When Margarita Howard founded HX5 in 2004, she started with a clear sense of what the government contracting world demanded and what it lacked. Two decades later, her Fort Walton Beach, Florida-based company has grown into a contractor with more than 1,000 employees working across 34 states and 90 government locations. That trajectory did not happen by accident.

Howard serves as the sole owner and CEO/president of HX5, which provides professional mission support services to the Department of Defense and NASA. Her background before founding the company gave her an uncommon vantage point. She played a key role on the Tricare implementation team, the Department of Defense’s comprehensive health care initiative, rising from area field manager to regional director overseeing seven states in the Southeast.

“I was part of the Tricare implementation team when it was first introduced,” she said. “Before that, the military’s care had never been managed in such a fashion.”

Building from Competitive Roots

One of Margarita Howard‘s defining decisions was to pursue competitive bidding rather than relying on sole-source contract awards, which she observed many small businesses in her area depending on. Her concern was clear: when sole-source programs ran their course, those companies had no track record of competing on their own. HX5 chose a different path. Through the SBA’s 8(a) program, the company secured four contracts in a single year, which Howard credits as foundational to getting the business off the ground.

That foundation proved durable. HX5’s leadership team, many of whom have been with the company for a decade or more, reflects the care Howard put into building something lasting. “At the end of the day, it’s our team of great employees and management that makes us successful,” she said. For Howard, the mission goes beyond profit. Working alongside civil servants and military personnel is, in her words, “a privilege.” Refer to this page, for related information.

Learn more about Margarita Howard on https://www.f6s.com/member/margarita-howard