The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has named Flags of Valor the 2019 Dream Big Awards Veteran-Owned Business of the Year. This extraordinary honor, presented on October 16, 2019, at the Dream Big Gala -- a special event during the CO-Summit in Washington, D.C.
The Veteran-Owned Business Achievement Award is presented to a business that has attained outstanding business achievement and exemplifies contributions made by veteran-owned businesses in the country. Flags of Valor was chosen amongst three finalists and many hundreds of applicants for this distinct honor.
Tom Sullivan, U.S. Chamber vice president of small business policy, said, "The Dream Big Awards celebrate the very best in American small business -- the innovators, risk-takers, dreamers, and doers who contribute to our country's growth and prosperity."
That contribution is precisely what we at Flags of Valor strive for daily. We wake up every morning determined to serve our fellow veterans and the nation we love by putting more veterans to work and continuing to grow veteran powered American manufacturing.
Our company is veteran-owned and veteran-operated. Our wooden American flags are handmade by combat veterans. In the four years since we began operating, Flags of Valor has employed 60 combat veterans and fulfilled the demand for over 93,000 hours of American Veteran Manufacturing Labor.
Our proudest achievement, however, has been our ability to raise over $1,045,000 for Veteran and First Responder Charities. Raising money for charities that strive to support and provide for our nation's heroes, much like we have been able to, is the driving force behind our business. We want nothing more than to continue to grow and contribute to the nation's economy with our handcrafted products, but what gets us out of bed each morning is the deep-seated need to give back. We will never stop raising funds to contribute to veteran and public service charities.
It is a great honor to have our efforts recognized and to be granted the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Veteran-Owned Business Achievement Award.
We hope that this recognition will attract even more supporters to help Flags of Valor continue our mission of remembering, employing, and empowering our heroes.
Brian Steorts (Center Left) and Joe Shamess (Center Right) receiving the award on behalf of Team FOV.
