Army veteran Ken Hurst will share some of his most memorable experiences of his 30 year career as well as the trials and tribulations of transitioning to a global manufacturing behemoth.  Ken will also connect the lessons of leadership, maintenance, reliability, and mission accomplishment learned during his time in the service to his career in corporate America.  In conclusion, Ken will describe the thriving Veteran Employee Resource Group (VERG) at Cummins Inc.  This includes how it started, what’s working, what isn’t, how this program is expanding globally, and his advice for anyone considering starting a VERG within their organization.

Ken Joined Cummins in January of 2012.  Ken’s first role was as the Functional Excellence Leader for Global OnBoarding.  He currently serves as the Area manager for The Cincinnati and Columbus Ohio and Indianapolis Sales and Service branches.

Prior to joining Cummins Ken served in the U.S. Army on active duty for 26 years retiring in October of 2011 as a Special Forces Colonel.  His last assignment was with the United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) in Tampa where he served as the Chief of Plans.   During his career Ken commanded operational units from the A-Team to the Battalion level and he also served as the senior Human Resources officer for Army Special Operations.   Ken served two tours in Iraq and a tour in the Philippines in support of Operation Enduring Freedom-Philippines.   Ken has earned the Combat Infantryman’s badge and the Special Forces and Ranger Tabs.

Ken graduated from the University of Kentucky with a degree in Communications and he holds an MA in Human Resources Management from Webster University and an MA in Strategic Studies from the USMC War College.  Ken and his wife Darla have been married for 34 years.  Ken and Darla enjoy travelling and visiting with their son, his wife and grandson who live in Fredericksburg, VA.  Ken and Darla live in Indianapolis.