WeWork just announced the 10 veteran entrepreneurs joining the inaugural Philly cohort of its Veterans in Residence program, which aims to connect veteran founders to resources and networking.
As part of the program, the founders will have access to six months of office space at the coworking giant’s 1601 Market St. location, as well as access to events programming and connections to the broader WeWork community.
The program, which is being rolled out to 10 U.S. cities, kicked-off Feb. 13 at the Center City spot, with a drop-by visit from Mayor Jim Kenney.
“Too often, our veterans struggle when they leave the armed forces,” Kenney said. “Programs such as this one help put them on the path to success by supporting their ambitions such as starting a business or finding their next career.”
The group brings together 10 veteran entrepreneurs from different verticals:
- Gerard Cavanaugh: A Navy veteran, founder of Cavanaugh Communications.
- Michael Hansen: Former Marine, founder of LOT-B and Veterans Affairs Director for Power Home Remodeling.
- Marchee Briant: Army veteran, founder of Fifty Shades of Purple Against Bullying.
- Michael Woody: Retired Army Ranger, founder of Three-Six-Zero Leadership
- Dennis Miller: Marine Corps veteran, founder of Wheel Dog Industries.
- Harry Mayer: A former deep-sea diver with the Army, cofounder of Luxury Holidays .
- Shelley Waite: Air Force veteran, founder of Waite Secured Line Technology Solutions.
- Suzanne Garber: The spouse of an Army Veteran, cofounder and co-CEO of Gauze
- Chivonne Washington: Air Force veteran, founder of She Bringz Decor and Pillowz Pillowz.
- Aronda Smith-Benson: An Army veteran, founder of Women Veterans Command Center.
“WeWork is a platform for creators, providing over 175,000 members around the world with space, community and services to create meaningful work and lead meaningful lives,” said WeWork’s General Manager for the Mid-Atlantic, Nicole Mozeliak. “One way we’re doing that is through our Veterans in Residence program.”
