His commitment to this work was recognized recently by the Society of American Military Engineers (SAME) with the national Industry Small Business Advocate Award for his outstanding support of Federal small business programs. “Shawn is deserving of this award for his dedicated work as a small business advocate,” said Brig. Gen. Joseph Schroedel, PE, F.SAME, USA (Ret.), SAME Executive Director, “including his participation in and coordination of many national and regional conferences and workshops, which bring together public agencies and large and small businesses, and directly support SAME’s efforts to enhance industry-government engagement.” The honor came as no surprise to his colleagues. “Our Federal small business program, led by Shawn, is vital to the services AECOM provides our clients,” said Steve Morriss, AECOM’s president of its Design and Consulting Services (DCS) group in the Americas. “We love the small business partnerships as another way for us to play a role in shaping our industry and supporting local communities. I’m proud of how well these partnerships have worked in our Federal programs, driven by leadership, agility and client-focus.” Shawn has spent the last five years shaping AECOM’s award-winning Federal small business program for the DCS and Construction Services groups into what it is today. He is responsible for Federal compliance, reporting, and audits; conducts training and outreach; oversees mentor-protégé participation; establishes company-wide policies and procedures; and supports small business utilization across AECOM programs in various other ways. He works tirelessly to make sure the company is an industry leader in small business initiatives. Before joining the private sector, Shawn spent 10 years working with Virginia Senator John Warner. He went to work meeting with small business owners to advise the senator on small business-related legislation and initiatives. This is when his passion for small business advocacy really took hold. “Meeting with small business owners to discuss their issues made me realize they have a really tough job,” says Shawn, citing what a big risk it is to start a business. “They’re true entrepreneurs, so being able to help them realize their goals is a wonderful feeling.” Today, Shawn leverages his legislative background and understanding of Federal regulations to actively engage with the Small Business Administration, Department of Defense, and numerous industry organizations on behalf of small business issues. These businesses, he says, have a big impact on our economy as drivers of innovation and competition. At AECOM, he is passionate about connecting these businesses to the opportunities and support AECOM can provide them. “I’m very lucky to be able to do something for a living that I love.”