Company History
James M. Waller and Charles Gardner founded J. M. Waller Associates, Inc. (JMWA) in 1991. Mr. Waller, a former Naval Officer and a retired FBI agent, and Mr. Gardner a Naval Academy graduate, a retired Army officer and a professional engineer, started the company in the basement in Mr. Waller's home with one Army Corps of Engineers Norfolk District contract and emphasis on environmental and engineering consulting services. Their single goal of creating a company that puts their people first has proved a successful model.
Over the next few years the company won contracts with the Army Corps of Engineers and the Navy Ships Parts Control Center. In April of 1993, JMWA was incorporated and won its first indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contract with the Army Corps of Engineers Norfolk District. In June 1994, the Small Business Administration certified JMWA as an 8(a) minority-owned business. The next year the company won its first 8(a) contract with the Norfolk District for engineering and environmental services. In 1995, JMWA moved from Mr. Waller's home basement to its current headquarters in Burke, VA.
In 1997 JMWA won two more 8(a) contracts with the Army Corps of Engineers Louisville and Mobile Districts. These contracts led the company to open a regional office in Peachtree City, GA. The next year JMWA won contracts with Brooks Air Force Base and the US Army Training and Doctrine Command, leading the company to open a third program office in San Antonio, TX.
Over the next four years JMWA expanded its contracts to include work for: the Army Corps of Engineers Norfolk, Louisville, Tulsa and Sacramento Districts; General Services Administration; the US Army Atlanta Area Contracting Center; and Hickam Air Force Base Hawaii. By the end of 2000 the company had expanded its full-time employees to 140 people.
The year 2000 also brought changes to the ownership of JMWA. Vice Presidents Chuck Scott and Howard Warren purchased shares from Charles Gardner. The next year, 2001, Charles Gardner retired and sold his remaining shares to James Emery.
In 2002, JMWA successfully graduated from the Small Business Administration 8(a) program. Additionally, the company reorganized the corporate structure to provide services in the areas of: operational program management and execution; business development; administrative and financial management; engineering services; logistics; facility management; and environmental services.
In December of 2004, James Waller retired after 14 years with JMWA. The ownership and leadership of JMWA after his retirement included Howard Warren, Chuck Scott, and James Emery.
In 2004, JMWA won a SBA Small Business Firm of the Year award and a SBA 8(a) Graduate of the Year Award.
In 2005, JMWA became a Service Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business, with a majority of the ownership classified as service disabled veterans. Additionally, in 2006 the company entered the Small Business Administration Mentor-Protégé Program with SAIC. In this program, SAIC will help guide and mentor JMWA as it continues to grow and expand to new areas.
In 2007, Wendell Newton joined Howard Warren, Chuck Scott and James Emery as an owner.
Although JMWA is no longer a two person business being run out of a home, the company still maintains small business ideals of putting their employees first, quality customer service and exceeding client expectations.