In 2002, GKG began as an HR and Executive Search company supporting the federal government. Through meticulous planning and building, our team has the most knowledgeable professionals in the industry. GKG has evolved into a trusted, agile, and customer-focused professional services company. We have expanded to offer a breadth and depth of services dedicated to helping the government address strategic, organizational and operational needs.
GKG’s talented team includes a multitude of former federal employees, including a cadre of Senior Executive Service professionals. Our team also consists of retired flag officers and other high-level staff officers from across the DoD.
As individuals and a corporate family, our core values define us. GKG LIFE means Leadership, Integrity, Family, and Excellence. We show Leadership internally and across our industry, do everything with Integrity, treat each other as Family, and demand Excellence from ourselves and others.
GKG’s headquarters are in Reston, VA with offices in Rockville, MD, Landover, MD, Elizabethtown, KY, and Montgomery, AL. Our 20,000 square foot Shared Services facility in Landover opened in 2021, and processes thousands of federal HR actions per month with the bandwidth to do more.
GKG brings not only a wealth of knowledge from real-world experience, but an innovative and new way of thinking. We are leaders in remote work, return-to-work, and hybrid work strategies. We understand the evolution happening among employees, and strategize the best ways for organizations to be effective, while attracting and retaining talent.
Like many great things, the plans for GKG started on the back of a napkin. The idea, of course, evolved and GKG set up shop in CEO Gretchen McCracken’s basement on May 2, 2002.
In 2007, GKG received its first Prime contract award to support the Environment Protection Agency (EPA). We would go on to partner with EPA for thirteen years, providing a multitude of HR services.
In December of 2011, GKG officially moved into a corporate building, after the back-office support spent many years working from home – ahead of its time working from home. GKG headquarters remain in Reston, VA to this day.
In 2018, GKG began its support of the U.S. Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program. Over the next few years, we provided 344 personnel to colleges and universities across the nation and U.S. territories. We continue to support Army ROTC as a subcontractor.
In 2020, GKG was awarded the Personnel Action Request, Payroll, and Benefits (PP&B) Services contract by the Department of Commerce. The six-year contract, with a value of up to $110 million, marked the largest contract for GKG to date.
Our diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility (DEIA) philosophy is deeply rooted in accountability at all levels. We believe every organization is accountable to its stakeholders to provide policies and procedures that enable all employees to perform at their best.
We have supported over 50 federal departments and agencies since our inception in 2002.
Our mix of contract vehicles allows us to partner with the federal government and deliver excellence in key areas that support the entire employee lifecycle.
GKG has a culture rooted in transparency, accountability, and trust. While we value quality and receive positive feedback from our customers, third-party verification is an important achievement to reinforce our goals. Since first achieving ISO® certification in 2015, GKG has gone down an assertive growth path, and our quality program has continued to improve and mature with the company. Each year, we are audited and regain our ISO 9001:2015 certification.
December 16, 2024
Discover the complexities of federal HR with a focus on Personnel Actions Requests (PAR), Payroll, and Benefits while exploring strategies to boost efficiency and effectiveness.Human resources management in the federal government is a multifaceted and …
June 17, 2024
[Reston, VA, June 12, 2024] – Golden Key Group, LLC (GKG), a leading provider of innovative workforce solutions in the Department of Defense and Federal sectors, is proud to be selected to participate in the …
September 6, 2022
Golden Key Group (GKG), a professional services firm Redefining Workforce Optimization™, is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. The company has grown from a handful of employees working from the CEO’s basement in 2002, to 350 employees with Headquarters in Reston, VA, a 20,000 square foot facility in Landover, MD, and offices in Vine Grove, KY and Rockville, MD.
August 31, 2022
Golden Key Group (GKG), a professional services firm providing workforce optimization solutions, announces the appointment of Michael (Mike) McGregor as Vice President of Client Engagement and Business Optimization. In this new role, McGregor will ensure GKG’s federal clients experience consistent and reliable customer service and provide strategic guidance to improve organizational effectiveness and efficiency.
August 11, 2022
Tom Shankle, GKG’s Senior Solution Architect, sat down with Lynsee Gibbons to discuss how Artificial Intelligence (AI) is making an impact in the federal government.
July 27, 2022
GKG’s CEO Gretchen McCracken was presented the Employer Support of the Guard & Reserve (ESGR) Patriot Award.
July 26, 2022
Reston, VA – July 26, 2022 – Today Gretchen McCracken, the CEO and Managing Partner of Golden Key Group (GKG), received the Department of Defense Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) Patriot Award.
July 25, 2022
GKG is proud to hire and support veterans! In honor of National Hire a Veteran Day, we’re sharing GKG veteran stats we’re proud of.
June 24, 2022
GKG has made two substantial investments to the Greater Knox Coding Academy. These gifts provide Elizabethtown Community and Technical College students, in Elizabethtown, KY, with the skills needed to pursue careers in coding and computer diagnostic and security. It’s a rigorous program that opens many doors for employment in the region.
June 23, 2022
GKG celebrated the ribbon-cutting of its new Shared Services Center in support of the Department of Commerce in Landover, MD. Thousands of HR transactions a month will be completed by federal HR experts at this new facility.
June 23, 2022
Employees at the GKG headquarters met for a “Lunch and Learn” to discuss Pride Month and the history of the LGBTQ+ community. The event was held in person, with the opportunity for anyone in the company to join via video as well.
June 21, 2022
Today Golden Key Group (GKG), a professional services firm providing workforce optimization solutions, helped honor the late Sergeant Major (SGM) Gary P. Fortunato. To celebrate his decades of service to the U.S. Army Cadet Command, the Rappel Tower – a rope climbing structure used every summer for Cadet Summer Training at Fort Knox– has been named after SGM Fortunato. GKG’s CEO, Gretchen McCracken, was instrumental in recommending SGM Fortunato for this well-deserved tribute.
June 18, 2022
GKG’s Vice President for DEIA and Learning & Development, Donnielle DeMesme, hosts a conversation about Juneteenth, on this episode of Golden Key Group On Air.
June 10, 2022
GKG sat down with Jim Iacocca during a recent trip to Fort Knox, KY. Jim is the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Knox Regional Development Alliance. He shares how business, like GKG, continue to make an impact in the region.
May 20, 2022
GKG was proud to be a Platinum Sponsor of the Adjutant General’s Corps Regimental Association (AGCRA) Gold Vault Chapter’s Golf Scramble in Fort Knox, KY, for another year. The annual Golf Scramble is a fun event that brings together the Army’s HR community and companies, like GKG, that support their mission.
May 17, 2022
Golden Key Group (GKG), a professional services firm providing workforce optimization solutions, received a Multiple Award Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) prime contract award for the Office of Human Resources Operations and Services at the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA).
May 12, 2022
Golden Key Group (GKG), a professional services firm providing workforce optimization solutions, is a Platinum Sponsor for today’s annual Golf Scramble Fundraiser hosted by the Adjutant General Corps Regimental Association (AGCRA) Gold Vault Chapter in Ft. Knox, KY.
March 28, 2022
GKG held a panel that explored questions and fostered discussions around Women in Business.
March 28, 2022
When GKG was founded in 2002, it began as a Woman-Owned Small Business and remained that way for many years, until growing out of the Small Business Set-Aside threshold. One of GKG’s original founders, Gretchen McCracken, continues to run the company, as CEO and Managing Partner. GKG has many other women in leadership and department head roles as well.
March 18, 2022
In honor of Women’s History Month, GKG’s Senior HR Business Partner, Terri Mosley, talks about women who have inspired her, what it’s like to work on all-female team, and how work/life balance can be a challenge for women in the workforce.
March 18, 2022
GKG’s DoD Business Analyst, Alexander Tucci, is preparing to deploy overseas at part of his service with U.S. Army Reserves. Alex works in GKG’s Headquarters office in Reston, VA and got an official send-off from employees this week.
March 10, 2022
GKG’s Assistant Professor of Aerospace Studies shares her experiences as a woman in the military, as a ROTC instructor, and as a member of the GKG family.
February 17, 2022
Golden Key Group (GKG) is in San Diego for WEST 2022, the premier naval conference and exposition on the West Coast. Co-sponsored by AFCEA International and the U.S. Naval Institute, the annual WEST event brings military and industry leaders together.
February 9, 2022
Golden Key Group (GKG) is pleased to announce its founder and CEO, Gretchen McCracken, has joined the Professional Services Council (PSC) Board of Directors.
February 7, 2022
In honor of Black History Month, this episode of GKG on Air dives into a unique and special story of a GKG family member. GKG’s Lynsee Gibbons is joined by Sonya Miranda, GKG’s Senior Training & Organizational Development Consultant.
January 11, 2022
GKG has many federal HR experts who previously served in the government. Mike Vajda puts his decades of experience leading civilian and military human resources to work for GKG’s customers.
January 4, 2022
GKG says farewell to Joseph “Mitch” Thomas, who served on the Army ROTC contract for over nineteen years. Mitch started working this contract fresh off active duty service in the Army. Fast forward nineteen years and nine months, and he’s known program-wide as the Subject Matter Expert on all aspects of Army ROTC.
December 20, 2021
Golden Key Group (GKG), a professional services firm specializing in workforce optimization solutions, has donated $10,000 to Elizabethtown Community and Technical College (ECTC) in Elizabethtown, KY. It is the second investment of that size that GKG has made to ECTC’s Greater Knox Coding Academy.
December 9, 2021
Beverly Davis, GKG’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Manager, sat down with Lynsee Gibbons to discuss the part of her title that people typically aren’t as familiar with – equity. Beverly examines one of her favorite theories called “Equity Theory” that was developed by J. Stacy Adams in the 1960s.
November 30, 2021
GKG has received multiple distinctions as a veteran-friendly employer in 2021. Most recently, GKG received the HIRE Vets Gold Medallion award from the U.S. Department of Labor. GKG is also Virginia Values Veterans (V3)-certified as well as Hire Our Heroes certified. We are so proud to have veterans from all branches in the GKG family.
November 10, 2021
Golden Key Group (GKG), a professional services firm redefining workforce optimization, is a 2021 recipient of the HIRE Vets Gold Medallion Award from the U.S. Department of Labor. The award recognizes exemplary efforts in recruiting, employing, and retaining America’s veterans.
November 9, 2021
There are many factors when it comes to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace for all employees. An important endeavor is making sure different cultures and holidays are celebrated and honored appropriately.
November 4, 2021
Golden Key Group (GKG), a professional services firm redefining workforce optimization, is proud to announce its Senior HR Consultant, Sandy Walter, has been recognized for her work and contributions at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Center for Information Technology (CIT), in support of the Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO).
October 7, 2021
With the growth of the company over the past few years, and so many new employees as part of that, GKG brought together staff across departments for a unique team-building exercise. What better way to get to know a colleague you don’t always work with than having to solve a mystery while the clock is ticking?
October 6, 2021
GKG has always been steadfast in its support of our military, their spouses and families, and veterans. In fact, GKG originally started as a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (SDVOSB), before transitioning to a Women-Owned Small Businesses (WOSBs). And now with 20 years of business under our belt, we’ve grown out of all small business set-asides.
September 3, 2021
GKG’s Senior Instructional Designer, Paul Guansing, sat down with Lynsee Gibbons to provide an inside look at what goes into creating training modules for GKG.
September 1, 2021
Golden Key Group (GKG), a professional services firm redefining workforce optimization, announces its cofounder and partner, Valerie Langstaff, has been welcomed into the Women Divers Hall of Fame™ (WDHOF).
August 24, 2021
olden Key Group (GKG), a professional services firm redefining workforce optimization, announces Blair Duncan as its new Executive Vice President of Federal Innovation and Transformation.
August 4, 2021
Golden Key Group (GKG), a professional services firm providing workforce optimization solutions, received the SeaPort-Next Generation (SeaPort-NxG) prime contract award. SeaPort-NxG is the Department of the Navy’s “mandatory for consideration” vehicle for the procurement of Professional Support Services.
July 26, 2021
Golden Key Group (GKG), a professional services firm providing workforce optimization solutions, received the SeaPort-Next Generation (SeaPort-NxG) prime contract award. SeaPort-NxG is the Department of the Navy’s “mandatory for consideration” vehicle for the procurement of Professional Support Services.
July 24, 2021
July 24, 2021
We are proud that so many GKG employees are veterans from all branches. This video is a snapshot of just some of the brave GKG men and women who served our country. In 2021, GKG became certified by “Virginia Values Veterans” (V3) as a recognition of our commitment to recruit, hire, and retain veterans.
June 21, 2021
Golden Key Group (GKG), a professional services firm redefining workforce optimization, cut the ribbon on its new Shared Services Center in Landover, MD.
June 18, 2021
GKG’s summer interns, Jon Teitelbaum and Luke Harris, sat down with Lynsee Gibbons to reflect on their first experiences working in the government contracting space.
May 24, 2021
Jeffrey M. Sloan is a contractor with Golden Key Group and a Senior Military Science Instructor for Army ROTC at the University of Central Missouri. Jeff served over 25 years in the military. Jeff shares what it’s like to be a military instructor for Army ROTC, what inspired him to join the military, and what makes veterans such an asset to organizations.
May 10, 2021
Al Sharpe, DBA, is a contractor with Golden Key Group and a Senior Military Science Instructor at California State University, San Bernardino. Al has served over 25 years in the U.S. Army and is currently in the Army Reserves with another deployment shortly ahead of him.
March 23, 2021
Gina Grosso is the VP of Air Force Programs at Golden Key Group. She has a storied career in the military, serving for 32 years and retiring as a Lieutenant General. Gina shares lessons learned throughout her career, who inspires her the most, and how a family of strong women has made her who she is today.
March 15, 2021
Sonya Miranda is a Senior Training & Organizational Development Consultant at Golden Key Group. As a testament to the superb job Sonya does for GKG’s government customer, Sonya was a recipient of the 2020 NIAID Merit Award – an incredibly well-deserved recognition.
March 8, 2021
GKG’s resilient and fearless CEO, Gretchen McCracken, shares her perspective on facing challenges throughout her career.
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