For over 120 years, Charlotte Pipe and Foundry has committed itself to American manufacturing — and its employment and support of U.S. military veterans is another example of how the company shows its dedication to this long-standing corporate objective. 

“Charlotte Pipe has always been a very patriotic company – from our associates to our senior leadership,” said Brad Muller, vice president of corporate communications at Charlotte Pipe. “We’re very grateful for those who would sacrifice to serve our country, so hiring veterans is a way for us to give back to those who have given up so much for us.” 

Honoring and hiring military service members is a natural extension of Charlotte Pipe’s founding value to “remain a private, patriotic family-owned company.” 

“We’re always looking for good people to join our team,” said Mark Black, senior vice president of corporate development. “Over the years, Charlotte Pipe has emphasized hiring veteran associates, and we’ve created a continuous loop of people who come to Charlotte Pipe having military backgrounds.” 

For example, United States Army veteran Joseph Pantone joined Charlotte Pipe as an extrusion operator at the company’s facility in Cameron, Texas. After succeeding in one of the plant’s most demanding roles, Pantone’s curiosity and adaptability helped him move into a position in product development. 

“During his nearly 20 years at Charlotte Pipe, Joseph has gone from working on the factory floor to serving as an officer of the company as vice president of business intelligence and analytics,” noted Black. 

Building a veteran-friendly culture 

Being a private, patriotic, family-owned company, Charlotte Pipe offers a culture that appeals to people leaving the military. 

“Former military are looking to go to work somewhere they’ll have more sense of purpose than just a paycheck,” said Black. “The whole patriotic theme we have as a company — from our owners on down — creates an environment that is welcoming and empowering to former military associates.” 

These factors help veterans feel a similar sense of belonging and purpose that they had in the military. At Charlotte Pipe, that shared comradery and purpose toward a mission bigger than any one individual resonates with veterans. 

“For our associates, regardless of their backgrounds, we offer informal mentorship opportunities,” said Black. “A number of our former military and associates who’ve shown us high potential have participated and excelled in our leadership development programs.”

In addition to support from management, Charlotte Pipe veteran associates also feel the love from their fellow employees through the company’s support of nonprofit organizations, Charlotte Pipe employees annually make Operation Homefront a top choice for their donated dollars. 

Operation Homefront is a 501(c)(3) organization with a mission to build a family-focused community for veterans and active-duty military. 

What veteran associates bring to the workplace 

Charlotte Pipe believes people with military backgrounds have a seriousness and maturity level that carries over outside of military-related work. With experience being a part of a cohesive unit, veteran associates know their role and how they fit into achieving the larger objective. 

“Military veterans often come to us with impressive training in areas that make them successful on the job as far as interpersonal skills, working well in teams, or taking on leadership roles,” said Black. “If your primary job has been keeping a platoon of soldiers safe from harm’s way, it demonstrates that you’re not scared to lead from the front or get your hands dirty.”  

That’s certainly the case with former infantry officer TJ Costello, who started at Charlotte Pipe in 2011 as an operations analyst. Coming from an experience where he was trained to keep his fellow Marines and equipment safe, Costello brings a unique form of leadership to the company.

“Although TJ joined Charlotte Pipe with little knowledge of the foundry industry, he committed himself to his work and now serves as the vice president of cast iron operations over the cast iron division,” said Black.

Embedded in the success stories at Charlotte Pipe, the real win lies in how the company finds the right fit for all associates to maximize their potential, regardless of their skill set or background. Charlotte Pipe accomplishes this goal by creating opportunities for all associates to seek mentors, training, and growth opportunities within the company. 

“The most important thing at Charlotte Pipe is our culture,” said Black. “Being made in America is part of our culture, family is part of our culture, patriotism is part of our culture — supporting our military veterans is something that is honored here at Charlotte Pipe.”

Find out more about Charlotte Pipe’s American-made commitment.