Your Ally in Federal HR & Beyond

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. 

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.

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.

GKG’s CEO Gretchen McCracken was presented the Employer Support of the Guard & Reserve (ESGR) Patriot Award.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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. 

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.

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.

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.

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.

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).

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.

GKG held a panel that explored questions and fostered discussions around Women in Business.

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. 

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.

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. 

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.

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.

Golden Key Group (GKG) is pleased to announce its founder and CEO, Gretchen McCracken, has joined the Professional Services Council (PSC) Board of Directors.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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. 

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.

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.

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.

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).

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? 

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.

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.

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).

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.

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.

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
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.

Golden Key Group (GKG), a professional services firm redefining workforce optimization, cut the ribbon on its new Shared Services Center in Landover, MD.

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. 

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.

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.

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.

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.

GKG’s resilient and fearless CEO, Gretchen McCracken, shares her perspective on facing challenges throughout her career.