In advance of this year’s Veterans Day observance, I had the opportunity to sit down (remotely) with Phil Buysse, senior VP/general manager of Office Equipment Vendor Services for U.S. Bank. Buysse’s relationship with Frank Cannata, our company founder, dates back three decades. Several years ago, Cannata brought forward the Adopt a Soldier program as a worthy charitable organization, and that, Buysse recalled, “morphed into U.S. Bank’s presentation of our ‘Veterans Way’ series of columns that appear regularly.
Of U.S. Bank’s nearly 64,000 employees, approximately 2,000 (almost 3%) are military and veteran employees. Hannalora Van Nevel, who started as a customer service rep 10 years ago and has led U.S. Bank’s Issue Management & Complaints Team since 2023, is one of five nominees for The Cannata Report’s 2026 Outstanding Veteran Award.
Phil Buysse is U.S. Bank’s senior VP/general manager of Office Equipment Vendor Services.
“I’ve always appreciated Frank’s service in the Marine Corps,” Buysse noted. Buysse said his father’s military service during World War II also inspires him, and he is fortunate to work for a company that supports United States veterans. We inquired:
In what ways does U.S. Bank support veterans?
PB: U.S. Bank supports veterans, service members, and military families in a variety of ways. The focus is on providing practical support for veterans and their families as customers, employees, and members of the communities the bank serves. For instance, on the job front, we work with Hiring Our Heroes to support transitioning service members and military spouses. The organization offers military-specific recruiting and career-transition resources.
Proud to Serve, one of U.S. Bank’s internal business resource groups, supports military and veteran employees. For our employees, there’s also a Veterans Business Resource Group that helps veterans connect with other veterans, provides access to resources, and coordinates numerous veteran events within the company.
Why is supporting U.S. veterans such an important initiative for U.S. Bank?
PB: U.S. Bank is proud to serve those who have served. The bank’s history stretches back more than 160 years, across generations of veterans whose service and sacrifice have helped shape our nation. We’re committed to supporting veterans and their families during and after their military careers. That takes many forms—from helping veterans reach their financial goals and transition to civilian careers to supporting their housing, transportation, and other needs.
Why is providing “practical” support emphasized for U.S. Bank’s work with veterans?
PB: Expressing our appreciation for veterans is important, but we believe it’s equally important to put that appreciation into action. That means providing support that helps address real needs in veterans’ everyday lives, whether that’s financial resources, career support, greater mobility, or a safe, stable home.
What are other examples U.S. Bank’s veterans initiative?
PB: Homes and home repairs are big ones. Through Housing Opportunities after Military Engagement (H.O.M.E.), U.S. Bank works with nonprofit partners to donate homes to veterans in need. (See photo at top.) Since 2013, 35 homes have been donated to military families. The bank’s Repair Assistance for Military Personnel program has also completed 39 critical home repair projects since 2017.
Driven to Serve provides payment-free cars to U.S. veterans and families of fallen service members.
Then, there are vehicles. Through Driven to Serve, a partnership with Freedom Alliance, U.S. Bank provides payment-free vehicles to veterans, military families, and families of fallen service members. More than 100 vehicles have been donated to veterans in the past eight years. There’s another kind of mobility, too. For the past two years, U.S. Bank Office Equipment Vendor Services has participated in donations of all-terrain Trackchairs, made in our hometown of Marshall, Minnesota [U.S. Bank is headquartered in Minneapolis], to veterans, working alongside nonprofit and community partners. This past summer, a Trackchair was donated to U.S. Navy veteran Joe Wittcamp of Ohio. (Watch the video.)
U.S. Navy veteran Joe Wittcamp with his new TrackChair.
We’ve also made a recent commitment to Midwest Honor Flight. These chapters, throughout the country, send veterans to Washington D.C., to have an opportunity to visit the national memorials.
In what other ways does U.S. Bank serve veterans?
PB: We offer several banking products, including:
- Military banking: U.S. Bank offers dedicated military banking resources, Veteran Affairs (VA) home loans, and financial education tailored to different stages of military life and participates in the Veterans Benefits Banking Program.
- Affordable housing financing: U.S. Bancorp Impact Finance provides financing and specialized expertise for affordable housing, including projects serving veterans. From 2010 through 2025, U.S. Bank financed 90 projects that included more than 3,000 veteran-designated affordable housing units nationwide.
- Community engagement: U.S. Bank employees also participate in volunteer activities and nonprofit partnerships supporting veterans and military families.
Supporting U.S. Bank’s “Proud to Serve” initiative.
With today being Veterans Day in the United States, is there anything else you’d like to add?
PB: Veterans Day is an important opportunity to recognize and thank those who have served, including our own U.S. Bank colleagues. But our appreciation extends throughout the year. I’m proud to be part of an organization that puts that appreciation into action by supporting veterans, service members, and their families in meaningful ways.
