Jeff DiLullo, CEO of Philips North America, discusses how his military service shaped his leadership, career and commitment to supporting veterans.
Long after Jeff DiLullo traded in his military uniform for a suit, a lesson from his years at West Point and in the Army stayed with him: the importance of serving “something bigger” than himself.
As CEO of Philips North America, a global health technology company that makes medical equipment used in hospitals, DiLullo has found a new way to put this lesson into practice through his work supporting veterans and their families.
“One of the most rewarding things I brought from my military service to my corporate life is a sense of service and serving something bigger than myself,” DiLullo told FOX Business. “And now, today, I do that by serving our veteran community.”
BUILT FROM SCRATCH: HOW A RENTAL KITCHEN AND HAND-PRESSED FRUIT BECAME A VERSATILE BLENDER
He added: “For me, it is a sacred obligation as a nation to serve our veterans and not only them, but also their families and caregivers. »
DiLullo graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point with a bachelor’s degree in history before serving as an infantry officer in the United States Army. He then earned an MBA in marketing, logistics and supply chain from the Haslam College of Business at the University of Tennessee.
Google is partnering with veterans groups to help 25,000 people access careers in skilled trades amid a labor shortage.
As CEO of Philips North America, DiLullo has found a new way to put this lesson into practice through his work supporting veterans and their families. (Philips North America)
His connection to military service has become more personal in recent years. DiLullo’s daughter and son-in-law are both currently on active duty, and he knows firsthand that leaving the military can bring its own challenges.
“When you leave the military, you wonder if you’re going to maintain a connection to a mission and something important and useful,” DiLullo said. “Many veterans struggle with this transition, just like me.”
After leaving the military, he built a successful career in corporate America, eventually holding executive positions at Hewlett-Packard, Avaya and Dell.
“After the military, honestly, I immersed myself in work,” he said. “I tried to find purpose and mission in what I was doing, and I had great jobs, but I hit a wall, and I was trying to do everything well, but I didn’t feel like I was really deeply connected to my own purpose.”
This realization ultimately caused him to rethink what he wanted from his career.
“After a period of reflection, almost ten years ago, I decided to completely change course,” he said. “I turned to the healthcare industry and decided I would only work where I felt personal purpose, and I’ve never looked back. I’m having the most fun I’ve had in my entire career.”
VETERAN-OWNED TEA BUSINESS AIMS TO HELP FORMER SERVICE MEMBERS “FIND PURPOSE”
DiLullo joined Philips in 2019 as head of North America operations.
That path eventually brought DiLullo to Philips, where he joined the company in 2019 as head of North America operations. His responsibilities expanded in 2021 to include leading the company’s service and solutions delivery teams in North America.
Today, DiLullo said his job has allowed him to reconnect with the sense of mission he enjoyed in the military.
The Department of Veterans Affairs is Philips’ largest customer, according to DiLullo, and he also serves on the board of the Elizabeth Dole Foundation, which supports military and veteran caregivers.
“These things are fuel for me and really fuel my sense of purpose and connection and service,” he said.
When asked what advice he would give to today’s West Point cadets, DiLullo said their commitment to country doesn’t have to end with their military career.
“You have taken a solemn vow to serve and defend your nation,” he said. “You have willingly assumed the responsibility to protect the freedoms that are the foundation of this great country.”
DiLullo added: “Service does not end when you leave the military. Your oath is to serve the nation your entire life. So my advice will always be to know and serve something greater than yourself.”
VETERANS ARE USING THIS HOME BUYER BENEFIT MORE OFTEN – BUT MANY STILL DON’T KNOW IT EXISTS
DiLullo graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point with a bachelor’s degree in history before serving as an infantry officer in the United States Army. (Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Of all the roles DiLullo has held since leaving the military, there is one that still stands out.
CLICK HERE TO GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO
“I can honestly say that outside of the military, this is the most rewarding job I have ever done,” he said of his work in healthcare.
But the best job he ever had?
“The best job I ever had was the Army,” DiLullo said. “A sense of mission, teamwork and trust. That just defined my ideal world.”
Gn bussni
