LEXINGTON PARK, Md. – For the third year in a row, AVIAN has been recognized as a Star Employer in the VETS Indexes Employer Awards.
This year, AVIAN earned a 4-star rating – one of the program’s highest distinctions. A 4-Star rating was awarded based on AVIAN’s strong commitment to recruiting, hiring, retaining, developing, and supporting veterans and the military-connected community.
“AVIAN has demonstrated exceptional support for veterans and the military-connected community, earning the organization one of the most prestigious awards possible in the VETS Indexes Employer Awards program,” said George Altman, president of VETS Indexes.
VETS Indexes is a leading voice on veteran employment issues, overseeing the VETS Indexes Employer Awards, hosting the twice-yearly Employing U.S. Vets Conference, unearthing unique and unprecedented data on veteran employment through the Veteran Employment Benchmarking Service, and developing custom indexes, linked to financial products, that track the performance of the publicly traded companies that have established themselves as the best employers for veterans.
“Supporting veterans has been a core value at AVIAN since our founding,” said George Franz, President and Chief Operating Officer at AVIAN. This recognition affirms our commitment to recruiting, retaining, and developing veterans, National Guard and Reserve members, and military families—individuals whose skills and experiences make our team stronger. Through initiatives like the DoD SkillBridge program and veteran-focused job fairs, we remain dedicated to helping them thrive throughout their careers.”
Founded by two U.S. Navy Test Pilots, AVIAN remains committed to maintaining and developing programs that support our nation’s veterans. Over the past year, AVIAN has expanded its strategy for support to military veterans, military spouses and military-connected individuals.
This year, a record total of 349 organizations completed and submitted surveys for the VETS Indexes Employer Awards, more than ever before! Of those participants, VETS Indexes recognized 294 organizations across the following award levels: 5 Star Employer, 4 Star Employer, 3 Star Employer, and Recognized Employer. Not every responding organization made the cut – only those that demonstrated a strong commitment to veterans, members of the National Guard and Reserves, and military spouses. Participating organizations included companies large and small, government agencies and departments, nonprofit groups, colleges, and universities.
“Even as more organizations than ever before are recognizing the uniquely valuable skills that veterans bring as employees, the efforts of AVIAN to recruit, retain, develop, and support those who served, as well as their families, stand out from the pack,” Altman said.” AVIAN is among the very best veteran employers, and its program can serve as a model for others.”
As the most objective and comprehensive evaluation of veteran employers, the VETS Indexes Employer Awards program has set a new standard in veteran employment data. VETS Indexes and its Employer Awards have been featured on CNBC, Fox Business and BNN Bloomberg, as well as military-specific outlets, including Military.com, Military Times and Stars & Stripes. This in-depth survey and recognition program analyzes employers’ policies, practices, and outcomes in detail, across the following 5 categories:
★ Veteran job candidate recruiting and hiring
★ Veteran employee development and retention
★ Veteran-inclusive company policies and culture
★ Support for members of the National Guard and Reserves
★ Military spouse/family support
For more information on the process and methodology behind the VETS Indexes Employer Awards, please click this link: https://vetsindexes.com/employer-awards-methodology. To register and participate in the upcoming 2026 VETS Indexes Employer Awards competition, please click here: https://vetsindexes.com/employer-awards/.
About AVIAN
AVIAN is a veteran and employee-owned government services small business headquartered in Lexington Park, Maryland with over 350 employees across the country.
Currently, AVIAN employs over 95 veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces and more than two dozen military connected individuals. AVIAN is a participating employer of the DoD Skillbridge program for transitioning service members and actively participates in recruiting and military support opportunities organized by The AVA Group.
AVIAN is a three-time honoree on the Inc. Best Workplaces in America list (2018, 2020, 2022) and a 10-time honoree on the Inc. 500 | 5000 lists of America’s Fastest-Growing Private Companies. AVIAN ranked No. 230 in 2010, No. 267 in 2011, No. 660 in 2012, No. 1675 in 2013, No. 2630 in 2014, No. 2417 in 2015, No. 3599 in 2016, No. 3764 in 2017, No. 4878 in 2018 and No. 4496 in 2019.
AVIAN believes talent and passion generate solutions to today’s business challenges. We understand that these characteristics thrive in a business culture that embraces innovation, creativity, and entrepreneurial spirit.
We are resourceful, responsive and reachable for our clients in program, financial, and logistics management; engineering and systems engineering; test and evaluation of manned and unmanned surface, subsurface and aerial systems; workforce development and training; communication strategy and graphic design.
About VETS Indexes: VETS Indexes is a leading voice on veteran employment issues, overseeing the VETS Indexes Employer Awards, hosting the Employing U.S. Vets Conference, unearthing unique and unprecedented data on veteran employment through the Veteran Employment Benchmarking Service, and developing custom indexes, linked to financial products, that track the performance of the publicly traded companies that have established themselves as the best employers for veterans.
The VETSX and VTRNIX indexes were created on the premise that the companies that make the best use of the highly talented, yet under-valued, talent pool that veterans represent will ultimately see a benefit to their bottom lines. The performance of the indexes has emphatically confirmed that thesis, regularly outpacing the S&P 500.
As the world’s first resource for U.S.-veteran-themed indexes, our mission is to provide innovative solutions that recognize the value created by the mission-critical mindset, unique skills, and specialized training that veterans bring to the workplace. Our mission also includes a commitment to always donate a significant portion (target of 20% and no less than 5%) of our net profits to charitable organizations that support veterans and their families.
Learn more about us at VETSIndexes.com and follow us on social media channels via LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter).
