Employer of the Week Feltman's

Employer of the Week Feltman’s of Coney Island is a veteran-owned family business specializing in a Memorial Day food staple.

The New York-based company sells all-natural hot dogs and is the nation’s first hot dog company, explained former Army captain Joe Quinn, Feltman’s CEO and co-founder. 

“Charles Feltman invented the hot dog in Coney Island during the summer of 1867 as a convenient way for beachgoers to enjoy quality sausages on a bun without plates and silverware,” he said. 

Joe and his brother Michael resurrected Feltman’s—and Charles Feltman’s old-world recipe—in 2015 to honor a childhood dream they once shared with their late brother Jimmy, who died in the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks.

“We believe it is important to support the veteran community because we are veterans. We are a veteran-owned business with 31 years in uniform and over 113 months deployed to combat, so supporting veterans in the community is part of our DNA," explained Joe. 

Currently, 75 percent of the company’s staff are veterans. 

“As we grow, and are looking to expand our team, we’ll immediately look to hire veterans first,” Joe said.

Feltman’s is in the middle of a campaign leading up to Memorial Day. A portion of the proceeds from its online sales will go to support the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) to provide resources for families of the fallen. 

“We are currently finalizing the details on our social impact initiatives, but veterans will definitely be a part of it, to shine a light, bring awareness, and provide funding for veteran support organizations,” he said.

Hiring and supporting veterans as they transition is not only the right thing to do, it makes good business sense, explained Joe. 

“When veterans transition successfully, they are great civic assets and leaders in our communities, who vote, volunteer, and are service-oriented,” he said. 

Reach Julia LeDoux at Julia@connectingvets.com.

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