By Margo Myers
Margo Myers Communications
In less than two years, Brandman University alumnus Mike Tassin has expanded Operation: GoodJobs in Tacoma, taking on the role of veterans services manager at the Goodwill of the Olympics and Rainier region (formerly Tacoma Goodwill). In that time, Tassin has not only grown the initial program in Tacoma to help an increasing number of veterans learn new skills and find jobs, but he’s also grown the staff, and established new partnerships with area companies that want to hire veterans.
“The most rewarding in all this is the ability to use a number of qualities I possess, and I get to set the rules,” says Tassin, himself an Army veteran. “If something’s not working, we can change it. There’s not a lot of red tape.” Tassin oversees programs, counsels veterans, helps them with their financial situation and connects them with various resources. In fact, a staff member briefly interrupted our interview to get the ‘okay’ to buy tools for a veteran starting a job in construction. So far, 441 veterans have enrolled in Operation: GoodJobs, with 270 placed in jobs.
Tassin is partnering with several local companies that want to hire veterans, including Wells Fargo and Starbucks. For example, one of the new partnerships includes a community store with Starbucks located at the intersection of Highway 12 and South Tacoma Way in Lakewood. Starbucks donates 10 cents of each transaction at the store to the Operation: GoodJobs program in Tacoma.
It takes more staff members to manage the growing range of services and programs. And true to the mission, Tassin hires people with a passion for helping military veterans. His staff of seven and two interns is made up of veterans or spouses of military service members. “We’ve built a great team,” says Tassin. “I can’t do all this stuff by myself, and these people live it.” For his efforts, Goodwill honored Tassin at the end of last year with the Innovation Award for his team’s innovative approach to help veterans and attract new funding sources to the program.
Tassin credits his education for a lot of his success. He completed his bachelor’s degree in human services at Western Washington University, and earned his master’s in psychology with an emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy from Chapman University College, now Brandman University.
If there’s a downside to the program’s expansion, Tassin notes that he’s a little further “removed from clients, and forced to focus more on numbers.” But there’s a remedy for that, too. He’s now a licensed therapist, and counsels clients at a small private practice in Lacey.
“It’s what keeps me grounded and in touch with those I serve,” says Tassin.