Vets institute announces new partnership

SYRACUSE — The Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF) at Syracuse University (SU) is partnering with the US Business Leadership Network on initiatives related to entrepreneurship and employment among service-disabled veterans.

The organizations will collaborate more formally after undertaking a series of joint initiatives in recent years, according to SU.

“The partnership … will increase knowledge and information flow between veterans, business and industry, government, and other stakeholders, and will improve opportunities for service-disabled veterans as employees and as business owners, and provide access to both for our membership,” Jill Houghton, executive director of the leadership network, said in a news release. “It supports our vision which ‘promotes the certification and growth of disability-owned business.’ ”

The leadership network is a national nonprofit business to business network promoting workplaces, marketplaces, and supply chains where people with disabilities are included.

The veterans institute grew from an entrepreneurship program for disabled veterans launched at SU in 2007.

“The IVMF’s education and technical assistance programs for entrepreneurs have educated over 500 veterans with disabilities. Providing another avenue for our vetrepreneurs to reach their markets is an important component of our collaboration,” James Schmeling, IVMF managing director and co-founder, said in the release. “We are committed to provide improved access to opportunities and decreased barriers to both employment and entrepreneurship for the veteran and service-disabled veteran community.”

Contact Tampone at ktampone@cnybj.com

This article has been updated from an earlier version. It previously misstated the name of the US Business Leadership Network.