We are pleased to welcome Hannalora Van Nevel to the “Veterans Way” spotlight. Hannalora has been leading the U.S. Bank (USB) Issue Management & Complaints Team for the past three years. In 2016, she started as a customer service representative at U.S. Bank.
Hannalora describes herself as being struck with incurable curiosity and driven by a love of learning. “I thrive on creative problem solving in the most chaotic environments,” she wrote. At USB, she progressed up the ranks as a client support specialist and then became a team lead in that segment of the business.
“Hannalora brings a level of discipline and analytical rigor to her work that clearly reflects her military background,” observed Tina Eickhoff, head of Equipment Finance at U.S. Bank. “Using these skills, she ensures complex processes are executed with precision – an essential quality in this industry and one that has made her a trusted partner to teams across the bank.”
She represents our fourth nominee for The Cannata Report’s 2026 Outstanding Veteran Award.
FC: Which of all our military branches did you volunteer to serve and how long were you on active duty?
HVN: I enlisted in the Army and subsequently joined the Minnesota Army National Guard, serving in a dual capacity with both federal obligations—such as deployments in the Middle East—and state activations, like the civil unrest in Minnesota following the deaths of George Floyd in 2020 and Daunte Wright in 2021.
My active-duty service spanned 12 years, from 2009 to 2021, supporting various missions like Operation New Dawn (the final phase of U.S. military involvement in Iraq) in 2011.
FC: What was your Military Occupational Specialty?
HVN: My M ilitary O ccupational S pecialty (MOS) was all-source intelligence analyst. This position gathers intelligence from a range of sources—including individuals, digital platforms, and geographic information—to help unit commanders make informed choices about operations and other essential matters.
FC: What did you enjoy doing the most on active-duty service?
HVN: What I most enjoyed was the diversity within the military—service members come from all over the United States with different religions, traditions, and socioeconomic backgrounds, but join as one community to protect each other while completing missions.
During the 12 years I spent in military service, I collaborated with people whose life experiences were vastly different from my own, but the sense of unity and mutual support—even in the most demanding situations— is something I truly value.
Clockwise from upper left: 1. Van Nevel and three of her four children after coming home from an extended training exercise. 2. Van Nevel after a training exercise. 3. Van Nevel and her mother.
FC: What were the most important things you learned in the military and are any of them useful in your employment today?
HVN: I am fortunate that my military experience carries directly into my work at U.S. Bank, where I help teams maintain strong controls and reliable, compliant processes for complex financing transactions. Of everything I learned in the military, two lessons stand out as especially relevant today.
First, attention to detail is paramount. It can make or break mission success. This skill is especially valuable in my current role supporting the equipment finance business from an operations and risk perspective, where meticulous attention to detail directly informs risk tracking and reporting.
Second, I learned to get comfortable being uncomfortable. You should never settle into complete comfort. Instead, you should push forward even when you feel out of your depth. The military put me in uncomfortable situations regularly—it is an important part of the training—but that is how I learned to adapt and grow.
In my current job, I can embrace uncertainty and adapt quickly, which enables me to support teams who do not work at risk day-to-day, guiding them through unfamiliar processes and helping them succeed.
FC: How difficult was it to find employment upon separation and how did you discover the copier business for potential employment?
HVN: Actually, fi nding employment after separating from the military was not top of mind for me. The challenge was navigating the broader transition out of military life and fi guring out where I fi t into the world after so many years of service.
After spending several years working through my transition, I eventually took a position with U.S. Bank Equipment Finance, a division of the bank that provides financing to businesses in every industry to acquire the equipment they need. At the time, it felt like a practical, short-term fix rather than a deliberate long-term career choice. However, it has grown into a fullfledged career, and I am grateful for how things turned out.
FC: According to the Department of Defense, approximately 270,000 men and women are separated from active duty every year. DOD also states that only about 11% have jobs when they leave the service. Any tips for your fellow vets about the best way to fi nd a job?
HVN: There are a lot of great programs, websites, and resources available to veterans, but the sheer volume of them can feel overwhelming when you are fi rst separating from the military. My biggest piece
of advice is to connect with a person, not just a program. Find someone who can help guide you, like:
- A transition liaison or support contact through the VA
- A county or community veteran service officer (VSO)
- A representative from a veteran organization, such as the American Legion
- Another veteran who has already successfully transitioned
In my case, personal connections really helped turn available resources into practical next steps.
FC Any concluding thoughts or advice you would like to give to your fellow veterans about employment, utilizing the military training you received?
HVN: While the technical skills acquired during military service may not always directly translate to civilian jobs, the diligence and integrity developed there are invaluable assets for all career paths. These qualities serve as strong foundations and provide a distinct advantage when transitioning into civilian roles, regardless of the profession you choose.
For veterans considering this transition, it is important to recognize that the sense of community found in the military is difficult to replicate in civilian life, and those connections naturally atrophy over time. My advice is to remember that you are not alone. Challenges will come, but with perseverance and determination, you can overcome them.
