Celebrating Veteran Entrepreneurship: NaVOBA Honors the 2026 Service-Disabled Veteran’s Business Enterprise® of the Year

NaVOBA proudly celebrated outstanding Veteran business leadership at the 2026 Service-Disabled Veteran’s Business Enterprise® of the Year Awards Ceremony, held Wednesday, July 29, during the 2026 Disability:IN Global Conference & Expo in Dallas, Texas.

The annual awards recognize Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned businesses and entrepreneurs who demonstrate excellence in business, leadership and perseverance while contributing to the continued growth and strength of the Veteran business community.

Honoring the 2026 SDVBE® of the Year

This year’s top honor was presented to Andrew Arbogast, Owner and Founder of Arbogast Foods, who was named the 2026 Service-Disabled Veteran’s Business Enterprise® of the Year.

Andrew’s journey as a Veteran entrepreneur exemplifies the determination, focus and resilience that the award was created to recognize. His leadership and commitment to building Arbogast Foods have helped establish a growing Veteran-Owned business while demonstrating what is possible when military experience, entrepreneurial vision and perseverance come together.

During the celebration, Andrew spoke candidly about the importance of staying focused through the difficult moments of entrepreneurship. His perspective resonated throughout the room and served as a powerful reminder that building a successful business rarely follows a straight path.

NaVOBA is proud to recognize Andrew and Arbogast Foods for their achievements and looks forward to seeing what comes next.

Celebrating the 2026 “We Love” Honorees

NaVOBA also recognized two exceptional Veteran business leaders as 2026 SDVBE® We Love honorees:

Jack Smith, Chief Executive Officer of Fortuna BMC, was celebrated for his leadership, entrepreneurial drive and commitment to building a successful Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned business.

David Iacarella, Owner and President of TALENT Healthcare Staffing Services, Inc., was recognized for his accomplishments as a Veteran entrepreneur and his continued dedication to business excellence.

Jack joined Andrew in sharing reflections on the challenges that come with entrepreneurship and the importance of remaining focused when the path forward becomes difficult. Their openness offered an authentic look at the perseverance behind successful Veteran-Owned businesses.

Passing the Torch

The ceremony also recognized Brandon Hlavka, President and CEO of JEMNI Inc., the 2025 Service-Disabled Veteran’s Business Enterprise® of the Year.

Bringing together past and present honorees underscored something at the heart of NaVOBA’s mission: these awards are about more than recognizing individual accomplishments. They are about building a community of Veteran entrepreneurs who can learn from one another, create new opportunities and help strengthen the Veteran business ecosystem.

A Celebration of Community

What stood out most throughout the reception was the energy and genuine sense of community in the room.

NaVOBA and our honorees received a warm welcome and introduction from Disability:IN’s Cami Turcotte, helping set the stage for an evening centered on achievement, perseverance and connection.

Hearing Andrew and Jack speak so openly about remaining focused, even when the path was difficult, was a powerful reminder of what Veteran entrepreneurship represents. The skills developed through military service—resilience, adaptability, leadership and determination—continue to make an impact long after service ends.

We’re grateful to everyone who joined us in Dallas to celebrate Andrew, Jack, David and Brandon and to support the continued growth of Veteran-Owned businesses.

Most importantly, congratulations once again to Andrew Arbogast and Arbogast Foods, the 2026 Service-Disabled Veteran’s Business Enterprise® of the Year.

NaVOBA is proud to recognize the businesses and leaders who continue to demonstrate the value Veteran entrepreneurs bring to America’s economy, and we look forward to celebrating even more of their successes in the years ahead.