Hard work. The willingness to lead and to be led. Servant leadership. These are common qualities of many who serve in the military along with the shared goal of protecting and adding value to the lives of civilians within their country. Likewise, veterans who work at UCB have carried these values, among many other great characteristics, with them as they embark on their new mission of creating an impact in the lives of the patients they serve.

This Veterans Day, UCB is proud to highlight three of our veterans as they share their transition from the military to the civilian workforce, and what it means to be a veteran at UCB.

Jason Goodbody, Commercial Operations Lead Dermatology, was an engineer and project manager in the Air Force starting his career working on aircraft system upgrades, and advanced his skill set by acquiring his master’s in engineering and environmental management. From there, he worked in emergency management and disaster preparedness, giving him his first exposure to working closely with medical professionals. “I found that I really enjoyed my time working with doctors, medics, and hospital staff,” expressed Jason. “When I ended my military career, I wanted pursue a career where I would be of service to other people and the medical industry seemed like a great fit.”

Jason was drawn to the medical industry, and UCB, because of the high quality and intelligence of the people and their dedication to patients. “In the military you find yourself being of service to others all the time so the transition to UCB was a natural one for me,” said Jason.

Michele Ehler, Talent Partner, served in the Navy on a hospital ship, the USNS Comfort, and with Patrol Squadron 5 (VP-5) during her five years of active duty service. She also volunteered with the Lexington Park Volunteer Rescue Squad, serving patients with urgent medical needs.

“I wanted to be a physician and my goal was to serve through patient care,” shared Michele. “Through my experiences serving in the Navy, I learned though that I wanted to focus on the psychology of patients and their caregivers, versus the medical side. Seeing families in crisis after a diagnosis of a serious disease or the effects of a tragic accident, reinforced my desire to make a positive difference in their lives.” 

Michele went on to earn a Master of Science degree in Industrial and Organizational Psychology which later tied in nicely with her Talent (human resources) role at UCB. She equates the “all hands on deck” mentality she experienced while working on the naval ship to her current mission at UCB to work collaboratively with her colleagues to make a difference in patients and caregiver’s lives. “My passion is caring for people and this has fulfilled my goal of being in the healthcare industry providing support for patients and caregivers,” said Michele.

Jackie Jones, Senior District Sales Lead Dermatology, began her career on a Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) scholarship to Duke University paid in full by the U.S. Army. She then served for four years with her first assignment being during the first Gulf War (DS/ DS) in Saudi Arabia for eight months. Jackie always desired to be a part of something bigger than herself and has found that being a veteran and now working at UCB has been an aspirational experience for her. 

“Serving others is in our DNA, so it is no surprise that veterans have found a home at UCB where serving patients is the mission,” told Jackie. “The mission of the military is about keeping peace and trying to make the world better, and I think this is something that UCB does globally and locally through our charitable work and other initiatives.”

UCB remains committed to living our Patient Value Principles to respect all people and to embrace diversity of thought, experience, and background. We strive to ensure that all employees feel empowered to bring their unique talents to the workplace – including employees who are veterans. 

“Veterans have felt appreciated by the organization and feel that we have a place and something to contribute at UCB. There is a significant effort in diversity of thought and background that enables veterans to feel like they are at home and a part of a new family,” expressed Jason. 
Jackie, like Jason, has also felt the authentic support of veterans at UCB and relates her experience as an employee to a monumental time in the Army when she was promoted by General Norman Schwarzkopf.

“General Norman Schwarzkopf served as central commander during the Gulf War and ended up promoting me. Throughout my time with him, I noticed that he listened to the views and feedback of ‘top soldiers’, but also talked to the soldiers that were seen as the ‘grunts’ because he cared about all of his people, not just the ones that were doing well. And UCB really does that well, particularly during the current pandemic. No matter who you are within UCB, the company really cares about you whether you’re a more experienced employee or new to the business. We are truly lucky,” Jackie shared.

At UCB, we understand the importance of helping veterans transition into the workforce from military service, and the benefit of the strong characteristics that they bring to the to the table. Michele understand this first-hand from her experiences in Talent. “Veterans are people who understand the chain of command and understand when you need to put your head down and get it done. They’re people who know how to lead and how to be led. Both are equally important skills when hiring a leader, and I believe UCB sees and recognizes those qualities,” expressed Michele.

In addition to creating welcoming work environments for veterans, we are committed to recruiting employees from different backgrounds, including military service, to enable us to deliver the best solutions for patients. We look forward to continuing to celebrate our veterans today and in the future.