In April, Hiring Our Heroes announced 5 grant recipients for the Small Business Award for Veterans & Military Spouses, an initiative that provides a one-time $10,000 grant for selected military-connected entrepreneurs, thanks to the generosity of the FedEx Founder’s Fund. Selected grant recipients displayed both business acumen as well as two key characteristics – a dedication to overcoming economic hardships and a commitment to giving back to their communities.

In our 5-part blog series, we’ll be meeting these grant recipients and learning more about the inspirational businesses that they have built and the passion that fuels them daily.

The fourth grant recipient is White Knight Labs, founded in Guys Mills, PA, with global operations.

Founded in 2016 by John Stigerwalt, White Knight Labs (WKL) is a boutique offensive cyber security consultancy specializing in red teaming, cloud penetration testing, and securing embedded medical devices. Red teaming simulates attacks to find security gaps, cloud penetration testing checks online systems for weaknesses, and securing embedded medical devices ensures things like pacemakers are safe from hackers. In 2020, John brought on Greg Hatcher as a part-time contractor, who later became the majority owner in 2023. Hatcher, a former green beret with the 5th Special Forces Group and senior communications sergeant on an ODA (Operational Detachment Alpha) with extensive combat experience, transitioned into offensive cyber operations after supporting the Hiring Our Heroes program at GE Aviation. Both John and Greg are committed to mentoring the next generation of cyber operators, exemplified by their internship program that includes eight current interns with plans to add two more this summer.

John and Greg proudly own WKL outright, having successfully self-funded its rapid growth. In 2023, they invested personally to sustain the company during a critical phase, and a standout fourth quarter ensured WKL's survival. The company has expanded into Europe and Asia, although most of its talent is US-based. WKL has grown to a team of 30 engineers, supported by a dedicated social media and marketing team. Their ability to problem-solve under pressure and quickly adapt mirrors their success in both military and business domains, ensuring WKL's continued impact and growth.

White Knight Labs contributes positively to the local economy through participation in cyber security conferences and ‘hackathons’ such as GrrCon and CloudCon. The duo is heavily involved with Misec, a community of cybersecurity professionals providing presentations, training, and outings across six chapters in Michigan. Greg serves on the Board of Computing at Grand Valley State University, ensuring cyber security and computer science curriculums remain industry relevant. He is actively involved in the West Michigan Technology Council, speaking and presenting at local Misec events. John and Greg frequently participate in podcasts to discuss the latest cyber security trends and explore technical topics in depth.

When hiring, WKL conducts rigorous technical interviews focusing on exceptional abilities such as certifications and identifying CVEs (Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures). Passion for offensive cyber security is also crucial, assessed by active involvement in the local cyber community. The duo prioritizes recruiting individuals who excel beyond their own capabilities, encouraging them to innovate by developing new tools not yet created and conducting research for their local communities. Expectations include contributing minimally with one blog post monthly and podcast participation. With strong leadership, the future of White Knight Labs has a promising future in the world of offensive cyber security.

John and Greg are thrilled to receive this $10,000 grant from the Small Business Grant Award Program in which they plan to fund two additional seats in all their courses for veterans. This will ensure that veterans will have access to valuable skills and opportunities to grow their education. They hope that one day, WKL will run competitions like these and continue to give back to veterans.

Visit FedExCares.com for additional feature stories about the other 2024 Hiring Our Heroes Small Business Award winners.

Click here to learn about FedEx Cares, our global community engagement program.

FedEx Corporation

FedEx Corporation

FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) provides customers and businesses worldwide with a broad portfolio of transportation, e-commerce and business services. With annual revenue of $88 billion, the company offers integrated business solutions through operating companies competing collectively, operating collaboratively and innovating digitally as one FedEx. Consistently ranked among the world’s most admired and trusted employers, FedEx inspires its more than 500,000 employees to remain focused on safety, the highest ethical and professional standards and the needs of their customers and communities. FedEx is committed to connecting people and possibilities around the world responsibly and resourcefully, with a goal to achieve carbon-neutral operations by 2040. To learn more, please visit fedex.com/about.

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