Halfaker & Associates

News

March 2010

Halfaker and Associates’ CEO Interviews on Executive Leaders Radio with Pete Howton

Washington, DC – Halfaker and Associates’ CEO, Dawn Halfaker, conducted her second interview on Executive Leaders Radio on March 18, 2010 with her mentor, Pete Howton, the CEO of Kingfisher Systems, Inc. They were interviewed by Executive Leaders Radio Host, Herb Cohen and co hosts Ed Allera of Bechanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC and Peter Schwartz of Vistage. During the interview, Pete and Dawn shared their common stories of triumph of spirit over circumstance and how they were partnered together in a mentorship relationship.

Dawn’s business career unexpectedly began after she was seriously injured during a RPG attack in Iraq which forced her to be medically retired from the Army. While recovering from her combat injuries at the Walter Reed Medical Center, Dawn was determined to continue to be a part of the military mission and family. With her strong passion for life and learning, Dawn delved into the business world by starting her own professional services firm, Halfaker and Associates. Since its inception in 2006, Halfaker and Associates now employs 140 people and provides consulting services primarily in the defense contracting arena in the areas of program management, information technology, physical security and homeland security and defense.

Dawn credits much of her business success to a strong work ethic, a great team of employees with diverse individual strengths, and the guidance of great mentors, like Pete, who have given her business advice to grow with. She was first introduced to Pete through a mutual friend and was immediately impressed by his down to earth personality, impressive business record and successful family life. Pete, like Dawn, is a service academy graduate who rose above life’s adversities by working hard to make a successful life and business career. He first began Grey Hawk Systems, a thriving defense sector business in 1995. By 2005, his company had over 500 employees and generated over $70 million in revenue. He sold that business and began Kingfisher Systems the same year. Kingfisher Systems specializes in providing National Security support to the U.S. government, employs over 50 people and draws over $7 million in revenue.

Although they now occasionally compete for contract bids in the defense sector, Dawns feels blessed for their friendship and hopes to continue their mentorship relationship for years to come. She truly believes in the importance of a strong support system that is invested in your success and recommends that any potential business owners be willing to put in the hard work to be successful. Dawn and Pete also stressed resiliency and the ability to figure out what the positives are in every situation.

Dawn hopes her business success story helps to inspire future business owners and would like to thank the Executive Leadership Radio staff for the opportunity to speak with fellow entrepreneurs.

To hear Dawn’s interview, please visit: http://www.executiveleadersradio.com/halfaker-dawn-1489.aspx