fbpx

Let ZeroMils show you how to

thrive

Echoes of Honor: Military Thriving™ Hampton Roads

September 17
8:30 am
 - 4:30 pm EDT

The HIVE

140 Independence Blvd., Suite 100
Virginia Beach, VA 23462
Google
Outlook
ICS

Take Charge of Your Future.

Seats are limited—reserve yours by registering today!

Sorry, registration is closed now.

Sign up for another event, or connect with us.

Building a Military Thriving community requires a coalition of the willing made up of key stakeholders from the public, private and nonprofit sectors who collaborate to achieve shared goals, objectives, and outcomes. The Hampton Roads area presents significant opportunities—for transitioning service members, Veterans and military spouses to find meaningful employment; for entrepreneurs to own small businesses; and for the region as a whole to keep military and veteran connected families and attract new families. 

This all-day event will bring together key stakeholders from the public, private, and nonprofit sectors to explore how we can continue to grow and support our Military Thriving™ community. 

The morning session starting at 8:30 am will include four panel discussions. After a break for lunch, the afternoon session starting at 1:30pm is geared more specifically toward aspiring Military Spouse and Veteran entrepreneurs and will feature interactive small group sessions, led by experienced small business leaders.

MORNING SESSION

8:30 AM

MODERATOR

Sultan Camp
Director, Hampton Roads Veteran Employment Centers

Read Bio ›

Tommy Jones
Founder & CEO, Camo Canopy Consulting LLC

Read Bio ›

JD Due
Executive Director, Center of Military Transition, William and Mary

Read Bio ›

John Malfitano
Onward to Opportunity Program Manager, IVMF

Read Bio ›

MODERATOR

Kevin Schmiegel
CEO, ZeroMils

Read Bio ›

Tommy Jones
Founder & CEO, Camo Canopy Consulting LLC

Read Bio ›

Kathleen Jabs
Special Assistant for Military & Veteran Affairs, William & Mary

Read Bio ›

Melynda Weaver
Director of Development, wear blue: run to remember

Read Bio ›

MODERATOR

Kevin Schmiegel
CEO, ZeroMils

Read Bio ›

Tim Sweeney
VP of Business Development, Orion Talent

Read Bio ›

Tim Best
CEO, RecruitMilitary

Read Bio ›

Andrew Warren
Senior Advisor, Military / Veteran Affairs & Public Policy, Dominion Energy

Read Bio ›

Maryellen Baldwin
President and CEO, Navy League of Hampton Roads

Read Bio ›

MODERATOR

Kevin Schmiegel
CEO, ZeroMils

Read Bio ›

Brian Wieters
Group VP Franchise Development, Neighborly

Read Bio ›

Shirley Campbell
VP and SBA Program Director, First Command Bank

Read Bio ›

Tony Kalams
CAPT, JAGC, USN (Retired)
FourBlock, Southeast Regional Director

Read Bio ›

AFTERNOON SESSION

1:30 PM

Round-robin small group sessions focused on small business ownership with ZeroMils, Neighborly and First Command.

Topics: Franchising 101, Opening a New Business, Purchasing an Existing Business, Financing to Invest and Grow Your Business.

 

GROUP LEADERS:

Lou Schager
President, Mosquito Joe

Read Bio ›

Julie Davis
Franchise Developer, Neighborly

Read Bio ›

Shirley Campbell
VP and SBA Program Director, First Command Bank

Read Bio ›

Brad Stevenson
Chief Development Officer, Neighborly

Read Bio ›

Brian Wieters
Group VP Franchise Development, Neighborly

Read Bio ›

Ron Trickel
President & Owner, Mr. Handyman
President & Owner, Molly Maid 

Read Bio ›

Our Partners

About Us

ZeroMils is a term of both science and art, used in the military to describe a state of perfection that accounts for accuracy and effectiveness. Once attained, ZeroMils allows  you to achieve maximum impact on a target.

Our mission as social impact consultants to corporations and nonprofit organizations is to create Military Thriving cultures and communities. Our vision is to use our experiences to make our history every Veteran’s and Military Spouse’s future—with a focus on small business owners like us.

We are intentional in our efforts to serve alongside organizations and leaders who focus on what we know to be true:  that although Veterans and their families face unique challenges, the vast majority of us overcome them and thrive as a result of our service and not in spite of it.

Our Founders

Kevin Schmiegel
CEO

Kevin Schmiegel is CEO at ZeroMils. A retired Marine Corps lieutenant colonel, Kevin is a mission-focused leader with a proven track record for rapidly scaling nonprofits and a reputation for delivering significant results. Kevin founded Hiring Our Heroes at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and was CEO of two other national nonprofits. Raising $100 million for these causes over a decade, Kevin and his teams have impacted millions of Americans, in and out of uniform. He is a proud husband to Laura and a father of five.

Paul Cucinotta
President & COO

Paul Cucinotta is President & Chief Operating Officer at ZeroMils. He is a retired Marine Corps colonel, and highly accomplished leader, specializing in diverse and complex organizations. Paul most recently served as the COO and CFO of a nationally recognized military and first responder non-profit, where he scaled and streamlined operations. When not tackling complex challenges, you can find Paul on the beach with his wife Beth, and growing family, in Emerald Isle, NC.

Lou Schager was named president of Mosquito Joe in 2017 after joining as their Chief Operating Officer. The company started in 2010, began franchising in 2013 and has grown to over 370 franchise locations in 38 states. Mosquito Joe was acquired by Neighborly® in August of 2018.

Prior to Mosquito Joe, Lou served as Vice President of Strategy for Reinvent Hampton Roads to drive business development through economic cluster analysis as part of the Growth and Opportunity Virginia (GO Virginia) initiative in the Coastal Virginia area. In addition, he served for 27 years in the U.S. Navy where he flew F-14 and FA-18 aircraft, graduated from the Navy Fighter Weapons School (TOPGUN) and served as the Commanding Officer of an FA-18 squadron. His Navy career culminated in Virginia Beach, VA as the Commanding Officer of Naval Air Station Oceana, providing superior customer service daily to 16,000 military and civilian personnel across 90 product lines.

Lou graduated with merit from the U.S. Naval Academy with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mechanical Engineering and earned a Master of Arts degree in National Security and Strategic Studies at the Naval War College. Lou is also a Certified Franchise Executive under the International Franchise Association’s training program.

26+ year franchise sales and development executive, vast majority of franchise experience is in the restaurant industry, joined Neighborly in April of 2024 after working with notable brands such as, Dunkin’, Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen and Salata Salad Kitchen, etc.  I love franchising and driving both the franchisee relationship and profitability.

Shirley Campbell is the SBA Program Director at First Command Bank, leveraging 16 years of SBA lending experience. Dedicated to supporting military veterans and spouses, she joined First Command to launch their SBA small business lending program in March 2023. With 30+ years in banking, Shirley’s passion lies in helping small business owners thrive. A proud mother of two active-duty sons in the US Air Force and with a father who served in the US Army, Shirley resides in a small town south of Fort Worth, TX, enjoying life on a 20-acre hobby farm with her husband, Mark.

Brad Stevenson is an accomplished executive business leader with 23 years’ experience in a variety of sales, marketing and management roles in the beverage industry.

Currently, Brad serves as the chief development officer (CDO) for Neighborly and is a member of the Neighborly growth team. In this role, Brad is a driving force behind developing and implementing Neighborly’s aggressive strategic initiatives for North American franchise development. As a member of the Executive Team for Neighborly, Brad works closely with the skilled development team and brand leadership.

Prior to joining the Neighborly team, Brad graduated from Texas A&M University in College Station and has spent his professional career with MillerCoors and Miller Brewing Company after first joining the organization in 1996 as an On-Premise Miller Marketing Representative for United Beverage in Houston, Texas. Throughout his career with the adult beverage industry leader, Stevenson held numerous sales and marketing positions with the company including Vice President of Grocery, Director of Business Development and Strategy and Regional Chain Director.

Brian Wieters is Group Vice President, Franchise Development at Neighborly. He has spent 30+ years in franchising, leading development teams at multiple brands in the quick serve, business services and home service industries. Brian believes in an UPFRONT sales philosophy that considers the prospect first with the goal of helping the franchise prospect reach their goal, which then leads to the brand reaching its goals.

Ron has built a distinguished career spanning military service in the US Air Force and a prominent tenure at Canon USA, where he ascended to Vice President & General Manager, Service & Support – Production Print Division over 33 years. With a sharp focus on leadership, he directed a $790M service business for over 1000 national clients, managing an SG&A budget of approximately $78M. Ron’s strategic acumen extended Canon’s influence through advisory councils, industry tradeshows, and key customer relationships with Amazon, Bank of America, Walmart, and JPMC. In parallel, he has excelled as an entrepreneur, overseeing multiple rental properties, a Jimmy John’s franchise, Mr. Handyman and Molly Maid ventures across Florida, demonstrating a steadfast commitment to service excellence and community engagement.

Sultan Camp is a military spouse and veteran talent acquisition strategist with over 28,000 LinkedIn connections and 3,000 X (formerly Twitter) followers. He is a prolific writer and speaker on military community talent pipeline development, career management, and workforce education. He is currently the Director of the Hampton Roads Workforce Council’s Veterans Employment Centers and a Co-Chair of the Military and Veterans Executive Committee for Virginia Chamber of Commerce’s Blueprint 2030. He is also a Board Member for the Fort Eustis Civic Leaders Association.
Sultan is a graduate of George Washington and Norfolk State Universities. He is a highly sought-after public speaker and one of the most influential voices on military talent acquisition.

Tommy Jones is a distinguished leader in talent acquisition and military programs with over 14 years of experience. As the Founder and CEO of Camo Canopy Consulting LLC, Tommy specializes in enhancing military-related initiatives, from recruitment and retention strategies to fostering inclusive cultures and supporting Veteran-owned businesses.

Tommy’s career includes pivotal roles at Walmart and Verizon, where he developed and led military and diversity recruitment strategies that resulted in the employment of over 15,000 veterans and military spouses. His leadership at Verizon positioned the company as a top Military Friendly Employer, while at Walmart, he spearheaded enterprise-wide strategies that increased military talent representation and support for military spouses.

A decorated U.S. Army veteran, Tommy served 20 years in the Signal Corps, deploying to Bosnia, Afghanistan, and Iraq, and earning numerous awards, including three Bronze Stars. His post-military career has been marked by significant contributions to the military community, earning him recognition as one of the 2023 Veteran Champions of the Year in Corporate America.

Tommy holds certifications from Villanova University in Advanced BI Data, Project Management, and Human Resources, along with the SHRM Foundation’s Veterans at Work Certificate. He actively serves on advisory boards, including the SHRM Board of Military Advisors and the JPMorgan Chase Veterans Jobs Mission Advisory Board, furthering his impact on military-related initiatives across various sectors.

Passionate about education, service, talent and leadership development, and assisting veterans excel in new chapters of service, Jonathan “JD” Due is the executive director of the Center of Military Transition at the Mason School of Business at William and Mary. In this role, JD leads the Mason School’s efforts to develop and empower veterans to think and lead like executives.

Prior to serving at William and Mary, JD spent several years as the director of programs and scholarships at the Pat Tillman Foundation, where he ran the selection process for the Tillman Scholar community and developed a leadership development program for remarkable active-duty service members, military veterans, and military spouses. A 20-year veteran of the US Army himself, JD served as a cavalry and armor officer in a wide variety of assignments, to include command, serving on the faculty of U.S. Military Academy, and as the lead writer for a number of doctrinal manuals and future warfighting concepts.

In 2024, JD was also named a Hoover Veteran Fellow at Stanford University’s Hoover Institute where he currently researches and develops solutions to empower veterans and transitioning service members in their search for productivity, fulfillment, and resilience as they enter the civilian workforce.

John Malfitano retired from military service in September 2016 after serving 30 years active duty with the United States Navy. A native of Pearl River, New York, he graduated from Stony Brook University with a Bachelor of Engineering in Engineering Science in 1986. He was commissioned through the Aviation Officer Candidate School program in 1986, and was designated a Naval Aviator and reported to Norfolk, Virginia for initial fleet training in the E-2C Hawkeye in 1988. He earned a Master of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies with Highest Distinction from the Naval War College in 2001, and received the President’s Honor Graduate Award. During his tenure as Commanding Officer of the VAW-126 Seahawks, his squadron was selected as recipient of the 2005 Commander, Naval Air Force Atlantic Battle ‘E’ Efficiency Award and the 2005 Commander, Naval Air Forces RADM Frank Akers Award for AEW Excellence. In 2006, he was selected by his community peers for the Navy-Marine Corps Leadership Award.

Malfitano has served multiple times at sea, completing eight deployments on Atlantic Fleet aircraft carriers, participating in combat operations during Operations DESERT STORM, DESERT FOX, and IRAQI FREEDOM, and has logged over 4,400 flight hours and 500 carrier arrested landings. His final sea duty was from 2011-2013 when he served as Chief of Staff to Commander, Carrier Strike Group EIGHT embarked in USS DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER (CVN-69).

Ashore, Malfitano served as an instructor pilot and training landing signal officer with the VAW 120 Greyhawks, and attained qualification in the C-2A Greyhound (COD); as Flag Aide-de-camp to the Commander, Naval Training Center Great Lakes; as action officer in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations for the VCNO-chartered information technology study group, Task Force Web; as a Joint Staff Officer for NATO in the Strategic Engagement & Vision Branch at Supreme Allied Commander Transformation; and commanded Naval Station Great Lakes – the Quarterdeck of the Navy.

His final Navy position was as the Fleet & Family Readiness Program Director for Commander, Navy Region Mid-Atlantic, where he led over 3,000 staff members of the Fleet & Family Readiness team in providing a full range of quality programs and services that enhance the lives of military service members and their families.

Kevin Schmiegel is CEO at ZeroMils. A retired Marine Corps lieutenant colonel, Kevin is a mission-focused leader with a proven track record for rapidly scaling nonprofits and a reputation for delivering significant results. Kevin founded Hiring Our Heroes at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and was CEO of two other national nonprofits. Raising $100 million for these causes over a decade, Kevin and his teams have impacted millions of Americans, in and out of uniform. He is a proud husband to Laura and a father of five.

Kathleen serves as Special Assistant to the President for Military and Veteran Affairs at William & Mary. From 2019-2022, Kathleen served as Acting Secretary and Deputy Secretary of Veterans and Defense Affairs for the Commonwealth of Virginia where she worked to coordinate state and federal resources to support Virginia’s military and veteran communities and liaison with federal defense facilities.

Kathleen graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy earning a Bachelor of Science in English with minors in Russian and Engineering. She completed six years of active duty, then transferred to the Navy Reserve where she commanded three units before retiring as a Captain in 2017. Her military career spans a variety of active duty and reserve positions, with service in Japan, Hawaii, Panama, the Pentagon, and military installations along the East Coast.

Kathleen has more than 30 years of government, military and academic leadership and communications experience including assignments with NATO Allied Command Transformation, US Fleet Forces Command, the Joint Staff, and National Defense University. She is a graduate of the Hampton Roads CIVIC Leadership Institute Executive Program, the Virginia Commonwealth University Virginia Executive Institute, and the Naval Post-Graduate School (NPS) Executive Leader Residence Course.

In addition to her defense career, Kathleen earned a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from George Mason University and has published a novel, several award- winning stories, and many articles in literary and national publications. Named a fellow at the Virginia Center for Creative Arts, she serves as President of the Naval Academy Alumni Association Peninsula Chapter and is a certified Virginia Master Naturalist with the Historic Rivers chapter. She is married with two grown children.

Melynda Weaver is the Chief Development Officer for wear blue: run to remember, a national nonprofit organization. With a multifaceted background in marketing, entrepreneurship, and nonprofit leadership, Melynda brings a wealth of strategic insight and relationship-building expertise to her role, driving impactful initiatives through data-driven decision making and creative resource management.

A proud Texas A&M University alumna, Melynda graduated in 2003 with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, specializing in Marketing. Melynda’s career began in the fine jewelry industry as a buyer for private companies and then the Navy Exchange. Her commitment to continuous learning led her to complete the Graduate Gemologist Program from the Gemological Institute of America in 2011. In 2012, she earned a Master of Science in Business Intelligence from American Sentinel University, graduating with distinction.

As a military spouse of over 20 years, she adeptly navigated frequent relocations, transitioning her professional expertise into analyzing customer experiences in military garrison operations. Building on both her own entrepreneurial experience and her deep understanding of the unique needs of military families, Melynda co-founded M2 Partners, which holds a portfolio of flexible, remote work opportunities for paraprofessional military spouses.

In 2020, Melynda’s personal connection to wear blue: run to remember led her to apply her diverse skill set to support service members, veterans, their families, and families of the fallen. In her role, she leverages her experience to connect people and organizations across multiple channels, furthering the nonprofit’s mission.

Melynda’s non-linear career path exemplifies resilience, adaptability, and a commitment to professional growth—qualities that have allowed her to thrive as a professional and a mother of three while making significant contributions to the communities she serves.

Tim Sweeney is from Norfolk, VA, and studied Computer Science and was a member of the Varsity basketball team at the United States Naval Academy, graduating in 2002. As a Navy Surface Warfare Officer, Tim was attached to the USS Tarawa in San Diego. In 2003, he deployed for seven months with the Tarawa Amphibious Ready Group and Amphibious Squadron Seven, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Following his service in the Navy, Tim joined Orion’s Virginia Beach Office as an Account Executive. Tim was instrumental in the growth and expansion of the Virginia Beach office and has been a key contributor in developing Orion’s Military Talent Programs and RPO business. Tim was promoted to VP, Business Development in February of 2020.

Tim currently lives in Norfolk, VA, with his wife, Erin, and their four daughters, Kayla, Ashlin, Madison, and Riley.

Tim is the CEO of RecruitMilitary. He has over two decades of experience as a senior executive leading Private Equity and Founder-led businesses. Tim has led the company through three acquisitions and subsequent integrations, resulting in the consolidated and differentiated brand, RecruitMilitary.

Tim transitioned to the private sector from the U.S. Army where he was an AH-6 Pilot in the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, becoming one of the youngest mission-qualified pilots in unit history. Tim graduated with a degree in business administration from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. He resides in Chesapeake, VA and enjoys an active personal life with his family and friends.

Andrew Warren is Military / Veteran Affairs and Public Policy Senior Advisor for Dominion Energy. Mr. Warren earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the Virginia Military Institute, is a distinguished graduate of the Marine Corps University Command and Staff College and holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Kenan-Flagler Business School. He is a graduate of the LEAD Virginia class of 2021.

Prior to joining Dominion Energy in 2021, Drew completed 26 years of public service to the United States in multiple national security roles. As a career Marine Corps infantry officer, he completed seven overseas deployments, five of which involved direct combat operations in Kosovo, Iraq, and Afghanistan. He also participated in humanitarian assistance missions in Cuba, Albania, and Turkey, and security cooperation deployments to Japan and Panama. After leaving active duty, Mr. Warren worked in both the legislative and executive branches of government. First, as a Professional Staff Member on the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Armed Services with the 114th and 115th sessions of Congress, and subsequently as a Senior Special Assistant in the Secretary of Defense’s office of legislative affairs. His roles on Capitol Hill and the Pentagon focused on issues of military readiness, personnel policies, installation security, and service level logistics and sustainment strategies.

Drew served as an adjunct faculty member for Marine Corps University from 2008-2015 and was selected to the Marine Corps Gazette’s Editorial Panel from 2016-2020. He is currently a member of the UNC Kenan-Flagler business school alumni council, member of the Virginia Chamber of Commerce Blueprint 2030 executive committee, and board member of the Hampton Roads Military Federal Facilities Alliance. Drew is the recipient of the Bronze Star Medal, Navy / Marine Corps Achievement Medal with Combat Valor Device, three Combat Action Ribbons, the Secretary of Defense Medal for Exceptional Public Service, and he was authorized to wear the basic parachutist insignia.

A member of the Navy League Hampton Roads for more than twenty-five years, Maryellen Baldwin demonstrates a deep commitment to the men and women who voluntarily serve in our sea services. She assumed her current position as President and CEO on September 1, 2015, after having the distinction of serving as the first woman President of the Navy League, Hampton Roads and then being selected as Executive Director in 2000.

Ms. Baldwin has worked on 29 commissioning ceremonies for aircraft carriers and submarines to date supporting the United States Navy in raising funds for ship enhancements along with protocol events that have become part of Navy tradition.

The Navy League is currently working on the development of quality-of-life enhancements and efforts to commission PCU JOHN F KENNEDY (CVN 79) which will be their 30th ship commissioning.

She has significantly broadened the Navy League’s involvement with Active-Duty families by developing educational CORE workshops for the CO, XO, JO, and CMC Spouses, hosting the Sailor of the Year contenders in Hampton Roads, and funding four named Navy League scholarships.

With the Navy having the largest footprint in Hampton Roads much of her time has been placed in that area however with a strong concentration of United States Coast Guard and United States Marine Corps, emphasis on supporting these areas continues to be evolving utilizing partnerships to improve the quality of life for all service members.

She has been the recipient of several Sea Service awards including Honorary Chief Petty Officer in 1994, the Navy’s Distinguished Service Award and Superior Public Service Award. She has also been recognized in Inside Business Leadership Publication in 2015. Inducted into the Navy League of the United States Hall of Fame, June 2022.

Tony is a retired U.S. Navy veteran with 30 years of active and reserve service in the Judge Advocate General’s Corps. Tony litigated military justice cases, advised on the Law of Armed Conflict, and commanded legal units. Prior to his retirement in September 2021, he was recalled to active duty for a two-year tour as Force Judge Advocate (General Counsel) to Chief, Navy Reserve.

Tony’s civilian experience has been in the pharmaceutical and healthcare information technology sectors. His career began with sales and marketing roles with Merck pharmaceuticals, and transitioned to Cisco Systems, applying his expertise in technology to further patient care. Tony’s most recent role was with Amwell, a digital health company, where he focused on leveraging technology to enhance patient care and engagement. He now serves as Southeast Region Director of the FourBlock Foundation. Tony resides in Virginia Beach, Virgina.

ONLY CONNECTED, 

CAN WE THRIVE.

Join the ZeroMils mailing list to receive the latest insights, news, and stories that are building our military thriving communities.

"(Required)" indicates required fields

Name(Required)
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.