Stephanie is a professional sales educator, providing success clinics, product coaching and contests to our teams. This sales savant and New Orleans Saints superfan stepped up in a big way to help her community in 2020. Elizabeth Saulsbury from our Employment Brand team chatted with Stephanie about Connecting Through Kindness, her sainthood (is that the right term?) and learned that tomatoes do NOT belong in gumbo.
Elizabeth: Alright Stephanie, you ready for this interview?
Stephanie: As ready as I’ll ever be!
E: Let’s do it. Okay, you live in New Orleans, right? I need you to tell me the difference between gumbo and jambalaya.
S: Are you kidding me? You don’t know?
E: I genuinely have no idea.
S: So, gumbo is more like a soup. It has rice, but it definitely has a broth to it. Jambalaya is a dry dish – it’s rice with similar ingredients, but it’s dry.
E: Describe your perfect gumbo.
S: Oh my goodness. My perfect gumbo is going to be a dark roux gumbo – you have to cook the roux down very, very dark; makes it a lot richer. Uh, definitely gotta have seafood in there. There’s got to be crab meat, there’s got to be shrimp…some people are partial to okra, which makes the gumbo a little bit thicker…and I like to add hot sauce in mine.
E: You’re making me hungry.
S: And if you cook gumbo with tomatoes, you’re doing it wrong. That’s a big mistake.
E: No tomatoes. Got it. What’s your favorite spot to grab a bite in NOLA?
S: If I’m looking for something fancy, I love Emeril’s Delmonico. The food is phenomenal. It’s in a house, there are streetcars that pass and they always have someone playing piano, so you get a cool nostalgic vibe. If I’m looking for something quick, I’m going to Short Stop Po’boys. They have the best, unapologetically messy roast beef po’boys. And I love Trep’s NOLA, an indoor-outdoor venue in Mid-City.
E: Well, I know where I’m traveling after COVID. So staying on the topic of New Orleans…you were named the Saints Fan of the Year for your community service in 2020. Congratulations! Tell me about this award. You’re basically part of the team now, right?
S: I mean, I feel like I should have a contract…guess we’re still working that out. But seriously, what happened was that when the pandemic started, I started thinking to myself “what can I do to help?” I leveraged our Saints Facebook group and we started working on getting masks for frontline employees, we did stuff with Second Harvest [Food Bank] and through the grapevine, I learned that I was nominated for Fan of the Year by people in the group.
E: How did you find out that you’d won?
S: During the NFL season, there was a fan mosaic where fans would log in virtually and they’d put your face on the screen. It was the Saints vs. the Bucs at Tampa Bay, and they said “Hey, you want to be on the mosaic again?” and I was like “Yeah, sure absolutely.” So I get in and I start seeing guys from my Facebook group. And I’m like, what are the odds? And then there’s Tyrone Hughes, who is a Saints legend…he pops in, and I’m still totally oblivious. Then he starts talking to me, and that’s when he told me that the Saints elected me. And I just got really overcome with emotion. To be recognized like that on such a large scale…a very big honor. And I have to say that the Connecting Through Kindness campaign from Cox really helped springboard what I was doing. It reassured me that this was exactly what I needed to be doing right now: I needed to be giving back.
E: What kind of prizes does a fan of the year get?
S: They gave quite a bit of stuff. Very nice jerseys, branded sweatsuits, Cris Carter sent us personalized mini helmets, we got to attend some virtual meet-and-greet sessions with Roger Goodell and Wilson made us each a football that’s branded “Fan of the Year” and has our names under it. And they just invited us to the draft!
E: Very cool! So, you’re a professional sales educator at Cox. If you could teach any other subject, what would it be?
S: I think it would be how to connect with people and build rapport. I think that with technology, we can be so impersonal sometimes. Building relationships is a forgotten art form that we could use more of.
E: Is that what you love most about working in sales at Cox? That aspect of connecting with people?
S: Not just connecting with people, but being able to support so many different lines of business. I’m on the Cox HomeLife side, but I get to support all of retail. I’ve gotten to meet teams and leaders from all across the country. Meeting all these people, learning from all these people and to be able to support them…to me that’s very special. I have the ability to influence so many people, and I take that very seriously.
E: On the topic of education, what was your favorite subject in school?
S: English.
E: Do you have a favorite author or favorite book?
S: There are a few books I love. Mind Gym is sports-related, and it’s all about overcoming mental hurdles when it comes to life and a game. I love servant leadership books, and The Precious Present. It’s a short book all about appreciating what you have in the moment.
E: What was your least favorite subject in school?
S: Oh girl, hands-down math.
E: Do you listen to music during the workday? What kind?
S: Yes, and I’m not lying when I tell you that I listen to everything. Being in New Orleans, I love listening to jazz, blues, zydeco. But then I can switch it up…anything that puts me in a good mood.
E: You’re gonna love this segue…tell me how you “make a little music” in your job at Cox.
S: I really try to do things a little bit more creatively in my approach to projects, especially while we’re virtual. For example, we just did a bracket challenge contest at HomeLife and that was something that could have been an email with all the rules and whatever. But instead, I put on my basketball jersey and my headband and played “Eye of the Tiger” in the background…ya know, to break up the monotony of emails and have fun. So just being a little more creative in how I communicate.
E: Well Stephanie, thanks for the creative communication in this interview! It was great to get to know you.
S: You too! Take care.
Interested in learning more about Cox’s culture? Click here.
Mike works in supply chain at Cox, leading projects related to logistics and transportation for Cox’s companies. Elizabeth Saulsbury from our Employment Brand team sat down [virtually] with Mike to learn more about him via a fun Q&A. Animal lovers and Justin Timberlake fans…this one’s for you.
Elizabeth: Mike, thanks for chatting with me today! You ready to get started?
Mike: Let’s do it.
E: My first question for you is very important. What did you have for breakfast this morning?
M: You caught me on a cheat day. I had two donuts that I shared with my son.
E: You know I have to ask what kind of donuts…
M: Publix glazed donuts. Only the best.
E: What’s one thing you’re working on right now that you’re really excited about?
M: Ooh. One thing I’m working on…well, I can’t share much about it right now, but I’m actually collaborating with some other Cox folks who have a passion for music to write a song for Veterans’ Day. I worked on a song that was featured during a Cox Communications town hall for Veterans’ Day and will be doing that again this year.
E: Love it! We’ll come back to the topic of music in a minute, but right now I want to know what you love most about living in Atlanta.
M: I moved to Atlanta from Charleston and one of the things that we love about living here is that we get four seasons. We didn’t have that when we lived in Florida, either. We’re also waking up to deer in our backyard now, so that’s cool.
E: You’ve given us a hint already regarding songwriting, but do you have any secret talents that people might not know about?
M: Well, there’s songwriting. And actually, my family calls me ‘the animal whisperer.’ Animals just come up to me and take a liking to me. That’s not really a talent I can control, but I guess being an animal whisperer counts?
E: That’s like…a Disney princess level of talent.
M: Yeah, I don’t know what it is. It can be any type of animal: squirrels, dogs, horses, deer…
E: The deer in your backyard?
M: Yeah, those.
E: Speaking of animals, do you have pets?
M: Right now we have two dogs and two cats. And the adopted deer in our backyard.
E: What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
M: The best professional advice I’ve ever received is “Don’t be afraid to ask.” You’ll never get an answer if you don’t ask, at any level. The worst answer you can get is no, and at least you tried. Don’t be afraid to make the ask, and don’t be afraid to fail. On a personal level, it’s “find something that makes you want to wake up in the morning.” Find a passion, accomplish something every day, and the next morning do it again.
E: Do you feel like you’ve found that at Cox?
M: I do, for both sides of advice. The cross-collaboration at Cox has been really great.
E: Let’s talk a little bit more about music. Big question: what do you think is the best song ever written?
M: Gosh, this is such a loaded question. And it depends on the mood, right? I would be remiss if I didn’t say my wedding song: “Die a Happy Man” by Thomas Rhett is up there for me. Just that pinnacle of happiness – the beauty of that message. Another would be Brad Paisley’s “When I Get Where I’m Going.” The message of that latter one is basically, when I get where I’m going, there will only be happy tears because I helped make a positive impact on the people I met. I think that’s what I’m into: how do you communicate sadness, and still leave a positive mark on someone’s heart?
E: So country is your genre of choice, then?
M: Uh, I married into it. My wife is big into country. I’m really a melting pot of genres.
E: On the flip side, what songwriting just doesn’t land for you? What makes you think “ooh, this is really badly written?”
M: I would say that the songwriting that doesn’t work for me is some of what’s happening right now in the genre of pop and hip-hop, where it’s one-hit wonder type of sounds. A lot of people are trying to make something that sounds like “now,” but it won’t be worth listening to in a decade. That’s not what I’m into.
E: Imagine, pie in the sky, that you can pick any musician in the world to collaborate with. Who do you pick?
M: Easy. Justin Timberlake. Anytime I see a story about him, I think “Justin, leave some talent for the rest of us, man.” Like I saw him catching passes from Tom Brady before the Super Bowl and I was like “Seriously? You’re already cool. Just stop.” But seriously, I call him a musical renaissance man because it seems like he’s not bad at anything musically. He writes, he dances, he sings, he plays instruments, he produces, it’s just crazy. To be around someone that talented for an hour making a song would just be the dream.
E: Can’t wait to hear that collab someday! What are your favorite non-profits or causes?
M: I have a couple. Make-a-Wish resonates for me – I’ve always loved helping kids. And then anything for our veterans. I had a grandfather who served in World War II and my father served in Vietnam, and seeing charities that help our military service members is definitely something I gravitate towards.
E: Last question for you. Tell me what you love most about working at Cox.
M: What I love most, aside from everyone being open to helping each other, is everything we’re involved with as a company in the community. I don’t think I’ve ever been with a company that has been so cognizant of its impact on its community and surrounding subsidiaries. Cox Conserves, our volunteer opportunities, our goal to be sustainable in sourcing, our sponsorships…I appreciate the transparency of the company and the cognizance about everything we do. I think that’s what has resonated with me most while working at Cox.
E: Enjoyed getting to know you today, Mike! Thanks for the great conversation.
M: You too!
Interested in learning more about Cox’s culture? Click here.
Jackson Saeman’s collaborative approach to sales is successful: the proof is in his happy clients and accelerated career growth. Keep reading to learn more.
“Dropping the rope”
Salespeople have often gotten a bad rap for being overly aggressive.
For advertising account executive Jackson Saeman, working in sales is a much more collaborative process – no tricks, no pushiness. He isn’t simply a salesperson – he’s an adviser.
“I like to be the person customers can turn to if they have a question,” he said.
Jackson began working at Cox Media – a Cox Communications company – in 2020. His job is all about helping local businesses put together advertising campaigns, with a particular focus on TV and digital.
Jackson referred to the sales adage of “dropping the rope” when describing his team’s approach to dealing with customers; in other words, eliminating tug-of-war tension between buyer and seller and instead working collaboratively to find the best solution for a client’s needs.
“One of the main things I’ve learned is to be a resource for a potential customer,” he said. “The customer doesn’t have to choose us; they need to see if it makes sense for us to work together in the future.”
Jackson’s empathetic sales tactics have paid off in customer satisfaction and career growth. Cox invested in Jackson by enrolling him in the Cox Media sales associate training program and after one year with the company, he was promoted to his current role as an account executive.
“The skills I learned are centered on the industry as a whole,” Jackson explained. “Being able to talk the lingo, learning how Cox stacks up against competitors and tips for finding new business.”
Finding a big opportunity in The Grand Canyon State
Jackson, who is from Denver, CO, began searching for a job in Phoenix after his fiancée was accepted to medical school in Arizona. He liked his job in Denver – working in sales for an A/V technology company – and wanted to find an organization that offered similar benefits to employees.
“It was a good company to work for,” he said. “As I was transitioning to Arizona, I knew I wanted to work for a company that had similar values and benefits. Cox is a big brand in the southwest and has a great reputation, and I loved learning more and more about the company as I began working here.”
In spite of the fact that he hasn’t been able to connect with his team in-person due to COVID-19, Jackson said that he’s felt welcomed and connected in his first year at Cox.
“Everyone’s been so nice,” he said. “Cox has exceeded all expectations. The leadership team from day one was so caring, never putting pressure on you.”
Next stop: The Winner’s Circle
Looking ahead, Jackson wants to continue his career growth at Cox and aspires to be in Cox’s prestigious Winner’s Circle: an all-expenses-paid luxury getaway for the company’s top-performing salespeople.
He added that with the support of his leadership team and colleagues, he feels empowered to excel in his job at Cox.
“I think it’s an atmosphere where people want to see you succeed. If there’s a new business win, we put it up on the scoreboard and everyone celebrates it. Everyone has your back and supports each other, and it starts from the top down.”
Interested in exploring a sales career at Cox? We’re hiring! Explore sales jobs at Cox Media.
For Jordan Knope – an advertising account executive early in his career at Cox – putting the pieces together for clients is all in a day’s work. Keep reading to learn how.
First job, first pandemic
It’s natural to be a bit nervous about your first job after college. And starting your career during a pandemic adds another layer of apprehension to the process.
Jordan Knope experienced this firsthand.
He started working at Cox Media – a Cox Communications company – in the summer of 2020. This is his first full-time job since receiving his undergraduate degree in marketing from the University of Arizona.
“It’s been a little bit weird because I’ve only set foot in the office twice now,” said Jordan, who lives and works in his hometown of Tucson, AZ. “It’s been a double learning curve.”
But Jordan has navigated the learning curve well, receiving a promotion from sales associate to advertising account executive within six months of his employment at Cox.
“The opportunities to grow and advance have been really solid,” said Jordan. “I’ve received a lot of training around perfecting my sales process. I had some familiarity with B2B sales before this, but actually implementing it and seeing it in the real world as opposed to the classroom has been great.”
Jordan has also been surprised by the amount of flexibility his sales job provides.
“One thing that I really like about this role, especially in the past eight months, is that I really do set my own schedule,” Jordan said. “My manager and my team are there to set expectations, but I don’t ever feel like I have to be at a certain place at a certain time. I feel like there’s a lot of flexibility and that’s been nice to have this year.”
The marketing puzzle
Jordan is passionate about piecing together solutions to support clients. His job is all about building bespoke advertising campaigns for regional businesses. This kind of problem-solving is appealing to Jordan, who likened his work environment to the agile, fun environment of an agency.
“To me, marketing is a big puzzle,” he said. “There’s sales and there’s psychology and there’s technology and it all wraps together into accomplishing a specific goal.”
One of his favorite puzzles to solve came in the form of a local motorcycle gear shop. Jordan himself is an avid motorcyclist and recognized an opportunity to help this business. He recommended a geofencing marketing strategy to identify devices in the area. Essentially, every time a customer would walk into a local motorcycle dealership, they would be pinged with an ad for the gear shop.
This kind of real-world experience has been rewarding for Jordan, whose love for marketing shines in his creative solutions for clients.
“I really like working in media,” Jordan said. “That’s where my passion lies.”
Driven to win…and to work together
Like any good salesperson, Jordan has a competitive streak.
“I really like to win,” he said. “I like to be the best at my job. Anywhere I go, that’s the goal.”
And while Cox’s culture is sales-friendly, it’s anything but cutthroat. Rather, it’s collaborative. Jordan enjoys partnering with colleagues in similar client-facing roles, as well as people in creative, production, editing and more.
“The people that I interact with are friendly,” Jordan said. “Even the people who have very busy schedules and have a lot of clients are always willing to answer questions and help me out with things.”
Interested in exploring a sales career at Cox? We’re hiring! Explore here: Sales Jobs at Cox Media
Mike, a sales employee at Cox Communications, isn’t just a poker pro and a media maven. He’s also an empathetic listener who is gifted at building relationships. Keep reading to learn about his career journey at Cox.
Mike Berger is something of a poker expert.
He’s had a seat at poker tables across the US, from the west coast to his home in Oklahoma, and has played with many, many people – including movie stars, mayors, business owners and professional athletes.
What does he love most about poker? Applying advanced game theory and reveling in the competitiveness of the game (no surprise there – he’s in sales!).
“Poker is a much deeper game than many understand, with math and strategy being very complex to compete at a high level,” Mike said. “The days of old men in smoke-filled rooms playing poker have changed to intelligent men and women skilled in math and advanced strategy taking over. Optimal strategies are always changing and with technology, the game and those who successfully play are far more advanced now than even five to ten years ago.”
As a Media Consultant II at Cox Media – a Cox Communications company – Mike can certainly attest to ever-changing technology. Much of his job revolves around building trust with clients and helping them keep up with the pace of innovation. With Mike’s help, businesses are able to get their messages in front of a targeted audience via multi-platform campaigns. Mike works in sales, but he sees his job as much more than that.
“Reacting quickly to client needs and putting thought into the recommendations I provide allows me to earn trust and create partnerships, versus just selling advertising,” he said.
Building relationships is key to Mike’s success
Like many people at Cox, Mike learned about the company by way of current employees. While working as a National/Major Senior Account Executive for a newspaper, Mike’s accounts included Cox Communications’ residential and business services.
“I built relationships with Cox employees, which eventually helped lead me to my career with Cox Media,” Mike said. “John Odgers from Cox Business, Sonya Bell, who is now on the residential side, and Carrie Holland all spoke very highly of their experience working for Cox and formed a good impression in my mind. John always encouraged me to at least look at opportunities at Cox if I ever decided to look at new opportunities. These Cox employees became friends and started me on the path to Cox.”
Mike said that the culture of the company was something that John, Sonya and Carrie referenced frequently.
“The culture was something my friends at Cox talked about constantly and was one of the main reasons I interviewed,” he said. “Once I started working for Cox Media, I immediately knew what they meant about the culture and how well the employees were treated. Media sales and all sales can be tough and having a good positive work environment where everyone feels included is huge! Everyone was fantastic in welcoming me to the team from the existing sellers to the support staff and leadership team. I’m proud to work for a company that is so invested in diversity and inclusion and doesn’t just talk about it but lives it!”
Mike added that he feels supported in his career ambitions: “My manager Pieter has helped to keep me on track of my lofty goals with Cox Media and feel like I have a bright future.”
Reading people and leading with empathy
His penchant for poker aside, Mike is a deeply honest and empathetic person who enjoys learning about different perspectives.
“I care deeply about the wellbeing of the people around me and their happiness can outshine the importance of my own,” Mike said. “I try to acknowledge my own faults and mistakes and be open to change by trying to understand different points of view regardless of if I agree or not.”
And in sales and poker alike, Mike has learned that it’s important to be present and stay humble.
“Always studying and analyzing your play and learning from your mistakes correlates poker success to business and life success.”
Interested in exploring a sales career at Cox Business? We’re hiring! Explore here: Sales Jobs at Cox Media
Cox Communications is pleased to once again partner with Hiring Our Heroes to provide help and support to veterans, transitioning service members and military spouses as they find meaningful employment opportunities outside of their military careers. Through the Corporate Fellowship Program, Cox is providing on–the–job training and helping our service members bridge the gap between their military service and civilian careers.
“Hiring our Heroes provides Cox access to a very talented pool of military service members transitioning into the civilian workforce after serving our county,” said Kevin Clark, Sr. Manager of Talent Acquisition at Cox. “These veterans come from all branches of the military and bring significant diversity of thought and experiences to our organization. We are able to provide Hiring our Heroes fellows a 12-week immersion in our company and give them an opportunity to display their capabilities to position themselves for conversion into a full-time position.”
Hiring Our Heroes is a U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation program that bridges the civilian-military divide in the business community. The initiative connects the military community with civilian companies to create economic opportunity and a strong and diversified workforce.
As a Hiring Our Heroes employer, Cox offers opportunities for transitioning military personnel to participate in a corporate fellowship during their last 180 days of service. Cox’s Hiring Our Heroes fellowships last 12 weeks. There are three fellowship cycles each year, beginning in January, May and September.
Our fellowship program offers many different opportunities and areas of focus. Previous fellows have worked in areas including technology, project management, service assurance, risk assessment and more. You can read some of their stories below.
If you’re interested in learning more about Cox’s support for veterans and military families, click here.
Cox Communications is pleased to partner with Hiring our Heroes to provide help and support to veterans, transitioning service members, and military spouses as they find meaningful employment opportunities outside of their military careers. Through the Corporate Fellowship Program, Cox is providing on–the–job training and helping our service members bridge the gap between their military service and civilian careers. Here, we’re learning about January 2021 fellow Tony Ho.
Before being accepted to Cox’s Hiring Our Heroes program, Tony Ho spent six years of active duty as a Surface Warfare Officer in the U.S. Navy.
“I served onboard USS McFaul (stationed in Norfolk, VA) as the Main Propulsion Officer and was forward deployed to Mine Countermeasures Squadron Seven (stationed in Sasebo, Japan) as the Assistant Operation Officer and Force Protection Officer,” Tony said.
Like many veterans adapting to civilian jobs, Tony believes one of the biggest challenges is differences in corporate versus military communication styles, as well as getting adjusted to better work-life balance.
“We have gotten so used to our jargon that others may not understand in the civilian workforce, and life has been so highly structured over the years that we now have to step back from it,” he said.
Tony, who resides in Norfolk and will continue to serve in the reserves, is working in field operations at Cox Communications during his January 2021 Hiring Our Heroes fellowship. He said that his favorite part about being a Cox employee is the company culture.
“From day one, I have felt like I was a part of the team and ultimately a part of the family,” Tony said, “In the military, the mission was important, but taking care of your sailors was even more important to me. Finding a company that truly cares for their employees can be hard to come by, and it has been refreshing to find at Cox.”
If he could give advice to other transitioning military members, Tony said that he would recommend networking, staying humble and knowing their value.
“If you don’t know something, don’t be afraid to ask for help,” he said. “You will be amazed at the amount of people that will go out their way to help you understand something when you are up front about things. Know your value, but also be humble enough to know that you may have to work your way back up into a leadership position. Listen, learn, adjust and make your actions do the talking.”
Click here to learn more about Cox’s support of the military community.
Cox Communications is pleased to partner with Hiring our Heroes to provide help and support to veterans, transitioning service members, and military spouses as they find meaningful employment opportunities outside of their military careers. Through the Corporate Fellowship Program, Cox is providing on–the–job training and helping our service members bridge the gap between their military service and civilian careers. Here, we’re learning about January 2021 fellow Erich Braasch.
Erich Braasch’s military service began 20 years ago, when he became an F-16 fighter aircraft mechanic.
The first half of his military career was largely technical, as he learned about the F-16 aircraft and how to maintain it.
“As I began to go up in rank, I was put in more managerial type roles, supervising lower ranking team members,” Erich said.
This unity of technical and managerial expertise makes Erich a great fit for Cox’s Hiring Our Heroes program. As one of the January 2021 fellows, Erich is a Service Assurance Technician and works remotely from Charleston, SC.
“I really enjoy meeting all the new people in the company and learning from them,” he said. “They genuinely want to help you and for you to be successful at what you do. If someone can’t help you, they will make sure to find someone that can help. Also, just learning about the Cox family and all the opportunities they have to offer has been interesting to me. I’m really excited to learn that Cox has been named a Top Workplace for 2021!”
Erich said that one of his challenges in shifting to a civilian job has been learning a whole new set of skills.
“I’m making a big decision to shift gears and do something totally different from what I’ve been doing in the military for the past 20 years, as an aircraft mechanic, and stepping into a communications/IT field. I’ve realized that I’m becoming more and more interested in the IT realm as technology is advancing at such a rapid pace now. Cox has taken the time and given me the opportunity to learn something totally new with quality training, which is building my confidence with this new experience.”
Erich has two pieces of advice for transitioning veterans.
“My advice would be to be open to new ways of thinking outside of a military setting,” he said. “You won’t be in the military anymore after you finish your service, but don’t forget all the lessons and soft skills learned throughout your military career as those will help you be successful. Also, to network, network, network. Networking is vital when trying to navigate civilian jobs, in my opinion.”
Click here to learn more about Cox’s support of the military community.
Cox Communications is pleased to partner with Hiring our Heroes to provide help and support to veterans, transitioning service members, and military spouses as they find meaningful employment opportunities outside of their military careers. Through the Corporate Fellowship Program, Cox is providing on–the–job training and helping our service members bridge the gap between their military service and civilian careers. Here, we’re learning about January 2021 fellow Lee Crawford.
Lee Crawford served in the U.S. Air Force for 20 years. During his service he was an aircraft mechanic, working on multiple aircraft while stationed at Aviano, Italy, Louisiana, Virginia, South Korea and Florida.
“After that I switched jobs to become an aircrew member on two different types of remotely piloted aircraft and on the KC-10 tanker refueler at Nevada and Northern California,” Lee said.
Lee became a part of Cox’s Hiring Our Heroes corporate fellowship in January 2021 and is currently a Network Operations Center Technician in Suwanee, GA.
Lee loves the process of problem-solving alongside his Cox coworkers.
“Aside from working and interacting with very smart and amazing people every day, I would say learning how to clear or escalate a ticket with the help or fellow co-worker as we problem solve together has been my favorite part about working at Cox so far,” Lee said.
He has found the process of trying a different career path to be rewarding and encourages other transitioning military service members to try something new too.
“One piece of advice I like to give is to not be afraid to do something completely different from your military jobs, because you will never know, it could become an amazing path to a wonderful new career,” Lee said.
Transitioning to a civilian life has a lot of hurdles. Even having good work-life balance is something to get used to (in a good way!), since military service limited him from participating in major events and milestones in his family members’ lives.
“Hiring Our Heroes has helped us by setting up good resources and networking opportunities and guest speakers to kind of tell us what to expect and how to navigate out in the civilian sector,” Lee said. “Cox has helped with the transition by training us with dedicated trainers and mentors, daily and weekly check-ups and just making us feel welcomed and comfortable.”
Click here to learn more about Cox’s support of the military community.
Cox Communications is pleased to partner with Hiring our Heroes to provide help and support to veterans, transitioning service members, and military spouses as they find meaningful employment opportunities outside of their military careers. Through the Corporate Fellowship Program, Cox is providing on–the–job training and helping our service members bridge the gap between their military service and civilian careers. Here, we’re learning about January 2021 fellow Tony Grandprey.
Military service is a tradition in Tony Grandprey’s family.
When Tony decided to enlist in the Marine reserves as an infantryman, he was following in the footsteps of three older brothers who also served.
Tony committed to a commissioning program and spent more than seven years on active duty as an infantry officer. After two deployments, he was assigned to the Marine school of infantry, where he spent another three years managing curriculum development for the Marine Corps’ entry-level population and leading instructors in student training operations.
“It’s funny how diverse a career can be in the military,” Tony said. “Looking back at my experiences outside of the hours and hours of training exercises and planning sessions, there are some pretty unique moments. Fortunately, I was never called to combat but I’ve become quite appreciative of what a single sentence rolling across the bottom of the screen on CNN or Fox News could really mean. Regardless, I am thankful for these experiences because they’ve given me years of experience leading cross–functional teams in dynamic and constantly changing environments.”
Now a January 2021 member of Cox’s Hiring Our Heroes program, Tony resides in Boise, ID and works in field technical project management at Cox Communications.
“Hiring Our Heroes is flooding me with resources and connections for those who’ve been in my shoes recently and are willing to help,” Tony said. “The Engineering Management Office (EMO) of Cox first started helping by identifying my skillset and experience as a possible solution to some of their current challenges. It also allowed me to immerse myself into another culture and increase my overall skills by learning from a larger pool of diverse talent.”
Tony has found networking to be a valuable exercise during his transition to a civilian career.
“If someone is willing to share their story with you over a cup of coffee (or similar event), take the opportunity,” he advises fellow veterans. “I’ve spoken to a lot of vets and learned something new every time. It’s also how I found out about Hiring Our Heroes and contributed to my decision to pursue the program and accept a fellowship opportunity with Cox.”
He added that team camaraderie has made for a pleasant experience as a new employee.
“Although we are virtual, I feel incredibly welcomed to the team and am quickly developing personal connections with the group.”
Click here to learn more about Cox’s support of the military community.
We’re changing out our tools to provide a better experience for you. Between June 16-22, we will not have any open jobs published on our careers website, but please join our talent community and come back after June 22 to search and apply. Thank you!