Veteran Owned Business of the Year
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flyer that attracted Paul Mattern to a Veteran Business Owners Forum breakfast sponsored by the Nebraska Business Development Center (NBDC) in Omaha has yielded significant networking opportunities and benefitted the business he founded, 21 Delta Engineers. “I was fortunate to meet a number of people with NBDC who have become valuable resources for us,” says Mattern, a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army Reserves. “Their knowledge and tips helped turn 2011 into a very good year for us.” In military terminology, “21” is the engineer series and “Delta” signifies facility engineers. Mattern and two others serve as 21 Delta’s design and construction engineers. The company’s success has earned it the recognition of being selected NBDC’s 2011
Veteran-Owned Business of the Year. “We see the award as a great personal and professional honor,” Mattern says. “It’s like a promotion.” 21 Delta Engineers, LLC is an engineering consulting and construction company specializing in mechanical, electrical, physical and electronic security, audio visual and fire protection systems. Founded by Mattern in 2008, the company is a participant in NBDC’s Federal Contractor Certification Program. Mattern says the Omaha area is a good environment for entrepreneurial veterans and their businesses. The efforts of NBDC and its veteran-oriented support and educational programs, as well as NBDC experts such as Program Coordinator Jason Bousquet, serve to enhance and expand the marketplace, he says.
21 DELTA ENGINEERS In his role at NBDC Bousquet offers veterans the voice of experience. He spent 11 years in the U.S. Air Force before transitioning to the Air Force Reserves. He also worked two years as a financial advisor with Waddell and Reed, where he discovered the personal rewards of helping small businesses succeed. “I can ask Jason or anyone on staff at NBDC questions and they are very helpful and very nice,” Mattern says. “They are the ultimate resource. I imagine that anyone who is not actively involved in government would be lost without them.”
