UNTURNING STEEL
MISSION
Unturning Steel exists to support service members and veterans through employment-focused transition, industry partnership, and a commitment to long-term workforce development grounded in responsibility, accountability, and action.
WHY UNTURNING STEEL EXISTS
The transition from military service to civilian life often lacks structure, direction, and access to meaningful work. Veterans leave environments built on accountability, teamwork, and shared purpose and enter systems that do not always recognize or translate their experience.
Unturning Steel exists to close that gap. Too many veterans are left to navigate civilian life without clear pathways to stable employment , long-term opportunity and meaningful work. We help establish a foundational framework that structure, purpose, and continuity after service are build upon.
The founder lost his brother, friends, and fellow service members, to veteran suicide.
Standing at his brother’s funeral, surrounded by hundreds of veterans, one thing became clear. This was not an isolated tragedy. It had become routine.
That moment demanded action.
Unturning Steel was formed through a recommitment to the Warrior Ethos and a refusal to accept the status quo. It represents a decision to stand beside veterans after service, to place the mission first, and to build real pathways into civilian life through work, accountability, and community.
This organization exists because watching from the sidelines is not an option.
OUR STORY
Unturning Steel was born from loss and responsibility.
The name UNTURNING STEEL comes directly from the image above — a photograph presented to UTS founder and West Point graduate William “Bill” Leahy at his brother MAJ. Sean P. Leahy, USMC’s funeral. It shows one of MAJ Leahy’s MRAP vehicles, moments after a roadside bombing in Afghanistan. While reflecting on that day, one of Sean’s close friends, a Navy SEAL, explained that when they initiated a breach or assault, the call over the radio was: “Turning steel!”
This image has since become a powerful symbol of both the cost of war and the challenge that follows returning a service member to life, function, and purpose in the civilian world. The military invests billions to transform civilians into warfighters. What it does not do is turn us back. It is up to us, the veteran community, to Unturn Steel.
THE WARRIOR ETHOS
01.
I will always place the mission first
02.
I will never accept defeat
03.
I will never quit
04.
I will never leave a fallen comrade
The Warrior Ethos guides everything Unturning Steel does.
These principles do not end with military service. They inform how decisions are made, how partnerships are formed, and how veterans are supported in civilian life.
REPRESENTING INDUSTRY
Unturning Steel represents industry, not just advocacy.
Real transition requires real workforce demand. The organization works directly with skilled trades, manufacturing, and industrial sectors that rely on discipline, accountability, and hands-on experience.
Employment outcomes are made possible through industry partnership, workforce alignment, and long-term engagement. Opportunity exists because industry is involved.
BOARD & LEADERSHIP
Unturning Steel is guided by experienced leadership and governed with accountability.
Board members and leadership bring backgrounds in military service, industry, workforce development, and operations. This structure ensures the organization remains mission-driven, disciplined, and focused on outcomes.
Bill Leahy
Founder & CEOWilliam “Bill” Leahy is the Founder and CEO of Unturning Steel.
Bill graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 2009 and the Kenan-Flagler School of Business at UNC in 2022.
He served as an Infantry Officer, achieving the rank of Captain before transitioning into manufacturing in 2015.
After service, Bill served as Engineering Team leader and Superintendent with Weyerhauser, Reliability and Operational Excellence consultant in various manufacturing sectors. He founded Renaissance Reliability LLC. in 2022.
Bill resides in Quaker Hill, Connecticut, with his family and advocates for veteran and manufacturing causes nationwide.
Kevin Cassesse
Kevin Cassesse is the Co-Founder of CT Development Associates and serves as the Executive Director for the American Parkinson Disease Association. He a veteran advocate with over a decade of non-profit experience. He is committed to helping Unturning Steel grow its capacity to serve the military community.
Vice President of Business Development
Ryan Davis
Ryan Davis serves as Board Treasurer for Unturning Steel, providing financial oversight and stewardship. He brings decades of leadership experience and a personal commitment to supporting veterans and first responders as they transition into civilian careers.
Board Treasurers
Jim King
Jim King serves as President of Eljen Corporation and brings decades of leadership experience in manufacturing and environmental engineering.
Through his leadership, Eljen Corporation has received the Hiring Veterans award seven years in a row.
Jim served as an Army Field Artillery officer and led Soldiers in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
He provides strategic guidance on workforce development and veteran talent pipelines in support of Unturning Steel’s mission.
Chairman of the Board
Walker Haynes
Walker Haynes is an Associate at J.P. Morgan Private Bank and a former U.S. Marine Corps Artillery Officer. He brings leadership and risk management experience from both military service and the private sector and is committed to supporting veterans as they transition into civilian careers.
Board Director
Jake Herring
Jake Herring is the CEO of Argenta Software and brings extensive experience across manufacturing leadership and nonprofit technology. His background supports Unturning Steel’s focus on operational efficiency, strategic growth, and mission-aligned execution.
Board Director
Rich Freeman
Rich Freeman serves as Deputy Finance Director for the Town of Groton and brings decades of leadership experience in government and nonprofit operations and finance. While not a veteran, he is committed to Unturning Steel’s mission to support veteran transition and help address the shortage of skilled technical talent through clear communication and strong program design.
Board Secretary & Director
Brian Thomas
Brian Thomas serves as Vice President of Philanthropy and Strategic Programming, where he leads fundraising initiatives, cultivates strategic partnerships, and oversees mission-driven programs that advance organizational impact. With a passion for building relationships and creating sustainable solutions, Brian works closely with donors, community leaders, and stakeholders to align resources with purpose. His leadership helps ensure that programs not only deliver meaningful results today but also create lasting opportunities for the future.
Vice President of Philanthropy and Strategic ProgrammingMISSION IN ACTION
01
Employment Focus
Veterans are supported through clear, structured paths into skilled trades and industrial work where discipline and accountability matter.
02
Industry Partnership
Employers are engaged as active participants in workforce development, creating real opportunity through real demand.
03
Long Term Commitment
Systems are built for repeat placement, retention, and sustained opportunity beyond a single hire.
A MESSAGE FROM THE FOUNDER:
Unturning Steel was founded in honor of my brother, MAJ. Sean Patrick Leahy, USMC, and the more than 140,000 veterans who have died by suicide since 2001—losses that devastate families, fracture communities, and, too often, were preventable.
Built by veterans and manufacturing leaders who’ve made the transition themselves, Unturning Steel applies a systems-driven approach to a systemic problem. The root causes are clear: a lack of community, certainty, and purpose.
We found all three in American manufacturing—and we created Unturning Steel to share that path with others. By connecting service members to trusted companies, disciplined training, professional certifications, and real career opportunities before they leave active duty, we help veterans start their next chapter with confidence, belonging, and direction.
This is why we exist.”
— Bill LeahyCONTINUE THE MISSION
Unturning Steel’s work moves forward through veterans, employers, and partners who choose to engage with purpose. Whether you are seeking employment, looking to hire, or exploring a partnership, the next step starts with a conversation.