Department of War
Office of Industrial Base Growth
As agencies move away from sole-source awards and lean more heavily into competitive vehicles like GSA, small businesses need new entry strategies. This panel broke down what that means and how to adapt.
Understand the shift from sole-source awards to competitive purchasing
Learn what this means for small businesses
Identify where new opportunities and access points exist
Gain insight into how agencies are buying today
Walk away with practical strategies to compete, team, and win
First Financial Group
Scale2Market
Humango Solutions
GSA
This panel provided practical insight into three key strategies: expanding into state and local markets, pursuing international opportunities, and leveraging acquisitions for scale and contract access. Bringing together perspectives from SLED business development, international trade, and M&A, this panel will provide practical insight into how contractors can position themselves for long-term growth in a shifting market.
How to evaluate growth opportunities beyond federal work based on your company’s goals and capabilities
What it takes to expand into SLED markets, enter international markets, or grow through acquisitions
How to position your business for long-term scalability and success across different growth paths
KME.digital
NSI
TideLock Partners
EXIM Bank
This panel brought together experienced professionals who shared practical insight on becoming contract-ready, finding your entry point, and building the relationships that lead to real opportunities.
Assess whether your business is truly GovCon-ready and learn the first moves every new entrant should make.
Discover where new entrants are winning today and how to position for subcontracting vs. prime opportunities.
Learn networking strategies that build real relationships with primes, contracting officers, and APEX Accelerators.
Understand how to avoid common pitfalls and protect your business as you scale in the federal marketplace.
MullerMusmar CPAs
APEX Accelerator
GrayRobinson
Immersive Solutions Group (ISG)
Larry G. Webb has served as District Director of the SBA’s Washington Metropolitan Area District Office (WMADO) since August 16, 2021. He began his federal career in 2011 as Senior Legal Counselor in SBA’s Office of General Counsel; before also providing advice and counsel in the areas of: labor, employment, marketing and outreach. Prior to joining SBA Webb worked as a business analyst, executive director, criminal defense attorney and civil litigator. Webb holds a Juris Doctorate from Case Western Reserve University.
Ms. Kodsi serves as the Associate Director for Industry & Engagement at the Office of Industrial Base Growth, where she leads initiatives to strengthen engagement with industry partners across the defense ecosystem.
Prior to becoming a federal civilian, Ms. Kodsi supported interagency programs across open-source intelligence, cybersecurity, business and financial management, international advising, and communications. She has provided leadership and expertise on major initiatives for multiple U.S. government agencies, including DoD, the Department of State, Army Human Resources Command, U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command, General Services Administration (GSA), and the Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization (JIEDDO).
Ms. Kodsi earned two master’s degrees with honors from American University: a Master of Business Administration in International Business Management and a Master of Arts in International Communications. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Communications from George Mason University.
Randy Jones is a Wealth Management Advisor with First Financial Group and nearly 30 years of experience helping business owners and families design financial strategies that support both growth and long-term legacy. He works closely with entrepreneurs—particularly in government contracting—to align cash flow, risk management, and wealth-building strategies with evolving business opportunities.
Known as “The Legacy Builder,” The Real Randy Jones brings a practical yet purpose-driven approach, helping clients move beyond transactional planning toward building sustainable, multi-generational impact.
Shirley Collier, President of Scale2Market and host of the Growth Masters Federal podcast is a nationally known speaker, author, serial technology entrepreneur and federal business development management consultant. For over 30 years, she has worked in various areas of information technology and innovation management in university, government, and private industries including starting, managing, growing and selling four technology firms.
Her most recent company, Scale2Market, developed the highly popular D.A.V.I.E.™ growth framework for high growth government contractors and the Entrepreneur’s Playbook for early stage companies desiring to prosper in the federal marketplace.
Shirley has extensive C-level financial, marketing, operational, intellectual property and executive management skills honed through years of experience in her own companies, mentoring the CEO’s of other companies, and developing strategic business relationships with corporate, government and academic partners.
Shirley has a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing with a Master of Science degree in IT Management. She has published over 50 articles and spoken extensively on aligning business, government and Information Technology, IT security/governance, strategic planning, and global competitiveness through technology innovation and technology transfer.
In 2011, Shirley formed a non-profit organization techGrowth, Inc., to provide consultation to municipalities, non-profits and corporations across the country about economic development related to business incubation and technology entrepreneurship.
Ryan Lewis is an owner and the Chief Operating Officer of Humango Solutions, where he is dedicated to driving the strategic growth and operational excellence required to solve the most complex challenges across the Federal landscape. Ryan focuses on delivering continuous measurable impact to Humango’s customers, employees, and the communities they serve, maximizing the value of Federal services to the public.
Throughout his career, Ryan has specialized in bridging the gap between technical innovation and competitive procurement. He notably led growth at Knight Point Systems (KPS) during its transition from a small to a large business, managing a strategic IP portfolio and directing the growth teams leading up to the company’s $250M acquisition. Following the acquisition, he secured multiple billion-dollar pursuits at Perspecta, managing a $20B+ pipeline for National Security agencies. He also co-founded the consultancy Sail to Steam, where he helped small businesses establish and execute strategies to navigate the shift to more-competitive award environments.
Today, Ryan has leveraged his background in high-stakes capture and differentiated delivery to ensure Humango remains ahead of the technology curve. A double graduate of the University of Virginia with a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering and an M.S. in Management of IT, he combines a disciplined engineering mindset with a relentless focus on the strategic positioning required to succeed in today’s increasingly competitive federal market.
Hired in 2011, Kevin currently serves as the Senior Small Business Technical Advisor (SBTA)
for GSA in Central Office, assigned to support the Public Buildings Service, Federal Acquisition
Service and Central Office Staff Office programs. Kevin comes by way of Health and Human
Services where he served both as a Contract Specialist and a Small Business Specialist for more
than eight years. As GSA’s SBTA, the focus is generating opportunities for small businesses at
the prime and subcontracting level, engaging the acquisition workforce to ensure maximum
practicable opportunities are provided for small businesses. He supports the mission of GSA by
establishing and maintaining relationships with vendors and internal stakeholders to discover
needs that support programs at GSA.
Kevin received his Bachelor of Science degree from North Carolina A&T State University,
MBA from Morgan State University, and a Master of Divinity in Theological Studies from
Liberty University. Key Executive Leadership Advanced Leader Certificate Program from
American University.
Al Gordon is the Chief Executive Officer of NSI, where he has led the firm since founding it in 1996. Under his leadership, NSI has helped generate over $38 billion in new revenue for clients and executed numerous successful legislative and regulatory initiatives.
Al specializes in helping companies navigate the complexities of state and local government markets, leveraging a nationwide network of subject matter experts and strategic partners. His approach is rooted in deep experience across government, policy, and procurement.
Prior to NSI, Al served as a senior aide to former New York Governor Mario Cuomo, overseeing legislative and intergovernmental relations. He has also served as Chairman of the New York State Democratic Committee and managed multiple statewide campaigns.
Al holds a B.A. from Clark University and a J.D. from Fordham School of Law.
David Marrin is a Cofounder at TideLock Partners and advises aerospace, defense, and government services companies on strategic alternatives including mergers and acquisitions, recapitalizations, and management buyouts.
He has over a decade of experience focused exclusively on the aerospace, defense, and government services sectors. Prior to cofounding TideLock Partners, David was a Director at G Squared Capital Partners and previously served as a Vice President at The McLean Group.
David holds a B.A. and M.S. in Accountancy from the University of Mississippi.
Bio coming soon.
Joey Musmar is the Managing Partner at MillerMusmar CPAs, where he leads a team of experts specializing in international tax law, providing comprehensive tax advisory and FAR/CAS compliance services to multinational corporations, particularly those in government contracting. With over 29 years of experience, Joey has an extensive background in mergers and acquisitions, performing due diligence, and advising legal teams on structuring complex cross-border transactions.
Joey’s prior roles include leading the Compliance and Tax Technology Group at Deloitte & Touché and Arthur Andersen, where he developed a strong foundation in global tax compliance.
Joey holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia. He is a licensed Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Certified Valuation Analyst (CVA), and Certified in Financial Fraud (CFF). Joey has conducted valuations and testified for divorce, estate, gift, and M&A purposes. Additionally, he holds the designation of Personal Financial Specialist (PFS).
Membership/Board Membership: Board Member, Treasurer of the Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce (GRCC)
Staci Redmon is a former government contracting CEO, seasoned operator, and procurement advisor with more than 40 years of experience supporting the Department of Defense and federal agencies. As the founder and CEO of Strategy and Management Services, Inc., she grew the company from startup to approximately $20 million in annual revenue in less than five years, and more than $350 million in lifetime sales, leading all aspects of P&L, growth strategy, and operations. Her career spans roles with organizations such as Booz Allen Hamilton and Northrop Grumman, where she supported major acquisition programs, advised senior government leaders, and drove enterprise-level initiatives. She has been recognized as the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Northern Virginia Veteran-Owned Small Business of the Year and the Virginia SBDC Veteran Business Owner of the Year.
Today, Staci serves as a Procurement Counselor with the Virginia APEX Accelerator, where she advises small businesses on how to successfully enter and grow within the government marketplace. Drawing from both her success, scaling a high-growth GovCon firm and her firsthand experience navigating the challenges of small business ownership, she brings a candid, practical perspective to government contracting. Staci is passionate about helping entrepreneurs understand what it really takes to win, beyond registrations and certifications, focusing on strategy, positioning, and building sustainable pipelines in an increasingly competitive environment.
Nicole A. Vele is a government contracts attorney and former U.S. Air Force Judge Advocate General with extensive experience in federal procurement, fiscal law, and high-stakes litigation. She provides strategic legal guidance on complex contracting matters, including solicitations, source selections, contract modifications, terminations, and claims, helping organizations navigate compliance while minimizing legal and financial risk.
During her military service, Nicole led a team of government contract attorneys overseeing billions of dollars in acquisitions, supporting global operations and safeguarding government resources. She has also directed litigation teams handling contract disputes and bid protests, delivering timely and effective resolutions in high-pressure environments.
Nicole is recognized for combining deep legal expertise with strategic leadership, enabling businesses to strengthen compliance, resolve disputes, and successfully compete in the government marketplace.
Brandon K. Dickerson is the Co-founder and Chief Mission Officer of Immersive Solutions Group (ISG), where he drives mission execution, growth, and strategic direction across GEOINT and space portfolios. He is focused on elevating the employee experience and building trusted, high-impact relationships with customers and teammates—reinforcing a culture where ISG is known for delivering consistent, mission-critical results. With over 20 years of experience in Systems Engineering and Integration, he supports the Department of Defense and Intelligence Community, specializing in GEOINT and space systems.
Mr. Dickerson’s expertise spans systems engineering and integration, test and evaluation, program and project management, and enterprise architecture. Since co-founding ISG in October 2022, he has helped lead the company’s rapid growth from a three-person startup to a 25-person organization, positioning it to compete and win in an increasingly dynamic federal market.
He holds a Master of Science in Systems Engineering from The George Washington University and a Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering from Purdue University. He also serves on the Board of Directors for the Aspire 2 Inspire Foundation and the Enough Adoption Foundation, supporting initiatives focused on youth development and adoption awareness impact.
As a panelist at the 14th Annual NoVA B2G Matchmaking Conference & Small Business Expo, Mr. Dickerson offers a practitioner’s perspective on capturing opportunities and sustaining growth in a changing market.
