Finalists Announced for 2025 U.S. Forces in Business Awards

America’s premier celebration of military talent honors veterans thriving across the U.S. economy, and showcases aspirational employers for transitioning service members.

The Forces in Business Awards, the world’s largest celebration of veteran achievement across the workforce, today announced the finalists for its 2025 U.S. edition — spotlighting the extraordinary skills and talents of America’s former servicemen and women who are excelling in their civilian careers.

Each year, more than 200,000 service members transition from active duty into civilian life – joining a U.S. veteran community that represents 8% of the adult population. Veterans bring exceptional leadership, resilience and mission-driven focus to employers – yet many still face barriers to securing roles that match their skills and experience.

A study by ZipRecruiter and the Call of Duty Endowment found that almost one-third of veterans are working below their capability level – 15.6% higher than non-veterans. Better recognition of veteran talent is key to tackling skills gaps in the U.S. labor market.

Founded in 2018, the Forces in Business Awards were created to elevate the perception of veterans in the workplace. Through major annual events in Washington, DC, London and Glasgow, the program has become a global benchmark for veteran employment recognition and a powerful driver of change in how companies engage military talent.

Often described as “the Oscars of veteran employment”, the Awards have honored more than 2,000 veterans and reservists over the past eight years, with ceremonies attended by thousands of employers across every major industry. The program not only amplifies visibility of military talent but showcases the strategic business value of hiring veterans.

This year’s event drew hundreds of nominations nationwide, representing a remarkable cross-section of industries and achievements. The winners are revealed on December 3, 2025, at a black-tie gala in the Capital Hilton’s Presidential Ballroom, Washington, DC. 

The evening will be hosted by NBC news anchor Jummy Olabanji, known for presenting the number-one morning news show in Washington. Jummy will introduce a special program of live entertainment, inspiring stories and the highly anticipated award presentation – a spectacular evening of celebration. But beyond the glitz and fanfare, the Awards serve a serious purpose: to expand opportunity for veterans while helping employers overcome skills gaps by tapping into a highly capable and diverse talent pool.

“The Forces in Business Awards are more than an event – they’re a movement that’s transforming how the world views veterans as a uniquely valuable talent group,” said Ben Rossi, founder of the global Forces in Business Awards series. “Veterans bring unmatched discipline, leadership and integrity to every organization they join. Recognizing that value isn’t just the right thing to do – it’s one of the smartest decisions a business can make.

“The caliber of nominations for this year’s U.S. Awards was tremendous. These finalists are leading innovation, driving growth and redefining industries across America. They are living proof that the skills and virtues developed through military service translate directly into business excellence, representing a talent pipeline that strengthens the U.S. economy.”

THE FINALISTS – 2025 US FORCES IN BUSINESS AWARDS

ADVOCATE OF THE YEAR

Barbara Richardson, Barclays
Brian O’Loughlin, New Jersey Office of the Attorney General
Cole Lyle, The American Legion
Deeben Kang, Chick-fil-A
Fenton Reese, Bloomberg
Jack Cline, Northeastern University
Jason Pratt, GE Aerospace
Piers Platt, ZS Associates

BUSINESS LEADER OF THE YEAR

Carlene Blanding, Shaw Industries
Dave Sloniker, TISTA Science and Technology
David Begis, TechPro Power Group
David Thomas, Advanced Recovery Systems
Eduardo Jany, News Corp
John Sabatini, PWC
Kerry Favero-Rivera, Koniag Government Services
Rylan Collins, Veeva Systems
Sean Hudson, Washington Nationals

D&I INITIATIVE OF THE YEAR

American Latino Veterans Association
AWS Data Center Engineering Operations (DCEO) Pilot Program
Barclays Military Resource Group
Double-TAP, Old Dominion University’s Institute for Innovation & Entrepreneurship
GE Aerospace Military Officers Leadership Program
Leader Transition Institute
Military Women’s Collective
Women Veterans Alliance

EMPLOYER OF THE YEAR

CGI
FDM Group
GE Aerospace
Google
Govini
Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals
Roberts & Ryan
Shield AI

ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR

Alysha Richey, Veraclade
Charlyn Ho, Rikka Law
Derren Burrell, Veteran Ventures Capital
Donald Wells, Luminary Automation
Jacob Matthews, Zeno Power Systems
Nicole Anderson, Nico Denas / Skyvoice
Trish Alegre-Smith, Photography by Trish Alegre-Smith
William Wilson, William Wilson Clothing 

INNOVATOR OF THE YEAR

Chris Esquivel, Executive Talent Search Partners
Cody Fleming, Aligned Data Centers
Dr. Mark Clarke, Parton
Jacob Worrell, Ad Hoc
Jesse Sieff, Sieff Studios
Paul Hylenski, Vet Mentor AI
Paul Sivacek, Leader Transition Institute
Stephen Vetter, NWN Federal
Trey Lindsey, Shield AI

INSPIRATION OF THE YEAR

Charles Nahabedian, VK Digital Health
Danielle Applegate, CGI Federal
Jocelyn Seng, Digital Manufacturing and Cybersecurity Institute
Kiefer Jones, Agile Defense
Matthew Philip Wee, US Department of State
Monica Langley, SAIC
Scott Moak, Metro Aviation
Vikas Singh, Barclays

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Annie Brock, Leader Transition Institute
Gerard Cox, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
James Reda, Safe Harbor Consultants
Jamie Regg, GE Aerospace
Jim Robinson, Wisconsin Ordnance Works
Peter Hall, Beacon Global Strategies
Randy Kolton, Kolt Business Solutions
Rory Cooper, Human Engineering Research Laboratories
Timothy Amerson, CASMO Consulting

MILITARY VALUES IN BUSINESS AWARD

Christine Pennock, Self Financial / Eident Advisory
Connor Maginnis, ZS Associates
Dani Sandy, Barclays
David Welch, Shield AI
John Nahra, Epic Games
Michael Gonzalez, ZS Associates
Shoshana Rosenberg, WSP USA
Tiffany Horne, Soulfully Driven
Trey Kennedy, CGI Federal

NEW MILITARY LEAVER OF THE YEAR

Allyssa Guilliams, Edge Staffing Partners
Candice Frost, Nightwing
Eric Bratton, Barclays US Consumer Bank
Jayme Hansen, Deloitte
Kevin Groch, Modern Technology Solutions
Ryan Novotny, Gilbane Building Company
Shawn Welsh, Vet S.O.S.
Will Staun, GE Aerospace

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVER OF THE YEAR

Beth Conlin, AWS
Charles Frizzell, Health Care Service Corporation
Douglas Lemott Jr, Analysis and Resilience Center for Systemic Risk
Dr Ameena Ali, Federation Of International Gender And Human Rights
Everett Gilliam, Systems Planning and Analysis
Keith Palmer, Johnson&Johnson
Kiara Colon-Torres, Esphero
Robert Wenier, AstraZeneca
Stephen Fujiwara, Advanced Navigation

RESERVIST OF THE YEAR

Alex Driscoll, GE Aerospace
Antoinette Love-Walker, Office of the Surgeon General, US Army Medical Command
Foley Hart, Johnson Controls
Johnathan Rudy, GEICO
Latoya Gatewood-Young, Barclays
Matthew Miranda, ZS Associates
Parker Herman, ITinfra

RISING STAR OF THE YEAR

Adam Hayes, Lazarus AI
Bailey Mahoney, Pathfinder Federal Solutions
Brennen McGuire, GE Aerospace
Kaly McKenna, Beacon Global Strategies
Kevin Bassney, Altana Technologies
Phillip Radzikowski, Peraton
Victor Foulk, CGI Federal
William Hess, Raymond James

ROLE MODEL OF THE YEAR

A.J. Ali, L.O.V.E. Is The Answer
Brunilda Garcia, Leader Transition Institute
Chuck Sheppard, 22nd Century Technologies
Elis Lopez, GE Aerospace
J.C. Henry, McAllister & Quinn
Lloyd Knight, UPS / VETLANTA
Nathaniel Lowrey, Barclays
Sarah Merritt, Merritt Collective

SMB LEADER OF THE YEAR

Christopher Crane, CPoint Consulting
Dr. Thomas Chon, Tetra Fields
Gene Moran, Capitol Integration
Jason David, GovCom Solutions
Joe Anderson, RSGS
Michael Nord, Nordic Road
Socrates Rosenfeld, Jane Technologies
Tony Sabio, The Rockfinn Group
Zachary D’Ooge, Wisconsin Ordnance Works

TEAM LEADER OF THE YEAR

Anna Simmers, GE Aerospace
David Bedard, U.S. Department of State
Lee Crowson, Booz Allen Hamilton
Mark Scheider, Barclays
Mat Yarger, Demia
Mike Benedosso, Google
Stefanie Antosh, 502d Air Base Wing, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland