Scottsdale-based GoDaddy Inc. had pledged to hire at least 500 military veterans or spouses over the next five years. 

The commitment was made public Thursday in the nation’s capital by First Lady Michelle Obama as part of the Joining Forces initiative she launched five years ago with Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden.

GoDaddy, founded by Bob Parsons, a Vietnam War veteran who served in the U.S. Marine Corps, has long committed to supporting and hiring military veterans. 

In addition to putting veterans to work since it was founded in 1997, GoDaddy has donated more than $1.4 million dollars to the Semper Fi Fund over the years, which helps injured service men and women, and their families, from all branches of service.

GoDaddy is one of the 52 companies honored for their enduring commitment to support veterans and military spouses through economic opportunities at a special ceremony Thursday at the White House.

“Our veterans and military spouses are some of the most dedicated, skilled, talented people in this country. I am thrilled you all have pledged to hire more than 110,000 of them,” Michelle Obama said.  “If anyone can make it happen, it’s all of you. You are all some of the most innovative, successful businesses in the history of this country.”

The Joining Forces project works with the public and private sectors to ensure that service members, veterans and their families have the tools they need to succeed throughout their lives.

Companies have hired or trained more than 1.2 million veterans and military spouses since 2011. During that same period, the unemployment rate for veterans was cut in half.

GoDaddy, a domain-name registrar and technology company, employs about 5,000 people with facilities in Washington, Massachusetts, Iowa and California, as well as eight international locations.