Jathan Chicoine, most recently director of the Veterans Center at Iowa State University, has been hired by Iowa Workforce Development as a program manager of Home Base Iowa. Chicoine will help lead the statewide program that connects veterans and transitioning service members with career opportunities. A U.S. Navy veteran, Chicoine served as a SEAL team member and intelligence specialist. He co-founded the first Veterans Center in South Dakota, a nonprofit organization focused on strengthening the lives of veterans, their families and communities. Chicoine is one of two new program managers who have been hired to lead the program in recognition of its growth over the past several years, IWD spokeswoman Molly Elder said. “We believe the two new program managers will be able to expand the program both inside and outside of the state to attract more veterans to the state of Iowa and help our employers fill their skilled labor shortage,” she said. The second program manager, whose name has not yet been announced, will join Home Base Iowa at the end of April. The two program managers succeed Jason Kemp, who left for another position in December. The program was created with the passage of the Home Base Iowa Act in 2014. Since then, more than 2,400 businesses statewide have pledged to hire over 16,000 veterans, and about 100 communities and 27 colleges and universities are partners.