Chris Hale

As NaVOBA president and Vetrepreneur publisher, Chris Hale oversees all functions of NaVOBA and Vetrepreneur. Few others may be as qualified as Chris to market veteran-owned businesses to corporate America. In 2005, Chris’s observations at the National Minority Supplier Development Council’s annual convention provided the vision for the creation of NaVOBA. After seeing the strength, unity and corporate buy-in of the minority business community, he was determined to create a similar opportunity for veteran-owned businesses.


As general manager of G.I. Jobs over the past five years, Chris engineered the massive growth and influence of veteran hiring programs within corporate America. He has transformed corporate perspective on hiring veterans from one of entitlement to one of strategic advantage. The G.I. Jobs Most Military Friendly Employer list he created in 2003 flourishes today as the industry benchmark for veteran hiring practices. Fortune 1000 firms vehemently compete to earn their way on to this list and consult G.I. Jobs to help them shape veteran hiring programs.

Chris’ passion and ingenuity will enable a similar, sustainable transformation of corporate perspective on veteran-owned businesses as suppliers. His approach to earning opportunities for veteran businesses centers on making a similar, strong business case to corporate America, a different approach from what has been done by others in this community.

Upon graduation from the Naval Academy in 1991, Chris served four years as a P-3C Orion mission commander where he was selected as the VP-5 "Naval Flight Officer of the Year.” Chris then turned to recruiting, serving three years in Navy recruiting where he won national performance honors. He was awarded three Navy Commendation Medals during his eight-year Navy career and logged over 1500, flight hours in the P-3.

Upon leaving the Navy, Chris worked as a financial analyst for Point Venture Partners. In 1998, he co-founded Stars & Stripes Omnimedia, a web-based military media company. During a tenuous time for web-based firms, he executed a shift of the company’s business model to one based in traditional print and broadcast media. After Stars & Stripes Omnimedia, he gained valuable corporate experience as a manager for a Fortune 50 consumer products company.

Chris holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the U.S. Naval Academy and an MBA from Carnegie Mellon University. He has authored numerous articles and is a respected speaker and thought leader on matters related to military transition, entrepreneurship and the veterans’ small business movement. Chris sits on the Military Affairs Council of Western Pennsylvania Board of Directors and has taught entrepreneurship classes to veterans through Robert Morris University in Pittsburgh.