Rising through the ranks and commanding troops require leadership skills that can transfer to the corporate world, which is also the scene of intense competition between rivals battling for supremacy.
FedEx founder and former CEO Fred Smith has credited his experience in the Marine Corps and the Vietnam War with helping him establish the shipping giant. In particular, the effectiveness of wartime logistics and the Marine tradition of small-unit leadership were influential, he said in 2014.
“Everything that went into FedEx that made the business that it is today relates to what I learned in the Marine Corps, and I’ve always been grateful for that education and for those I’ve served with,” he said at the time.
As Americans observe Veterans Day, here’s a look at current Fortune 500 CEOs who have served in the military.
Casey’s General Stores
Darren Rebelez, who is also chairman at Casey’s, attended the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and served as an infantry officer in the Army from 1988 to 1991, according to his LinkedIn profile.
After the Army, he began his civilian professional career as a KFC restaurant manager. He moved on to other companies and took on greater leadership roles, including stops at Exxon Mobil, 7-Eleven, and IHOP.
Since 2019, Rebelez has been CEO of Casey’s, the third largest convenience retailer and No. 297 on the Fortune 500.
Emcor
Anthony Guzzi also graduated from West Point and served in Army as a Light Infantry Captain from 1986 to 1991. After the Army, he had stints at McKinsey and Carrier.
He became president of Emcor in 2004, CEO in 2011, and chairman in 2018. Emcor, No. 300 on the Fortune 500, is a top mechanical and electrical construction, industrial and energy infrastructure, and building services company.
Xcel Energy
Bob Frenzel served in the Navy in active duty from 1992 to 1998, working as a nuclear engineering officer and weapons officer. He was also in the Navy Reserves from 1998 to 2006 and attended the Navy Nuclear Power School.
“I always like to think I’ve been making electricity for three decades,” he told Fortune in April.
After active duty, he worked at Arthur Andersen Consulting, then Goldman Sachs in the energy and power group. Stops at Energy Future Holdings and Luminant followed before landing in his current role.
Frenzel was promoted to Xcel chairman, president, and CEO in 2021 after joining the utility as CFO in 2016. Xcel is 319 on the Fortune 500.
Sempra Energy
Jeffrey Martin is another West Pointer who served as an air-cavalry pilot. He left the Army in 1989. Prior to joining Sempra, he worked at NewEnergy, UniSource Energy, and the law firm of Snell & Wilmer.
His career at Sempra, No. 322 on the Fortune 500, started in 2004. He was named CEO and chairman of the utility in 2018.
Reflecting on his military service in 2022, Martin said people often mistake leadership with “creating followership,” adding that what’s more important is creating new leaders across an organization.
“That means whether your focus is on winning on the battlefield or in corporate America, leadership is all about raising up those around you and bringing out the best in people, teams and organizations,” he explained.
Delek US Holdings
Avigal Soreq served in the Israeli Air Force in various roles between 1996 and 2004. After his military service, he worked at KPMG, Trabelsy, and SunPower, then began a 10-year stint at Delek, a petroleum refiner.
He left to become CEO of the Israeli airline EL AL but returned to Delek, which named him CEO in 2022. Delek is No. 336 on the Fortune 500.
Advance Auto Parts
Shane O’Kelly also went to West Point and served as an infantry officer in the Army from 1990 to 1997, which included numerous deployments with the 1st Cavalry Division and the 325th Airborne.
After the Army, he worked at McKinsey, then had stops at Home Depot, AH Harris Construction Supplies, PetroChoice, and HD Supply. O’Kelly has been CEO of Advance Auto Parts, No. 389 on the Fortune 500, since 2023.
