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Mike Sabellico Bio

Mike Sabellico is a versatile executive management professional.  He possesses over twenty-five years of diverse work experience in leading programs, managing multimillion dollar budgets and assets, and improving quality and processes.  Mike is a twenty year veteran of the US Coast Guard (USCG) with several Command Cadre tours.  During his time with the Coast Guard, Mike gained a significant amount of experience in Maritime and Emergency Response, ranging from Search and Rescue and Maritime counter smuggling efforts to hurricane and natural disaster response.  He has hands on executive experience from both a planning and actual operations perspective.  After leaving the Coast Guard, he managed a robust business development program for a San Diego based defense contractor with offices throughout the US.  He left that company in 2010 to launch Vanguard Global Solutions, a Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business specializing in Homeland Security, Emergency Preparedness, and specialized business consulting focusing on marketing, growth strategy, certifications, and sales.

Mike is a hands-on program manager with an impressive ability to coalesce diverse technical and management skill sets within a team environment to achieve desired results.  His government contracting experience in multiple industries provides an exceptional understanding and knowledge base into the challenges faced by small business owners entering government contracting.   Mike’s working knowledge of entering and maintaining a federal government contracting space combined with a team of exceptional professionals provides Vanguard Global Solutions a competitive advantage in the consulting business.

Mike was a consultant at the Orange County Small Business Development Center in Santa Ana, California from 2010 until recently.  He was a valuable asset to his clients at the Orange County SBDC, providing a wealth of experience in the areas of procurement, government contracting, and networking. He belongs to several defense industry associations and has built an impressive network within the Department of Defense and Department of Homeland Security communities in the Southern California. He fosters a strong sense of collaboration with many local organizations including the Procurement Technical Assistance Centers and State procurement offices in the region, referring clients and working collaboratively to address their needs.

Mike was recently named as the new Executive Director  for the Disabled Veteran Business Alliance (DVBA).  The DVBA formed in 1994 following the establishment of the Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE) program by the California legislature in 1989. The California DVBE program set a 3% goal for DVBE participation in state contracts for goods and services. It also required eligible DVBEs to obtain certification of their capabilities by the state’s Department of General Services before they could participate in the program.

Mike was selected as the Orange County/Inland Empire Small Business Development Center (SBDC) network’s recipient of the 2013 State Star Award. The State Star award is presented annually to an outstanding staff member from each SBDC network from across the country that shows a strong commitment to small business success and makes a significant contribution to their regional SBDC program.  Over the years, Sabellico has shared his experience and provided expert guidance in the areas of procurement strategy, certification, marketing, networking and government contracting. His assistance has led clients to be awarded over $48.8 million in contracts, $22 million in increased sales, and to create and retain 558 jobs.

Recently, Mike was selected to receive the 2014 Veteran Small Business Champion of the Year Award from the U.S. Small Business Administration, Santa Ana District Office.  Sabellico was nominated for the award by Leila Mozaffari, Director of the Orange County Small Business Development Center (SBDC), in recognition of his efforts serving the veteran business community as a mentor, consultant, and volunteer.

Mike is a native of Suffield, CT. He graduated from the United States Coast Guard Academy in 1987 with a Bachelors of Science degree in Government and from the University of Phoenix in 2013 with his Master’s in Business Administration. He currently lives in Carlsbad, CA with his wife, Kathryn, and sons Shawn and Kevin.