Press Release - Second Lady Karen Pence Hosts Business Summit to Address Military Spouse Employment Solutions

Washington, DC – Today, Second Lady Karen Pence, in partnership with American Corporate Partners, hosted a meeting convening 46 businesses from across the United States to discuss military spouse employment solutions. The summit took place at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building. The speaking program opened with Kellyanne Conway, Conselor to the President, who delivered brief remarks and introduced the Second Lady. Mrs. Pence addressed the business leaders and military service organizations for about 10 minutes, highlighting the importance of companies hiring and retaining military spouses. She also encouraged business to collaborate with the Department of Defense's Military Spouse Employment Partnership, a targeted recruitment and employment solution for spouses and companies.

"Military spouse employment is a very important aspect of a strong and resilient military family," said Mrs. Pence. "Military spouses are well-educated, hardworking, flexible, reliable, and loyal. They are the kind of workers you want in the workforce. Employers who hire these spouses benefit from their tremendous talent and breadth of experience."

"We are delighted to have brought together many of America's top companies to discuss one of our nation's most important issues – assisting our military spouses in finding meaningful employment opportunities," said Colleen Deere, Executive Director, American Corporate Partners (ACP). "ACP is looking forward to continuing the discussion on this topic and working together with our partners to identify creative solutions to support military spouses in their careers."

Following the speaking program, the meeting participants divided into small working groups to have discussions and brainstorm ways companies can potentially address military spouse employment challenges. Mrs. Pence will convene the group again later this year to discuss progress to reduce spouse unemployment numbers.

About American Corporate Partners
American Corporate Partners (ACP) developed a mentorship program for military spouses modeled after the successful program they started for veterans. The program helps military spouses with career development, networking, and professional skills building. To learn more about ACP, visit https://www.acp-usa.org