Nominations for the 2015 Vetrepreneur of the Year® Are Now Open: Website Lets Vetrepreneurs Self-Nominate Or Nominate a Fellow Veteran Business Owner
Pittsburgh, PA (PRWEB) February 02, 2015 -- The National Veteran-Owned Business Association (NaVOBA) has opened nominations for the 2015 Vetrepreneur of the Year® (VOY) (powered by USAA). Now in its ninth year, VOY is a prestigious honor bestowed annually to one of the nation’s 3 million U.S. military veteran business owners. Vetrepreneurs are encouraged to self-nominate their businesses at NaVOBA’s Vetrepreneur of the Year® website, http://voy.navoba.com, which offers a one-stop-shop for submissions and information on nominee eligibility, rules and regulations and past honorees.
“NaVOBA is honored to open the search to find the 2015 Vetrepreneur of the Year®,” said NaVOBA President Chris Hale. “We’ve recognized so many great vetrepreneurs over the years and including the new category winners has made it possible for us to distinguish many more exceptional veteran business owners across the scope of the veteran business community.”
To be eligible to receive the award, the nominee must be a U.S. military veteran business owner who actively runs the company. The Vetrepreneur of the Year® demonstrates the finest attributes crucial in leading a flourishing business; sustained business growth and success; and a strong drive to cultivate veteran entrepreneurship.
The 2015 Vetrepreneur of the Year® will grace the cover of the November/December 2015 issue of Vetrepreneur magazine.
Additional veteran-owned businesses in the following categories will be honored in Vetrepreneur magazine and at special ceremonies held at corresponding events. Those honorees and events include:
• Woman Vetrepreneur of the Year® Honoree / 2015 Women’s Business Enterprise National Council National Conference and Business Fair, Austin, Texas
• Hispanic Vetrepreneur of the Year® Honoree / 2015 U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce National Conference, Houston, Texas
• Minority Vetrepreneur of the Year® Honoree / 2015 National Minority Supplier Development Council Conference and Business Opportunity Fair, San Diego, Calif.
A decorated U.S. Army veteran Peter M. Holt, CEO of HOLT CAT and Chairman and CEO of Spurs Sports & Entertainment, was named 2014 Vetrepreneur of the Year® last year by NaVOBA in partnership with USAA. Holt served in Vietnam where he earned a Silver Star, three Bronze Stars and the Purple Heart. His is the quintessential American business success story as both the CEO of HOLT CAT, the largest Caterpillar dealership in America and one of the five largest worldwide, and as Chairman and CEO of Spurs Sports & Entertainment.
“I’ve always been proud to be a Vietnam veteran and being recognized as the 2014 Vetrepreneur of the Year® by a veterans group like NaVOBA was very meaningful to me,” said Holt.
Past VOY recipients also have included Louisa Long Jaffe, the First Annual Woman Vetrepreneur of the Year ® in 2014, a 28-year career Army Reservist and a former Pentagon Public Affairs officer turned CEO of her own multimillion-dollar company, Technical and Project Engineering, LLC (TAPE). Lorenzo Downing, 24-year Air Force veteran turned business solutions provider heading his company, Spartan Business & Technology, was named the First Minority Vetrepreneur of the Year® in 2014. Roger Reyes, Marines Corps veteran and CEO of SDV Recon was named the 2014 Hispanic Vetrepreneur of the Year®. All were honored by NaVOBA and the award sponsors at ceremonies among their peers throughout last year.
To learn more about the Vetrepreneur of the Year® Powered by USAA, visit http://voy.navoba.com.
About The National Veteran-Owned Business Association (NaVOBA)
NaVOBA unites the nation’s 3 million businesses owned by military veterans by providing a single voice to advocate for important issues. For more information visit us on the web at http://www.navoba.com, or follow us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/navoba and on Twitter @navoba.
About USAA
USAA provides insurance, banking, investment and retirement products and services to more than 9.9 million members of the U.S. military and their families. Known for its legendary commitment to its members, USAA is consistently recognized for outstanding service, employee well-being and financial strength. USAA membership is open to all who are serving or have honorably served our nation in the U.S. military — and their eligible family members. For more information about USAA, or to learn more about membership, visit usaa.com. USAA is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.
For more information or to arrange interviews, contact:
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Barbara Pflughaupt – 212-707-8181
Barbara Pflughaupt, Victory Media Inc., http://www.msoy.militaryspouse.com, +1 212-707-8181, [email protected]
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