Pat Mack, CEO of PVM, Named 2025 South Florida Veteran Small Business Owner of the Year

St. Petersburg, FL — March 21, 2025 — The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) South Florida District Office has named Pat Mack, Founder and CEO of PVM, as the 2025 South Florida Veteran Small Business Owner of the Year. This prestigious honor recognizes Mack's innovation, resilience, and lifelong commitment to public service.

A retired Naval Officer turned entrepreneur, Mack founded PVM 15 years ago to address challenges in the command-and-control technology sector, inspired by the difficulties his fellow sailors faced daily. Under his leadership, PVM has grown from a one-man startup into a multi-million-dollar enterprise that helps public sector organizations leverage data to tackle critical challenges in public health, safety, and national security.

"I’m incredibly humbled to receive this award, and being recognized in my home state makes it even more special," said Mack. "At PVM, our mission is rooted in service, and I’m fortunate to lead a team that works tirelessly to support initiatives that truly make a difference in the world. This honor belongs to them as much as it does to me."

Mack’s commitment to service extends beyond PVM’s work with clients—he has leveraged PVM as a platform to actively contribute to his communities. Mack is dedicated to donating time and resources to various causes and mentoring small businesses. Since relocating PVM to his hometown of St. Petersburg, he has played a key role in the St. Petersburg Maritime and Defense Technology Hub, inspiring community members and empowering fellow entrepreneurs.

As a strong advocate for veterans, Mack has championed PVM’s initiatives to support transitioning service members through programs like SkillBridge and Hiring Our Heroes. His leadership has helped veterans successfully transition to civilian careers, reinforcing his dedication to those who have served.

Mack’s journey as a business owner has not been without challenges. From securing startup capital to navigating government contracting, he has faced significant hurdles. Yet, through resilience and innovation, he has transformed PVM into an AI-driven services powerhouse, delivering mission-critical solutions ranging from enhancing public health data sharing to advancing climate resilience.

"Starting a small business has been the most challenging yet rewarding journey of my life," Mack said. "There have been countless obstacles and lessons learned, but our deep commitment to our mission has kept us moving forward. Supporting critical missions in public health, safety, and national security is an honor, and I’m profoundly grateful to our incredible team, partners, and community supporters who make it all possible."

ABOUT THE AWARD

The SBA's South Florida District annual awards honor small business owners who excel in performance, community impact, and innovation. Winners demonstrate financial success through sales and profits, stimulate the local economy through job creation, and offer innovative products or services. Resilience and adaptability in overcoming challenges, along with a commitment to long-term growth and community contributions, are key factors in selecting the honorees.

ABOUT PVM

PVM delivers data services that help public sector teams unlock the power of their data for good and maximize the value of their investments in enterprise technology systems. PVM is a veteran-owned small business that was founded by a retired Naval officer out of frustration to solve the hard, data-driven problems Sailors were facing every day. Today, PVM continues to be driven by that same goal, and is focused on taking on its clients’ missions as their own to make a difference in the communities we serve. Learn more here.

For media inquiries or more information about PVM, contact Mindy Howland at mindy.howland@pvmit.com.