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The guys speak to Xavier "X" Cugnon about veterans, the skills they bring to the private sector, how employers can ask about a veteran's story, and the transition from military to civilian life. Oh... and there's a story about a great big cat.
Xavier Cugnon is the Vice President of Human Resources at Lookout Pest Control. With over 15 years of progressive HR leadership, Xavier blends business acumen with a people-first philosophy that has helped forge best in class HR Teams throughout his career. Beyond the office, Xavier serves as Board Chair of SHRM-Atlanta and has spent ten years guiding hundreds of professionals to certification as an adjunct professor for the SHRM certification prep course. He holds a master’s degree in human resources from Villanova University and proudly carries forward the values forged during his service as a United States Marine, collaborating closely with Veteran Service Organizations nationwide. His commitment to service and community has recently earned him the Warrior Alliance Impact Award and a spot on Atlanta’s Best Self Magazine’s “40 & Fabulous” class of 2024. Offstage, he continues to proudly earn his incredible wife Kristin and is an obnoxious dad to 19-year-old daughter Margaux.
Learn more about Xavier "X" Cugnon at: www.linkedin.com/in/xavier-cugnon
Learn more about Tony Benjamin at: https://www.thegrangellc.com/
Learn more about Steven J Smith at: https://thehiringtreebook.com/
Additional Links for Veteran related organizations as mentioned in the podcast:
https://www.veohero.org/ - Veterans Empowerment Organization ( a healing campus that allows veterans to rebuild their lives)
Xavier Cugnon is the Vice President of Human Resources at Lookout Pest Control. With over 15 years of progressive HR leadership, Xavier blends business acumen with a people-first philosophy that has helped forge best in class HR Teams throughout his career. Beyond the office, Xavier serves as Board Chair of SHRM-Atlanta and has spent ten years guiding hundreds of professionals to certification as an adjunct professor for the SHRM certification prep course. He holds a master’s degree in human resources from Villanova University and proudly carries forward the values forged during his service as a United States Marine, collaborating closely with Veteran Service Organizations nationwide. His commitment to service and community has recently earned him the Warrior Alliance Impact Award and a spot on Atlanta’s Best Self Magazine’s “40 & Fabulous” class of 2024. Offstage, he continues to proudly earn his incredible wife Kristin and is an obnoxious dad to 19-year-old daughter Margaux.
Learn more about Xavier "X" Cugnon at: www.linkedin.com/in/xavier-cugnon
Learn more about Tony Benjamin at: https://www.thegrangellc.com/
Learn more about Steven J Smith at: https://thehiringtreebook.com/
Additional Links for Veteran related organizations as mentioned in the podcast:
https://www.veohero.org/ - Veterans Empowerment Organization ( a healing campus that allows veterans to rebuild their lives)
https://thewarrioralliance.org/ - The Warrior Alliance ( connects Warriors with the customized resources)
https://atlvets.org/speakers/zack-a-knight/ - ATLVets (individualized roadmaps for career and business success)
https://vetlanta.org/ - Vetlanta (Connecting Veterans with Community)
Creators and Guests
Host
Steven "Bid Deal" Smith
Steve will be the first to tell you that recruiting is marketing. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Finance at Brigham Young University and started his career in recruiting in Feb 2005. In 2008, he took a risk during a recession to help start a new company with Ryan Kohler, called ApplicantPro, a full suite HR platform for small to mid-sized businesses. In March 2025, ApplicantPro became iSolved Talent Acquisition, now serving 177,000 clients and close to 9800 employees. Before the merger, ApplicantPro made the Inc 5000 list 12 years in a row, Top Places to work in Utah 3 years in a row, and Steve was named the Small Business Utah HR Achievement Award winner in May 2024. iSolved was also named an Indeed Platinum Partner in 2023, 2024, and 2025 and is one of only ten ATS platforms in the country to obtain that designation. SHRM-CP & PHR certified, Steve currently volunteers on the Utah SHRM State Council as the immediate past State Executive Director. His book, The Hiring Tree: Laws of Applicant Attraction, was released in early 2023, and has helped thousands of organizations across the country rethink their approach to hiring. If you need help understanding the principles and role of SEO, marketing, and AI when it comes to attracting job seekers, Steve provides a solid framework for hiring effectively.
Host
Tony "Two Weeks Notice" Benjamin
I am a unique HR leader with more than 20 years’ experience working for some of Utah’s oldest, fastest growing, and most well-known companies. My experience includes Superior Drilling Products, Air Medical Resource Group, Control4, Ovivo USA and Deseret Book. I am a regionally recognized authority on building successful cultures and am an alumni speaker at DisruptHR SLC and DisruptHR St. George. I have earned an MBA from the University of Phoenix, a Bachelor’s degree from Utah State University, and am a certified Professional of Human Resources (PHR). I'm married to a woman out of my league, have three brilliant kids I doesn’t deserve and, although I travel a lot, live in Vernal, Utah.
What is The HR Life Podcast?
The HR Life Podcast is a show about the work-life experience of those of us in Human Resources and business leadership. This long-form podcast is a conversation, casual, and not always the corporate line. Hosts and guests touch on everything from serious or even controversial topics to the absurdity of modern American business practices. Your hosts are Tony Benjamin, owner and founder of The Grange Strategic HR Consulting, and Steven J. Smith, Author of The Hiring Tree: Laws of Applicant Attraction and all-around important guy. Guests include the best minds in the HR world. Join the show weekly.