Joe Swortz, a U.S. Army veteran and a financial controller in the independent channel, attributes his current leadership and teamwork skills to his time in the military. Motivated by the desire to go to college without financially impacting his parents, Swortz joined the military at age 17, the summer before his senior year of high school.
“I am one of four boys, and my parents, a policeman and Sunday school teacher, were figuring out how to pay for my older brother’s college tuition,” says Swortz. “I wanted to go to college and figured the way to pay for school without being a burden was to join the service.”
Swortz enlisted in the U.S. Army, leaving for basic training two weeks after his graduation. Serving from 1984 to 1989, Swortz credits his years in service for shaping him as the leader and team player he is today.
“Even though my time in the military was brief and started over 40 years ago, I still believe the core Army values of loyalty, duty, respect, service, honor, integrity and courage guide me today,” he says.
After his military service, Swortz was looking for an escape from a 70-mile commute to his previous job and turned to his hometown third-generation family-owned hardware store for a career opportunity, beginning his journey in independent home improvement retailing.
During his time in college, Swortz worked in various home improvement centers in the paint, hardware, flooring, lumber and glazing departments, which helped him relate to the high level of customer service and expertise needed to succeed in the independent channel.
Moving Forward
Swortz remembers his years in military service with gratitude, crediting the assistance he has received from VA programs in his civilian life.
“Those years of service gave me a college education courtesy of the VEAP and the ability to buy homes with VA home loans when other options weren’t available,” he says.
As a disabled veteran, Swortz says he also receives health and disability benefits through the VA, although he struggled with his disability status for many years.
“I was in denial about my disability for many years, even ashamed of my injury because it wasn’t visible,” he says. “But 14 years ago, through the support of fellow veterans of the Vietnam conflict and the Gulf War, I was able to accept the care I needed and am forever grateful for their support.”
Swortz believes military veterans support the home improvement retail industry in many ways, and in turn, the industry does a good job of supporting veterans.
“Some veterans are prepared for the challenges that come after their service, while others need to seek support to deal with the military afterlife,” Swortz says. “Most retailers give the space and time needed to get veterans the support and assistance they need to become part of the community they work and live in.”
