[column size=”1/3″]Mary-Ellen-Curran[/column]

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The 2013 Pacesetter Award winner is Mary Ellen Curran. Mary Ellen is the Vice President of Community Relations at World Wrestling Entertainment. Hire Heroes USA is proud to present this year's award to Mary Ellen in recognition of her tremendous initiative and significant contributions to Hire Heroes USA.

The U.S. military has special meaning to Mary Ellen Curran, vice president, Community Relations, WWE. Her dad was a decorated World War II veteran who taught his children they have a responsibility to give back to their community and their country. It’s a creed Curran takes very seriously, both in her personal and professional life.

When she joined WWE in 2012, Curran was impressed with the company’s dedication and commitment to our country’s service men and women, both in the U.S. and abroad. WWE wanted to do more, so Curran and her team researched organizations that help veterans and were impressed with work of Hire Heroes USA (Hire Heroes).

For her efforts, Curran was honored with the Hire Heroes USA Pacesetter Award at this year’s Summit. MedAssets is a corporate benefactor of Hire Heroes.

“Mary Ellen has transformed our relationship with WWE,” says Matthew Vieson, associate vice president, Corporate Relations and Development, Hire Heroes USA. “We started out on a small scale, and she has helped increase our public visibility through WWE’s many programs and campaigns.”

Over the past year, WWE has featured Hire Heroes in public service announcements at their events and in their television broadcasts, brought WWE Superstars to Hire Heroes workshops and trainings, and featured the company as a WWE Community Partner on Post “Fruity Pebbles” cereal boxes. All of this was accomplished thanks to the work of Curran and her team.

“The whole approach that resonated with WWE and myself about Hire Heroes was their personalized approach and

the resources they provide to help transition our service men and women into a new career,” said Curran. “I’m excited to see the partnership grow and provide more visibility for Hire Heroes so they can provide more resources and services for those serving and coming back from war.”
According to Curran, her work builds upon WWE’s strong legacy of corporate responsibility. WWE Superstars and Divas regularly visit military bases and hospitals, including Walter Reed Army Medical Center (prior to closing its doors in 2011) and Bethesda Naval Hospital to bolster the morale of our troops. In 2004, the USO of Metropolitan Washington presented WWE with the first ever “Legacy of Hope” award for the company’s extensive support of our troops and the USO’s Operation Care Package program.

“I’m honored to be a part of WWE’s strong legacy and humbled to receive this award. It’s very personal for me,” said Curran[/column]