UNTURNING STEEL Exclusive Report
WHAT THE EXPERTS ARE SAYING
We joined this production with all the enthusiasm of our students, faculty, training partners and corporate backers because they all know American veterans can acquire the training and expertise in reliability and maintenance that will set our nation’s manufacturers apart.
Klaus Blache
Director of the Reliability and Maintainability Center (RMC) at Tickle College of Engineering at University of Tennessee
Having completed over 46 years in the Coast Guard and Coast Guard Reserve, I can relate to my fellow veterans transitioning back to civilian life. When not deployed, I was in paper manufacturing for 21 years. Renaissance Reliability’s mission to help veterans return to healthy civilian life and restore American manufacturing is inspiring and I fully support it.
Steven E. Day
Rear Admiral (RADM), United States Coast Guard, retired
We are here in Green Bay as the nation’s leading manufacturer of custom challenge coins, medallions, and high-quality commemorative merchandise—and we need to hire more veterans. The work we have undertaken with Bill Leahy is inspiring. We have lost Bill’s brother Sean but we’re transforming that loss into growth and it’s a story Green Bay residents should join us in celebrating.
Jerry Moran
CEO and Owner of Medalcraft Mint
We’re telling a story here that will find an audience in every American home that wants our homeland to return to being the world’s premiere skilled manufacturing hub for all major STEM disciplines. We see so many veterans return home and struggle to find purpose—and we need to match our veteran community with the high-demand for talent in American manufacturing.
Michael Wood
U.S. Marine Corps veteran, director of the film, and CEO of Never Forgotten Media
As a veteran, I am very supportive of programs that support veterans effectively transitioning and reentering civilian life and the workforce. At Medalcraft Mint I had the pleasure of seeing such a program in action—one which included three Navy veterans and two engineering interns—all sponsored by Renaissance Reliability. It’s the only program I know that works with veterans—who understand discipline, teamwork, and achieving an objective—to help them develop the additional skills needed to the transition to a career in manufacturing.
Ron Moore
Ron Moore, Managing Partner, The RM Group, Inc.
As a manufacturing leader overseeing the operations of multiple sites, I get to see first-hand one of our industry's largest opportunities to secure qualified operative and leadership talent trained in reliability-centered practices to fill job vacancies. Renaissance Reliability has found a pathway for matching this need with military service men and women transitioning to the private sector. The servicemembers' high level of skill can be molded through Renaissance Reliability's structured, hands-on processes and subsequently become RMIC-certified through the University of Tennessee for a seamless migration from active service to industry for the benefit of all.
Jason Farrell
Director of Lumber Manufacturing, Weyerhaeuser Company
We are grateful to have been selected for this program and look forward to the final week of learning before earning our certification next week. We know that veterans hold the key for American manufacturing, and we know many talented veterans can find the purpose they crave by joining us in this exciting work.
Martha Stamp
Petty Officer First Class, U.S. Navy and participant in the SkillBridge program from the U.S. Department of Defense