The National Veteran Business Development Council (NVBDC) continues its national outreach campaign with a strategic appearance at the VETS25 Conference, hosted by the National Veteran Small Business Coalition (NVSBC), held May 13–16, 2025, in Orlando, Florida. This flagship event brought together service- disabled and veteran-owned businesses, government agencies, and private-sector leaders to explore resources, partnerships, and growth opportunities.
As part of its mission to empower veteran business owners, NVBDC purchased a booth in the exhibit hall, creating a dedicated space to directly engage with Service-Disabled and Veteran-Owned Businesses (SD/VOBs). Throughout the three-day conference, NVBDC provided insights into how third-party certification opens access to over $122 billion in corporate supplier procurement spending.
Representing NVBDC were two distinguished board members and retired military officers: MAJ (Ret) Annette Stevenson and LTC (Ret) Kathy Poynton—both widely recognized for their leadership in veteran entrepreneurship and supplier procurement.
Annette Stevenson, a U.S. Army veteran with over 30 years of experience in procurement and supplier procurement, previously served as the Supplier Diversity Manager at SAS Institute. During the conference, she engaged with numerous veteran business owners, many of whom were previously focused solely on government contracting. She explained how NVBDC’s rigorous certification process helps bridge the gap to corporate America, opening new channels of business with more than 150 Fortune 500 companies and their prime suppliers.
Kathy Poynton, who also serves as NVBDC’s Director of the Military and Veteran Organization (MVO) Task Force, met with several Task Force members in attendance. She emphasized the tremendous value of certification for SD/VOBs looking to diversify their business footprint. “NVBDC certification helps veteran entrepreneurs move beyond federal contracting and into the private sector, where real opportunity lies,” said Poynton.
To bring added energy to the booth, NVBDC hosted a random drawing for all attendees who stopped by. Congratulations to the lucky winner of a Master Card gift card!
As the original veteran business certification organization created specifically to provide a credible, nationally recognized certification process for the private sector, NVBDC remains committed to helping veteran business owners access the tools, recognition, and opportunities they deserve.
To learn more about becoming NVBDC certified, visit nvbdc.org.
