Hats off to Drexel Hamilton brokerage founder Lawrence Doll in Philadelphia! And to David Zucchino, reporter for the Los Angeles Times, “Column One” feature on Saturday, March 14th – THIS one warmed my heart…
Who would have pinpointed our courageous wounded veterans as the next heroes on Wall Street?
Well, as Zucchino reports, Doll, a disabled Vietnam veteran himself, did and his firm’s program prepares wounded veterans to pass the exams required to become licensed securities brokers.
The six months of training pays all expenses and costs about $19,000 per veteran, and if they pass they’re guaranteed a job either at Drexel Hamilton or another brokerage company. Doll said:
“These are the guys who sacrificed to keep us free. If you don’t trust them, you don’t trust anybody.”
Doll’s firm is dominated by brokers who serve in the Pennsylvania National Guard. Joel Canfield, a National Guard lieutenant and Drexel Hamilton broker who runs the program, says this is a chance for firms to help restore faith in the market, one veteran at a time.
“People want integrity and responsibility. Who can you trust more with your money than a guy who has made a tremendous sacrifice for his country?”
One of the current trainees, John Jones, is convinced the leadership and decision-making skills learned in combat make veterans like him perfect candidates for the intense competition within the industry.
“Discipline, decisiveness, the ability to lead people and solve problems under duress…Leadership is the key. It’s what America needs. It’s what the finance and business world need. We have it.”
I couldn’t agree more…this is a great, feel good article!
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Hats off to him. Congrats for serving the country. I just hope Obama doesn’t take his healthcare away.