HX5 Under Margarita Howard Grows to 1,000 Employees Across 34 States

Twenty years ago, HX5 was a single company in Fort Walton Beach, Florida with a founder who understood government contracting from the inside and a plan to build something that could last. Today, that company has more than 1,000 employees working across 34 states and 90 government locations, providing professional mission support services to the Department of Defense and NASA. The distance between those two points is the story of Margarita Howard’s leadership.

Growth Built on Repeatable Strengths

Howard has attributed HX5’s growth to several interconnected factors: a focus on competitive contracts, a management team built for the long term, and a commitment to the compliance standards that government clients demand. Those factors are not independent. A company that cannot demonstrate consistent compliance cannot win competitive contracts. A company without stable, experienced leadership cannot scale compliantly. For Margarita Howard and HX5, these principles have reinforced each other across two decades of operation.

The company’s early years set the tone. After entering the Small Business Administration’s 8(a) program, HX5 won four contracts in a single year. Rather than using the program as a long-term shelter, Margarita Howard used it to prove what the company could do. That competitive track record became HX5’s calling card with government clients who needed small-business contractors they could trust to operate without close supervision.

A Privilege, Not Just a Business

Howard has spoken with visible conviction about what the work means to her personally. “Working side by side with civil servants and the military, supporting their respective missions, is a privilege. I love this business and the work that we do. I’m extremely proud of it,” she has said. That pride is evident in how HX5 presents itself to clients and prospective partners. Under Margarita Howard’s leadership, the company’s growth is not just a measure of revenue or headcount. It is a reflection of what she set out to build from the beginning. Read this article for additional information.

Find more information about Margarita Howard on https://about.me/margaritahoward