PITTSBURGH, March 13, 2019 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Michael Cherock, PE, Founder, President and Chief Executive Officer of AE Works, Ltd. (AE Works), a Pittsburgh-headquartered building design and consulting firm, has been named the 2019 Pittsburgh Vetrepreneur of the Year.
This prestigious award is presented to one Pittsburgh area veteran business owner each year who demonstrates the principal attributes critical in leading a successful business with sustained business growth and also a desire and commitment to cultivate veteran entrepreneurship. To be eligible to receive the award, the nominee must be a U.S. military veteran business owner who actively runs a company in the Pittsburgh area. The award is presented by veteran-owned VIQTORY and sponsored by Fort Pitt Capital Group.
The spring issue of Vetrepreneur features Cherock's journey from submariner, student and engineer to successful entrepreneur of a growing building design and consulting firm.
"Mike is a deserving recipient of this award for his service to our country, his service to the veteran community, and for building a very impressive organization," remarked Todd Douds, Director of Research and Operations for Fort Pitt Capital Group.
After serving in the U.S. Navy as a nuclear trained power plant operator aboard fast-attack submarines, Cherock used military education benefits and transferred his skills to pursuing both undergraduate and graduate degrees in architectural engineering, specializing in power lighting systems, from The Pennsylvania State University – becoming the first member in his family to graduate from college.
Providing countless examples of leadership and showing the value of acting with integrity, Michael's service in the Navy shaped his leadership and belief system that everything in the world, including business, is about people. Acting on this experience, he founded AE Works as a kind of business whose purpose is beyond profit alone, a business that seeks to create other capital in the form of social and environmental, a triple bottom line business and certified B Corporation focused on creating a world where everyone is relevant. Today, AE Works is a firm of over 35 professionals and growing in AE Works' headquarters in Pittsburgh, PA; and offices in State College and Arlington, VA. AE Works is now experiencing the firm's largest growth period yet.
Navy Veteran and VIQTORY'S Chairman and Co-founder Chris Hale shares in Vetrepreneur, "Mike Cherock is a shining example of the opportunity for upward mobility that the military provides."
Making a positive impact in the lives of others through leadership is a part of Cherock's DNA. He is deeply involved with Veterans organizations in the Pittsburgh region. He served on the board of Veterans Leadership Program of Western PA (VLP) and also the VA's Community Engagement Board in Pittsburgh. He is currently on the board of the Veterans Breakfast Club (VBC).
Through his innovation, leadership and focus on providing opportunity for others, Cherock embodies AE Works' vision to "create a world where everyone is relevant," a world where everyone has the opportunity to contribute in meaningful ways.
"I'm humbled to receive this award. I am truly a lucky guy. I am beyond thankful for the opportunity the military provided and that today I have the opportunity to share what I learned with others to make a positive impact in our community," Cherock asserted.
####
About AE Works: Named on ENR Mid-Atlantic's 2018 Top Design Firms List, AE Works is an established and award-winning building design and consulting firm that has received awards for growth, social impact and design. With a mission to transform the lives of people and organizations by creating stunningly beautiful, highly functional, and safer spaces, AE Works integrates the practices of architecture, planning + strategy, engineering, project services and security risk management to develop innovative, creative and collaborative solutions to real estate challenges. Firm project experience spans commercial, government, healthcare, science and technology, higher education and public safety and security markets. AE Works is headquartered in Pittsburgh, PA, with additional office locations in State College, PA, and Arlington, VA. ae-works.com
SOURCE AE Works
Share this article