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Long after Jeff DiLullo traded his Army uniform for a suit, a lesson from his years at West Point and in the military has stayed with him: the importance of serving “something bigger” than himself.
As CEO of Philips North America, a global health technology company that makes medical equipment used in hospitals, DiLullo has found a new way to put that lesson into practice through his work supporting veterans and their families.
“One of the most rewarding things for me personally that I’ve brought from my military service into my corporate life is a sense of service and serving something bigger than myself,” DiLullo told FOX Business. “And now today, I do that through serving our veteran community.”
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He added, “To me, it’s a sacred obligation as a nation to serve our veterans and not only them, but their families and caregivers too.”
DiLullo graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point with a bachelor’s degree in history before serving as an infantry officer in the U.S. Army. He later earned an MBA in marketing, logistics and supply chain from the University of Tennessee’s Haslam College of Business.
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His connection to military service has only become more personal in recent years. DiLullo’s daughter and son-in-law are both currently on active duty, and he knows firsthand that eventually leaving the military can bring its own challenges.
“When you leave the military, you wonder if you’re going to maintain the connection to a mission and something important and purposeful,” DiLullo said. “Many veterans struggle with that transition just like I did.”
After leaving the Army, he built a successful career in corporate America, eventually holding executive leadership positions at Hewlett-Packard, Avaya and Dell.
“After the Army, honestly, I buried myself in work,” he said. “I tried to find a sense of purpose and mission in what I was doing, and I had great jobs, but I hit a wall, and I was trying to do everything well but not feeling that I was really deeply connected to my own sense of purpose.”
The realization ultimately pushed him to rethink what he wanted from his career.
“After a period of reflection, almost 10 years ago, I decided to just change course completely,” he said. “I moved into healthcare and I decided I would only work where I felt a personal sense of purpose, and I have never looked back. I’m having the most fun I’ve had in my entire career.”
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That path eventually brought DiLullo to Philips, where he joined the company in 2019 as head of North America operations. His responsibilities expanded in 2021 to include leadership of the company’s North America services and solutions delivery teams.
Today, DiLullo said his work has given him a renewed connection to the sense of mission he valued in the military.
The Department of Veterans Affairs is Philips’ largest customer, according to DiLullo, and he also serves on the board of the Elizabeth Dole Foundation, which supports military and veteran caregivers.
“These things are fuel for me and really fuel my sense of purpose and connection and service,” he said.
Asked what advice he would offer today’s West Point cadets, DiLullo said their commitment to the country does not have to end when their military careers do.
“You’ve taken a solemn vow to serve and defend your nation,” he said. “You have willingly taken up the responsibility to protect the freedoms that are the foundation of this great country.”
DiLullo added, “Service does not end when you leave the military. Your oath is to a lifetime of service to the nation. So my advice will be always to know and serve something bigger than yourself.”
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Among all the roles DiLullo has held since leaving the military, one still stands apart.
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“I can honestly say, other than the military, this is the most fulfilling work I’ve ever done,” he said of his work in healthcare.
But the best job he ever had?
“The best job I ever had was the Army,” DiLullo said. “A sense of mission, teamwork, and trust. It just defined my ideal world.”
