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# Supporting military communities and veteran businesses

## Celebrating our long-standing support for veteran owned businesses

WF proudly hosted clients and partners at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C. for an event exploring the intersection of economic and geopolitical trends within the Aerospace and Defense and Government Contracting sectors. WF leaders in attendance recognized and highlighted the importance of veteran owned businesses in these sectors and the opportunity to better support their growth and success.

We recognize the unique strengths that veterans bring to the business world and are deeply committed to supporting veteran-owned enterprises and empowering veteran business leaders. Through tailored financial solutions, strategic partnerships, and community engagement, our company helps veteran entrepreneurs establish and grow their businesses. This event is an example of our commitment to helping military servicemembers and communities thrive.

## Providing economic and market insights to support veteran businesses

Transcript: Providing economic and market insights to support veteran businesses
Mike DeStefano, Executive Director, DC Market Executive: To me, there's no better place to honor our military personnel and our veterans than right here in the Capital Region. And on behalf of WF, I want to say welcome and thank you for your service.
Victor Perez, Executive Director, Head of Veterans Segment, Corporate & Investment Banking: I'm really proud to be here tonight hosting our fourth annual military appreciation month event where we brought in our clients from both the Commercial Bank and the Investment Bank.
Randy Lynch, Managing Director, Global Head of Aerospace & Defense Investment Banking: A wonderful opportunity in this fantastic museum space to talk to our clients about what's going on in the defense community, what our clients are thinking about, what help they need.
Giselle Valdez, Executive Director, Commercial Banking Technology Banker: We had senior leaders from Investment Banking attend, as well as senior leaders from Commercial Banking, showing how WF can really support and nurture emerging technologies in defense tech.
Andrew Barnes, Executive Director, Head of Military & Veterans Segment
Commercial Banking: WF has been supporting the military for over 160 years through recruitment, financial education, and also vehicle and housing donations.
Phil Smith, Commercial Banking, Vice Chair, Specialized Industries: It's such an honor to have veterans, veteran owned and veteran led businesses represented in the room.
Jon Huerta, Managing Director, Head of Industrials Investment Banking: Appreciate all the veterans that came out tonight, all the great questions, all the dialog we've had, all the strong relationships that we're continuing to build.
Edward D'Alessandro, CEO Roberts & Ryan: WF is one of the few firms that constantly is doing things for veterans, trying to bring veterans into their network and helping us grow as a firm.
Smith: We had over 100 different veteran owned and veteran led businesses, and those industries represented.
Barnes: This has been a great opportunity to connect with our aerospace and defense industry, learn from a panel of experts, and a great venue to do so.
[WF logo]
[©2025 WF Bank, N.A. All rights reserved.]

- Victor Perez, Executive Director, WF Corporate & Investment Banking
- Andrew Barnes, Executive Director, WF Commercial Banking
- Mike DeStefano, Executive Director, WF Commercial Banking

- Jon Huerta, Managing Director, Head of Industrials Investment Banking
- Randy Lynch, Managing Director, Global Head of Aerospace & Defense Investment Banking
- Michael Lee, Senior Vice President, Head of Federal Government Relations

## Additional resources for servicemembers, veterans, and veteran owned businesses

- Military Resource Center
- Worldwide Military Banking
- Valuing your military skills and experience
- Committed to Our Military Veterans

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## Honoring Veterans Day

In honor of Veterans Day, WF Corporate & Investment Banking and Commercial Banking hosted an event to celebrate the service, leadership, and achievements of veteran-owned and veteran-led businesses. The evening brought together clients, WF leaders and employees, and community partners to recognize the powerful role military servicemembers and veterans play in business and in our communities. During this event, the WF Foundation presented a $2 Million donation to Team Rubicon to support lasting disaster relief.

A highlight of the program was an engaging fireside chat with General Joseph F. Dunford Jr., USMC (Ret.), who shared stories of his military journey, lessons in leadership, and reflections on his service. Attendees, including WF leaders, discussed the unique strengths veterans bring to every organization—discipline, resilience, and a spirit of service — and rallied around a call to action: for veterans with resources to uplift fellow veterans in need.

## Celebrating and supporting servicemembers and veteran businesses

Transcript: Veterans Day Celebration

Open with music, audience at event, speaker approaching podium.

Chanda Mofu speaking: In the army, I knew everybody had my back.

TITLE CARD: Victor Perez, Head of the Veterans Segment, WF Corporate & Investment Banking

VICTOR: So, this is our third annual Veterans Day celebration in partnership with the Commercial Bank and the Corporate and Investment Bank. We've touched over 750 clients and have really highlighted the focus and support that WF and our Corporate and Investment Bank and Commercial Bank have for the veterans segment.

TITLE CARD: Giselle Valdez, Executive Director, WF Commercial Banking

GISELLE: We continue to do more every year that I've been here. I really enjoy coming and reconnecting with all the veterans that I consider kind of like my brothers and sisters within WF.

TITLE CARD: Danielle Squires, Head of Diverse Segments, WF Corporate & Investment Banking

DANIELLE: Veterans are the heart of our country and really one of the biggest growing sectors within our business community.

TITLE CARD: Justin Treml, Head of Military and Employee Banking, Consumer and Small Business Banking

JUSTIN: First off, WF has a community, and I think that's really where it starts as a veteran, to have some place where you can call your own, you can call your home.

TITLE CARD: Andy Barnes, Head of the Veterans Segment, WF Commercial Banking

ANDY: I've seen it start from the very beginning and excel to where we're supporting multiple nonprofits, multiple hiring initiatives. And then our ERN has expanded tremendously over the years.

TITLE CARD: Mike Riley, Co-head of Markets, WF Corporate & Investment Banking

MIKE: We're starting to understand some of the hardships that people have coming out of the military, which is a very structured environment.

ANDY: I appreciate the support of the veteran community at WF, because it's just like the military where you always had your back. We always call it you got your six.

VICTOR: And I think our clients feel special knowing that they have a bank that acknowledges them and acknowledges their service and thanks them for that.

TITLE CARD: Anna Bard, Head of Employee Volunteerism, Disaster & Global Philanthropy

ANNA: WF Foundation has decided to make a two year, $2 million donation to Team Rubicon to support the Ready Reserve fund.

TITLE CARD: Art delaCruz, Team Rubicon CEO

ART: Our job and my job as the CEO of Team Rubicon is to ensure that the impacts this incredible $2 million gift generates can be felt for years and years to come both in our volunteers and the survivors that we help.

JUSTIN: If we consistently stay and build relationships and show that we are in it for their win as well, we'll continue to grow.

Close with music

WF Copyright 2024, WF Bank, N.A. All rights reserved.

General Joseph F. Dunford Jr., USMC (Ret.) and Phil Smith, Vice Chair of Specialized Industries, WF Commercial Banking, and proud Army veteran
Mike Riley, Executive Vice President, WF Corporate & Investment Banking, and proud Navy veteran
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## Expressing our appreciation for military servicemembers

WF and Bloomberg honored Military Appreciation Month with an event showcasing innovative new technologies, a geopolitical discussion, and discussion around how to best support military and veteran communities via capital markets. Throughout the event, participants reflected on and connected around their military experience and the impact those experiences have had on their life and career.

## Supporting veterans leading innovative businesses

Transcript: Support for veterans scaling businesses and leading innovation

Bill Moran, Admiral (Ret.) 39th Vice Chief of Naval Operations, US Navy: There's no more ethically strong workforce in the world than what you get out of veterans.

Voiceover: This year's Military Appreciation Month event, co-hosted by WF and Bloomberg, celebrated the accomplishments of military service members. The event featured veterans leading innovation and scaling businesses across the country. They spoke about going from the military to civilian careers in entrepreneurship, and the importance of supporting veterans in that transition.

Brandon Tseng, US Navy Veteran, Co-Founder & President, Shield AI: If anybody here thinks it's easy, right, or, like, it's just all magical sunshine and rainbows on the outside. It's a very, very different story, right?

Ling Shao, US Army Veteran, Founder & CEO, Spectrum AI: It's really emotionally tough. And even though we've all been in tough situations, it's really helpful to have that peer group.

Voiceover: WF has a long history of supporting military service members through initiatives to hire and retain veterans. This year, Wells is launching the Veteran Alliance program, which allows veterans to pay it forward to the next generation of business leaders.

Mike Riley, US Navy Veteran, Co-Head of Markets, WF Corporate & Investment Banking: A lot of us have been through it. And you've had people that have helped you make that transition. It's important to pay that back. Veterans can do a lot of really great things if they're given the skills and the opportunity to do it. And it's up to us to help promote that.

Suzanne Vautrinot, Major General (Ret.), US Air Force, WF Board of Directors Member: It really is an absolutely extraordinary group. Words matter; people really matter.

Admiral Bill Moran: We will continue to be able to provide the communities great servants of the communities, great entrepreneurs, great employees. And that, to us, to me, and I hope to all of you, is the strength of this country

[WF has proudly supported military veterans and their families for more than 160 years.]

Mike Riley, Executive Vice President, WF Corporate & Investment Banking, and proud Navy veteran

Listen to Mike's interview on Bloomberg radio.

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