CSA Fills Out Leadership Positions

At its summer meeting in Colorado Springs, the Executive Committee for the Contract Services Association (CSA) elected the following individuals to the CSA Board of Directors:

Larry Barazza, co-founder and President of SYMVIONICS, Inc. Headquartered in Arcadia, CA, SYMVIONICS, Inc. has won over 150 contracts since its founding in 1988, providing products and support services to the Department of Defense. In October 1999, the company made the prestigious Inc. 500 list, sponsored by Inc. Magazine, which recognized it as the 135th fastest-growing privately held company in America. SYMVIONICS also was recognized as the 162nd largest Hispanic-owned business in the nation, and is very proud to sit on the USAF Minority Business Council sponsored by the Air Force Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization. In 1998, Mr. Barraza was honored both nationally and regionally by the Small Business Administration as a Minority Small Business Person of the Year. In 1997, SYMVIONICS received a very high honor - the DOD’s prestigious Nunn-Perry Award. This national award, given biennially, recognizes outstanding program performance of Mentor-Protégé teams formed under the DOD Pilot Mentor-Protégé Program.

Ms. Roberta Carver is the founder, owner, President and Chief Executive Officer of FOUR WINDS Services, Inc., which provides various types of contracting services to military and Government Installations nationwide. Incorporated in Oklahoma in 1991, FOUR WINDS is an 8(a) certified, woman-owned business. FOUR WINDS sales went from $44,328 in 1992 to over $14 million by the end of 2000. With the knowledge Ms. Carver acquired satisfying customers in the Department of Transportation (DOT) and Department of Defense (DOD), she has developed and trained Project Managers to exceed the required standards. FOUR WINDS has become a leader in the Small Business community. It has, because of its size, continued to shift to new business fields. Not only has FOUR WINDS sought partnership relationships with major corporations, but it has responded to prime contractors' needs for a reliable subcontracting firm.

George Toyama is the president and founder of General Trades & Services, Inc. GTS, founded in 1999, presently employs 45 people, and does business as a subcontractor for various general contractors, and as a prime contractor for the Federal government. GTS is a certified 8(a), Small Disadvantaged, Viet Nam Era Veteran Owned Business. Mr. Toyama has received awards for the 2004 Minority Small Business Advocate of the Year from the City and County of Honolulu, the 2004 Outstanding Minority Business Advocate from the Minority Business Development Center-Honolulu, and the City and County of Honolulu Award of Merit, in recognition of his support and promotion of all small businesses.

Robert D. Vincent is Executive Vice President for VW International, Inc. where his duties include operations management and maintenance, engineering and contract negotiations for VW International, Inc. He also serves as Chief Financial Officer where his duties include management of all of the business financial concerns. Mr. Vincent has over twelve years experience as a Contract and Project Manager on numerous projects for VW International Inc. He has extensive experience in all aspects of project management including proposal preparation, cost analysis, and resource management and scheduling. He was directly responsible for the negotiations and transitions for multiple operations and maintenance contracts for the Army and Air Force. He has successfully negotiated with two different unions at multiple sites.

For more information, go to the CSA website at www.csa-dc.org

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CSA is the nation’s oldest and largest association of service contractors representing over 200 companies that provide a wide array of services to Federal, state, and local governments.  CSA members perform over $40 billion in Government contracts and employ nearly 500,000 workers, with two-thirds of CSA companies using private sector union labor.  CSA members represent the diversity of the government services industry and include small businesses, 8(a)-certified companies, small disadvantaged businesses, women-owned, HubZone, Native American owned firms and global multi-billion dollar corporations.  CSA promotes Excellence in Contracting by offering significant professional development opportunities for government contractors and government employees, including the only program manager certification program for service contractors.  For more information on CSA, go to:  www.csa-dc.org.