Every May (Military Appreciation Month), across the United States, we honor current and former members of the U.S. Armed Forces. We come together to thank and pay tribute to service members, and their families for their bravery, and we remember those who have made great sacrifices, and even given their lives, to protect our country.

Like other companies across the U.S., Enterprise Fleet Management owes much of its success to our nation’s service members and families, who serve as dedicated employees, leaders, and mentors within the organization.

Enterprise Recognizes Military Heritage

Military heritage is deeply threaded in the values of our organization — and goes back to our roots, with Enterprise Holdings’ founding by Jack Taylor, a World War II Navy veteran in 1957. As the storied history goes: A decorated fighter pilot, Jack Taylor returned home and named our company after the ship on which he served, the USS Enterprise. His values, largely formed during his time in the Navy, became the basis of the organization and continue to drive us today. Sixty-five years later, Enterprise’s business approach is still grounded in many of Jack’s beliefs, including integrity, hard work, team spirit, and simply doing the right thing.

Today, employees like Jennifer Burke, who served in the United States Air Force as part of a special operations squadron, are bringing the same sense of dedication and pride to their roles at Enterprise while building meaningful careers. Skills from Jennifer’s time in the military, like discipline, accountability, and teamwork, have translated to the organization’s work.

As a service advisor in the National Service Department, Jennifer is known for her loyalty, commitment, and integrity, and brings her experience from aircraft repair in the Air Force to support the technical skills for the job. 

“To me, serving your country is a life choice, a commitment, and something that most people cannot fathom,” said Darren Welch, national service supervisor, and Jennifer’s manager. “The people that do that absolutely inspire me and Jennifer embodies that – it’s just the kind of person she is.”

For many individuals, military service can serve as a strong foundation for a future civilian career, offering meaningful experiences and transferrable skills for industries like information security, automotive, and healthcare. Many military service members also demonstrate an exceptional understanding of customer service, using their experience to relate with people from a variety of backgrounds and beliefs.

Enterprise continues to honor Jack Taylor’s legacy and leadership by supporting and training military members and their families. This month, we’re especially grateful for Jennifer and the more than 13,000 employees at Enterprise and within its largest affiliate, Enterprise Fleet Management who have selflessly served our country.

About the Author

Tom Gieseking is the vice president of administration for Enterprise Fleet Management, the largest affiliate of Enterprise Holdings. In his role, Gieseking is responsible for the oversight of Risk Management, License and Title, the National Service Department, and New Vehicle Acquisition.