September 2025: 

ISS has supported the Veteran Institute for Procurement (VIP) programs since 2014. The program offers beginning through advance levels of entrepreneurial training for Veteran entrepreneurs in the Federal marketplace, as well as sessions focused on the Commercial market, the Aerospace industry, and International business. Additionally, it holds biannual webinars on subjects of emerging interest, such as the recent seminars on use of Artificial Intelligence to enhance and streamline business processes. Check out the VIP program at https://nationalvip.org/

The VIP programs are offered free to our nation’s veterans, and the VIP Golf Tournament is the main fundraiser for the program. Repeating her success of last year, our CAO Ashley Buran again received the prize for longest drive in the women’s category. At the podium also is Barbara Ashe, National Director, Veteran Institute for Procurement, and John Moore, Co-Chair of the Golf Tournament.

Our CEO, Linda Houk, serves on the Montgomery County Community Foundation Board which oversees the VIP Program and serves on the VIP Curriculum Committee, which creates and oversees the training content of the Program.

June 2025: 

At a Montgomery County Chamber event with the Small Business Administration, our CEO met with Larry Webb, District Director, to discuss the SBA’s restructuring to better serve the small business community.

November 2, 2024:

When the JKI Golf Scramble lost its major supporter and organizer, it called out to previous participants of the Golf Scramble.  ISS answered the call.  Working with Friends of the Just Kids, Inc Foundation and the San Pedro Kiwanis, ISS added their considerable familiarity with golf fundraisers and enhanced the experience for the participants.  

The golf tournament was held at the Mountain View Golf Course, and all funds raised from the event went directly to Just Kids, Inc. programs throughout Cochise County (Arizona).

September 2024: 

Since 2014 ISS has supported the Veteran Institute for Procurement (VIP) programs. All proceeds go to train veterans for success in the federal contracting marketplace. This service is free to our nation’s veterans.

CFO Ashley Buran (center) received the prize for longest drive for women. At the podium also is Barbara Ashe, National Director, Veteran Institute for Procurement, and John Moore, Co-Chair of the Golf Tournament.

Our CEO, Linda Houk, serves on the Montgomery County Community Foundation Board which oversees the VIP program. She states: “Because of our fundraising success, coupled with sponsorship with the Small Business Administration and several large Federal Contractors, we’ve added specialized advanced training to further meet our veterans’ needs and that of federal Primes seeking veteran companies as subcontrators.”

March 2024: SBA Meets with GovConNet Council

The Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce’s GovConNet Council and GovCon CEOs, of which our CEO Linda Houk is a member, met with Larry Stubblefield, SBA’s Deputy Associate Administrator for the Office of Government Contracting and Business Developoment, and Rosetta Rodwell, Area Director for Region II. The discussion evolved around small businesses and how the SBA can help ensure their success. It included the Council explaining the repercussions of how legislation is impacting small business participation in the Federal Marketplace and suggested remedies.

March 2024:
On March 6, in celebration of Women’s Month and the International Women’s Day, Maryland Comptroller, Brooke Lierman, joined a Roundtable discussion with women bussiness owners at the  Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce regarding the topic “Beyond Pay Equity: Charting a Thriving Future for Women in Maryland’s Workforce”.  Ms. Lierman summarized the findings of the Comptroller’s 2023 State of the Economy Report and business representatives, including our CEO Linda Houk, shared C-suite insights and identified key areas for progress in policy.  Of notable interest, this is the first ever State of the Economy Report issued by a Maryland comptroller. As part of the report, it addresses how women affect the economy, not only by being part of the workforce, but also through household spending.  Additionally it showed Maryland had a disproportionate number of women dropping out of the workforce during the pandemic compared to neighboring states and the significant negative impact it made on Maryland’s economy.

 

 

January 2024:
On January 9, 2024, the SBA activated the Veteran’s Certification (VetCert) program, which previously was accomplished by the Department of Veterans Affairs. In honor of the National Veterans Small Business Week, a select group of veteran entrepreneurs, of which our CEO, Linda Houk, was included, met with Administrator Guzman to discuss their experiences with the VetCert and several other programs the SBA offers. Isabel Guzman is the 27th Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration and serves in President Biden’s Cabinet as the leading advocate for America’s 33 million small businesses and innovative startups.

L-R: Linda Houk, ISS CEO; Timothy Green, Associate Administrator SBA Office of Veterans Business Development; Isabel Guzman, Administrator of the SBA

October 2023:
In celebration of the National Veterans Small Business Week, our CEO, Linda Houk, and Founder & President Emeritis, Bob Buran, both retired Air Force officers, met at USO Hqs with Mary-Elizabeth Gervais, USO Sr. Director of Development.
Learn more about the USO.

ISS, being a Service-Disabled Veteran Owned small business, feels a strong commitment to give back to our active military and veterans.  Bob initiated a matching donation program when he founded ISS for employees who give to military and veteran support organizations. The USO has been the donation most frequently matched, and it is usually because our veterans have experienced the USO first-hand, either through the entertainment provided to those serving overseas and in hostile environments, to the care packages, to the telephone services allowing them to call home on occasion.  On the tour of the USO Headquarters, Linda and Bob were given updates as to the changes and expansion of the USO’s services since the time they served.

October 2023:
GovCon Council meets with Mathew Blum, Associate Administrator for Federal Procurement Policy, Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

Mathew Blum meet with the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce’s GovCon Council and CEOs, of which our CEO Linda Houk is a member. OFPP was established by Congress in 1974 to provide overall direction for government-wide procurement policies, regulations and procedures and to promote economy, efficiency, and effectiveness in acquisition processes.

Mr. Blum gave an update on recent policies and requested feedback on how those policies were affecting small business. In particular, our panel chose to focus on the recent change to how the Joint Ventures are being evaluated for federal procurements and how it affects the small business community. When we met, the OASIS and Polaris IDIQ solicitations had reopened their solicitation to accept modifications by Joint Venture offerors.