Despite the blustery wind, the weather was in full cooperation for an afternoon ribbon cutting honoring TriVector Services, Inc.

There was a lot to celebrate. This past January, John (Mike) Verhage, Colonel, USAF, Ret. was promoted to CEO and the company is newly classified as a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned (SDVO) Small Business.

What’s more, Cummings Research Park (CRP) is also celebrating its 60th anniversary this year, so each ribbon cutting in CRP will have a special commemorative ribbon.

Along with representatives from the Chamber, Huntsville City Mayor Tommy Battle and Madison County Commission Chairman Dale Strong were on hand to assist with the ribbon cutting activities.

Established in 2008, Huntsville-based TriVector was founded by three former NASA senior engineers, Marc Verhage, Tim Kauffman, and Dr. Joey Shelton.

Over the past 14 years, TriVector has since grown to include a highly capable workforce dedicated to serving its customer base and contributing to the safety of the country.

In 2019, Mike Verhage came onboard, taking the helm as Vice President of TriVector’s Defense Systems Strategic Business Unit (SBU). From there, Verhage was quickly promoted to Senior Vice President.

As Senior VP, Verhage demonstrated his abilities by successfully led his team through the pandemic. In 2020 and 2021, Verhage continued to serve as a key contributor to TriVector’s continued growth.

In January 2022, Verhage took the helm as TriVector’s CEO. Along with that distinction came TriVector’s certification as a SDVO Small Business. As military veterans have comprised a significant portion of TriVector’s customer base, the new SDVO business classification will likely provide even greater opportunities to support the warfighter.

With Verhage’s military background, business acumen, and leadership skills, TriVector anticipates a palatable uptick in growth in the space and defense industry.

“I think we do some amazing things. I enjoy meeting people talking with people and establishing those relationships,” said Verhage. “Because small business is about relationships. It’s about working together and working hard together. I call it the recipe for success.”

TriVector’s services include Life Cycle Systems Engineering and Integration, Configuration and Data Management, Modeling and Simulation, Science and Research, Engineering Analysis, Test Engineering, and Project Management.

Another program is the Next Generation Interceptor (NGI) designed to defend the nation against the most complex long-range threats. “That’s the latest and greatest missile that’s going to be used to defend our nation,” said Verhage. “If you haven’t seen the news lately, there’s a lot going on out there, especially in the nuclear world and worldwide.”

“Mike and all the TriVector team, we want to say thank you for investing in Huntsville,” said Mayor Battle. “Thank you for being part of Huntsville. As we see companies grow in our community, it is one of the most special things that can happen.”

“What an exciting day and you’ve surrounded yourself with some great employees,” added Strong. “Our country depends on you, our community does, too. Our finest hours are still ahead, and TriVector is a big part of that.”