The FourBlock Podcast

The Northeast Regional Director for FourBlock and a retired U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel, Eric Stetson has a passion for supporting fellow veterans and helping others realize their full potential.

This week, Eric joins co-host Mike Abrams on the podcast to share his story of continued service, providing insights on the military transition process and advice for veterans going through it. In a dynamic discussion with Mike, Eric talks about his time in service, what made him want to join the Army, and his experiences on active duty. He shares lessons learned from his own transition and some of the biggest missteps he's seen from fellow veterans during their military transitions. Eric also gives invaluable advice for veterans who are preparing to transition and talks about why he continues to serve and pay it forward to other veterans and the military-connected community.

A native of Haverford, PA, Eric graduated from Lafayette College and served on active duty in the Army for 24 years. His final military assignment was as the Professor of Military Science at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Eric earned a master's degree in Human Resources Education from the University of Louisville and is a graduate of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College (CGSC).

His military experience included a wide range of assignments including Battery Commander, Brigade Rear Detachment Commander, Biometrics Team Chief for Regional Command East – Afghanistan, and Deputy Brigade Commander for a separate Infantry Brigade. Eric deployed to Bosnia, Kosovo, Qatar, Iraq and Afghanistan in various leadership positions. Upon retiring from the service, he founded his own consulting company specializing in leadership and team performance development and he consults for Ennea International as an Executive Faculty Lead for North America. He is a member of the Greater Philadelphia Veterans Network (GPVN) and the Delaware Valley Veterans Consortium.

ABOUT US

Welcome to the FourBlock Podcast, a show that examines veteran career transition and the military-civilian divide in the workplace.

General Charles Krulak coined the term "Three Block War" to describe the nature of 21st-century military service defined by peace-keeping, humanitarian aid, and full combat.

But what happens next? Veterans are often unprepared to return home and begin new careers. We call this the Fourth Block.

FourBlock is a national non-profit that has supported thousands of transitioning service members across the nation in beginning new and meaningful careers.

Mike Abrams (@fourblock) is an Afghanistan veteran, founder of FourBlock, and author of two military transition books. He represents the military transition perspective.

Lindsey Pollak (@lindsaypollak) is a career and workplace expert and New York Times bestselling author of three career advice books. Lindsey represents the civilian perspective of this issue.

Veterans, explore new industries and make the right connections. Find a career that fits your calling. Join us at fourblock.org/

Sponsor our program or host a class to equip more of our veterans at fourblock.org/donate.

Follow FourBlock on Social Media

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Facebook

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Podcast episodes are produced and edited by the Columbia University Center for Veteran Transition and Integration.

FourBlock Founder Mike Abrams first heard Stephen Young speak at a U.S. Marine Corps leadership course for battalion and regimental-level commanders this past April. After listening to him give an incredibly insightful and engaging lecture on micromessaging and how leaders can become better communicators and build more inclusive cultures, Mike reached out to see if Stephen would be open to engaging with our FourBlock community.

On Wednesday, July 21, we were honored to sponsor a seminar on MicroInequities: Managing Unconscious Bias™ with Stephen Young for members of the FourBlock community. We were joined by board members, staff, National Leadership Council members, instructors, and students from across the country for this powerful two-hour presentation. In this week's episode, Mike recaps a few key points and shares impactful insights from the presentation.

Stephen Young is the Senior Partner of Insight Education Systems, a management consulting firm specializing in leadership and organizational development services. As a recognized leader and foremost expert in this field, Stephen frequently consults with senior executives and management teams of Fortune 500 companies.

For more than a decade, Dr. Young has been a featured speaker at business conferences worldwide. He is much sought after for his powerful and engaging presentation style. His widely acclaimed seminar MicroInequities: The Power of Small™ has been embraced by over 20% of Fortune 500 corporations in 35 countries, in every region of the world and is being touted by corporate America as the new paradigm for diversity and leadership.

His work has been published in numerous business articles and recognized in a wide range of business publications, including The Wall Street Journal and Time Magazine and Harvard Business Review's Management Newsletter. His program was also featured by Oprah Winfrey in two issues of her "O" Magazine. McGraw-Hill published his top-selling book, Micromessaging: Why Great Leadership is Beyond Words.

As former Senior Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer at JPMorgan Chase, Mr. Young managed the firm's diversity strategy worldwide. Under his leadership, the company garnered numerous awards for its diversity initiatives, including the Catalyst Award, Fortune Magazine's Top 50 Companies for Minorities Award, the Best Companies Award from Working Mother Magazine, and DiversityInc Magazine's designation as the #1 company for diversity.

Prior to joining JPMorgan Chase, Stephen was Vice President for Diversity with Merrill Lynch. He is a former staff member of the Rutgers University Graduate School of Management, has served on the Diversity Committee for the United Way of America and as an Advisory Board member to the Rev. Jesse Jackson's Wall Street Project. He is the former Chairman of the Securities Industry Association's Diversity Committee, and Board member of Scholastic's Alliance for Young Writers and Artists. Additionally, he served on his local Board of Education.

His book, Micromessaging: Why Great Leadership is Beyond Words, is available on Amazon here.

ABOUT US

Welcome to the FourBlock Podcast, a show that examines veteran career transition and the military-civilian divide in the workplace.

General Charles Krulak coined the term "Three Block War" to describe the nature of 21st-century military service defined by peace-keeping, humanitarian aid, and full combat.

But what happens next? Veterans are often unprepared to return home and begin new careers. We call this the Fourth Block.

FourBlock is a national non-profit that has supported thousands of transitioning service members across the nation in beginning new and meaningful careers.

Mike Abrams (@fourblock) is an Afghanistan veteran, founder of FourBlock, and author of two military transition books. He represents the military transition perspective.

Lindsey Pollak (@lindsaypollak) is a career and workplace expert and New York Times bestselling author of three career advice books. Lindsey represents the civilian perspective of this issue.

Veterans, explore new industries and make the right connections. Find a career that fits your calling. Join us at fourblock.org/

Sponsor our program or host a class to equip more of our veterans at fourblock.org/donate.

Follow FourBlock on Social Media

LinkedIn

Facebook

Instagram

Twitter

Podcast episodes are produced and edited by the Columbia University Center for Veteran Transition and Integration.

This week, co-host and FourBlock Founder Mike Abrams reflects on one of his first post-military civilian jobs at a small consulting firm in New York City and shares what it taught him about leadership.

The company specialized in human resource advisement for multinational companies. Its main service was conducting "human resource audits," which included interviews, focus groups, and surveys conducted throughout management levels and with individual contributors across different locations and functional areas.

In every instance, the audits provided a unique and rare look 'under the hood' of some of the best companies on the planet and how they were led. In his experience conducting these audits, Mike said there were usually three basic reasons why employees were either 'satisfied' or 'dissatisfied' with their current positions, and that good leadership seemed to boil down to three key things.

In this episode, Mike breaks down these three reasons and the three keys to good leadership at work.

ABOUT US

Welcome to the FourBlock Podcast, a show that examines veteran career transition and the military-civilian divide in the workplace.

General Charles Krulak coined the term "Three Block War" to describe the nature of 21st-century military service defined by peace-keeping, humanitarian aid, and full combat.

But what happens next? Veterans are often unprepared to return home and begin new careers. We call this the Fourth Block.

FourBlock is a national non-profit that has supported thousands of transitioning service members across the nation in beginning new and meaningful careers.

Mike Abrams (@fourblock) is an Afghanistan veteran, founder of FourBlock, and author of two military transition books. He represents the military transition perspective.

Lindsey Pollak (@lindsaypollak) is a career and workplace expert and New York Times bestselling author of three career advice books. Lindsey represents the civilian perspective of this issue.

Veterans, explore new industries and make the right connections. Find a career that fits your calling. Join us at fourblock.org/

Sponsor our program or host a class to equip more of our veterans at fourblock.org/donate.

Follow FourBlock on Social Media

LinkedIn

Facebook

Instagram

Twitter

Podcast episodes are produced and edited by the Columbia University Center for Veteran Transition and Integration.

A recognized leader in the Exchange Traded Products (ETF) industry, Dr. Scott M. Weiner joins co-host Mike Abrams on this week's episode for an informative and motivating conversation about his career in finance, the industry at large and ETFs specifically, plus the founding of Veterans on Wall Street (VOWS).

Dr. Weiner shares how he got his start in the finance world, how his career progressed, and how the leadership qualities of veterans inspired the founding of VOWS. The author of The Complete Guide to ETF Portfolio Management, published by McGraw Hill, Dr. Weiner also breaks down what ETFs are and how the book provides everything you need to know to manage an ETF with the knowledge and skill of a seasoned pro.

Dr. Weiner is Head of Quantitative Strategy and a Senior Portfolio Manager for the Exchange Traded Products (ETF) team at Janus Henderson Investors, a global asset management firm with over $400B in assets under management. He is a member of the firm's Index Committee and serves on the Board of Directors for the Janus Henderson Foundation.

Prior to his tenure at Janus Henderson, Dr. Weiner was U.S. Head of Equity Derivatives and Quantitative Strategy at Deutsche Bank. His research has been published in Mathematical Finance; The Journal of Money, Credit and Banking; and The Journal of Business and Economic Statistics.

Dr. Weiner earned a bachelor's degree from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, received his master's and doctoral degrees from Oxford University, and completed the Advanced Management Program at Harvard University. He is an active member of Harvard Community Partners, a pro-bono consulting firm that advises nonprofit boards. He is the Founder of Veterans on Wall Street (VOWS™).

ABOUT US

Welcome to the FourBlock Podcast, a show that examines veteran career transition and the military-civilian divide in the workplace.

General Charles Krulak coined the term "Three Block War" to describe the nature of 21st-century military service defined by peace-keeping, humanitarian aid, and full combat.

But what happens next? Veterans are often unprepared to return home and begin new careers. We call this the Fourth Block.

FourBlock is a national non-profit that has supported thousands of transitioning service members across the nation in beginning new and meaningful careers.

Mike Abrams (@fourblock) is an Afghanistan veteran, founder of FourBlock, and author of two military transition books. He represents the military transition perspective.

Lindsey Pollak (@lindsaypollak) is a career and workplace expert and New York Times bestselling author of three career advice books. Lindsey represents the civilian perspective of this issue.

Veterans, explore new industries and make the right connections. Find a career that fits your calling. Join us at fourblock.org/

Sponsor our program or host a class to equip more of our veterans at fourblock.org/donate.

Follow FourBlock on Social Media

LinkedIn

Facebook

Instagram

Twitter

Podcast episodes are produced and edited by the Columbia University Center for Veteran Transition and Integration.

Following an amazing 30-plus year-career at UPS while proudly serving for nearly 22 years in the United States Air Force and National Guard, Chris Peck shares his wisdom, expertise and advice in an inspiring conversation with host Mike Abrams.

In this episode, Chris answers questions about why he joined the Air Force, how he began his career with UPS, and how he managed dual military and civilian careers, citing the values alignment between UPS and the military as one of the keys to success. Chris also shares how the experience that he gained in the National Guard concurrently helped him to advance in his career at UPS and explores how the military could leverage the civilian skills that our reservists have and integrate that expertise and experience into the military.

As Vice President Corporate Human Resources at UPS, Chris was responsible for maintaining UPS's reputation as an employer of choice for nearly 500,000 global employees. He oversaw human capital strategy in identifying, cultivating and engaging a globally diverse and highly skilled workforce committed to world-class service and safety.

Chris was a UPS partner for over 30 years, with proven experience in the operations, human resources and global strategy development. Starting as an entry-level part-time package handler while attending university, he was promoted to lead multiple line operations and Human Resources teams in New Jersey, California, Indiana, Chicago and Virginia. In 2001, Chris was expatriated to Belgium where he served as Vice President of Human Resources & Labor for UPS' Europe, Middle East & Africa region.

Chris' decade of international experience was then leveraged in UPS' strategy group. Among his achievements in this role, he started up a 21-country Middle East joint venture in Dubai, expanded UPS' Global Healthcare strategy and optimized the UPS Store franchise network. In 2011, he assumed senior HR leadership for UPS' largest operating region worldwide based in New York City and was subsequently promoted to his current UPS HQ role in Atlanta in 2014.

Dedicated to his country and his community, Chris proudly served for nearly 22 years in the US Air Force & National Guard. Chris is passionately committed to veteran causes and is active with the Paralyzed Veterans of America, American Corporate Partners, VETLANTA, and the USO. He currently serves on boards with United Way, ACP, VETLANTA, Mercy Care, USO, and Rutgers University. He is an active alumnus of Leadership Atlanta Class of 2016 and leads a financial ministry with his wife Lisa at Buckhead Church.

Chris obtained his BA in Economics from Rutgers University, his MBA from Saint Mary's College, with post graduate studies at INSEAD and professional certifications as Senior Professional in HR (SPHR) and Global Professional in HR (GPHR).

ABOUT US

Welcome to the FourBlock Podcast, a show that examines veteran career transition and the military-civilian divide in the workplace.

General Charles Krulak coined the term "Three Block War" to describe the nature of 21st-century military service defined by peace-keeping, humanitarian aid, and full combat.

But what happens next? Veterans are often unprepared to return home and begin new careers. We call this the Fourth Block.

FourBlock is a national non-profit that has supported thousands of transitioning service members across the nation in beginning new and meaningful careers.

Mike Abrams (@fourblock) is an Afghanistan veteran, founder of FourBlock, and author of two military transition books. He represents the military transition perspective.

Lindsey Pollak (@lindsaypollak) is a career and workplace expert and New York Times bestselling author of three career advice books. Lindsey represents the civilian perspective of this issue.

Veterans, explore new industries and make the right connections. Find a career that fits your calling. Join us at fourblock.org/

Sponsor our program or host a class to equip more of our veterans at fourblock.org/donate.

Follow FourBlock on Social Media

LinkedIn

Facebook

Instagram

Twitter

Podcast episodes are produced and edited by the Columbia University Center for Veteran Transition and Integration.

July 16th marks the 6th anniversary of the deadly shooting at the Navy and Marine Corps Reserve Center in Chattanooga, Tennessee. A homegrown violent extremist killed four U.S. Marines and a U.S. Navy Sailor that morning: Gunnery Sgt. Thomas Sullivan, Staff Sgt. David Wyatt, Sgt. Carson Holmquist, Lance Cpl. Squire Wells, and U.S. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Randall Smith all lost their lives. We know many of us still think about them every single day.

At the time of the shooting, host Mike Abrams was just finishing up research on veteran employment that was published by the Center for Talent Innovation. The publisher asked that Mike write an afterword about the terrorist attack to complement the research, given that he was the battery commander of the unit and went down there after the shooting occurred.

This week, Mike shares the afterword in remembrance of the Chattanooga Fallen Five.

ABOUT US

Welcome to the FourBlock Podcast, a show that examines veteran career transition and the military-civilian divide in the workplace.

General Charles Krulak coined the term "Three Block War" to describe the nature of 21st-century military service defined by peace-keeping, humanitarian aid, and full combat.

But what happens next? Veterans are often unprepared to return home and begin new careers. We call this the Fourth Block.

FourBlock is a national non-profit that has supported thousands of transitioning service members across the nation in beginning new and meaningful careers.

Mike Abrams (@fourblock) is an Afghanistan veteran, founder of FourBlock, and author of two military transition books. He represents the military transition perspective.

Lindsey Pollak (@lindsaypollak) is a career and workplace expert and New York Times bestselling author of three career advice books. Lindsey represents the civilian perspective of this issue.

Veterans, explore new industries and make the right connections. Find a career that fits your calling. Join us at fourblock.org/

Sponsor our program or host a class to equip more of our veterans at fourblock.org/donate.

Follow FourBlock on Social Media

LinkedIn

Facebook

Instagram

Twitter

Podcast episodes are produced and edited by the Columbia University Center for Veteran Transition and Integration.

This week following July 4th, Mike shares a story of a prisoner of war during the Vietnam War. For those of you who listen to episodes of this podcast week after week, you know that we try to host guests and to tell true stories of people who have achieved excellence in their lives and careers, and who have also shown some incredible resilience in the face of great odds. This is one of those stories.

John McCain originally told this story on August 15, 1988. The full text is linked here on the Brookings Institute website.

ABOUT US

Welcome to the FourBlock Podcast, a show that examines veteran career transition and the military-civilian divide in the workplace.

General Charles Krulak coined the term "Three Block War" to describe the nature of 21st-century military service defined by peace-keeping, humanitarian aid, and full combat.

But what happens next? Veterans are often unprepared to return home and begin new careers. We call this the Fourth Block.

FourBlock is a national non-profit that has supported thousands of transitioning service members across the nation in beginning new and meaningful careers.

Mike Abrams (@fourblock) is an Afghanistan veteran, founder of FourBlock, and author of two military transition books. He represents the military transition perspective.

Lindsey Pollak (@lindsaypollak) is a career and workplace expert and New York Times bestselling author of three career advice books. Lindsey represents the civilian perspective of this issue.

Veterans, explore new industries and make the right connections. Find a career that fits your calling. Join us at fourblock.org/

Sponsor our program or host a class to equip more of our veterans at fourblock.org/donate.

Follow FourBlock on Social Media

LinkedIn

Facebook

Instagram

Twitter

Podcast episodes are produced and edited by the Columbia University Center for Veteran Transition and Integration.

This week, FourBlock Founder Mike Abrams welcomes finance and entertainment executive Mark Konjevod to the podcast for a powerful two-part conversation about Mark's unique career path and his incredible relationship with Medal of Honor recipient Walter (Walt) D. Ehlers. In Part I, Mark recounted the amazing story of how he came to meet United States Army soldier and World War II Medal of Honor recipient Walt Ehlers and shared some of the lessons and values he learned from the unique relationship that developed between them over the years. In Part II, Mark discusses the arc of his career, how his relationship with Walt impacted his career and how he looks at business, as well as how the friendship impacted his life and made him a better person.

Mark holds a B.A. in Political Science and History from the University of Colorado, Boulder, where he also played for their Division I Varsity football team. Mark also holds an MBA in Finance from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. He served for seven years as a member of the Board of Trustees of the National World War II Museum in New Orleans, LA.

ABOUT US

Welcome to the FourBlock Podcast, a show that examines veteran career transition and the military-civilian divide in the workplace.

General Charles Krulak coined the term "Three Block War" to describe the nature of 21st-century military service defined by peace-keeping, humanitarian aid, and full combat.

But what happens next? Veterans are often unprepared to return home and begin new careers. We call this the Fourth Block.

FourBlock is a national non-profit that has supported thousands of transitioning service members across the nation in beginning new and meaningful careers.

Mike Abrams (@fourblock) is an Afghanistan veteran, founder of FourBlock, and author of two military transition books. He represents the military transition perspective.

Lindsey Pollak (@lindsaypollak) is a career and workplace expert and New York Times bestselling author of three career advice books. Lindsey represents the civilian perspective of this issue.

Veterans, explore new industries and make the right connections. Find a career that fits your calling. Join us at fourblock.org/

Sponsor our program or host a class to equip more of our veterans at fourblock.org/donate.

Follow FourBlock on Social Media

LinkedIn

Facebook

Instagram

Twitter

Podcast episodes are produced and edited by the Columbia University Center for Veteran Transition and Integration.

This week, FourBlock Founder Mike Abrams welcomes finance and entertainment executive Mark Konjevod to the podcast for a powerful two-part conversation about Mark's unique career path and his incredible relationship with Medal of Honor recipient Walter (Walt) D. Ehlers.

In Part I, Mark recounts the amazing story of how he came to meet United States Army soldier and World War II Medal of Honor recipient Walt Ehlers and shares some of the lessons and values he learned from the unique relationship that developed between them over the years.

Mark holds a B.A. in Political Science and History from the University of Colorado, Boulder, where he also played for their Division I Varsity football team. Mark also holds an MBA in Finance from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. He served for seven years as a member of the Board of Trustees of the National World War II Museum in New Orleans, LA.

ABOUT US

Welcome to the FourBlock Podcast, a show that examines veteran career transition and the military-civilian divide in the workplace.

General Charles Krulak coined the term "Three Block War" to describe the nature of 21st-century military service defined by peace-keeping, humanitarian aid, and full combat.

But what happens next? Veterans are often unprepared to return home and begin new careers. We call this the Fourth Block.

FourBlock is a national non-profit that has supported thousands of transitioning service members across the nation in beginning new and meaningful careers.

Mike Abrams (@fourblock) is an Afghanistan veteran, founder of FourBlock, and author of two military transition books. He represents the military transition perspective.

Lindsey Pollak (@lindsaypollak) is a career and workplace expert and New York Times bestselling author of three career advice books. Lindsey represents the civilian perspective of this issue.

Veterans, explore new industries and make the right connections. Find a career that fits your calling. Join us at fourblock.org/

Sponsor our program or host a class to equip more of our veterans at fourblock.org/donate.

Follow FourBlock on Social Media

LinkedIn

Facebook

Instagram

Twitter

Podcast episodes are produced and edited by the Columbia University Center for Veteran Transition and Integration.

A retired United States Marine Corps Captain now serving as a Regional Director for FourBlock, Queta Rodriguez has devoted her career to being a servant leader in her community. This week on the FourBlock Podcast, Queta reflects on her military experience in an inspiring conversation with hosts Lindsey Pollak and Mike Abrams, recalling why she joined the military; the challenges and opportunities that arose from serving in the Marines as a mother of four, a woman, and a Latina; and what about her enlisted experience made her want to become an officer.

Queta shares some of the mistakes she made and challenges she faced during her own transition when she retired from the military and translates those lessons learned into actionable advice for service members who are preparing to transition today: "I always tell service members, prepare, prepare, prepare. Don't underestimate the value of your network and leverage that. Build those relationships. Nurture those relationships. Even if you haven't seen someone for a long time, you know that there are people that trust you, that you trust, that can help you when the time comes."

A native of San Antonio, Texas, Queta enlisted in the Marines in December 1991 and spent 10 years as an Intelligence Analyst. During this time, she deployed to Mogadishu, Somalia in support of Operation Restore Hope and went on to serve in numerous locations in the Pacific and Southwest Asia.

Queta was selected to the Marine Enlisted Commissioning Education Program (MECEP) and attended the University of Maryland, College Park, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Government and Politics. She was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in June 2001 and spent the next 10 years as an Adjutant and Manpower Operations Officer in support of deployed forces around the world. Her final assignment was as the Manpower Operations Officer at U.S. Marine Corps Forces Central Command, where she deployed extensively in support of Marine forces in Afghanistan and throughout the Middle East.

Following her retirement in January 2012, Queta served as the Bexar County Veteran Services Office Director, where she oversaw the county's veteran services programs and served as an advocate for military and veteran families. Queta serves as Co-Chair for the Department of Veterans Affairs' Community Veterans Engagement Board in San Antonio and volunteers with numerous veterans and community organizations. Queta currently serves as Regional Director for FourBlock, where she manages the growth and execution of the Four Block Career Readiness Program in Texas and the South-Central region. In 2021, she was named to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Center for Women Veteran's (CWV) 2021 Trailblazers. She is the proud mother of four beautiful children.

ABOUT US

Welcome to the FourBlock Podcast, a show that examines veteran career transition and the military-civilian divide in the workplace.

General Charles Krulak coined the term "Three Block War" to describe the nature of 21st-century military service defined by peace-keeping, humanitarian aid, and full combat.

But what happens next? Veterans are often unprepared to return home and begin new careers. We call this the Fourth Block.

FourBlock is a national non-profit that has supported thousands of transitioning service members across the nation in beginning new and meaningful careers.

Mike Abrams (@fourblock) is an Afghanistan veteran, founder of FourBlock, and author of two military transition books. He represents the military transition perspective.

Lindsey Pollak (@lindsaypollak) is a career and workplace expert and New York Times bestselling author of three career advice books. Lindsey represents the civilian perspective of this issue.

Veterans, explore new industries and make the right connections. Find a career that fits your calling. Join us at fourblock.org/

Sponsor our program or host a class to equip more of our veterans at fourblock.org/donate.

Follow FourBlock on Social Media

LinkedIn

Facebook

Instagram

Twitter

Podcast episodes are produced and edited by the Columbia University Center for Veteran Transition and Integration.