About

Matthew Pavelek serves as the President and Chief Executive Officer for the National Veteran-Owned Business Association. Pavelek previously served as NaVOBA’s VP of Communications and also as the Executive Editor for Vetrepreneur magazine.

NaVOBA is a 501(c)(3) whose mission is to create corporate contracting opportunities for America’s Veteran’s and Service-Disabled Veteran’s Business Enterprises (VBEs/SDVBEs) through certification, advocacy, outreach, recognition and education.

Pavelek has been quoted as an expert source in myriad media including, but not limited to: The Wall Street Journal, MSNBC.com, The Asbury Park Press, and Crain’s Business. He’s also been a panelist in various national conferences including the National Veterans Small Business Conference and Expo and the Diversity Alliance for Science.

Pavelek served as an infantryman in the U.S. Army and has written extensively about the federal government’s progress to achieve its goal of spending three percent of contract dollars with firms owned by service-disabled, veteran-owned small businesses as outlined by Public Law 106-50.

In addition, Pavelek has spearheaded NaVOBA’s State Tracker program that has assisted and covered the passage of vetrepreneur-friendly legislation in more than 35 states across the country as well as new programs at the local city and county government levels. Pavelek also served as an instructor of communication, journalism, and public speaking courses for the University of Kentucky and Eastern Kentucky University and has also taught for Point Park University.