WASHINGTON, May 5, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- GoDaddy Inc. (NYSE: GDDY), the world's largest technology provider dedicated to small businesses, is pledging to hire 500 military veterans or spouses over the next five years. The commitment was made public today in the nation's capital by First Lady Michelle Obama as part of the Joining Forces initiative she launched with Dr. Jill Biden five years ago.
GoDaddy, founded by decorated Vietnam War veteran who served in the U.S. Marine Corps Bob Parsons, has long committed to supporting and hiring military veterans. In addition to putting veterans to work since it was founded in 1997, GoDaddy has donated more than $1.4 million dollars to the Semper Fi Fund over the years, which helps injured service men and women, and their families, from all branches of service. GoDaddy employees have also established an internal GoDaddy Veteran organization known as "GDVets," which offers a variety of support resources, guest speakers and other events.
GoDaddy is one of the 52 companies honored for their enduring commitment to support veterans and military spouses through economic opportunities at a special ceremony today at the White House. Mrs. Obama and Dr. Jill Biden launched the Joining Forces initiative in 2011, calling on Americans to rally around service members, veterans and their families to support them through wellness, education and employment opportunities. The project works with the public and private sectors to ensure that service members, veterans and their families have the tools they need to succeed throughout their lives.
At this morning's ceremony, First Lady Michelle Obama thanked military members and their spouses in the audience for their service and also praised representatives from more than 50 companies committed to hiring and training veterans. "You know our veterans and military spouses are some of the most dedicated, skilled, talented people in this country. I am thrilled you all have pledged to hire more than 110,000 of them," she said. "If anyone can make it happen, it's all of you. You are all some of the most innovative, successful businesses in the history of this country."
Mrs. Obama pointed out that since Joining Forces was founded five years ago, companies have hired or trained more than 1.2 million veterans and military spouses. During that same period, the unemployment rate for veterans was cut in half.
"Hiring and supporting the brave men and women who serve our country is part of our GoDaddy DNA," said GoDaddy Chief People Officer Auguste Goldman. "We proudly hire and support our veterans, and their families, who are mission-focused, service-minded and committed, which are all qualities that work well in our culture. In fact, it is our hope to exceed our 'Joining Forces' pledge to hire 100 vets every year for the next five years."
Earlier this year, GoDaddy was recognized as one of the FORTUNE magazine's top 100 "Best Companies to Work For." Employment opportunities range from technical, to consultative customer support, to legal, accounting, marketing, and more.
GoDaddy is now serving 53 markets, in 26 languages and 44 currencies. GoDaddy employs approximately 5,000 people and is headquartered in Scottsdale, Ariz., with facilities across 15 other locations, including Washington State, Massachusetts, Iowa and California in the U.S., as well as Asia, Brazil, India, Canada, Mexico, U.K., Australia and The Netherlands, internationally.
To find out about career opportunities, visit www.GoDaddy.com/Careers.
To find out more about Joining Forces, visit www.JoiningForces.gov.
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About GoDaddy
GoDaddy's mission is to radically shift the global economy toward small businesses by empowering people to easily start, confidently grow and successfully run their own ventures. With more than 14 million customers worldwide and more than 62 million domain names under management, GoDaddy gives small business owners the tools to name their idea, build a beautiful online presence, attract customers and manage their business. To learn more about the company, visit www.GoDaddy.com.
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SOURCE GoDaddy Inc.