All kinds of heroes.
On today's rundown, we celebrate our veterans and learn about Disney+ Day and a quick-thinking V Teamer.
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Happy Friday! On today’s Up To Speed Live, host Diana Alvear shared the following updates:
Up To Speed recap
Did you miss any episodes this week? It’s not too late to check them out.
Monday: Hans and other senior leaders gave us an update and made a big announcement: Ronan Dunne is moving over to become strategic advisor to the CEO and serve on the Board of Yahoo and current VCG Chief Operating Officer Manon Brouillette will succeed him as CEO Of Verizon Consumer.
Getting to know Manon
Now that Manon has been named CEO of VCG, it’s a great opportunity to get to know her better. Andy Choi put her in the hot seat for our 60-second quiz. Did you know Manon is an avid runner, a fan of the director Wes Anderson and the music of Blondie? Check out the video to learn more.
A big day for Disney
Can you believe that Disney+ launched two years ago today? To celebrate Disney+ Day, the streaming service will be releasing a ton of new releases including Disney and Pixar's Ciao Alberto and Disney's Olaf Presents. And one of their most popular shows, The World According to Jeff Goldblum, is returning for season two tonight.
You may remember that Verizon was one of the first Disney+ partners. In fact, according to Adweek, we’re a secret weapon when it comes to helping streaming services scale. Remember, when customers sign up for premium unlimited plans, they get Disney+ on us.
Celebrating our veterans
Yesterday, V Teamers in the U.S. celebrated Veterans Day, giving thanks to those who have served our country, including more than 8,000 veterans we have in our ranks at Verizon.
Tami Erwin who serves as the executive champion of VALOR — our Employee Resource Group for military veterans — hosted a special event in Chandler, AZ. She was joined by VALOR members, Verizon leaders, and guests including Earl Fontenot, a US Army veteran who served in both Afghanistan and Iraq, and Wally Edwards, National Director of Corporate Partnerships, the Wounded Warrior Project.
Tami presented a $250K check to the Wounded Warrior Project. Verizon partners with this amazing organization that provides a lifeline for wounded veterans and active duty service members. By funding programs customized to specific recovery needs, the Wounded Warrior Project is helping warriors who are living with traumatic brain injury, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and physical injuries to get the specific help they need when they need it most.
Plus, we also had members of VALOR join the Veterans Day Parade in New York City, an annual tradition to honor veterans and salute active military members. Our float featured flags representing each military branch. The event was followed by a Wounded Warrior Project walk supported by our Verizon Wellness Team.
This does not end our Veterans Day charitable activities. Verizon Consumer Group is partnering with the Pat Tillman Foundation, an organization created to honor the NFL player and Afghanistan veteran who gave his life for his country. We will tell Pat’s story and show our support with a November 16 event in Austin, Texas, showcasing a mural and donation to the foundation.
A heroic act of kindness
What better way to wrap up Kindness Week than to see it in action. Program and Project Manager Rychel Larson was driving near her home in Alexandria, Minnesota, when she noticed a car on the side of the road and a mom in distress. Rychel pulled over and was told by the mom that her toddler was choking on something. Rychel helped the mom use the heimlich maneuver to dislodge a piece of candy from the child’s throat, potentially saving his life. Thank you, Rychel, for being kind — and heroic — when it mattered most!
If you have any questions, email them to live@verizon.com.
