Acadian Companies partners with Louisiana Department of Veteran Affairs
March 18, 2014-Acadian Companies and Louisiana Department of Veteran Affairs have launched a new partnership to help connect former service members and their families with employment opportunities.
The partnership was announced at a press conference held this afternoon at Acadian’s North University Campus in Lafayette, La. Being comprised of six divisions—Acadian Ambulance, Acadian Air Med, Executive Aircraft Charter, Acadian Monitoring Services, National EMS Academy, and Safety Management Systems—Acadian has ample job opportunities and a spectrum of career paths for the men and women who have served in the military. Currently, veterans or active military members account for approximately 10 percent of Acadian’s employee-owners.
Cutline: Richard E. Zuschlag, CEO and chairman of Acadian, and Rodney Alexander, secretary of Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs, announced a partnership to bolster veteran employment opportunities.
Richard Zuschlag, CEO and chairman of Acadian, spoke of the company’s longstanding history and admiration for veterans: “Acadian Ambulance was founded in 1971, and the initial manpower was medics returning from Vietnam. The incredible training and work ethic of these veterans set the foundation for our company.
“We are pleased to join the LDVA in this initiative. Acadian has a tremendous need for employees to fuel the growth in all of our divisions, and we actively recruit veterans because they make phenomenal employees and are a true asset to our operations.”
The LDVA initiative is designed to secure support from Louisiana employers to hire veterans, service members and military dependents. This initiative will take a three-tiered approach to connecting Louisiana veterans with job opportunities. First, LDVA will seek support from Louisiana employers that want to hire veterans, will include these employers in a comprehensive database, and will promote these employers to their veteran job seekers. Secondly, LDVA will provide assistance to employers as they seek to connect with veteran job seekers. Finally, LDVA will work with Louisiana veterans and their families to assist them in the jobs search as well as in skills training.
“The values and leadership skills our veterans developed during their military careers make them excellent candidates for companies that seek to employ persons with demonstrated skills and solid work ethics,” says Rodney Alexander, secretary of LDVA. “I am passionate about supporting our veterans and I am proud to partner with more companies like Acadian as we bolster employment opportunities for the brave men and women who served our country with honor.”
Also attending the event were David LaCerte, deputy secretary and executive counsel of LDVA, and Major General Glen Curtis, adjutant general for the Louisiana National Guard. Veteran employee-owners of Acadian were also present.
Ray Bias, a retired Navy captain and a 41-year-employee of Acadian, shared his experiences: “I joined Acadian in 1973 upon returning from Vietnam. I continued to serve in the Navy Reserves and was called to active duty in 1990 during the Gulf War. Acadian has always been supportive of my duties and responsibilities as a member of the Reserve. They are truly dedicated to supporting veterans and our military.”
Since 1971, Acadian has provided the highest level of emergency medical care and transportation possible. In the past decade, the company has expanded to include a diverse suite of services in health, safety, and transportation. Acadian’s six divisions are Acadian Ambulance Service, Acadian Monitoring Services, Air Med, Executive Aircraft Charter Service, National EMS Academy and Safety Management Systems. For more information, go to www.acadian.com.
The mission of LDVA is to provide comprehensive care and quality service to Louisiana’s Veterans and families with regard to health care, education, disability benefits, long term care and burial honors. For more information about LDVA programs and services, please call toll free 1-877-GEAUX-VA (1-877-432-8982) or visit www.vetaffairs.la.gov .
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