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Perhaps, it is a stretch to say The University of Southern Mississippi has developed an employment pipeline for students with Fortune 500 company Cintas. Then again, maybe not. Especially when considering the fact that 147 USM graduates have been hired by Cintas over the past 10 years.
Why exactly have so many USM graduates chosen to start their professional careers with the service industry giant? Rusty Anderson, director of Career Services at USM, explains that Cintas’ strong management training program leads to professional management opportunities for a company ranked No. 1 in its class.
“The numerous career opportunities within the corporation is very attractive,” he said. “Cintas has strong core values and strives to adhere to those in all aspects of business. They treat their partners with respect and provide partners what is necessary for success.”
Not to be underestimated, Anderson also points out that “salaries are very competitive” with Cintas.
Headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, Cintas is an industry leader in supplying corporate identity uniform programs, providing entrance and logo mats, restroom supplies, promotional products, first aid & safety, fire protection products and services, and industrial carpet and tile cleaning. The company operates more than 400 facilities in North America — including six manufacturing plants and eight distribution centers.
The strong Cintas connection to USM can be traced to a pair of USM graduates – Todd Gregory and Brandt Schmersahl. Schmersahl is regional human resources director for the company. Gregory served as vice president for the south central territory for many years and recently became vice president for a new territory in the U.S. – the northern plains. New south central territory vice president Richard Guillory looks to maintain the vibrant relationship with USM.
Many Cintas executives have made repeated trips to the Hattiesburg campus in recent years for recruiting purposes and these efforts have helped create brand awareness for USM graduates.
Schmersahl points out that USM provides platforms for students to become involved in leadership roles – a facet that appeals to Cintas management. He adds that the education gained at USM helps establish a very solid foundation for graduates entering the workforce.
“Students that we have hired have demonstrated visionary and servant leadership, a mentality for personal and professional growth, an aptitude for growing a business, display competitive urgency and a professional approach to their educational pursuits,” said Schmersahl.
Today, Cintas is a multi-billion-dollar company that touches more than 1,000,000 users each day. A vast majority of USM graduates hired by Cintas have ascended into management and leadership roles such as: executive vice president, corporate director, regional director, general manager, branch manager, service manager, production manager, market sales manager, major account manager, and special account manager.
Schmersahl adds that extensive training is provided in any area that a new hire enters with ongoing professional development serving as a cornerstone of the company’s mission. But that does not mean Cintas is all work and no play.
“We like to have fun. We interact with our partners and customers in a way that fosters long-term relationships,” said Schmersahl.
To learn more about Cintas, visit: https://www.cintas.com/. For information about Career Services at USM, call 601.266.4153 or visit: https://www.usm.edu/career-services
