Category: Executive

Finding qualified STEM workers has become difficult for nearly every defense company. National Defense Magazine reported that 82% of firms in the defense industrial base struggle to locate them, and ManpowerGroup’s 2024 research found that 71% of U.S. employers have trouble finding the skilled talent they need. Margarita Howard, who leads HX5, faces that shortage…

Twelve weeks stand between an active-duty service member and their next career, at least under the framework HX5 and CEO Margarita Howard use to bring transitioning troops into civilian defense work. The structure comes from the Hiring Our Heroes Corporate Fellowship Program, a Department of Defense SkillBridge initiative that lets service members spend their final…

Ask Margarita Howard what has driven HX5‘s success and she will point to her people before any contract or program. The sole owner and CEO/president of the Fort Walton Beach, Florida-based company has presided over a period of sustained growth that now sees HX5 operating in 34 states with a workforce of over 1,000. The…

Margarita Howard, HX5 has emphasized operational excellence as a central driver of performance within the federal services sector. By integrating technical expertise with structured processes, the company has developed a consistent approach to delivering government solutions. HX5’s operational framework is built on standardized procedures that guide both proposal development and contract execution. These processes ensure…