Jack Carlson III

Senior Project Portfolio Manager

Transitioning from military service to a civilian career is a pivotal moment for veterans, marked by unique challenges and opportunities. Veterans bring a wealth of skills, discipline, and leadership cultivated in the military; however, navigating the nuances of the civilian job market can be complex.

As we reflect on Veterans Day and celebrate Veterans Month here at PayPal, we are delighted to spotlight Jack Carlson. He transitioned from a distinguished 21-year military career to a thriving role at PayPal as a Senior Project Portfolio Manager. We asked him about his career, volunteer work, and the importance of supporting veterans.

Q: Can you tell us about yourself and your career journey at PayPal?

Jack Carlson: Destination PayPal was the result of a 21-year journey of military service, which allowed me to lead and serve teams around the globe in complex environments. My military career included working with space and missile defense programs, instructor/facilitator roles, numerous Arctic engineering projects, and the opportunity to refine leadership through knowledge and experience.

I joined the team through the Hiring Our Heroes Fellowship in late 2022. The collaboration between Hiring Our Heroes and PayPal is remarkable and allowed me the opportunity to integrate into the Global Entity Management and Oversight Project Management Office under Aaron Karczmer's Enterprise Services organization. My experience so far has been incredible as the company truly lives up to its focus on people and the challenge of an increased operational pace. These two attributes are exactly why I wanted to work here.

Since being hired, I have supported numerous teams working on strategic initiatives and pursued a personal passion to refine employee engagement efforts to increase development opportunities. Since this is my first career employment outside of the military, I have spent the past year trying to improve my business acumen and grow my professional network through meetings with our PayPal colleagues.

Q: Tell us about your role within PayPal’s Employee Resource Group SERVE. Has the group helped you to find camaraderie or shared experiences with them in our workplace?

Jack Carlson: The camaraderie in the SERVE ERG community has been instrumental in my transition into corporate work from the military. Since joining PayPal, I have connected with individuals within SERVE, attended virtual holistic wellness sessions, and taken the opportunity to volunteer with the organization.

We recently finished our global and local chapter events for the Serve ERG Heritage Month in November. I am honored to be the Project Manager for this year's Heritage Month, which has provided a view of the selfless servants we have working at PayPal. Much like the other ERG teams, Serve is filled with veterans, people who have veterans in their families, and allies of military service members around the globe who seek to help others.

Collaborating with these professionals is awe-inspiring and uplifting, as they are genuinely focused on improving our teams and supporting our service members and their allies.

Q: Is there a message or piece of wisdom you'd like to share with colleagues about the importance of honoring and supporting veterans?

Jack Carlson: The veteran population is a microcosm of our communities as they represent the population of their country. While they have served our nation and been trained in various specialties, they all have one thing in common: service. Our veteran community is proud of their service and eager to continue their professional development journey.

Connect with them and learn how their experiences have shaped them as professionals. Many veterans have extensive leadership training and experience. While the subculture of the military may be different from the corporate environment, there are many similarities, and the veteran's experience can be directly transferable in many cases.

Q: Inclusion, Innovation, Collaboration, and Wellness are PayPal’s core values. Which one is your favorite, and why? (Inclusion, Innovation, Collaboration, or Wellness)

Jack Carlson: Wellness: What made PayPal stand out from the other organizations I considered is its focus on employee wellness. Our greatest resource is our employees! When senior leaders understand the long-term benefits of keeping their teams holistically healthy, they will reap the successes of employees who feel supported.

Each of the principles contained in this value is of great importance, but Build the Next Generation is the one that resonates with me the most. Developing those around you to grow and improve is the greatest reward as a leader!