​ANNAPOLIS, MD – In celebration of Military Appreciation Month, Lt. Governor Boyd K. Rutherford today delivered the keynote address to nearl7 75 veteran entrepreneurs during the 2022 Military Small Business Appreciation Breakfast. The event, hosted by the Governor’s Office of Small, Minority & Women Business Affairs, was held at the Maryland Innovation Center in Columbia.

“On behalf of our administration, we want to thank our veteran business owners for their service to our county and for their contributions to the economic well-being of our local communities,” said Lt. Governor Rutherford. “Connecting our veteran entrepreneurs to resources that will help ensure their success is just one way to show our appreciation.”

The appreciation breakfast and networking event, hosted in collaboration with Project Opportunity and the Mid-Atlantic Veteran Business Center, included tips for success from a veteran business owner and access to resources for veteran entrepreneurs from state, federal, and private sector organizations.

“Entrepreneurship takes dedication and discipline,” said Special Secretary of the Governors’ Office of Small, Minority & Women Business Affairs Jimmy Rhee. “Veterans already have these core characteristics. Today we are also linking them to resources that will help them throughout the growth and development of their business.”

During the program, Lt. Governor Rutherford presented three veteran entrepreneurs with a Governor’s Citation for their contributions to Maryland’s small business economy:

● Jimmy Maldonado – Helios Defense Solutions, LLC

● Phillip Scott – J.E.T. Seal Services., LLC

● Enrique Young – FEBA Security Services, Inc. ​

The Governor’s Office of Small, Minority & Women Business Affairs has oversight of the state’s Veteran-Owned Small Business Enterprise (VSBE) Program. The VSBE Program was enacted in 2010 to enhance opportunities for veteran-owned small businesses to participate in the state’s contracting arena. There are currently 500 certified VSBE vendors. Veteran-owned small businesses interested in joining the program can visit the VSBE page the office’s website at www.goMDsmallbiz.maryland.gov.