Twenty years after its founding, HX5 stands as a testament to what patient, principled growth looks like in the government contracting sector. The Fort Walton Beach, Florida company, founded and led by Margarita Howard as sole owner and CEO/president, now employs more than 1,000 people across 34 states and 90 government locations. Its clients include the Department of Defense and NASA, for whom HX5 provides professional mission support services.

Howard has built that scale deliberately, investing in people and processes rather than chasing short-term wins. The stability of HX5’s leadership team reflects that philosophy. Many of its senior managers, a number of them women, have been with the company for close to a decade or more. “We were very selective of people that we chose for our management team. And really, I could not be more proud of them,” Margarita Howard said. “Many of them have been with us for 10 years or so, and we just have a highly dedicated, experienced management team. We could not do what we do without them.”

Knowing What Agencies Actually Need

Howard’s background gave her an unusual advantage. She served in the military and later took a senior role in implementing the Tricare program, the Department of Defense’s health care system, eventually overseeing seven southeastern states as a regional director. That experience from inside the government gave her a clear picture of what agencies expect from outside contractors.

“Large businesses and the government have to meet small-business goals,” she has explained. “So when they find a small company that they know understands the industry [and] they’re not going to have to hold their hand, I’m proud to say they were very impressed with us.” HX5 built that credibility from day one.

Regulatory compliance is treated as a baseline, not an afterthought. Margarita Howard has been consistent on that point. “Businesses must invest in educating themselves about these regulations and ensure strict adherence to them,” she said. “It’s important that a company’s records are impeccable when working with the government due to the compliance reporting and audits that companies have to agree to perform on government contracts.” At HX5, that culture of accountability has helped sustain trust with federal clients across hundreds of contract years. Visit this page for additional information.

Find more information about HX5 on https://www.f6s.com/member/margarita-howard