Hi everyone,

Mahalo for showing up today — the energy was strong, the stories were real, and there were a lot of “mission + execution” threads running through the whole conversation.

We kicked off with introductions and got to know a few new faces right away. Frank DiBartolomeo (retired USAF Lieutenant Colonel; public speaking coach for technical professionals) shared how he helps engineers, scientists, and IT pros present themselves with clarity and confidence — a great reminder that “how we say it” often matters as much as “what we do.”

Tanny Waters (Sr. Mortgage Advisor; VA specialist) shared a personal update about her son joining the Air Force and getting stationed in Alaska, plus a professional update that she’s planning a move to San Diego and will be closer to Camp Pendleton and be able to serve more military and veteran families there.

Mike Verret (messaging and pitch coach) put language to a pain point most founders feel: 100% of what we do matters to us, but only a small slice is what truly matters to the audience — and his work is finding that slice and turning it into clear, compelling communication.

Alexander “Alex” Snyder (financial professional with New York Life / Kaplan Family Financial) shared that he connected with Gb De Leon and they set a recurring meeting rhythm to explore collaboration and mutual client support — exactly the kind of relationship building we want coming out of these rooms.

Gb De Leon (full-market health and life insurance broker) shared that he helps business owners, self-employed individuals, and families with health insurance needs, with a big emphasis right now on educating people on options they may not realize exist outside the marketplace. He also shared his longer-term “why”: building his business to fuel a bigger mission of getting veterans back into regenerative farming and ranching — serving clients now while building toward that five-year vision.

Then we got one of the most meaningful moments of the day from Deb Plennert (Gold Star widow; Precision with Honor Bookkeeping), who introduced the group to the Murph Challenge and her plan to build a team for next year. She framed it as something bigger than fitness — a way to honor service, create community, and turn Memorial Day into action and impact.

Luke Thomas (FINSYNC; 10+ year commercial and SMB banking background) introduced what FINSYNC does for business owners and for financial pros — Joining us from Salt Lake City as a guest of, and works with Joe Wexler

Jon Saluk (Priority Payment Systems; merchant services) added perspective on the payments ecosystem and why business owners should be careful about getting boxed into proprietary systems that limit flexibility over time.

Kelvin Ching (financial efficiencies; promoting Wayne’s Employ Well program) shared the basics of the program and asked for introductions — particularly to companies with 50+ employees — and noted that those introductions can also create a benefit stream back to VOB.

Brian Cate (SouthStar Capital / government contract financing + finance AI tool builder) shared his background spanning engineering and commercial finance and gave the group a clear picture of the kind of business owners he can help — especially government contractors and companies navigating capital needs. 
Brian shared that he’s been building his own AI tool that connects directly to QuickBooks and helps users review the general ledger, spot what’s wrong (and why), and get guidance on how to fix it — plus month-end reporting and capital structure analysis with lender matchmaking. He also mentioned it’s now listed in the Intuit/QuickBooks App Store and asked for support in the form of reviews there.

Clay Hicks (Founder/CEO, H7 Network; VOB board member) walked everyone through the “VOB powered by H7 Network” meeting on Thursdays at 4:00pm ET and the broader H7 ecosystem, 

Register here: https://www.addevent.com/calendar/t6y1q2snn10c

Jim Mills (EnCompass Background Screening Solutions; Navy submariner; VOB board member) added helpful context on what membership opens up across the broader H7 network building Champions.

We then heard from Dorothy Smith (Enrolled Agent; DMS Bookkeeping Inc.) who shared her bookkeeping, tax prep, and tax resolution focus — including her “love of taxes” (which we all got a laugh from) and helping people navigate IRS letters and issues.

Jennifer Zalzal (website design, SEO, and Google support) introduced her work helping businesses improve their visibility online and mentioned resources available for nonprofits through Google Ad Word Grants.

Next, Chris Hunt (Navy veteran; Blue Prairie Synergy Solutions) shared his background delivering complex program/project work — including technical integration, information systems design/security, and operational efficiency — across government and commercial environments.

I then gave a quick update on what VOB is building on the website: the Member Directory and Community News pages, plus Member Profiles that function like a simple LinkedIn-style profile (photo, “about,” services, links, and contact info — shared at your discretion). He also shared the bigger vision of making the site genuinely useful as a directory and community hub as it grows.

We also heard from Brian Davis (Army veteran; Stealth Tech Services) who shared his work in IT infrastructure and community-facing tech like IoT smart lighting and EV charging, and he noted he would forward along details for a veterans-related charity golf event.
(which I actually already posted just before this.)

As we wrapped up, Joseph Wexler (AOD Resource Group / Acres of Diamonds ecosystem builder) shared what he’s building in the AI/education space and his focus on connecting people into bigger partnership outcomes.

Bill Haase (Money Mindset Media; financial literacy educator) shared a few key updates — including reconnecting with Tom Long and plans for an upcoming meeting in LA to honor a Veteran Influencer, plus momentum on a pilot program (targeting July) being built with a Hawaii-based group that combines job-fit guidance, planning/persistence, and financial literacy.

In the flow toward the close, there was also a fun thread around Pete Tingstrom (U.S. Army LTC (Ret.); Aloha Oahu Weddings & Events / “Aloha No Ka Oi”) and his music — and he stayed connected via the chat even while he had to step out for part of the call. Which btw I listened to right afterwards and Wow! 

Here’s the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVAX4dd_w50

What a great way to end this recap right after Memorial Day. 
Mahalo Pete.

See ya’ll next week and on the directory! 

Reminder: VOB Roundtable is still every Tuesday at 9:00am HT (3:00pm ET). Casual weekly Zoom — introductions, support, and updates on what VOB is building (not a pitch session).

Respectfully,

Kevin Jackson
Co-Founder & Executive Director
Veteran-Owned Business Network