BREAKING NEWS: A Decade of Vetrepreneurship — City of Jacksonville, FSCJ, and Florida SBDC at UNF Launch 10th Annual Vetrepreneur Summit
"Reaching a full decade of the Vetrepreneur Summit marks a historic milestone for Northeast Florida’s military business ecosystem. Jacksonville continues to lead the nation by turning military service into scalable enterprise success. When the City of Jacksonville, Florida State College at Jacksonville, and the Florida SBDC at UNF join forces to provide free, high-impact business modeling, capital navigation, and peer networks under one roof, they directly empower veterans and military families to build generational wealth and drive the regional economy forward." — Angel Shuford, President & CFO, National Invest In Veterans Week® (NIVW)
First Coast History: Over 100 Organizations Mobilize for Jacksonville’s Largest Veteran Resource Assembly at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena
"What the VA North Florida/South Georgia Veterans Health System has achieved with the Our Veterans Matter Fair is nothing short of historic for Northeast Florida. Bringing over one hundred vetted resources, claims adjudicators, employers, and healthcare leaders together under the roof of VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena breaks down bureaucratic silos and puts military families directly in the driver’s seat of their own transition and well-being. True veteran advocacy is defined by concrete, accessible action on the ground—and this summit stands as a national gold standard for how our communities can seamlessly invest in the men and women who wore the uniform."
> — Lieutenant Colonel Rickey L. Pope, U.S. Army (Ret.), Co-Founder, National Invest In Veterans Week® (NIVW)
The Frequency of Resilience: The Sonic Architecture Behind National Invest In Veterans Week®
Discover the sonic architecture of National Invest In Veterans Week®. Engineered by composer Jeff Shuford—carrying forward his family's historic The Five Satins lineage—this 7-part ambient soundscape series delivers a raw, #NoAIMusic auditory documentary. Explore how these immersive, analog tracks are specifically designed to support the mental health, focus, and resilience of veteran entrepreneurs navigating the civilian market.
National Invest In Veterans Week® Market Reach and Demographic Report
National Invest In Veterans Week®: Empowering 4.4 Million U.S. Veterans
National Invest In Veterans Week® (NIVW) connects 4.4 million veterans across 14 U.S. states with resources, funding, and mentorship to foster economic growth and innovation. Through state-specific platforms like FloridaVeterans.com and PennsylvaniaVeterans.com, NIVW serves veterans in high-impact regions, including 1.4 million veterans in Florida and 731,400 in Pennsylvania.
With veteran-owned businesses generating $1.2 trillion annually, NIVW is driving a 25% projected increase in veteran-led startups by 2030 while creating 1.5 million new jobs. These initiatives, coupled with the innovative π (Pledge to Invest) = Veteran Businesses℠ platform, ensure veterans thrive in transformative industries like AI, renewable energy, and cybersecurity.
Explore how NIVW is transforming veteran entrepreneurship: National Invest In Veterans Week®.
Press Release: International Chamber of Veteran Entrepreneurs (ICVE) Uniting Veteran Entrepreneurs Globally Under the National Invest In Veterans Week® Banner
Today, National Invest In Veterans Week® (NIVW), co-founded by Iraq War veteran Jeff Shuford, marks a pivotal moment in veteran entrepreneurship with the launch of the International Chamber of Veteran Entrepreneurs (ICVE). Designed to connect veteran business owners globally, the ICVE builds on NIVW’s extensive collection of veteran-focused domains. This new network will offer unparalleled resources, including mentorship, training, and business support, enabling veterans to access region-specific services that cater to their unique needs.
Additionally, NIVW is expanding its reach with the launch of the first veteran-focused Progressive Web App (PWA) and a globally syndicated magazine, amplifying veteran voices across 40 international markets.
International Veterans Day: A New Frontier in Veteran Advocacy and Global Unity
🫡Our Team
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![A woman wearing a navy blazer with an embroidered coat of arms, gold lapel pin, and jewelry, sitting with her hands clasped, with American flags in the background.]()
President Angel Shuford
Chief Financial Officer (CFO) | Army Veteran
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![A man in a blue suit and white shirt standing in front of an American flag against a black background.]()
Retired U.S. Army First Sergeant Kevin D. Shoun
Senior Advisor | Civic Leadership and Policy Development
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![A woman with blonde hair smiling in front of an American flag and a black background with a logo that says 'National Invest in Veteran Owned Business Week.']()
Sara Pomposo
Chief Advisor | Audience Growth & Strategic Syndication
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![A man in a red shirt holding a music award trophy, standing next to a framed platinum record plaque on display, with framed posters and awards hanging on the wall behind him.]()
Jim Freeman of The Five Satins
GRAMMY Hall of Famer | Brand Ambassador
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![A man with gray hair and glasses stands behind a music stand, speaking into a microphone while using hand gestures, against a dark background.]()
Pastor Ron Henson
Social Impact Advisor | Navy Veteran
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![A man in a U.S. military uniform in front of an American flag.]()
LTC Rickey L. Pope USA, Ret.
CO-FOUNDER | Retired Army Veteran, Retired Firefighter
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![A man in a gray blazer and shirt posing with arms crossed in front of a city skyline at dusk, with buildings and a bridge reflected in the water.]()
Jeff Shuford
CO-FOUNDER | Iraq War Veteran & Military Spouse
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![Three men in a discussion in an office break room with black and white geometric wallpaper. One man with a beard, wearing glasses and a suit, is talking to a bald man wearing a black sweater, who is making a gesture with his hands. The third man with dreadlocks, dressed in a blue suit and holding papers, listens attentively.]()
Drayton Florence
CO-FOUNDER | NFL Veteran & Military Brat
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![A smiling man with glasses, wearing a green sweater over a striped collared shirt, standing with crossed arms in an office space near a window, with framed certificates on the wall behind him.]()
Erik M. Pelton & Associates, PLLC
Trademark Attorney | Veteran IP Advocate
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![A man in a green vest with a plaid shirt and bow tie standing in front of a booth labeled 'Body Aqua' at a trade show or expo.]()
CPT Sherman WIlliams, USA, Ret.
Advisor | Retired Army Veteran
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![Two men in business suits having a meeting in an office with a window showing a city view, discussing a presentation on a laptop.]()
Brandon Sugar
Legacy UX/UI Designer | Army Veteran
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![A young man with dark hair styled back, light eyes, and a light beard, wearing a blue suit and white shirt, looking at the camera.]()
Mike Bicek
Creative Director | Army Veteran
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![A small brown and black puppy sitting on a red folding chair at the beach, with sunglasses and a colorful bag in the background.]()
Private Jewel
Co-Founders Pup | Biewer Terrier
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![A smiling man wearing sunglasses and a striped white shirt.]()
Lonnell McCall I
Sr. Spokesperson | Retired Navy Veteran
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Celeste Everett
Legacy IT Consultant | Army Veteran
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![Composite image of three young men dressed as a graduate, a football player, and a young man in formal wear against a stadium background.]()
Lonnell McCall II
Jr. Spokesperson | Military Brat
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![Close-up of a young man with dark brown hair, styled back, with light eyes, a light beard, and wearing a dark shirt, standing in front of a background with horizontal lines.]()
Christopher B. Mueller
Lead Video Spokesperson | Veteran Advocate
“As an educator committed to professional growth, I fully endorse National Invest in Veterans Week® for recognizing that veterans are vital economic assets who deserve tangible support in entrepreneurship and workforce development.”