Margarita Howard’s leadership of HX5, a government contracting firm, is marked by her commitment to authenticity, excellence, and a profound belief in diversity. Under her direction, HX5 has built a reputation as a successful contractor in the competitive defense and space sectors. However, Howard’s focus on diversity within the organization and the larger field of government contracting is perhaps her most lasting contribution. Through strategic hiring, promoting diversity, and adhering to ethical business principles, Howard has set a standard that reflects the industry’s current needs and future demands.
At HX5, diversity isn’t merely a corporate goal; it’s also a core element of the company’s culture. This stems directly from Howard’s leadership, which emphasizes the value of bringing varied perspectives to problem-solving and innovation. The company’s roster, particularly at the senior level, is notably diverse. “The majority of our management team are women,” says Howard. “All highly experienced with advanced education, degrees and professional certifications in their respective fields.” ”
Margarita Howard: Promoting Inclusivity Through Leadership
Howard’s efforts in cultivating a diverse workforce have positioned HX5 as a standout in an industry that remains male-dominated. Reflecting on her own experiences, Howard adds, “As a woman, being in this business, you have to overcome more challenges, that’s for sure.”
While she no longer faces the same barriers, Margarita Howard recalls meetings early in her career where men directed questions to her male colleagues, often assuming those individuals were the ones they should be speaking with and that they were the decision-makers.
HX5’s commitment to diversity is mirrored across its operations. The firm actively recruits individuals from different backgrounds, ensuring that a wide range of voices contribute to its projects. Hiring and retaining employees with solid backgrounds in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education and relevant certifications is essential for providing high performance and operational effectiveness.
At HX5, the company places significant emphasis on continuous learning, offering training programs that help employees develop the expertise needed to succeed. These programs cover a wide range of topics, including security procedures, compliance regulations, and up-to-date industry practices, ensuring that the workforce remains well-equipped to handle the complexities of their projects.
By making such investments, HX5 creates an environment where talent is nurtured and excellence is expected. The firm’s ability to deliver on complex projects is in part, a result of this strategic focus on personnel development and training. This approach has helped HX5 successfully perform contracts in mission-critical areas by tapping into the advanced skill sets and experience of its degreed and certified professionals.
At the same time, HX5 has placed particular emphasis on building and retaining a team with strong ethical standards. Margarita Howard says, “We hold ourselves to the same high standards of performance and integrity that we expect of our employees.” This leadership, by example, has helped the company attract like-minded individuals committed to meeting and exceeding expectations.
One of HX5’s most significant strengths is its approach to hiring. The company has cultivated a reputation for thoroughness in its recruitment efforts, particularly in seeking out individuals with specialized skills in government contracting. Whether hiring for defense-related projects or roles at NASA, HX5 prioritizes candidates who bring both experience and advanced education in their relative fields of expertise.
The firm’s hiring process starts with a clear understanding of the contract requirements. “The performance work statement will tell us what kind of personnel they will need and what their qualifications are,” Margarita Howard explains. From there, HX5 searches for candidates who meet the technical requirements and have the right education and experience levels. The company takes the time to find the right people for each role, even if that means it sometimes takes longer to fill positions.
This systematic approach has paid off. Many of the company’s employees have been with HX5 for over a decade. Margarita Howard is particularly proud of the loyalty shown by the team: “We could not do what we do without them,” she says. She credits the company’s success to its dedicated personnel who share its vision and is committed to delivering results for their clients.
HX5 and Diversity as a Competitive Advantage
HX5’s success in securing prime government contracts has been driven by its diversity of thought, experience, and skill. The federal government aims to award at least 5% of all federal contracting dollars to women-owned small businesses annually. As a women-owned small business, HX5 has benefited from gaining access to specific government contracting opportunities designed to promote women-owned small businesses.
However, while being a WOSB has opened some doors, success in government contracting still depends heavily on performance. “Success is never guaranteed,” Howard asserts. The company has had to prove its ability to meet and exceed contract requirements time and again, deliver value to its clients, and build a solid track record — just like any other competitor in the market.
Lessons in Integrity
Howard’s leadership hasn’t been without challenges. She notes that rivals in the government contracting space sometimes resort to unethical tactics to win business. “Unfortunately, there are competitors who don’t play by the same ethical rules that we do,” she acknowledges. But rather than becoming disillusioned, Howard has doubled down on her commitment to integrity, believing that doing things the right way pays off in the long run.
This belief in the power of ethics and transparency is central to how the company operates. From meticulous recordkeeping to compliance with government audits, the company has an unwavering dedication to doing things properly.
“It’s important that a company’s records are impeccable when working with the government due to the compliance reporting and audits that companies have to agree to in order to perform on government contracts,” Margarita Howard explains. But instead of seeing this as a burden, Howard sees it as part of the responsibility of working on projects of national importance.
