McLean brims with special neighbors who volunteer their time and talents to help other neighbors. Beginning today each Sunday McLean Patch will introduce you to one of our special neighbors.
VOLUNTEER OF THE WEEK: Jon Monett
CAREER:
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- Air Force veteran
- Engineering graduate of California State Polytechnic University (Cal Poly)
- 26 years in the CIA managing global technical activity
- Founder of Telemus Solutions, a provider of global security consulting and intelligence
- Director, ChainBridge Bancorp Inc.
- Dean of Engineering Advisory Council at Cal Poly
- Investor in people and technologies as founder of QL+
WHERE MR. MONETT VOLUNTEERS:
Quality of Life Plus, otherwise known as QL+.
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Monett sold his company Telemus Solutions in 2008 and by 2009 had founded QL+.
WHAT IS QL+?
QL+ is an organization that develops and applies technologies to improve the quality of life of wounded and disabled veterans and first responders.
QL+ is important because most companies focus on developing products with a high commercial potential. Issues with wounded veterans often have less commercial potential.
QL+ addresses the challenges for individual vets, which in turn creates a solution for others with similar challenges.
QL+ provides California State Polytechnic University students with meaningful opportunities to merge technology and creativity with practical applications and direct, personal results for end users.
HOW & WHY DID YOU FOUND QL+?
Monett was inspired to action by the movie "Fighting for Life," by director Terry Sanders. It is a documentary about medical care for wounded soldiers. This, along with his own observations, experience and personal history led his entrepreneurial nature in a new direction. He knew he was in a unique position to be able to create solutions.
Cal Poly had designated 3 new labs, and Monett suggested one of them be devoted to developing new technologies to help wounded veterans.
The group's motto: Engineering an improved quality of life for those who served.
PURPOSE OF QL+:
1. To improve the quality of life for wounded and disabled veterans and first responders.
2. To add value to their lives in 3 main areas: Living, working and playing.
3. Donations. QL+ activities are currently financed primarily by the Monett family.
4. Thousands of severely wounded veterans who are returning home deserve the best possible care.
How it works:
- Families, caregivers and employers bring challenges that a specific veteran is having that interferes with the ability to live, work or play.
- QL+ Lab graduate and senior level students try to creatively solve the problem.
- Cal Poly Graduate students must build an actual product for their senior project.
- Their projects must be completed and delivered before graduation.
- The time allotted for completion is about nine months.
- Bio Med students have six months to complete their project, so there can be a pretty quick turn around between when the challenge is submitted and then solved in the QL+ Lab.
5. How you can help? Adopt a Project.
- You and your civic or workplace giving group are welcome to adopt a project.
- Each project costs about $25k, and the labor is provided free through the QL+ Lab Cal Poly students and staff.
6. Enjoy & participate in QL+ fundraisers!
- Nov. 6, come to the QL+ BBQ Fundraiser at Claude Moore Farm Pavilion.
- This is an annual fundraiser always held the Sunday before Veterans Day.
Monett says it has been a rewarding process to watch students and veterans get involved in developing meaningful technologies to help individuals reach their potential.
Please send us information about great volunteers. We need their name, their organization, what they do. Please e-mail that information to our volunteer coordinator Heather Maier at heatherelise38@yahoo.com.
