Accredited with the international standard (AS9100) for aerospace engineering, BLACKHAWK was named the best in Region VI, which is made up of Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas.

BLACKHAWK was honored along with nine other finalists during a recent luncheon hosted by the SBA at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington.

“Being recognized by the SBA on a national level may not have happened unless Boeing believed in us when they said we should go for the AS9100 certification,” said BLACKHAWK President and CEO Linda Moorehead.

Russ Carroll, director of Boeing Space Exploration Supplier Management & Procurement, strongly suggested that the Houston-based contractor pursue AS 9100 certification even though it was immersed in the demanding process of earning an ISO 9001 credential.

"Everyday, a small business like Blackhawk brings innovation and cost effective solutions to its customers," said Carroll. "Linda Moorhead and her team worked hard to earn this award. Boeing Space Exploration truly values the Blackhawk team, and the company extends our congratulations in receiving this prestigious award from the Small Business Administration."

BLACKHAWK was awarded its AS 9100 certified Quality Management System in 2006 by the certification company Det Norske Veritas after the required audit. A member of the Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership, BLACKHAWK was recertified again this year.

Certified as a Small Disadvantaged Business by the Small Business Administration, the woman-owned BLACKHAWK is AS 9100-certified at its offices in Wall Township, N.J.; Richardson, Texas; and Houston, home of the corporate headquarters.

Moorehead said she shares the regional award with those in the Small Business Administration who have helped her since she took over the company in 2003 with their support and expertise.

“What makes all of this possible is the way our government is set up to support small businesses,” said Moorehead. “It is truly a blessing that we live in a country where our government cares about and plans for our success.”

BLACKHAWK has 240 employees at nine operating sites across the United States, Iraq and Afghanistan.

BLACKHAWK’s customers -- from the Air Force and Army to NASA and its prime contractors -- benefit in the AS 9100-certified areas of:

• Engineering design, development, manufacture and delivery of products and services;
• Procurement and subcontract management;
• Information technology; and,
• Program office support and analysis and operational support for vanishing vendor solutions in the aerospace and Department of Defense industries.

BLACKHAWK's mission statement, "With The Eye Of A Hawk, We Understand The Need and Tailor The Solution," refers to the vision and intensity that BLACKHAWK brings to accomplishing customer expectations.