50 U.S. VETERANS MAGAZINE WWW.USVETERANSMAGAZINE.COM
VOBs & supplier diversity
B
en Biles and Keith Lisante had big plans. Roommates at the U.S. Na- val Academy, they had grown to become best friends and dreamed of working together on Wall Street when their military service was done. But those dreams were shat- tered when Lisante, struggling with his transition back to civil- ian life, committed suicide just weeks after returning from de- ployment. It was a tragedy that hap- pens far too often in the United States. According to the U.S. Efqbsunfou!pg!Wfufsbot!Bbjst-! bcpvu!7-111!njmjubsz!wfufsbot!b! year-that's 17 veterans every day-take their own lives. For Biles, Lisante's death was profoundly personal. He resolved to honor his friend's mfhbdz!cz!gvmmmjoh!uifjs!tibsfe! wjtjpo!gps!b!dbsffs!jo!obodf-! while at the same time provid- ing meaningful philanthropic support for military veterans seeking to succeed in their re- turn to civilian life. Biles' solution was American Veterans Group, an investment banking company he co-found- ed that dedicates 25 percent of
"Our social-impact mission is what distinguishes us on Wall Street. Our vision from the start has been to create a ripple effect through our philanthropic giving-an ever-widening circle-that impacts, and improves, the lives of as many returning military veterans and their families as possible."
-Ben Biles, co-founder, American Veterans Group
American Veterans Group:
Banking on The Success of America's Returning Military
By Mark Kroeger
qboz!jo!3129-!boe!uispvhi!uif! foe!pg!3131-!Bnfsjdbo!Wfufs- ans Group will have donated %81-111!pg!jut!fbsojoht!up!dbsffs! readiness programs in New as well as payed for training and tbmbsjft!gps!b!ep{fo!dbsffs!sfbej- ness coaches and instructors. According to Biles, he and his team of 15 employees at Ameri- Street," said Biles, "Our vision from the start has been to create b!sjqqmf!ffdu!uispvhi!pvs!qijm- anthropic giving-an ever-wid- ening circle-that impacts, and
Ben Biles (left) and Keith Lisante (right) at their friend Greg Sprink's wedding.
jut!qsput!up!dbsffs!sfbejoftt! programs for military veterans across the U.S. Since establishing the com- York City, Boston and Charlotte, O/D/!Uif!npofz211!qfsdfou!pg! it-has directly supported career usbjojoh!gps!vq!up!261!wfufsbot! can Veterans Group are just get- ting started. "Our social-impact mission is what distinguishes us on Wall improves, the lives of as many returning military veterans and their families as possible. The best way to do that is to become
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