SECAF Marks 25 Years by Honoring Standout Government Contracting Leaders at the 18th Annual Awards Gala

Awards gala event celebrated small and mid-sized contractors that are scaling rapidly and demonstrating resilience and adaptability.

MCLEAN, Va., May 14, 2026 As the government contracting market grows more competitive and complex, the Small and Emerging Contractors Advisory Forum (SECAF) spotlighted the companies helping shape its future by announcing winners of the 18th Annual Government Contractor Awards during a gala event on May 7th, that also marked the organization's 25th anniversary.

Held before nearly 500 executives, including members and industry partners, the awards gala event celebrated small and mid-sized contractors that are not only scaling rapidly, but demonstrating resilience and adaptability while delivering meaningful results for federal missions.

"Tonight's winners represent what's possible in this market. They are driving innovation, building strong teams, and making a real impact across the federal landscape."

"For 25 years, SECAF has been a place where companies come not just to connect, but to grow," said Kathryn Freeland, SECAF Chair, in her opening remarks. "Tonight's winners represent what's possible in this market. They are driving innovation, building strong teams, and making a real impact across the federal landscape."

Government Contractor of the Year Awards

SECAF's top honor recognized companies in four revenue categories that have shown a compelling and profound commitment to excellence in growth and financial performance. The winners were:

• Under $7.5M: Assertive Professionals
• $7.5M–$15M: Tridentis, LLC
• $15M–$27.5M: Premier Enterprise Solutions, LLC
• $27.5M–$50M: Amivero

Excellence Across the GovCon Ecosystem

Three distinct additional awards highlighted companies and leaders making outsized contributions to the industry and federal missions:

• Award of Excellence: Digital Consultants LLC — recognized for its commitment to employees, community engagement, and industry leadership
• Government Project of the Year: WINTrio, LLC — honored for delivering a high-impact program providing significant value to a federal customer
• Special Recognition Award: Significance — recognized for exemplifying the core qualities of innovation, service, and growth across the sector

Leadership Driving Growth

SECAF recognized executives whose leadership is shaping both their organizations and the broader GovCon community:

• Executive of the Year (Under $25M): Joe Punaro, CEO, IronArch Technology
• Executive of the Year ($25M–$50M): Tim Tkacz, CEO, Blue Sky Innovators

Advocates for Small Business Success

Two awards honored individuals advancing opportunities for small businesses in federal contracting:

• SECAF Advocate of the Year: Mark D. Moore, SECAF Co-Founder and Active Board Member for 25 Years
• Small Business Advocate of the Year: Jerry McGinn, Ph.D., Center for Strategic and International Studies

A Milestone Moment for SECAF

This year's gala marks SECAF's 25th anniversary. This milestone highlights its role in helping government contractors evolve from early-stage companies into established industry leaders.

"At its core, SECAF has always been about helping companies emerge, scale, and succeed," said Freeland. "As we celebrate 25 years of growth, we're focused on building what's next—strengthening this community and expanding opportunity for the next generation of GovCon leaders."

A distinguished group of judges selected the winners including Kevin Robbins, Managing Director, Blue Delta Capital Partners; Jason Rigoli, Partner, Enlightenment Capital; Mike Derrios, Executive Director, Greg & Camille Baroni Center for Government Contracting, George Mason University; David West, Vice President, ManTech; Greg Baroni, Founder and CEO, Attain Enterprises The Event Chairs were Scott Brezler, Forvis Mazars; Cameron Hamilton, STOUT; and Chris Crowder, Unanet.

More information about the Gala, including past winners and opportunities to be involved in future award seasons, can be found on the SECAF Awards site.

About SECAF

The Small and Emerging Contractors Advisory Forum (SECAF) has empowered government contractors to scale and succeed. SECAF is comprised of the senior leaders from active government contractors and established service providers. Members have access to the connections, events, education, tools and resources needed to stay on top of industry trends, win government contracts, and experience exponential growth. For more information, visit www.secaf.org/.