GovConNet Council

The GovConNet Council is formed by invitation only and is comprised of Government Contracting industry experts who develop GovConNet programs, support VIP instruction, and provide industry specific advocacy. The Council advises the Board of Directors of the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce on its government contracting initiatives. The following individuals are the members of the GovConNet Council:

Jackie Asencio, President & CEO, C2 Essentials, Inc.
Phone: (703) 444-0096
Fax: (703) 433-9014
Email: jackiea@c2portfolio.com

Jackie Asencio is President and CEO of C2 Essentials, Inc., one of the region’s leading human capital management service providers. With more than 27 years experience, Ms. Asencio has been a major influence in helping small government contractors grow and compete in the federal market place. As a seasoned trainer and coach, Ms. Asencio works closely with business owners ensuring their human capital management strategies are aligned to their business goals. She has extensive experience of full life cycle recruiting, talent management, succession planning, career development, reward and recognition strategies, performance management, regulatory compliance, compensation, benefits, risk management, and outplacement services. Prior to founding C2 Portfolio, Ms. Asencio provided human capital management support to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Department of State, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Environmental Protection Agency, National Science Foundation, Department of Defense, Department of Health and Human Services, Department of the Treasury Overseas Private Investment Corporation, and the World Bank Group.

Joseph Buyalos, Partner, The Insurance Exchange (TIE)
Phone: 240-876-3566
Fax: 301-330-1270
Email: Buyalos.J@TIE-Inc.com

Joseph Buyalos is a Partner with The Insurance Exchange. He leads the firms Employee Benefits practice and in his 16 years with the firm has tremendous experience in designing and negotiating ultra competitive fringe benefit programs for his many government contractor clients ranging from employers with around 50 employees up to 5,000 employees worldwide including several war risk countries. In addition to government contractors, Buyalos also has several large technology, association, and non-profit clients. He is also the driving force behind the GovConNet Benefits Survey which will give government contractors throughout the region and the country access to real-time high quality benefits benchmarking data at no cost to Survey participants.

Christopher Craig, President & Chief Operating Officer, Unanet Technologies
Phone: (703) 964-2149
Email: ccraig@unanet.com

In his role as President and Chief Operating Officer, Christopher Craig is responsible for all aspects of Unanet operations and performance. Under his leadership, Unanet has developed into the leading provider of cloud computing business management software for project based organizations. Since joining Unanet in 2000, Mr. Craig has contributed to Unanet’s growth through a variety of roles related to product management, professional services, customer account management, marketing, and business development. He has helped build the customer base to over 900 organizations, and revenue has increased 20% year over year for the last nine years. Mr. Craig has over 15 years of experience in the technology arena. Prior to Unanet, he worked in project-based services organizations, which helped Unanet become laser-focused on what these organizations need from a software solution. Mr. Craig has a M.S. in Information Systems and B.S in Systems Engineering from The University of Virginia.

Larry Davis, Managing Partner, Aronson Capital Partners
Phone: (301) 231-6200
Fax: (301) 222-8230
Email: ldavis@aronsoncapitalpartners.com

Larry Davis is Managing Partner of Aronson Capital Partners. Larry leads the firms M&A advisory practice, which is focused on the Federal IT sector. He has over 20 years of M&A and corporate finance experience in the federal sector having completed over 25 transactions. As a result of his unique industry experience, he serves as a strategic advisor to middle-market companies assisting them in developing strategies to enhance shareholder value.

Mark Gossart, Officer, Aronson & Company
Phone: (301) 231-6200
Fax: (301) 222-8240
Email: mgossart@aronsoncompany.com

Mark Gossart, CPA, is an Officer in the Firm’s Tax Services Group. Mark specializes in income taxation, tax research and planning at the federal and state levels, and tax compliance, including the preparation and review of federal and state tax returns for a wide variety of individuals and business entities.

John P. Keenan, CFP, AIF, Partner, SEIA
Phone: 703-827-7151
Fax: 703-287-7122
Email: jpk.seia@jhnetwork.com

John P. Keenan, CFP®, AIF® is a Senior Associate for Signature Estate & Investment Advisors, LLC (SEIA). SEIA is a Registered Investment Advisory Firm managing more than $2.6 billion in client assets as of September 30, 2012.

As a Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) and Accredited Investment Fiduciary (AIF®) John Keenan brings a high level of knowledge and expertise to his government contractor clients. He is a member of the National Association of Plan Advisors (NAPA) and was recently named as a “Leading Retirement Plan Advisor” by the 401(k) Wire.

Alexandra "Lexy" Kessler, Partner, Aronson LLC
Phone: (301) 231-6200
Fax: (301) 222-8240
Email: akessler@aronsonllc.com

Alexandra B. Kessler, CPA leads Aronson & Company’s Government and Technology Services group. Her clients include commercial and government contractors, and technology and government contracting service organizations. She specializes in assurance, tax, consulting services, government cost principles and regulations, due diligence as it relates to merger and acquisition activity, and assisting companies develop and create strategic planning objectives.

Chris Luchtefeld, Co-Owner and Managing Partner, BID Designs, LLC
Phone: 301-956-0216
Email: christopher.luchtefeld@bid-designs.com
Web: www.bid-designs.com

Chris Luchtefeld is Co-Owner and Managing Partner of BID Designs, LLC, a consulting services and products business established in 2006. BID Designs focuses on helping Federal Contractors realize their full potential by providing them with reliable, timely and custom business development solutions via consulting, process development, and solution development services. BID Designs provides its services to Federal Contractors throughout the nation from our offices in Bethesda, MD and Huntsville, AL.

Pamela Mazza, Managing Partner, PilieroMazza PLLC
Phone: (202) 857-1000
Fax: (202) 857-0200
Email: pmazza@pilieromazza.com

Pamela J. Mazza, managing partner at PilieroMazza PLLC, practices in the areas of corporate counseling, government contracts, government relations, Native American law and association law. Within her government contracts practice, Mazza advises on all aspects of government contracting, with a specialty in issues pertaining to small and disadvantaged businesses. She counsels clients on a variety of corporate issues including corporate formation and restructuring, shareholder agreements, and trade secrets protection. Mazza also represents trade associations, coalitions and corporations before Congress and the Administration. She sits on the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce’s Board of Directors and acts as General Counsel to the Chamber.

James K. McCarthy, CEO, AOC Key Solutions
Phone: (703) 868-8263
Fax: (703) 953-3877
Email: jmccarthy@aoc-ksi.com

Mr. McCarthy’s career spans 26 years of marketing and proposal development support to government contractors. As CEO and co-founder of AOC Key Solutions, Inc (AOCKSI), his leadership has forged an organization that seeks to be the first consulting firm of its kind that a senior executive turns to when faced with a “must win” government contract opportunity, or when failure is not an option. An innovator in the area of “principle centered winning,” Mr. McCarthy is the architect of the AOC-KSI Advantage™ Proposal Process—a disciplined, yet customizable, approach to deliver the winning edge to clients. To date, this process has played a role in achieving over $100 billion in contract awards for AOC-KSI’s clients from nearly every federal agency. Clients range from start-up ventures to small businesses to Fortune 50 firms and the world’s largest aerospace and defense integrators. He is particularly adept in guiding commercial entities through the intricacies of government contracting .

Archisha Mehan, Vice President/Commercial Lending , John Marshall Bank
Phone : (301) 605-1581
Fax : (301) 738.2315
Email : AMehan@johnmarshallbank.com

Ms. Mehan is a seasoned banker with over 20 years of leadership and banking experience. Archisha is a results-driven commercial loan officer, with strong client contacts in government contracting and commercial real estate. A gifted speaker, she is often requested to speak at financial events. Archisha holds an MBA in Finance from the University of Stirling, U.K.

Frank Merendino, SVP & Team Leader, Sandy Spring Bank Government Contractor Lending Group
Phone: (703) 255-4632
Fax: (703) 319-7912
Email: FMerendino@SandySpringBank.com

Frank Merendino has more than 30 years of commercial banking experience, including the last 12 years specializing in the Government Contracting (GC) Industry. As Team Leader for Sandy Spring Bank’s Government Contractor Lending Group, Frank is directly responsible for achieving the Bank’s objective to significantly grow this specialized business line. He is also responsible for the management of the Bank’s 6-person Government Contractor Lending Group.

Frank holds a BA in Business Administration with honors from Frostburg University.

Currently, Frank serves as a member of the GovConNet Council of the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce, is an active member of the Professional Services Council, the Association of Corporate Growth and the Greater Washington Government Contractor Awards. Frank is a past Vice President and Treasurer of the Corvette Club of America and is an active current member.

Ori Reiss, President & CEO, GlobalNet Services, Inc.
Phone: (301) 770-9610
Fax: (301) 770-9611
Email: oreiss@gnsi.com

Ori Reiss is the President and CEO of GlobalNet Services, Inc. (GNSI), an award-winning Information Technology firm he founded in 1995. Under his leadership, GNSI has grown in both staff and revenue, and has received numerous industry and client awards in recognition for its technical excellence and growth. Mr. Reiss has a strong background in program management, quality assurance, web application development, systems integration, networking, business intelligence, and search solutions. Mr. Reiss spearheaded Internet/intranet development efforts for the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), National Institutes of Health (NIH), and other organizations. He has established partnerships with leading solutions companies including Google, Microsoft, and Oracle. He also forged relationships with leading IT services organizations including Booz Allen Hamilton, SRA International, and Northrop Grumman IT.

Kwesi Rogers, President, Federal National Commercial Credit
Phone: 301) 961-6450
Fax: (301) 961-6460
Email: krogers@federalnational.com

Kwesi Rogers joined Federal National Commercial Credit as Sales Director when it opened its doors in 1992. In January of 2006, Mr. Rogers was promoted to the position of President. Mr. Rogers holds a BA from the University of the District of Columbia and an MBA from George Mason University. He is an owner and a Director of Federal National Commercial Credit.

Keith Romanowski, Senior Manager, WATKINS MEEGAN
Phone: (703) 847-4429
Fax: (703) 761-4815
Email: keith.romanowski@watkinsmeegan.com

Keith Romanowski, Senior Manager, WATKINS MEEGAN has more than 19 years of experience in the Government Contracting sector. He has handled SEC reporting and FAR, CAS, and GAAP compliance. Keith provides consulting to companies that use Deltek GCS Premier and Deltek Time & Expense. Keith also advises clients on financial and operational issues, including indirect rate structures, general ledger chart of accounts, account reconciliations, monthly and year end closings, and financial statement reporting. Keith is a graduate of the University of Wyoming with a B.S. in Accounting.

Michael J. Schrier, Counsel, Jackson Kelly PLLC
Phone: (202) 973-0213
Email: mjschrier@jacksonkelly.com

Michael J. Schrier serves as Counsel in Jackson Kelly PLLC’s Washington, D.C., office where he focuses his practice in the areas of government contracts, commercial litigation and labor and employment. Mr. Schrier has experience representing government contractors in Contract Disputes Act, Miller Act, Little Miller Act and breach of contract claims in federal and state trial courts, as well as advising government contractors on Federal Acquisition Regulations, facilities and security clearances, False Claims Act, Buy American Act, Davis-Bacon Act, Service Contract Act and debarment/suspension matters.

Jackson Kelly PLLC is a national law firm representing leading global corporations, national companies, entrepreneurs and individuals in areas of law such as government contracts, environmental, business, labor and employment, federal and state workers’ compensation, civil litigation and occupational safety and health. The firm has offices in the District of Columbia, Colorado, Indiana, Kentucky, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.

Ann M. Sullivan, Consultant, WIPP Government Relations, Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP)
Phone: (202) 626-8528
Fax: (202) 872-8543
Email: asullivan@madisonservicesgroup.com

Ann Sullivan is the President of Madison Services Group, Inc. (MSGI), a woman-owned company that provides government relations and business development services to corporate and non-profit clients. She brings many years of government relations experience in the United States Senate and the House of Representatives, serving in key advisory roles. Ms. Sullivan works with the United States Congress, Executive Office, and government agencies to garner national attention for clients' issues. Her expertise includes business development programs, government procurement, healthcare, export development, and tax issues affecting small businesses.

She currently represents the largest national association of women business owners and women in business, Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP), as well as the national voice for microbusiness, the Association for Enterprise Opportunity (AEO). MSGI specializes in outreach to the small business community with an emphasis on women-owned and minority businesses.

Ms. Sullivan also serves on the James Madison University College of Integrated Science and Technology Executive Advisory Council. In 2010, she received the Enterprising Women of the Year Award from Enterprising Women Magazine.

DeVance Walker Jr., Manager, Small and Minority Business Services, Montgomery County Department of Economic Development
Phone: (240) 777-2010
Fax: (240) 777-2001
Email: devance.walker@montgomerycountymd.gov

DeVance Walker is the Manager of Small and Minority Business Services for the Montgomery County Department of Economic Development. Several of his initiatives, such as the Business Mentorship Program and the Procurement Fair, have received national recognition. He develops programs, coordinates business conferences and seminars and serves as a contract administrator for the County government. Recently, he served as the manager for the County’s acclaimed Business Resource Center. During his twenty years with the County, he has received more than 100 business and community service awards.

Mitchell Weintraub, Partner, Cordia Partners
Phone: (703) 462-6210
Fax: (703) 462-6235
Email: mweintraub@cordiapartners.com

Mitchell Weintraub is a Certified Public Accountant and a founding partner of Cordia Partners and has been instrumental in assisting clients with management and staffing of their accounting departments. Mitch has over 18 years of professional experience in accounting department development for new organizations, process and organizational reorganization, reengineering and management of existing departments. He also has experience in personnel and corporate policies and procedures, management reporting and financial statement preparation and review as well as extensive experience in audit, tax and consulting services.

Christine Williamson, Member, Government Contractors & Technology Group, WATKINS MEEGAN
Phone: (703) 761-4848
Fax: (703) 761-4815
Email: Christine.williamson@watkinsmeegan.com

Christine Williamson serves as a Member of the Government Contracting and Technology Industry Group. From her experience in working on engagements involving the closing and management of acquired financial institutions, she has been able to adapt to various organizational sizes and levels of accounting personnel. She has performed financial statement audits, reviews, and compilations for construction, professional services firms, retail, and not-for-profit clients.

John A. Zuccaro, Manager, C4ISR Subcontracts, Lockheed Martin Corporation Information Systems & Global Solutions
Phone: (301) 240-6202
Fax: (301) 240-7341
Email: john.zuccaro@lmco.com

John has over 30 years contracting/procurement experience in the federal prime contractor sector. He has earned "lifetime" Certified Purchasing Manager status from the Institute of Supply Chain Management. His current responsibilities include procurement operations and the Small Business/Supplier Diversity program for Lockheed Martin's Information Systems & Global Services business area headquartered in Gaithersburg, MD.

Georgette "Gigi" Godwin, President and CEO, Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce
Phone: (301) 738-0015 x208
Fax: (301) 738-8792
Email: ggodwin@mcccmd.com

View Gigi's Bio.