Fusion Cell Connects Veterans With Employers

From left: Jack Heath, principal and business development; Anthony Negron, principal and military talent architect; and Matt Morrissey, principal and COO. Courtesy photo.

Business for Fusion Cell, a Windham-based staffing firm that helps veterans find civilian jobs, was taking off. Then COVID-19 hit and the hiring frenzy stalled. The firm quickly pivoted, as leaders at Fusion Cell recognized that there was some military expertise that was desperately needed in the civilian world.

“Every base in every branch has a virus outbreak plan and pandemic plan,” says Matt Morrissey, COO.

And some of those military experts have field experience managing outbreaks overseas, he says. In late March, Fusion Cell began reaching out to those experts to work as consultants for businesses building or reviewing their own pandemic plans.

“Most companies were putting together internal teams for their COVID task force, but no one  had experience with pandemics,” Morrissey says. Many organizations, including Manchester-Boston Regional Airport and several private schools, have tapped into that expertise, he says, adding “Over the summer, this exploded for us.”

He says companies want to reopen safely. “Company cultures are really being tested,” Morrissey says. Some even had Fusion Cell host virtual presentations for employees about the return plans.

Despite that success, Morrissey says Fusion Cell will not exclusively become a COVID consultancy. They remain focused on their mission to deliver military talent to civilian companies in a variety of areas, he says.

Fusion Cell was launched in 2019 by Jack Heath, principal, head of business development and a radio broadcaster, and Anthony Negron, principal, talent architect and former chief master sergeant in the Air Force.

Morrissey, a founder of Medicus Healthcare, a medical staffing firm, joined Fusion Cell after Medicus was acquired in 2018 by a private equity firm. “The purpose of the company is to give back to those who served,” Morrissey says. The jobs they fill include cybersecurity, IT, engineering, operations and logistics, and public safety. Most recruiters are also veterans.

Fusion Cell is also developing veteran talent to provide cybersecurity consulting as well, providing assessments and securing permanent project managers for clients. And companies are beginning to invest in hiring again, Morrissey says. “One thing that doesn’t change is hard-to-find skill sets are still hard to find,” he says.

For more information, visit fusioncell.com.