Veterans Business Network January 2022 Meeting - Navigating the SDVOB & VOSB Certifications at the State & Federal Level

Description

Join us for our ARCC Veterans Business Network  Meeting with guest speakers Kenneth E. Williams, Executive Director of the Office of General Services, Division of Service-Disabled Veterans’ Business Development and VBN Chair and CFO of Hunt Companies, Inc,  Juan Gonzales, who will be discussing the New York State Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Business (SDVOB) Program and Veteran-Owned Small Business (VOSB) and Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) Certifications at the Federal level. Eric Ryan, Vice President and Relationship Manager of TD Bank, will also join us to share funding opportunities available for Veterans from TD Bank through the SBA. Veterans in attendance will have a chance to win a goody bag filled with GRUNT STYLE GEAR! 

VBN Members & guests will learn how to navigate the following programs from experienced Veterans:

New York State Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Business (SDVOB) Program

• Why 6% of all New York State (NYS) contract spending is to go to NYS certified Service-Disabled, Veteran-Owned Businesses (SDVOBs)
• The division operates within the NYS Office of General Services, and the goal is to get SDVOBs certified and increase their opportunities to do business with New York State.
• Currently 900 SDVOBs are NYS certified
• In 2020 more than $150 million was paid to NYS certified SDVOBs
• For more information go to www.ogs.ny.gov/veterans

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Veterans First Verification Program that includes the Veteran-Owned Small Business or Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) Certifications

• Why certify? Approved firms are eligible to participate in VOSB and SDVOSB set-asides issued by the VA. They are eligible to subcontract with VA’s large prime contractors in acquisitions. VA is one of the largest procurement organizations in the Federal Government. Annually, this Department spends over $3 Billion with eligible Veteran-Owned Small Businesses. That’s a lot of opportunity.
• There are 11,858 SDVOSM and 3051 VOSB in the VA system.
• Visit www.va.gov/osdbu/verification for additional information.

 
Meet our Speakers


Kenneth E. Williams
Executive Director, Office of General Services, Division of Service-Disabled Veterans’ Business Development
Ken Williams is the Executive Director of the NYS OGS Division of Service-Disabled Veterans’ Business Development which is tasked to implement the provisions of the Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Business Act that was signed into law in May of 2014.The law establishes a NYS contract participation goal of 6% for Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Businesses (SDVOBs). Under Ken’s leadership the program has grown to include nearly 900 SDVOBs and disbursements to SDVOB is already exceeding $45 million per quarter. Ken’s career, in addition to high level management positions, has involved consulting for companies such as BMW of North America, creating and building entrepreneurial ventures, teaching at colleges such as Clarkson University and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), and being sent to Ukraine by USAID to assist business development. Ken is a Vietnam era veteran and is passionate about the NYS SDVOB Program and the positive impact it is having on veterans of all generations.

 
Juan Gonzales
VBN Chair & CFO of Hunt Companies, Inc. (HCI)
Juan oversees the financial and administrative aspects of this multi-million dollar company. He's grounded by the financial truths that maintain the strength of a corporation, while finding solutions that keep the heart of a small business. Juan has spearheaded HCI’s succession to the second generation over the last five years. Previously, he retired from the Navy as a Senior Chief Petty Officer after a 20-year career and holds an MBA from Strayer University. Currently, Juan is a member of the ARCC Board.  Hunt Companies, Inc. is proud to sponsor the Family Legacy Award, made to individuals joining their family’s business to extend their family legacy and to master operations and finance. Juan spearheaded HCI's Department of Veteran's Affairs (VA) Veteran-Owned Small Business (VOSB) certification process for Hunt Companies, Inc. earlier this year.


Eric Ryan
Vice President, Relationship Manager - Commercial Banking, TD Bank
Eric Ryan, Vice President and Commercial Relationship Manager has over 18 years of financial service experience. He is a top performing lender providing financing, treasury management and banking solutions to commercial clients across Upstate New York including the greater Capital Region and Northern New York. Eric currently serves on the board for Adirondack Regional Chamber and a member and volunteers for Greater Greenwich Chamber of Commerce and he is very active in his local and church community. Eric has an associate degree from Hudson Valley Community College.  He resides in Greenwich, NY with his wife, Amanda and their five children.




About the Veterans Business Network:
The purpose of the Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce’s Veterans Business Network is to promote and to serve the affinity group of Veteran and military service personnel,  veteran and military member sole proprietorships, and veteran and military service professional members of the ARCC and to encourage increased business and collaboration among its ranks.
 
By promoting the ARCC’s four pillars of advocacy, education, connection and collaboration, we will have the ability to attract more veterans and military professionals to the ARCC with an intent to develop and track metrics that can be used by the ARCC to promote its support for veterans military service members in business, to support in collaboration the educational and mental health outreach and mission of other local veteran business communities, specifically, neighboring chambers, and to develop mentoring, educational and entrepreneurial opportunities for veterans and military service members while fostering growth opportunities with a focus on performance (revenue growth, employee growth, etc.) of service member-owned enterprises, military-owned sole proprietorships, and post-military professionals in the ARCC service area.

This is a FREE event for Veterans/Active Duty Military Only who are also members of the ARCC or are employed by an ARCC member in good standing. 

Interested in joining the VBN but are not an ARCC Member yet?
You're welcome to join us, meet some current members and learn how the ARCC works for businesses and Veterans in our region!
Interested parties who are Not-Yet-Members of the ARCC are invited to join us for this event to learn more and consider ARCC Membership. 

**Interested in becoming an ARCC Member?
Click here for our Membership Application!