About Us

Our mission is to help our clients obtain and grow their relationship with their new largest customer, that being the federal government. We do this by helping firms obtain certifications so they are given federal preferences in contract award, help the firm obtain the correct federal contracting vehicles so that they can get into the correct buckets of funding for their location and industry, and train our clients on how to leverage their certifications and contracting vehicles into federal sales.

Our History

The firm was founded in 2004 by Mark Ryan in order to help firms obtain 8(a) Certification. Early on the firm was required to grow in order to meet the additional needs of our clients, causing us to branch out into the four other federal certifications (HUBZone, SDVOSB, WOSB, DBE) as well as state certifications, GSA Schedules, and IDIQ GWAC, and MATOC proposal preparations. Now our firm provides the services necessary for a beginner firm to become successful in the federal contracting marketplace.

8a Magazine
Our weekly publication delivering insights and key events for prospective and current 8(a) certification holders.
PARTNERS

Our partners collectively bring over 50 years of 8(a) Certification expertise. One of the most common reasons 8(a) applications fail is a poorly explained financial package. That’s why our team’s strong financial expertise is critical to ensuring the success of your application.

Mark Ryan

Mark Ryan is widely recognized as a leading expert on the SBA 8(a) Program, with over 30 years of experience guiding clients through every stage of certification. He has personally helped thousands of businesses achieve 8(a) certification and thrive within the program.

For the past five years, Mark has also served as a Subject Matter Expert (SME) for the SBA, delivering a variety of training programs designed to help new 8(a) firms succeed. He is deeply committed to client success, taking the time to understand each business’s unique goals and tailoring his guidance accordingly.

Mark’s extensive business expertise and knowledge of government small business programs underpin the firm’s strategic consulting and emergency “rescue” services, where he has helped save hundreds of applications previously thought to be failing.

Before joining the consulting field, Mark served as CFO of a medium-sized company, bringing valuable operational and financial insight to his clients. A proud alumnus of the University of Kentucky School of Engineering, he graduated summa cum laude.

Todd Luttenegger, MBA, CPA

Todd Luttenegger has over 20 years’ experience as an entrepreneur business owner. Todd performs a rigorous review of all client financial documents and is the primary partner for client business plan development. The result has been hundreds of clients with business development plans approved by the Small Business Administration. Todd’s professional education includes a Master’s in Business Administration from Vanderbilt University with a focus on Finance and Electronic Commerce. He is also licensed as a Certified Public Accountant.

Program Analysts

Our subject matter experts perform and are aligned to ensure the accuracy and completeness of all client applications and offers submitted to the government. They additionally ensure an accurate, complete, and timely response to any government clarifications and requests.

Kathy Maxel is the Finance Manager. Kathy has over 30 years of professional business experience. Kathy holds a BS in Accounting and Finance (Wright State University) and a MS in Management (Minot University).
Nicole Hatchel is the Operations Manager for the Business as well as the Direct Supervisor for Ez8a Analysts. Nicole has a degree in Business Administration/Management with an Accounting Major. Nicole is dedicated to making the most seamless client experience here at ez8a.
Kris Herald is our Lead GSA Analyst. She has over 25 years assisting clients in many diverse fields. During that time, she spent 6 years in the publishing industry, then worked as an account administrator at an investment firm. She has successfully worked with all levels of management from first-level managers to CEOs. Kris focuses on GSA Schedule Contracts as well as 8(a) Small Disadvantaged Business certifications that best suits their business.
Sarah Beck is the Advance GSA Supervisor. Sarah spent 2 years working with investment accounts before coming to ez8a in 2015. Sarah focuses on GSA schedule contracts, is the lead on Proposal Writing and IDIQ/GWAC submissions as well as assists on the 8(a) Small Disadvantaged Business certification side of things. Sarah holds a Bachelor of Science Degree and has remarkable attention to detail and uses this to ensure that each application is complete.
Emily Hatchel, Account Manager, joined ez8a in 2020. She was formerly employed by Charter Communications, where she managed a large sales team. Emily currently works with our clients to uncover how to best position their company within the government contracting space, offering guidance and engagement with ez8a. Emily’s expertise will help you determine what you qualify for and explain how that can benefit your small business.
Jovy Olegario is our former Account Manager developing client relationships for internal business development for GSA, SBA Certifications and IDIQs. Jovy currently serves as our Lead Ez8a Analyst. She also has experience with enrolling firms with top 100 federal prime contractors in their subcontractor databases. Jovy has more than 15 years of extensive knowledge and experience in excellent customer service. Her main focus is on the Small Disadvantaged Business Certifications.
Kelly Will is a former business advisor with impressive experience managing a diverse array of people, functions, and projects. Her impressive business acumen, analytical skills, and detail orientation effectively serve the needs of clients. Her current client engagements include joint venture and mentor protégé services as well as GSA. Kelly has completed several business certifications and holds a bachelor’s degree in business from Indiana University.
Michelle Darnell has 25 years of professional business experience of which 20 years were spent in healthcare administration. She has worked on all levels of managements, from administrative secretary to Healthcare Facility Administrator. Her current client engagements are focused on GSA Schedule, VA GSA Schedule and GWAC STARS programs. She is very detailed and analytical assuring all information is accurate for a successful submission. Michelle holds a degree of Business Administration from DeVry University.
Lavanya Sathish is former Continuous Improvement Lead for a business process outsourcing multi-national and helped standardize and improvise business operations between UK and India teams. She has successfully worked across the team hierarchy in her career of 10 years. Her analytic skills combined with detail orientation helps her achieve the best for her clients. She holds a bachelor’s degree in commerce and masters in computer applications
Romy Mapile has experience in working with diverse clients throughout his career. Romy has worked with professionals of different nationalities and backgrounds to further enhance their set of skills. He has familiarity in working with clients from different levels and departments.
Trisha Sphinx has over 12 years of business experience that includes 3 years within the medical and legal industries. Trisha brings her degree in Science and Education from Murray State University and professional business experience to provide optimal assistance to clients. Trisha’s current areas of focus are based on certifications such as the 8(a) Small Disadvantaged Business, State MBE and DBE, Women-Owned Small Business, HUBZone, NMSDC, Business Plans, Resume Reconstruction, and many more.
Justin Fritz, Account Manager, has uncovered solutions for customers that positively impact both their personal and professional lives for over a decade. Justin now uses the people skills and creative thinking that he developed over his career to qualify and guide business owners through the various contracting opportunities in the government space, specializing in GSA Schedules.
Ramy Elbeitam Processing Analyst | Graduated with a degree in Business. Experienced in Strategic Planning and Business Analytics. Current areas of focus are based on certifications such as the 8(a) Small Disadvantaged Business, State MBE and DBE, Women-Owned Small Business, HUBZone, NMSDC, Business Plans and many more.

Angelica Pellarda A detail-oriented, highly organized professional with a Bachelor of Science in Marketing and a strong passion for data and document operations. With over three years of experience as an Operations Specialist, Angelica has honed skills in task and data management, document verification, and data extraction, ensuring accuracy and efficiency in every project. Angelica has prior experience as an Associate in a logistics company, where she delivered exceptional customer support and built strong client relationships. She is known for her ability to multitask and stay organized. Her commitment to precision and client success has made her an invaluable asset to our team.

Marketing Support Team

Our Marketing Support Team focuses on the identification of sales opportunities for firms that we’ve helped obtain either a Government Certification or Contracting Vehicle. Our team is knowledgeable on how to obtain and consolidate information from federal resources. In many cases, the team obtains knowledge about future solicitations before that information becomes available on open procurement resources such as fbo-gov.

Heidi Garcia Lead Analyst, Government Databases – 8 years of experience manipulating large amounts of government data in order to assist clients in finding federal contracts and spending in their industry.
Andi Manuel Account manager for internal business development (General Services Administration).
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