The government contracting industry has long been viewed as difficult terrain for women-owned businesses. HX5, founded in 2004 by Margarita Howard, has spent two decades proving that perception wrong. Under Howard’s leadership as sole owner and CEO/president, the Fort Walton Beach, Florida company has grown into a firm with more than 1,000 employees at 90 government locations across 34 states, serving the Department of Defense and NASA with professional mission support services.
Howard has a measured but optimistic view of how the industry has changed for women. “It’s rewarding to see that women are making significant strides in the government contracting industry, over the years, breaking barriers and more often assuming leadership roles in this industry and within government agencies that we work with,” she said. The candor continues: “It’s still somewhat challenging for women in this industry, and while progress has been made, some biases unfortunately remain to be overcome.”
Building a Model Others Can Follow
Inside HX5, Margarita Howard has created the kind of environment she would like to see across the broader industry. Women hold many of the company’s senior management positions, and that team has been notably stable. “At the end of the day, it’s our team of great employees and management that makes us successful,” Howard said. Longevity in leadership has been a deliberate outcome, not an accident.
Howard’s own path to building HX5 drew heavily on her experience inside government before she became a contractor. She was part of the team that implemented the Tricare program, and she rose to regional director overseeing seven southeastern states. That background gave her an immediate grasp of what government clients need and value.
The result has been a company that competes successfully in open markets, maintains impeccable records, and earns the confidence of its federal partners. “Working side by side with civil servants and the military, supporting their respective missions, is a privilege,” Howard said. For Margarita Howard and HX5, that sense of mission has been the most durable ingredient in two decades of growth. Refer to this article for related information.
Find more information about HX5 on https://www.youngupstarts.com/2025/01/10/how-hx5-and-margarita-howard-stay-ahead-in-government-contracting-as-a-women-owned-firm/
