Kevin Schmiegel

Kevin Schmiegel is Chief Executive Officer at ZeroMils -- a social impact company based in Washington DC that connects corporations, foundations and individuals with best-in-class nonprofits to create Military Thriving® communities. In his current role, Schmiegel helps Fortune 500 companies build a military thriving culture that hires, values, and retains Veterans and Military Spouses; is supportive of them through purpose-driven nonprofits at the national and local level; and tells that story through their Veteran and other diversity ERGs and an effective marketing strategy.

A retired Marine Corps Lieutenant Colonel, Schmiegel worked at the highest levels of the Department of Defense, deploying to more than 50 countries in Europe, Africa and the Middle East. At the end of his 20 year military career, Colonel Schmeigel served as the Aide de Camp to the NATO and U.S. European Commander from 2003 to 2005, the Head of Enlisted Assignments at Headquarters Marine Corps from 2006 to 2007 where he spearheaded the assignment and retention of 172,000 Marines worldwide during a time of war; and as the military assistant to the Special Envoy for Middle East Regional Security working on the peace process between Israel and Palestine throughout 2008.

Kevin is a mission-focused leader with a proven track record for rapidly scaling organizations and a reputation for delivering significant results across the biggest organizations and employers across the public and private sectors.

Upon retirement from the Marine Corps in 2009, Schmiegel pursued his life’s work to strengthen communities and bridge the civilian-military divide. He first served as the Chief of Staff at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce from 2009 to 2011 and then founded Hiring Our Heroes (HOH) there, quickly growing HOH into the largest Veteran and Military Spouse employment nonprofit in the country.

As the CEO of two other national military and veteran nonprofits, Schmiegel gained a reputation for growth and development and creating change on the most pressing issues facing the military and veteran community at large. Raising $100 million for these causes over a decade, Kevin and the teams he led have impacted more than 10 million Americans, in and out of uniform. He is a proud husband to Laura, a father of five and a member of American Legion Post 50 in Iron Mountain, Mich.