CEO Ray Lopez and ESN, Inc. Named Finalists for Executive of the Year and Contractor of the Year of Greater Washington Government Contractor Awards
CEO Ray Lopez and Engineering Services Network (ESN) Named Finalists for Executive of the Year and Contractor of the Year of Greater Washington Government Contractor Awards™
ARLINGTON, Va., Sept. 18, 2012 – Retired Navy Cmdr. Raymond F. Lopez, Jr., Chief Executive Officer of Engineering Services Network, Inc. (ESN), and his engineering and technology solutions company, which provides services to the DoD and other federal agencies, are finalists in the two top categories of the prestigious Greater Washington Government Contractor Awards.™
- Ray Lopez is a finalist for Executive of the Year.
- ESN as a finalist for Contractor of the Year in the $25-75 million category.
Presented annually, “the awards honor the leadership, innovation and commitment to excellence of the individuals and businesses in the region’s government contracting sector,” officials say. The winners will be announced Nov. 1 in Washington, D.C., at an evening gala, dubbed the “Academy Awards of Government Contracting.”
“I am humbled to be even considered for this recognition!” said CEO Ray Lopez. “These folks and companies have given their all to insure our Warfighters and this Nation provide for the defense of our Homeland and Freedom of the oppressed. Just to be included with such outstanding Citizens proves the American Dream is still there for all of us.”
Based in Arlington, VA, ESN specializes in providing best-in-industry, end-to-end IT solutions, program management support, engineering services, as well as financial management consulting for federal agencies.
After serving 29 years in the Navy, Ray Lopez founded ESN in 1995 with a single $25,000 purchase order. Today, ESN’s revenues have reached $51.2 million with 260 employees throughout the U.S. and Japan.
ESN has grown rapidly, turning that $25,000 purchase order with the Navy into a $51.2 million company in 2011 with various customers. Ray Lopez has applied his naval experience in leadership, military can-do spirit and hard-work ethics to inspire and lead his 260 employees – many of them (38%) military veterans – to consistently work together as a team with ESN customers.
Today, ESN stands proud with revenues that have soared by an impressive 46.9% – from $34.8 million in 2010 to $51.2 million in 2011. Ray Lopez’ efforts to grow his company tell a remarkable business success story. In three years, ESN’s revenues more than doubled, from $25 million in 2009 to $51.2 million in 2011.
Headquartered in Arlington, VA, ESN was 8(a) certified in 1998, grew rapidly and retains its service-disabled veteran-owned status today. Fueling the growth is ESN’s reputation as a leader in engineering and IT and Ray Lopez’ determination to grow ESN’s customer base from the Navy to other federal agencies.
ESN has grown organically by looking beyond its original Navy customer base. ESN has provided solutions and services to the Department of Defense, Veterans Affairs, Army, Air Force, Marine Corps, Military Sealift Command and Health and Human Services Department. By 2011, Veterans Affairs work represented 42% of ESN’s business and the Air Force 13%.
ESN experienced robust contract awards in 2011. In 2011 ESN began work on a five-year, $38 million contract with the Air Force for “Information Technology (IT) Consolidation Services” at Hill Air Force Base, Utah. ESN provides base-wide network, desktop and server support to Hill AFB, an Air Force
Materiel Command (AFMC) base. ESN was selected as one of 16 awardees of the $400 million Army Information Technology Solutions-Small Business (ITS-SB) IDIQ contract. ESN also won a $4.2 million VistA Financials Annual Enhancements contract to improve how the Department of Veterans Affairs tracks costs and manages claims and billing for its health system.
ESN has a large company reach with a small business touch, resulting in an employee retention rate of 95% in 2011 – and 91% in the last decade, surpassing industry average. Just as it stands “Shoulder to Shoulder”© with its customers, ESN does the same with its employees. That top-down philosophy from Ray Lopez has developed employee loyalty – just as it has customer loyalty.
“ESN’s success in delivering timely well developed products lies in their ability to hire and retain knowledgeable personnel. Consistently, ESN personnel demonstrate their dedication to understanding the government’s requirement before starting to develop a solution,” Christopher Rinaldi, DoD SBIR/STTR Program Administrator, said in the GovCon nomination.
In addition, ESN has a longstanding commitment to the community, sharing its resources and success over the years. ESN has donated well over $100,000 to worthwhile programs, including awarding 25 college scholarships close to $30,000 and by helping young people gain firsthand defense experience.
But the company’s beginnings were tenuous.
With a mere $25,000 purchase order to start, Ray Lopez began his federal contracting business by working at “O-dark-30,” which is a Navy term meaning pitch black outside. He hit the streets of Crystal City, VA, and canvassed the halls of Navy buildings and military bases marketing his new company. His wife, Carol, served as secretary, HR chief and financial adviser. For the first two years, Ray Lopez worked on four hours of sleep a day.
Ray Lopez credits his success to expanding ESN’s core customer base and to strategic planning, an attribute he honed by coaching high school football in his free time, and leading and preparing men and women to serve their country through both the easy and hard times while in the U.S. Navy. Ray Lopez is always inspiring others to “reach for the stars.”
His vision was to create a different company, defying conventional business management stereotypes that sometimes create rough seas for employees. He empowers his employees to sail their own independent courses, while maintaining ESN’s strategic focus.
His belief that the definition of professionalism is “self-management” – coupled with the fact that “most folks want to do what’s right” – has moved ESN continually forward. ESN promotes a culture that embraces collaboration and diversity while supporting work-life balance. Employees are encouraged to reach their full potential, and Ray wants every employee to be able to say: “I chose the right company. I’m valued. I’m rewarded. I’m recognized. I enjoy my work.”
More on the GovCon Finalist of the Year can be found at: http://www.fairfaxchamber.org/council-govcon/govcon-awards-winners/
About Engineering Services Network, Inc. (ESN)
ESN is a trusted leader in engineering and technology solutions. For more than a decade, ESN has been proudly standing “shoulder to shoulder” with its military and government customers, delivering critical services for missions that matter. ESN provides services in several key areas: information technology and health IT, engineering and technical support; strategic and program management; testing and evaluation; and operations support.
Based in Arlington, VA, ESN has regional and field offices throughout the U.S. and worldwide. Founded in 1995, ESN is ISO 9001:2008 certified and has achieved CMMI® ML 2 for Development Version 1.2. ESN customers include the VA, U.S. Navy, U.S. Army, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Marine Corps, Military Sealift Command, Department of Health and Human Services and other federal agencies. ESN is a service-disabled veteran-owned small business (SDVOSB).
For more information, please visit ESN at esncc.com.
For the last five years, ESN has ranked among the Inc. 5000 list of fastest growing private businesses in the U.S., and among the Top 500 Hispanic-owned companies in the country. In 2010, the Federal Times ranked ESN No. 53 among the contracting firms owned by service-disabled veterans that are contracting with the federal government.
ESN is ISO 9001:2008 certified and has achieved CMMI® ML 2 for Development Version 1.2.
