National Invest In Veterans Week® Applauds Strategic Veteran-Led Expansion as ePackageSupply.com Secures $1B-Backed Investment

Read the original announcement via PR Newswire

As National Invest In Veterans Week® closes its 2025 observance, a headline from Evansville, Indiana underscores the very thesis this movement has championed since 2019: investing in veteran-led enterprises is not only patriotic—it’s profoundly strategic.

On May 13, 2025, ePackageSupply.com, a U.S.-based, majority veteran-owned supplier of food-grade containers and packaging solutions, announced a strategic investment from Michael Wittmeyer, the ecommerce visionary behind JM Bullion, one of the nation’s premier precious metals retailers. Wittmeyer, who helped grow JM Bullion into a $1 billion company, joins ePackageSupply.com as Managing Director with a mission to expand digital operations and optimize nationwide scalability.

The news comes at a time when National Invest In Veterans Week®—a federally trademarked, congressionally recognized civic observance founded by Jeff Shuford, Drayton Florence, and LTC Rickey L. Pope (Ret.)—has been amplifying stories that reflect the shifting paradigm around veteran entrepreneurship. In 2025, NIVW spotlighted numerous success models where military discipline, logistical fluency, and resilience are directly contributing to market expansion, policy innovation, and private capital growth.

ePackageSupply.com embodies this thesis. With over 6,000 business clients, shipments exceeding 3 million containers per month, and a firm commitment to American manufacturing (98% U.S.-made inventory), the company is proving that domestic sourcing, veteran leadership, and scalable logistics are not just ideals—they are differentiators in volatile markets.

Paul Saunders, the veteran founder and CEO, articulated a clear vision: “We’ve always believed in the importance of American manufacturing and supply chain control—not just for reliability, but for our customers’ peace of mind.” This ethos closely mirrors the objectives of National Invest In Veterans Week®: fostering trust in veteran-led innovation, empowering U.S.-based supply networks, and reshaping public-private collaboration.

Wittmeyer’s arrival adds a new strategic layer. His expertise in ecommerce acceleration, operational scaling, and high-volume digital logistics will help position ePackageSupply.com to modernize what has traditionally been a fragmented and offline industry. In Wittmeyer’s own words, “The team is already doing excellent work—I'm just here to help support their vision and accelerate what’s already working.”

From a National Invest In Veterans Week® perspective, this partnership offers a textbook case of veteran-led enterprise attracting elite capital—fueled by performance, not sentiment.

A Broader Context of Veteran-Led Investment

In 2025, National Invest In Veterans Week® also spotlighted Hivers & Strivers, a venture capital firm that has deployed over $80 million into veteran-founded startups. Coupled with insights from CCS Global Tech, which emphasized the superior ROI of veteran hiring, a cohesive national picture emerges: veterans are outperforming expectations in entrepreneurship, investment, and enterprise leadership.

Looking Forward: Infrastructure, Brand Power, and Cultural Momentum

Later this year, ePackageSupply.com will debut new features including self-service bulk ordering, eco-conscious packaging options, and digital design tools—innovations that bridge B2B and direct-to-consumer needs. These enhancements speak directly to the adaptive leadership style veterans are known for: logistics-anchored, mission-driven, and customer-focused.

As National Invest In Veterans Week® continues its advocacy across 40 digital platforms and in collaboration with state governments, policy influencers, and private-sector partners, it will continue highlighting and celebrating such breakthroughs.

This is not a trend—it is a permanent shift.

To learn more:

• ePackageSupply.com Investment Release

• National Invest In Veterans Week® Official Site

• Hivers & Strivers Veteran Venture Capital

• CCS Global Tech on Veteran Hiring ROI

National Invest In Veterans Week® is a registered trademark. All rights reserved.

🧾 Editorial Synopsis

🟢 Analysis Complete

What This Story Demonstrates

This announcement illustrates a central thesis of National Invest In Veterans Week®: veteran-led enterprises are not attracting capital because of sentiment, but because of operational performance, supply-chain discipline, and scalable leadership. The ePackageSupply.com investment reflects a broader market signal—veterans are executing at institutional scale and drawing elite capital as a result.

Why It Matters

• Veteran leadership is increasingly viewed as a competitive advantage in logistics-driven sectors.
• Domestic sourcing and operational control are becoming market differentiators.
• Private capital is aligning with veteran-led execution, not symbolic narratives.
• This shift reinforces the long-term economic rationale behind veteran investment.

System Context

Stories like this are tracked and contextualized within the Veteran Economic Intelligence ecosystem—a policy-neutral framework designed to surface patterns across veteran entrepreneurship, capital deployment, and market participation.

🛰️ This article represents one data point within a larger national signal.

Explore the Live Systems

• Veteran Economic Intelligence Dashboard: monitor real-time indicators of veteran-led market activity.
• Proclamation Search: verify official civic recognition across states and jurisdictions.
• Ecosystem Explorer: understand how policy, capital, and entrepreneurship intersect.
• Investment Return Models: view illustrative, policy-level ROI scenarios tied to veteran transition.

Educational and informational use only. Not financial or investment advice.

📡 National Invest In Veterans Week® continues to document and analyze these developments across its command systems, media channels, and civic partnerships. This is not a moment—it is an enduring shift in how veteran leadership is valued in the economy.

“Don’t Just Cheer for Veterans—Invest in Them”: Phil Hulett Elevates National Invest In Veterans Week®

“I’m Phil Hulett, 40-year broadcaster and voice of the Anaheim Ducks. In the arena, we cheer for heroes. In the economy, we invest in them. National Invest In Veterans Week® is about more than recognition—it’s about action. And across the country, leaders are stepping up. In South Carolina, the General Assembly unanimously adopted a resolution recognizing National Invest In Veterans Week®, uniting both the House and Senate to honor veteran-owned businesses and their impact on the state’s economy and communities. Across the country in Douglas County, Oregon, commissioners went a step further—issuing a formal proclamation and honoring veteran-owned businesses, employers who hire veterans, and individuals who invest in veterans through mentorship and leadership. This is what leadership looks like. This is how you support those who served. Follow their lead. Support veteran-owned businesses. Join the movement at InvestInVeteransWeek.com.”

Featuring Phil Hulett, 40-Year Broadcaster and Voice of the Anaheim Ducks

TL;DR

Legendary broadcaster Phil Hulett is calling on America to move beyond symbolic support for veterans and toward measurable economic action. In a powerful endorsement of National Invest In Veterans Week®, Hulett highlights bipartisan legislative leadership in South Carolina and Douglas County, Oregon—showing how real investment in veteran-owned businesses strengthens communities, economies, and national resilience.

From the Arena to the Economy: A Voice America Trusts

For more than four decades, Phil Hulett has been a trusted voice in American sports and broadcasting. Best known as the public address announcer for the Anaheim Ducks, Hulett has spent his career at the intersection of leadership, storytelling, and public trust—calling the moments that define champions.

Now, he is using that same voice to champion a different kind of hero.

“In the arena, we cheer for heroes.
In the economy, we invest in them.”
— Phil Hulett

That distinction—between applause and action—is at the core of National Invest In Veterans Week®, a nationally recognized observance dedicated to strengthening the veteran economy through consumer choice, policy leadership, and business investment.

Why National Invest In Veterans Week® Matters

National Invest In Veterans Week® is observed annually March 1–7 and focuses on one clear principle:
veterans do not need charity—they need opportunity.

Rather than symbolic gestures, the initiative encourages Americans to:

• Buy from veteran-owned businesses

• Support employers who hire veterans

• Recognize leaders who invest time, capital, and mentorship into veteran success

Hulett’s endorsement underscores that this movement is not abstract—it is already producing tangible results across the country.

Leadership in Action: South Carolina & Douglas County, Oregon

Across the United States, elected officials are answering the call.

South Carolina

The South Carolina General Assembly unanimously adopted a resolution recognizing National Invest In Veterans Week®, uniting both the House and Senate to honor veteran-owned businesses and their measurable contributions to the state’s economy and local communities.

This bipartisan action signals that veteran entrepreneurship is not a partisan issue—it is an economic imperative.

Douglas County, Oregon

In Douglas County, commissioners went even further. They issued a formal proclamation and publicly honored:

• Veteran-owned businesses

• Employers who hire veterans

• Individuals who invest in veterans through mentorship and leadership

This model demonstrates what community-level leadership looks like when words are matched with action.

“This is what leadership looks like.
This is how you support those who served.”
— Phil Hulett

Why Phil Hulett’s Voice Carries Weight

Hulett’s credibility matters. A 40-year broadcaster does not maintain relevance without trust, discipline, and consistency. His career has been defined by recognizing excellence under pressure—qualities veterans understand better than most.

By aligning with National Invest In Veterans Week®, Hulett bridges sports culture, civic leadership, and economic responsibility, helping mainstream audiences understand that supporting veterans is not just patriotic—it’s smart business.

A Word from Angel Shuford

Angel Shuford, President of National Invest In Veterans Week® and an Army veteran herself, emphasized the deeper significance of endorsements like Hulett’s:

“When respected voices like Phil Hulett speak up, it validates what veterans have always known—investment changes lives. National Invest In Veterans Week® is about building sustainable pathways for veterans, their families, and the communities they serve.”
— Angel Shuford

Her message reinforces the initiative’s long-term vision: not a one-week campaign, but a permanent shift in how America values veteran leadership.

From Recognition to Responsibility

National Invest In Veterans Week® is about more than proclamations and applause. It is about economic participation, policy alignment, and shared responsibility.

Phil Hulett’s message is clear:

“Follow their lead. Support veteran-owned businesses.”

Join the Movement

America does not lack gratitude for veterans. What it needs is follow-through.

➡️ Support veteran-owned businesses
➡️ Encourage leaders who invest in veterans
➡️ Turn recognition into action

🔗 Learn more at:
https://InvestInVeteransWeek.com

🧾 Editorial Synopsis

🟢 Review Complete

What This Article Establishes

Phil Hulett’s message reframes veteran support as an economic responsibility, not a symbolic gesture. His endorsement reinforces a measurable shift already underway: bipartisan legislatures, county governments, and civic leaders are translating recognition into tangible investment in veteran-owned businesses and veteran employment.

Leadership Signal

• Veteran support is moving from applause to allocation.
• Bipartisan resolutions signal economic consensus, not ideology.
• Local proclamations demonstrate executable models of action.
• Public trust voices accelerate mainstream adoption.

System Context

This article represents a verified leadership signal within the Veteran Economic Intelligence ecosystem, where proclamations, endorsements, and policy actions are tracked as part of a broader national pattern.

🛰️ Not commentary—contextualized civic data.

Explore the Command Systems

• Veteran Economic Intelligence Dashboard: monitor live indicators of veteran-led economic participation.
• Proclamation Search: verify official resolutions and proclamations by jurisdiction.
• Ecosystem Explorer: see how policy, capital, and entrepreneurship intersect.
• Impact Models: view illustrative, policy-level ROI tied to veteran transition and leadership.

Informational and educational use only. Not financial or investment advice.

📡 National Invest In Veterans Week® continues to document these leadership moments across its command centers, live systems, and civic partnerships. This is how cultural support becomes economic infrastructure.

Veterans Week Website Scores Big League Recognition — And a Sports Broadcaster Says It’s Time to “Get in the Game”

By any measure, this isn’t just a website win — it’s a statement.

National Invest In Veterans Week® has landed a spot on the 2025 list of the “Best Squarespace Websites”, ranking #66 out of 100 nationwide, according to independent design and platform analysts at SparkPlugin.

That puts a veteran-driven national observance — not a Silicon Valley startup or fashion brand — among the top digital platforms of the year.

And it’s not accidental.

A Big Site With a Big Mission

SparkPlugin didn’t mince words.

Calling National Invest In Veterans Week® “a huge site with a lot of information,” the reviewers highlighted why the platform works: clarity, usability, and constant updates — all powered by Squarespace.

Their standout design note?

A simple but effective “back to top” button, letting visitors navigate long-form civic content without friction. In other words: a site built to be used, not just admired.

The platform was categorized as Non-profit, reflecting its public mission: pushing real economic investment into veteran-owned businesses.

From Applause to Action

That mission is exactly what longtime broadcaster Phil Hulett, the voice of the Anaheim Ducks, has been talking about.

“In the arena, we cheer for heroes. In the economy, we invest in them.”

Hulett didn’t stop there. He pointed to Montana, which has officially proclaimed National Invest In Veterans Week® three years in a row — 2023, 2024, and 2025.

“They didn’t just talk; they led.”

In sports terms, Montana didn’t just show up — it set the pace.

Why This Matters Now

Observed annually March 1–7, National Invest In Veterans Week® is congressionally recognized and nationally syndicated, focusing on veteran entrepreneurship, workforce transition, and economic leadership.

The website isn’t window dressing. It’s the operational backbone — housing proclamations, media coverage, policy references, and public engagement in one place.

Being named one of the best Squarespace sites in 2025 signals something bigger:
This movement isn’t temporary. It’s built to last.

The Bottom Line

A veteran-led national observance.
A platform ranked among the best in the country.
A growing chorus saying it’s time to move beyond symbolism.

As Hulett put it:

“Now it’s time for the rest of the nation to get in the game.”

Visit:
https://www.investinveteransweek.com

See the full Squarespace ranking:
https://www.sparkplugin.com/blog/best-squarespace-websites

🏆 Editorial Synopsis

🟢 Platform Signal Logged

What This Recognition Signals

Being named among the Best Squarespace Websites of 2025 is not a design trophy—it is validation that National Invest In Veterans Week® has matured into a usable, scalable civic platform. The recognition reflects clarity, navigability, and sustained system upkeep—qualities required for a national observance that operates year-round, not seasonally.

Why It Matters

• This platform competes with top national brands on execution, not aesthetics alone.
• Veteran-focused infrastructure is being judged by mainstream digital standards—and winning.
• Usability features (navigation, return paths, system clarity) support long-form civic engagement.
• Recognition reinforces the permanence of the movement, not a momentary campaign.

System Context

This article is logged within the Media Command layer of the National Invest In Veterans Week® ecosystem—where platform milestones, legislative actions, and public endorsements are contextualized as part of a broader national signal.

📡 Recognition is treated as infrastructure, not publicity.

Navigate the Platform

→ Command Center → Live Systems → Media Command → Proclamation Search → Veteran Economic Intelligence Dashboard → Global Observances

Each section serves a distinct function—policy visibility, economic signals, civic recognition, and public participation—operating as one integrated system.

🎯 National Invest In Veterans Week® is not optimized for applause—it is optimized for use. This recognition confirms that the platform is doing exactly what it was built to do.