Who We Are

Our History

Founded in 1986 to provide secure Information Technology professional services to the U.S. Government, Vaxcom was created in the hallways of the Intelligence Community. Building on the legacy of providing superior IT services, the company later diversified its service offering to include Threat Management Services for customers needing highly skilled, discreet protection for their personnel and facilities.

A momentous event occurred in 1990 when 10 diversely experienced, but like-minded professionals were offered the opportunity to purchase the company – on the condition that the incorporation and purchase process be completed within 30 days or the company’s primary contract would be lost. With little corporate experience among them, the next 30 days were filled with soul searching as each employee determined how they could finance their share of the purchase. Through several meetings in basements, parking lots, and hotels, the employees formed an alliance that ultimately succeeded in closing the deal on September 27, 1990. “It placed tremendous demands on our time and energies, but the principal that made it all a success was an emphasis on taking care of our customer.” says R. Paul Warren, Vaxcom’s Chairman and original President and CEO, as he recalls the acquisition.

From the founding 10 employees to over 200 technical professionals today, Vaxcom continues to provide high quality, cost effective, and responsive professional services. Vaxcom is extraordinarily proud of its role as a mission partner and its track record of successful program support. Vaxcom’s average award fee rating is over 98%. Vaxcom’s emphasis on corporate culture creates a positive and supportive work environment and is the basis for sustained success. Vaxcom’s average employee retention rate is 99% with average employee tenure of 13 years. In 2008, Vaxcom fulfilled its founding vision of outgrowing SBA small business classification; while at the same time holding true the values and culture that define how we do business.

Our Values

Vaxcom has built its entire business around a core set of values: Honesty. Integrity. Doing the right thing. These values guide the management of our business and every facet of our program support. At the heart of these principles is the fact that we value our people and we value all of our relationships. We treat our people well; we provide them with opportunities, reward their efforts, and treat them with respect. When our people feel valued they are more inclined and more motivated to do right by our clients. As a result, our personnel and our clients develop solid, trusting partnerships with one another. It’s this focus on principles, people, and partnerships that enables us to meet — and routinely exceed — client expectations. The way we interact with our clients, our employees, and even our competitors, is driven by the following:

  1. Set the highest standards of ethics, honesty and integrity
  2. Always do the right thing, the right way, for the right reason
  3. Treat everyone with respect, and earn their respect through demonstrated character and performance
  4. Operate within a fairness doctrine where every employee is treated equally
  5. Provide career-enhancing opportunities and reward exceptional performance
  6. Always strive for 100% customer satisfaction
  7. Establish and nurture positive business relationships into effective partnerships

Our Mission

From the very beginning, the 10 founding employees at Vaxcom established a foundation of values, ethics and success that grows stronger with every passing day. Contract consolidation, a global recession, and federal budget reductions have not dampened Vaxcom’s prospects or its enthusiasm; in fact, these conditions have forged a stronger resolve and instilled fresh energy.

Leadership

Our leadership team is personally committed to driving strategic growth to continually improve and expand the services offered to our clients. Their proven leadership is evident in the company's rapid growth and client retention. Their vision and values are the foundation of the company and are woven throughout the fabric of Vaxcom’s culture.

Wm. Schmale, President

Mr. Schmale has nearly 3 decades of experience supporting critical national security initiatives.

His career began on Capitol Hill and in the White House before serving 14 years with the U.S. Government (USG) in various capacities and assignments in direct support of the USG mission while living and working in nearly 50 countries. Prior to joining the Xator Team, Mr. Schmale held executive leadership positions at Spectal, LLC and BAE Systems-Intelligence and Security Inc.; and was CEO and President of Vaxcom Services at the time of acquisition. For the past 10 years, he has been a leader in the intelligence and security business, supporting sensitive USG programs as well as certain commercial and high net worth clientele. He is both PMP and CISSP certified, and holds a master’s degree in Security Policy/International Affairs.

Ken Wilkinson, Senior Director of Operations

As the Senior Director of Operations, Mr. Wilkinson is responsible for executing strategic and tactical program management, client engagement, mission delivery, and operations leadership. Mr. Wilkinson brings more than 30 years of operational experience leading multi-discipline teams in worldwide environments in support of the Intelligence Community mission. With the U.S. Government (USG), Mr. Wilkinson served in various capacities in both domestic and overseas assignments supporting sensitive, mission critical programs. Prior to joining the Vaxcom team, Mr. Wilkinson was a Senior Director for Intelligence Community Services and Sales Executive supporting USG programs.

Suzan Alves, Senior Director of HR and Security

As the Vaxcom Senior Director of Human Resources Management and Security, Ms. Alves is responsible for overseeing our Industrial security program, enhancing benefits, and cultivating employee relations which move the business forward. She has over 15 years of experience supporting a wide range of sensitive and complex security programs, both CONUS and OCONUS, for U.S. Federal Government clients. She exemplifies a high level of expertise in organizational development and employee relations, as well as notable expertise in security, quality assurance, and operations. Ms. Alves has a Bachelor of Science in Business Management/Human Resources, is a member of Society for Human Resource Management, and holds various Security certificates.

Aaron Dobbs, Director of Finance

As the Director of Finance for Vaxcom, Mr. Dobbs has nearly 20 years of financial and accounting experience at both large and small companies in the security industry, supporting unique missions and security needs of numerous government and commercial clients. He has well over 10 years of experience successfully leading and managing teams of various size and has a proven track record of creating efficiencies, providing automation, and utilizing his advanced data warehousing skills to provide meaningful management reporting tools. As a key member of the senior management team and trusted business partner to the Vaxcom President, Mr. Dobbs is responsible for all the company’s financial functions, including accounting, treasury, and corporate finance. When he is not working, he enjoys spending time with his family and watching and playing all sports. Mr. Dobbs holds a Bachelor of Science in Finance from Old Dominion University and is completing his MBA at George Mason University.