On June 21, 2016, Veterans Management Services Inc. CEO, Shane Moore, was awarded the prestigious Gordon H. Mansfield Award by the National Veteran Small Business Coalition (NVSBC). The Gordon H. Mansfield Award recognizes one veteran small business owner per year who operates a successful small business, provides employment opportunities to veterans, and gives back to the veteran community in a substantial and continuous way. For the first time in the history of the Gordon H. Mansfield award, the decision on whom to award this honor was unanimous.
This prestigious award is named for Gordon H. Mansfield, a decorated and highly regarded American hero. Not only did he serve two tours of duty in Vietnam, but while serving as company commander suffered a spinal cord injury which resulted in his spending the next 45 years in a wheelchair and earning him the Bronze Star, two Purple Hearts, the Combat Infantryman Badge, Presidential Unit Citation, and Distinguished Service Cross. Following his military service, Mansfield was nominated to become Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs in 2003. During his time as acting secretary of the VA, Mansfield played an instrumental role in drafting legislation that demanded accountability in expanding and achieving the goals for Service Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) set-asides in federal contracts.
The National Veteran Small Business Coalition’s purpose is to expand access to federal government contract opportunities for veteran-owned small businesses, as well as provide support through education, training, seminars and advocacy. The NVSBC created the Gordon H. Mansfield award to not only memorialize Mansfield and his accomplishments, but to also recognize and inspire future veteran-owned small business entrepreneurs to continue the progress which is at the very foundation of NVSBC’s mission.
Shane Moore started Veterans Management Services, Inc. (VMSI) in 2009 with the goal of attracting and retaining qualified veteran employees to transition into government contract positions. Since then, VMSI has proudly placed veterans in human resources, acquisition, grants, program/project management, budget, finance, content management and IT support services positions, and is certified under the Virginia Values Veterans program.
However, it takes more than employing veterans in a successful business to be a contender for the Gordon H. Mansfield award. An equally important component to award eligibility is a proven record of regularly giving back to the veteran community in a significant way. Shane carries this unwavering and dedicated support to Veterans outside of the business arena and into charitable Veteran organizations. Shane values the support and services that charitable organizations offer our Veterans, knowing that some of these organizations are vital to our Veterans’ success; he dedicates his personal time and financial resources to several charities each year. Nearly all of VMSI’s charitable contributions are made to Veteran-focused 501(c)(3) organizations. To date, Shane has made charitable contributions in excess of $1 million.
The majority of Shane’s charitable efforts are directed to Boulder Crest Retreat for Military & Veteran Wellness (BCR) located in Bluemont, Virginia. Boulder Crest Retreat is a 501(c)(3) organization that provides respite retreats and other therapeutic programs for our combat Veterans and their families. BCR’s therapeutic programs are yielding results for combat veterans in the span of a few days that rival what months or even years of mainstream therapies have accomplished. Due to the monumental success of BCR’s PATHH programs (Progressive and Alternative Training for Healing Heroes) their model is being considered for study and review by prestigious facilities such as Johns Hopkins University and the Harvard Medical Review.
Additionally, Shane dedicates VMSI’s corporate resources to host an annual charity golf tournament where 100% of the net proceeds are donated to Boulder Crest Retreat. The 3rd annual tournament took place on June 27, 2016, which raised net proceeds over $160,000. Funds raised will further BCR’s mission to heal heroes, one family at a time.
Shane is both humbled and honored to receive the Gordon H. Mansfield Award. He recognizes that none of this would be possible without the stellar talent and hard work of the employees at VMSI who have helped build and maintain our reputation. Shane also acknowledges the exceptional work being done at Boulder Crest for our combat Veterans and their families. We sincerely thank the National Veteran Small Business Coalition for providing the platform for such an award and for their support to the veteran-owned small business community. We look forward to continuing their mission!