for Transitioning Military on MacDill AFB

Posted on January 28, 2015 Written by Nancy Leave a Comment

Thank you to all who participated in our January LinkedIN Job Search Workshop on MacDill AFB!

We are sending out a HUGE thank you to our Workshop Sponsor, Kevin Kruszewski, owner of the awesome Pane Rustica Bakery & Cafe in South Tampa.

Kevin is an Honorary Commander of MacDill AFB, and he personally delivered the most incredible gourmet feast we have ever experienced!

(To say it was highly appreciated by the transitioning troops in attendance would be an understatement! Everyone was RAVING about it, and Pane Rustica will be seeing more of us very soon!)

Special thanks also goes out to our guest speaker, Scott DeThomas, former CEO and Wing Commander of MacDill AFB, who shared his personal experience of transitioning just months ago after 30+ years of service in the Air Force.

Scott is now a Sr. VP with GTE Financial, a leading credit union in Tampa, and this was his second speaking appearance with us in the past few months.

We are also grateful to Darrell Wade, Senior Law Office Manager/Paralegal from U.S. Special Operations Command, who made a guest appearance to speak to us about his continuing transition experience after attending our LinkedIN Workshop last October.

Darrell has been receiving many attractive job offers, and most of these potential employers found him on LinkedIN!

And finally, a sincere thanks to our wonderful volunteers, Paula Hochman, Tony Michaelides, Pete Blum, and Robyn Mussler. All our lives are so much richer because of people who CARE like you!

Scott DeThomas, Former Commander of MacDill AFB, Spoke to Transitioning Troops at our October LinkedIN Workshop!

Posted on November 2, 2014 Written by Nancy Leave a Comment

It was an honor and a privilege to introduce retired Colonel Scott DeThomas, former Senior Wing Commander and CEO of MacDill Air Force Base, as our Special Guest Speaker at our Oct. 31st LinkedIN Job Search Workshop for transitioning troops and their families on MacDill.

After retiring only two months ago from his 32 year career in the U.S. Air Force (23 of those years as a pilot), Scott DeThomas graciously shared some very personal stories of his own transition experience while the troops and community guests in attendance listened attentively.

Many of the active duty personnel will be following in his footsteps within months, and some within a few short weeks.

Scott freely admitted to his audience that when he retired he was not at all clear about what he “wanted to do when (he) grew up”, and had found it quite helpful to hire a career coach and complete a career aptitude test. When “Banking” turned up on the Top 3 List of suggested careers, he was actually a bit surprised until he remembered that he had always been quite interested in financial investing.

Scott credits his natural ability to network, his Masters Certificate in Lean Six Sigma, and a bit of sheer “luck”, as significant aides on his path to success in the civilian world. Just two short months after leaving the service, he became the Sr. VP of Products & Member Sales for GTE Financial, one of Florida’s largest credit unions.

ABOUT PROJECT TRANSITION USA:

A 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, Project Transition USA has been teaching free LinkedIN Job Search Workshops on MacDill Air Force Base (Tampa, FL) and other locations since Nov. 2012 at the request of retired senior military officers who were in dire need of support. They are the first and ONLY 501(c)(3) organization focused on teaching LinkedIN on military bases.

In addition to their workshops, they also provide personal introductions to corporate military hiring managers and military-friendly civilians through their popular “Project Transition USA” group on LinkedIN: www.linkedin.com/groups/Project-Transition-USA-4842096/about

Many workshop attendees and group participants have already been offered top-level positions throughout the U.S., and all of this has been accomplished with little to no operating budget.

Project Transition USA’s goal is to expand these workshops to every U.S. military base nationwide as soon as possible. The need is urgent and the timing is critical. Visit their website to learn what transitioning military troops and community leaders are saying about this project: www.projecttransitionusa.com/testimonials/

Cappy Surette, Walt Disney World’s Senior Manager of Executive Communications, was our Guest Speaker at our LinkedIN Job Search Workshop in Sept. on MacDill AFB!

Posted on September 30, 2014 Written by Nancy Leave a Comment

We are very happy to announce that Cappy Surette, Walt Disney World’s Senior Manager of Executive Communications, was our Special Guest Speaker at our Project Transition USA LinkedIN Job Search Workshop on September 19th at MacDill AFB in Tampa!

A retired U.S. Navy Captain, Cappy spoke to our audience of transitioning military veterans about some of his amazing experiences during his successful 22+ year military career, as well as his own journey into civilian life after retiring from the service two years ago.

At one time Cappy was the Hollywood Liaison for the U.S. Navy Office of Information in L.A. (working directly with celebrities such as Celine Dion and the Goo Goo Dolls), and later held multiple Media Relations & Public Affairs positions at the Pentagon.

Cappy was hired by Disney in 2012 as part of their ongoing “Heroes Work Here” initiative to promote the hiring of U.S. veterans nationwide.

Watch this video to learn more: http://www.clickorlando.com/disney-helps-veterans-get-new-careers/22329408

ABOUT PROJECT TRANSITION USA:

Many workshop attendees and group participants have already been offered top-level positions throughout the U.S., and all of this has been accomplished with little to no operating budget.

Getting LinkedIN with the Tampa Bay Area Chapter of MPI (Meeting Professionals International)

Posted on September 12, 2014 Written by Nancy Leave a Comment

I had the great honor of presenting a LinkedIN Workshop for the Tampa Bay Area Chapter of Meeting Professionals International (MPI) on Sept. 10, 2014.

The Meeting & Event Industry contributes $122.3 BILLION in revenue to the Tampa Bay area alone, and MPI is their largest global community with more than 21,000 members belonging to 71 chapters & clubs worldwide.

Our workshop was held in the computer lab of Nova Southeastern University’s Tampa campus, and the topic was “Getting LinkedIN with Nancy Laine”.

Our Presentation Objectives included:

• Learn how to use LinkedIN the RIGHT way.
• How to get your profile ranked high and connect with highly influential people.
• How to add powerpoints & videos to your profile for the purpose of marketing yourself and your business.
• Learn how Nancy uses LinkedIN to help people find jobs.

This educational session marked the beginning of a wonderful new relationship between MPI and our 501c3 nonprofit, Project Transition USA, which was created to teach transitioning military personnel and their families how to use LinkedIN to find meaningful & rewarding new careers.

Many MPI members have since joined our Project Transition USA group on LinkedIN, and all of our members who may be interested in pursuing Hospitality careers are invited to join MPI’s LinkedIN group, attend their monthly luncheons in Tampa, and join their association.

The president of MPI Tampa Bay, Jim Engelmann, will be speaking at our upcoming LinkedIN Job Search Workshop for transitioning troops and their families on MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa on Oct. 31st, and many MPI members will be attending as well.

To learn more about the MPI Tampa Bay Area Chapter, click here.

Retired USAF Lt. Col. Bill Moline Sponsors LinkedIN Job Search Workshop on MacDill Air Force Base

Posted on July 31, 2014 Written by Nancy Leave a Comment

Why teach LinkedIN to transitioning troops on U.S. military bases? Because LinkedIN.com is the #1 hiring tool for recruiters & business owners in the civilian world – and it is virtually unknown to military personnel!

Tampa, FL — Project Transition USA, the only 501(c)(3) nonprofit that specializes in teaching transitioning military veterans and their families how to fully utilize the powerful business networking site LinkedIN, is pleased to announce their newest LinkedIN Job Search Workshop Sponsor.

Retired U.S. Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Bill Moline, a combat decorated F-16 pilot, chose to personally sponsor their July 2014 LinkedIN Job Search Workshop on MacDill AFB in Tampa, home of U.S. Central Command.

Bill is a West Point graduate and a Master Networker. He actively participated in the all-day workshop facilitated by Nancy Laine (an Army Chaplain’s daughter and the co-founder of Project Transition USA), enthusiastically sharing valuable networking tips with the transitioning troops and their families who will soon be joining him in the civilian world.

A longtime fan of LinkedIN, Bill’s personal contacts number over 4,000 in the Tampa Bay area alone. He is well known for his community leadership and selfless service to countless individuals and organizations. Currently serving on the Rough Rider’s Board of Directors, and also as a Centre Club Ambassador, Bill is a Leadership Tampa Alumni who was twice elected president of the Tampa Hyde Park Rotary Club.

Reflecting on his experience with the troops and their families that day, Bill remarked, “That seminar was an incredible fount of knowledge. I was blown away by all the helpful information that was taught. I now look at LinkedIn in a much different light and would recommend this workshop to transitioning military, young professionals, and even highly-experienced business networkers.”

“After spending years as a career advisor and a Certified Professional Resume Writer, I thought I had a pretty good handle on LinkedIn”, Bill confessed, “and as it turns out, I had NO idea how little I knew!”

When asked his reasons for sponsoring the workshop, Bill later disclosed, “After hearing that Jane Toombs (the former Executive Director of the CEO Council of Tampa Bay) personally sponsored their workshop in June, I knew I had to be part of it. And when I learned Judy Gay (the former President of the South Tampa Chamber) was also involved, I jumped in with both feet.”

“I am very honored to be their opening speaker next month”, he added with a smile. “Our transitioning troops deserve to be taught the skills they need to succeed in the civilian world, and this workshop will shave YEARS off their learning curve. LinkedIN is hands down the most efficient online platform for business networking today.”

“And by the way”, Bill continued emphatically, “even though many people ‘think’ they know about networking, I’ve noticed most don’t have a CLUE that networking is about relationship building and not about ‘selling’ ourselves. I was happy to see this important truth is at the heart of Project Transition USA’s philosophy. This is a cutting edge mission and I’m proud to be part of it.”

The next LinkedIN Job Search Workshop on MacDill AFB is scheduled for Friday, Aug. 22nd and is open exclusively to transitioning military personnel & dependents who are enrolled in MacDill’s TAP program. To learn about future sponsorship opportunities with Project Transition USA LinkedIN Job Search Workshops on MacDill AFB and beyond, contact Nancy Laine at 727-415-3878.

ABOUT PROJECT TRANSITION USA:

Many workshop attendees and group participants have already been offered top-level positions throughout the U.S., and all of this has been accomplished with little to no operating budget.

Project Transition USA’s goal is to expand these workshops to every U.S. military base nationwide. Visit their website to learn what transitioning military troops and community leaders are saying about this project: www.projecttransitionusa.com/testimonials/

Jane Toombs Sponsors LinkedIN Job Search Workshop on MacDill AFB

Posted on June 30, 2014 Written by Nancy Leave a Comment

Project Transition USA, the only 501(c)(3) nonprofit that specializes in teaching transitioning U.S. military veterans and their families how to fully utilize the powerful business networking site LinkedIN, is pleased to announce their newest LinkedIN Job Search Workshop Sponsor.

Jane Toombs, a CEO-to-CEO Introduction Facilitator in Tampa, FL, chose to personally sponsor their June 2014 LinkedIN Job Search Workshop on MacDill Air Force Base, home of U.S. Central Command.

Jane served for over 13 years as the Executive Director of the CEO Council of Tampa Bay, the premier organization for entrepreneurial Chief Executive Officers in Tampa Bay, FL. During this time it grew from 86 to 250 CEO members, helping CEOs build relationships, generate ideas and formulate solutions to manage and grow their companies.

Jane continues to support C-level execs in Tampa Bay through her own highly-unique ‘private introduction’ consulting practice today, and she was a very special guest at the workshop taught by facilitator Nancy Laine, an Army Chaplain’s daughter and the co-founder of Project Transition USA.

When asked about her reasons for becoming a Workshop Sponsor, Jane began by saying, “My father was a Navy pilot who retired at 49. If he’d had access to something like Project Transition USA, it could have been an entirely different experience for him.”

Jane proceeded to share a painful story from her teenage years. “Transitioning from the military was so difficult that my father chose never to work again, and that was a terrible waste of talent and intellectual capital. He died just 10 years later, mainly of alcohol abuse.”

Reflecting on the experience of spending time on MacDill Air Force Base in the LinkedIN Job Search Workshop with the troops and their families, Jane added, “The education that comes from knowing what to do with the available tools in today’s market – like Linkedin – can make a difference between a productive or pathetic quality of life for the 77 million baby boomers who are ‘getting off the hamster wheel’ by turning retirement age by 2015.”

Jane empathetically added, “Since I myself, a civilian, recently retired from a ‘go-go-go position’ in the local community, I’ve seen first-hand what a powerful dilemma the concept of retirement is. Most military personnel aren’t old enough to think about slowing down yet. Having access to resources like this workshop can help.”

“If you’re over 40, chances are that you never thought Linkedin would determine your ‘make or break’ status for the rest of your life. But job recruiters mine the internet every day, so now job hunters have to put ourselves out there in a variety of smart and cunning ways to catch their attention.”

Jane concluded by sharing one big tip she learned in the workshop. “To capture recruiters’ attention on Linkedin, use the exact words they use in their job listings (as keywords) on your profile — whenever appropriate — so they can easily find you, and will most likely deem you a worthy candidate.”

The next LinkedIN Job Search Workshop on MacDill AFB is scheduled for Friday, July 18th and is open exclusively to transitioning military personnel & dependents who are enrolled in MacDill’s TAP program. To learn about future sponsorship opportunities with Project Transition USA LinkedIN Job Search Workshops on MacDill AFB and beyond, contact Nancy Laine at 727-415-3878.

ABOUT PROJECT TRANSITION USA:

Many workshop attendees and group participants have already been offered top-level positions throughout the U.S., and all of this has been accomplished with little to no operating budget.