IronArch Technology
Joe Punaro, President

When we started IronArch Technology (IAT) in 2013, I realized very quickly that a “go it alone” strategy would not get us very far.  Therefore, one of my initial goals was to identify an organization that focused on providing support and mentorship to small businesses.  While there are a number of organizations in the national capital region focused on our industry, SECAF is the only one that provides tailored support for small and emerging organizations.  At around the same time, my good friend and mentor Sandy Corbett, Founder and CEO of InCadenceStrategic Solutions Corporation, encouraged me to join her for my first SECAF event.  I was immediately impressed by the organization’s profound commitment to small business and was inspired by the drive and energy of its members and joined on the spot.

Members speak the same language as a result of the shared experiences they have faced as small businesses in today’s challenging, lowest price driven, and highly competitive federal marketplace.  The partnerships and friendships that I have cultivated through SECAF have proved to be invaluable.  Because of SECAF, I now have the ability to call CEOs, COOs, and other executives to seek their counsel on critical decisions such as investments in talent, infrastructure, and resources as needed.  Our membership has provided access to influencers and mentorships that would not have otherwise been possible.  IAT has also developed strategic partnerships with many complementary businesses.  Members are typically smaller, niche players so they are more agile, flexible and mission-focused. We desire these qualities as we assemble teams to deliver solutions to our customers. 

Because of SECAF, IAT circumvented the trial and error method to establish our industry learning curve.  Instead, we have been able to tap into the collective wisdom and experience of other members as well as a plethora of other resources to guide our decision making during critical times. For example, we submitted an important question on the Contractor Advice Forums (CAF) and were immediately contacted by its lead, Jack Hughes. Jack took the time to understand our requirement and was able to offer several possible solutions for our consideration.
 
Finally, as a company in hyper-growth mode, SECAF keeps us up-to-speed on the changes (i.e. laws, regulations, and policies) we must understand and account for in the federal space.  Having this understanding – and being able to demonstrate it to our customers – has helped us strengthen these relationships and grow our footprint within the federal agencies we support. 
 
About IronArch Technology
IronArch Technology (IAT) is a verified Service-Disabled, Veteran-Owned Small Business headquartered in McLean, VA.  We are a consulting firm providing IT modernization, application and data migration, and financial management solutions to government and commercial organizations.  IAT leverages innovative methodologies, past performance, and best practices to improve service delivery while helping our clients cut costs, manage performance, and achieve efficiencies.