Military Spouse Corporate Career Network (MSCCN) began as a grassroots
organization, serving the employment needs of the military spouse in 2004.
Many people have asked me how the MSCCN got its start during a time when
corporations didn't have military spouse employment on the radar.

The First-Ever Nonprofit Built For Military Spouses
What many people do not realize, including and especially military spouses,
is the fact that the MSCCN was absolutely the FIRST nonprofit designated
to serve the needs of military spouses - solely.

All other military-related nonprofits up to the year 2004 included military
members and Veterans, with spouse issues handled as "trailing" outreach
endeavors.

To this day, MSCCN only serves the military spouse and will never allow civilian
resumes to compete with our spouse group. That goes for Veterans and military
members as well.

Seven years prior to the launch of MSCCN in 2004, I hatched a business plan for
a nonprofit that targeted the employment and vocational training needs of the
most overlooked segment of the military community at that time by corporate
America - the military spouse.

Only one corporate executive stepped up to the plate throughout an exhaustive
two year search for funding: Mr. Richard Parr, VP, General Counsel and Corporate
Secretary, HCR Manorcare, Inc. (At the time of the initial funding for MSCCN,
Richard Parr was then General Counsel to Concentra Inc., an occupational health
care corporation based in Dallas, Texas.)

Richard Parr convinced his CEO, Dan Thomas of Concentra, Inc., to donate funds
to the "MSCCN" business plan because it was the "absolute right thing to do."
Dan Thomas didn't take long to agree - just two days!

Five years later, the MSCCN has grown in magnificent ways. In fact, the MSCCN
reached more goals and won more awards than expected within the original
business plan presented to Richard Parr in 2004.

If you're a military spouse, please take the time to thank Mr. Richard Parr
in your thoughts and prayers for caring enough about your military co-service
and sacrifices.

Richard Parr was the ONLY corporate executive within a two year search to place
his money into an organization that recognized how overlooked military spouses
were to corporate America in 2004. To this very day, Mr. Parr remains a staunch
advocate of military spouses. You will find no one better to advocate the needs
of our military community than Richard Parr.

MSCCN is honored to have Mr. Parr on the MSCCN Board of Directors and is very
pleased to present the first annual MSCCN Corporate Patriot Award to him.