THE VETERAN EDGE

"The specialized skills Veterans possess are enhanced by the integrity and passion they inject into each professional interaction and work product. This invaluable blend of know-how and commitment is ingrained in Gritter Francona’s services, as we work to serve our clients in the same manner we served our country. That is The Veteran Edge.”
(Cory Gritter - Founder & President)

TRUSTED BY

CAPABILITIES

CYBER SECURITY & IT

Our cyber security teams help clients protect their most precious information and knowledge assets through full-lifecycle cybersecurity support including, but not limited to SOC support; vulnerability, framework, and web application assessments; penetration testing; and red teaming. Our IT professionals provide full-service information technology services for the Agile Software Development Life Cycle.  We help clients understand user requirements, integrate technology with functional processes, develop use cases and manage the strategic and tactical deployment of enterprise architectures from design to implementation (DEVOPS).

PROCESS DESIGN & IMPROVEMENT

Gritter Francona’s process design and improvement practice provides our clients with a range of process improvement methodologies and tools tailored to their specific needs. Our tailored approach includes: 1) Current state process mapping targeted for organizations which have never documented their processes, 2)Standard business process reengineering (BPR) which includes determination of end-state process goals, mapping of as-is processes, process gap analysis, to-be process design and implementation planning and 3) Lean Six Sigma (LSS) process design and improvement led by Gritter Francona certified LSS black belts using industry-recognized LSS tools and techniques.

PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT & DECISION SUPPORT

Gritter Francona uses our proprietary front end analysis performance management methodology and tools to help organizations consistently achieve quantifiable results and outcomes. Our methodology helps our clients link goals to requirements and requirements to solutions with a corresponding set of performance measures and targets to effectively implement and control performance across mission areas.  Our methodology can be applied to strategic planning, process improvement, organizational design, change management and information technology initiatives and can be integrated with a variety of decision-support applications for data visualization, management dashboard development and deep organizational analytics.

STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS

We work with clients to identify their brand and provide strategic communications plans that promote, inform, and engage audiences to meet and/or exceed marketing and communication goals.

HUMAN CAPITAL, CHANGE MANAGEMENT, & TRAINING

Gritter Francona’s human capital, change management and training practice helps our clients identify, develop and utilize their people to consistently support and achieve their missions.  Our capabilities include position description development, recruiting, retention and employee development services, organizational structure design, development of service level agreements and customer satisfaction consulting.  These capabilities are integrated with comprehensive change management plan development and training services to help our clients develop the understanding, willingness and ability to effectively change.

HISTORY OF THE FIRM

Gritter Francona began in January 2013 as a part of the Walter Reed Wounded Warrior Mentoring Program (WWMP) under the mentoring of long-time partner, Booz Allen Hamilton. As part of the program, Cory Gritter, a United States Marine Corps (USMC) veteran was mentored by Carl Salzano, then an executive with Booz Allen Hamilton. While Cory was recovering at Walter Reed Medical Center from injuries sustained in combat, he completed internships working in the network security operation centers at both Booz Allen Hamilton and the USMC. The firm started on the premise that significant opportunity exists to harness the unique and diverse skills possessed by Veterans. Today, GF employs almost 60 staff across our portfolio of contracts. This team is singularly focused on making GF’s clients successful through creative and innovative services that meet current goals while anticipating future needs.

CORE VALUES

Be Honest in all our business dealings

Treat everyone with respect

Create with excellence and execute with integrity

Put our clients' interests before our own

Cory Gritter

Founder & President

Cory Gritter is the Founder and President of Gritter Francona, Inc. Cory leads all day-to-day operations for the company. Cory holds numerous cyber security certifications and leads the firm’s cyber and network engineering line of business. As a cyber security expert, he has supported operations and business activities for organizations such as the US Marine Corps, Veterans Administration, US Secret Service, US Cyber Command. Cory is a decorated veteran of the Afghanistan campaign where he led Marine scout sniper units in combat missions. Cory holds a 100% service-disabled rating from wounds received in combat operations. Cory hails from Holland, Michigan and is a diehard Wolverines fan.

Rich Burke

Chief Operating Officer

Rich Burke serves as Gritter Francona’s Chief Operating Officer and also leads the Cyber Security & IT business line. Burke is an innovative business leader and national/homeland security professional with expertise gained during a distinguished 25+ year private sector and government career. Burke’s previous experience includes service as a sales and operations executive with two large government contractors and a DC based small business where he led and managed the delivery, sales, and growth of a professional services and managed security cyber business through the sale to a Fortune 500 company. Burke’s public sector experience includes 8 plus years with the Dept of Homeland Security, where he was a member of the Senior Executive Service (SES) and led planning and crisis management operations across all homeland missions, including anti-terrorism, disaster response, borders/immigration, and cyber. Burke also served in the Marine Corps as a judge advocate and logistician and retired after 23 years of service on active duty and in the reserves. Burke holds a BA from Colgate University, a Master’s Degree in National Security Strategy from the National War College, and a Juris Doctor from Suffolk University Law School.  

Jay Blackwell

Vice President

Jay Blackwell leads the firm’s Human Capital, Change Management & Training business line. Jay is an Army Veteran and seasoned program manager with over 30 years experience working in support of Department of Defense organizations. His team supports customers with personnel management initiatives, leader development training, disability case management, safety program management, training and curriculum development and force structure redesign. Jay and his team have assisted Army leaders manage significant personnel and organizational redesign efforts while building personnel management reporting and decision-making tools. Jay’s current focus is developing leader training and leadership development programs. Prior to joining Gritter Francona, he spent 12 years as co-founder and leader of another Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business, specializing in support to DoD organizations. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina.

Keith Phillips

Vice President

Keith Phillips is a Vice President at Gritter Francona and leads the firm’s Process Design & Improvement and Performance Management & Decision Support business lines.  Keith brings over thirty years of private and public sector consulting experience and is a recognized expert in process improvement, performance management, organizational design, change management and technology integration.  He began his career as a General Motors engineer before transitioning into management consulting.  His consulting career includes positions at RWD Technologies, SAIC, Booz Allen Hamilton, Atlas Research and Prometheus Federal Services.  During his private-sector consulting career, he led projects with ALCOA, Boeing, Chrysler, Corning, Dow, Exxon, Ford, Mobil, Nissan, Toyota and Xerox.  During his federal consulting career, he has led strategic engagements with the Air Force, Army, DISA, DLA, FAA , FEMA, GSA, HUD, NASA, Navy, OPM , OSD and VA.  He holds a B.S. in Manufacturing Engineering from Western Carolina University and a M.S. in Manufacturing and Operations Management from the General Motors Engineering and Management Institute (GMI).  He is also a certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt and ISO 9000 Lead Auditor.


Katie Mollet

Director - Administration

Katie Mollet is the Employee Relations Director for Gritter Francona. She has been with the firm since 2015. Her passion is helping others and she strives to deliver the utmost support to GF employees. In addition to supporting the staff and leadership team, she leads recruiting efforts for the firm. Before GF, Katie served as a Public Affairs Officer at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (WRNMMC) and Wounded Warrior Programs Event Coordinator.  Katie holds a bachelor’s degree from University of Kentucky. She now resides in her hometown of Montgomery County, Maryland with her husband and two children.


Nick Francona

Founder

Nick Francona is one of the co-founders of Gf, launching the firm with Cory in 2013. Previously, Nick served as a Ground Intelligence Officer in the United States Marine Corps and led a Scout Sniper platoon during a combat deployment to Afghanistan. Nick has been a frequent guest speaker about veterans' advocacy and ethical leadership. Nick holds a Bachelors of Science in Economics from the Wharton School University of Pennsylvania and is currently a law student at Suffolk University Law School in Boston, MA. Nick holds various cyber security and risk assessment and mitigation certifications. Nick has since decided to pursue other career opportunities, but stays close to company management, continuing to look for opportunities to support veterans.

Vandana Katti

Director, Data Architecture

Vandana Katti is a Project Manager at Gritter Francona. She leads the Veterans Service Network Operations and Maintenance contract for Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA). She has been with VBA since 2007 and is responsible for delivering payments for compensation, pension, education, home loan guaranty, insurance, veteran readiness and employment and transition assistance programs. The projects she supports deliver payments to 6.5 million Veterans and beneficiaries and is one the most critical processes in VBA. Vandana has over 20 years of extensive experience as a project manager, senior data architect and a developer managing large scale VBA contracts.

Prior to working with VBA, Vandana worked for Verizon, MCI, Thomson Financial Corporations. Vandana holds a Computer Science Engineering degree.

Corey Longberger

Director, Business Analysis & Architecture

Corey Lonberger leads the firm in Business Analysis, Architecture, and Documentation business line. Corey is a Marine Corps Veteran and experienced project manager with a combined total of 10 years between Information Technology and Research services within the Veterans Health Administration. His team supports customers with requirements development and management, business process architecture, process tooling support, and business analysis services. Corey’s current development focus is on applying low-code applications and process automations to improve services and results within customer operations. Prior to joining Gritter Francona, Corey spent 7 years within Boston’s Veterans Health Administration Research Service, providing project management and Institutional Review Board operational support. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Biological Psychology, and a Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations from Pennsylvania State University.

Maria Harmon

Director, Software Engineering

Maria Harmon is a Senior Software Engineer at Gritter Francona and leads a Technical Project Team.  Her 25+ years of technical expertise has crossed between the Veterans Administration (both VHA and VBA)and the private sector. While in the private sector, her business acumen crossed many business lines (power plant engineering at Black & Veatch, financial services at Saloman Brothers, technical at IBM, cyber security at Spirion, ratings at Nielsen Media and payment processing at Tenerum).  Her strengths include analysis and design, software engineering and collaboration.  She is dedicated to mentoring and goal achievement and is a great problem solver. Maria obtained a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and a minor in Mathematics.  During her graduating year at university, she won the Outstanding Computer Science Award.  She strives to stay active with walking, occasional tennis and biking, and loves indoor soccer (former player). Indoor interests, beyond technical and computers, are puzzles and piano. Maria holds veterans close to her heart with her husband being a Navy Veteran and her father having been a veteran who served during WWII in the Army.

Jason Elliott

Director, Software Development

Jason Elliott serves as a Senior Software Developer for Gritter Francona.  Jason has roughly 20 years of software developer experience and the last 13 years have been in support of multiple VA programs. Before joining the Gritter Francona team in 2021, Jason held positions with Northrop Grumman, CACI International, and SAIC.  He has served as a Software Development Manager, Lead Developer, as well as Senior Software Developer during his career.  Most of his career has been spent supporting projects within the VA and the National Cemetery Association - primarily VA Benefits and Memorials.  He holds a B.S. in Computer Science from the University of Pittsburgh and a M.S in Engineering Management from Robert Morris University.

CONTRACTS

Contract Number: 
Blanket Purchase Agreement 70QS0120A00000007

Period Covered by Contract: 
9 April 2020 through 8 April 2025

Description:
Provides various cyber security assessments on behalf of the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency(CISA).

Information Technology Category (formerly IT-70)

Contract Number: 
GS-35F-482GA

Period Covered: 
7 June 2017 - 6 June 2022

Services Provided:
- 54151S
Information Technology Professional Services
- 54151
Highly Adaptive Cybersecurity Services (HACS)
- 611420
Information Technology Training

Contract Number:
GS-35F-0588W

Period Covered:  
12 August 2010 - 11 August 2025

Services Provided:
- 54151S Information Technology Professional Services

Professional Service Category

Contract Number:
47QRAA19D0065

Period Covered by Contract: 21 March 2019 through 20 March 2024

Services Provided:
- 541611 (Mgmt & Financial Consulting, Acquisition & Grants Support, Business & Program Mgmt Support)
- 541-4A Market Research and Analysis
- 541-4F Commercial Art and Graphic Design Services

Health IT SIN

HHS ORR Influx Care Facilities Services IDIQ
Our team partners with Acuity International in support of Health and Human Services Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) to provide assistance for Influx Care Facilities (ICF) across the country. This comprehensive project offers services to ICF sites including direct care and facilities support for unaccompanied children transferred from Border Patrol facilities. Awarded on March 7, 2023, this contract period of performance is five years with five option years.

US Army Reserve Command Physical Examination Services
Gritter Francona supports Acuity International to provide health services to the US Army Reserve Command. The Gritter Francona team provides occupational health nursing guidance, counseling, and education to employees and supervisors on examinations, screening, medical documentation and follow-up examination requirements. Services also include collecting, reviewing, and auditing physical exams performed including the input of medical data for employees in the Electronic Heath Records (EHR) portals. This project has a base year and four one-year option periods.

Gritter Francona has partner access to this is Multiple Award, Indefinite-DeGritter Francona is partnered with Pool 1 and Pool 3 companies. OASIS SB is designed to address agencies’ need for a full range of service requirements that integrate multiple professional service disciplines and ancillary services/products with the flexibility for all contract types and pricing at the task order level.livery, Indefinite-Quantity (MA-IDIQ) contract to provide information technology (IT) services and IT services-based solutions which may include the integration of ancillary support which is necessary and integral to the IT services being acquired.

Gritter Francona has partner access to this is Multiple Award, Indefinite-Delivery, Indefinite-Quantity (MA-IDIQ) contract to provide information technology (IT) services and IT services-based solutions which may include the integration of ancillary support which is necessary and integral to the IT services being acquired.

Gritter Francona is part of the Trilogy Federal, LLC team that provides healthcare and professional consulting services to the VHA.  The support under potential task orders include, but are not limited to, the following areas: high reliability organization, electronic health records management, healthcare modernization and transformation, financial management business transformation in a healthcare setting, healthcare human resources, healthcare regulatory compliance, healthcare analytics, mental health and suicide prevention, access to care, and population health.

Gritter Francona has partner access to Service Group 1 (Management & Improvement) and 2 (Analysis) for this department-wide IDIQ contract to support program offices in order to accomplish VA’s mission and strategic goals, priorities, and initiatives.

Gritter Francona has partner access to this Government-wide Acquisition Contract (GWAC), which is the only GWAC exclusively set aside for SDVOSB, that is designed to meet a variety of diverse agency IT requirements, including new and emerging technologies.

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