XAware today announced that it’s contributing its data integration software and professional services to the Armed Forces Support Foundation’s “Hire A Hero” network.

 

Hire A Hero is an online social network that provides the infrastructure, tools and support needed for service members to find a quality career upon their return from active duty, according to the company. Since its founding in January 2007, Hire A Hero has come in contact with more than 190,000 service members and helped many transition back into the civilian world, company officials say.

 

The vast majority of the transitioning military community is men and women in their 20s, company officials say. These veterans are comfortable with online social networking tools such as instant messaging, Facebook (News - Alert), MySpace and LinkedIn. Similar to these social networking sites, Hire A Hero users are able to create online profiles that can communicate the individual’s story and career objectives, according to the company.

 

This includes pictures, resumes, podcasts and videos. At the same time, Hire A Hero is working with companies of all sizes, management associations, staffing companies and trade unions to bolster its national network and provide quality job opportunities for service personnel, company officials say.

 

“The men and women who protect our country should be rewarded, not penalized, for their service,” said Brac Selph, executive director of Hire A Hero. “XAware’s pro-bono data exchange services and donated licenses of Salesforce.com’s (News - Alert) Software-as-a-Service CRM product have been instrumental in allowing us to connect service members with people who can help them get good, well paying jobs. Those who have done the most to protect the American Dream should participate fully in its rewards.”

 

Hire A Hero uses the Salesforce CRM application to help automate the job placement process for veterans as part of Salesforce.com’s One Percent Product Donation program. XAware, an open source product “that hides the differences and complexity of data coming from disparate sources,” company officials say, “transforms the data into a common format that can be understood and used by Hire-A-Hero’s Salesforce system.”

 

“It’s amazing to see an organization like Hire A Hero do such extraordinary work and support it using next generation technologies,” said Suzanne DiBianca, executive director of the Salesforce.com Foundation. “We applaud their efforts.”

 

Hire A Hero has also embarked on a campaign to gather one million “Thank You” messages for our troops. The online message board contains messages to remind service members of how much our nation appreciates their sacrifices. For more information, please visit: www.thanksforserving.com.

 

Last month Salesforce.com announced that The Ethisphere Institute named it to Ethisphere’s World’s Most Ethical Companies list for the second consecutive year. 

 

Ethisphere is a “think-tank” which describes itself as “dedicated to the research and promotion of profitable best practices in global governance, business ethics, compliance and corporate responsibility.”

 

Salesforce.com was honored with the award along with American Express (News - Alert), Google, Kellogg, PepsiCo, Starbucks and others.