MGM Resorts International and American Red Cross Help U.S. Veterans Transition Into Business

LAS VEGAS, Sept. 11, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Nine  U.S. military veterans have completed "Boots to Business", an inaugural program designed to help veterans in Las Vegas transition from military service into management positions at properties owned and operated by MGM Resorts International.  The program was sponsored by MGM Resorts, in partnership with the American Red Cross.

"We are proud to partner with the American Red Cross in the development of an innovative program that identified, recruited and trained recent U.S. military veterans for entry-level management positions at MGM Resorts," said Jim Murren, Chairman and CEO of MGM Resorts International.

On Sept. 10, during a ceremony held at Circus Circus Las Vegas, the veterans graduated from   "Boots", a 10-week management training and transitional support program. The curriculum  included "reconnection workshops" that utilized small group discussions to unify military families after deployment.  The workshops also provided veterans with skills necessary to transition from military command to a corporate environment.

"Among post-9/11 veterans nationally, unemployment stands at 9.5 percent, and for those who are 24 years and younger, the unemployment rate is 29 percent," said Michelle DiTondo, Senior Vice President of Human Resources for MGM Resorts International. "The 'Boots to Business' program meets an important societal need, as well as a crucial business imperative to recruit highly motivated leaders into our Company," DiTondo added.

"'Boots to Business' answers a need that local veterans have, in that it helps corporations look at the special talents that returning veterans possess, and how to best integrate those skill sets into the corporate structure," says Scott Emerson, Southern Nevada CEO of the American Red Cross. "It allows both the company and the veterans to examine how they can best work with one another to create a relationship of value to one another. It has truly been a pleasure to work with the MGM Resorts team to make this program a reality."

For more information about the "Boots to Business" program, contact the American Red Cross  at (702) 369-3038.

About MGM Resorts International
MGM Resorts International is one of the world's leading global hospitality companies, operating a peerless portfolio of destination resort brands, including Bellagio, MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay and The Mirage. For more information about MGM Resorts International, visit the Company's website at www.mgmresorts.com.

About American Red Cross
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies more than 40 percent of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or join our blog at http://blog.redcross.org.

SOURCE MGM Resorts International