'Inside the Circles' podcast: Why companies should value veterans

In honor of Veterans Day in the U.S. and Remembrance Day, celebrated in the U.K., Canada, India and other countries in the Commonwealth, the latest episode of the "Inside the Circles" podcast pays tribute to the brave men and women at Mastercard who have served in the armed forces.

For this episode, host Latoya Bennett-Johnson chats with Neil Parker and Jen Buckner. Buckner leads Mastercard’s Technology Risk Governance and Standards team. She’s also a recently-retired U.S. Army Brigadier General who held numerous intelligence and leadership positions throughout her military career.

Parker is a vice president in Corporate Security responsible for leading its Business Security Enablement team. Before joining Mastercard, he deployed to the Middle East as a corporal with the British Armed Forces.

In addition to their Mastercard responsibilities, both are actively engaged with the company’s SALUTE Business Resource Group for active and veteran military personnel, their families, and advocates, and they take an active role in the external veteran military community.

From his work ethic to his agility, Parker believes that the military prepped him well for his job at Mastercard. “When you join the army, you’re a soldier first and then you have your technical expertise,” he says. In the private sector, he says, it’s paramount to be a good corporate citizen first. “I try to instill that in everything I do.” 

Buckner brings to the company the value of working as a team. “It’s something that you actually prioritize. It’s something you learn as part of the military. It’s something that’s served both of us well.”

To hear more about their professional journeys, their experience moving from the military to civilian life, and how they work on their mental fitness, subscribe to “Inside the Circles” on Apple Podcasts or stream it directly in the player above.