The Greater Washington Government Contractor Awards® (GovCon Awards) Hall of Fame honors leaders whose careers exemplify professional excellence and significant contributions to the government contracting industry and community. In 2025, that distinction belongs to Joseph Kampf, Founder, CEO, and Chairman of CoVant Management.
In his roles at CoVant Management (2007–2023), Joseph partnered with Madison Dearborn Partners to create leading national security companies, including LGS Innovations (sold to CACI) and LinQuest Corporation (sold to KBR), while continuing to build Aevex Aerospace.
Before CoVant, Joseph led Anteon International Corporation, taking it from $100 million in revenue to $1.7 billion and a public listing before engineering its $2.2 billion acquisition by General Dynamics — one of the largest GovCon deals of its time.
Beyond the C-suite, he has served as Chairman of the Professional Services Council and on boards for Deltek, LGS Innovations, and LinQuest, solidifying his influence on the industry.
His induction into the Hall of Fame honors a career defined by strategic vision, operational excellence, and enduring impact on government contracting.
We sat down with Kampf to learn more about his background and what being inducted into the GovCon Awards Hall of Fame means to him.
What does being inducted into the Hall of Fame mean to you personally and professionally?“It implies that the business models my teams embraced did, indeed, create a lot of value. Growth in value is the goal for customers, employees, management, and shareholders alike. For me, it is an opportunity to reflect on a rewarding career and to thank my family for their endless support.”
Have you had any connection or relationship with past Hall of Fame recipients, and if so, how have they impacted you or the industry?
“I looked back at the last 24 years of inductees and can honestly count 19 of them as friends (or competitive enemies)…frenemies, if you will. They were fierce and successful competitors down to the very last one. They had a large hand in getting me to where I am today. ”
Who were your biggest mentors or influences early in your career?
“During the 1970s, I worked for an empire builder and the world’s richest person, Daniel K. Ludwig. His CEO, Thomas Willer’s was my boss for 8 years. Tom was a former Vice Chairman and CEO of Occidental Petroleum, and he taught me how to be smart, tough, and respected…at the same time. Later, I was fortunate to land former SECDEF William Perry to serve as a member of all my company boards — five, I think. He taught me to be contemplative and strategic and how to force management to develop the operational framework for future implementation.”
How have you seen the government contracting landscape evolve since you first entered the industry?
“To my way of thinking, it hasn’t changed nearly enough and certainly not fast enough. The industry has many good ideas on how to make this private/public relationship flourish for the benefit of the country, and the government would do well to listen more carefully.”
What’s the biggest leadership lesson you learned the hard way?
“Lead from the front. You can’t push thousands of employees up the top of the mountain of success, but they can push you there easily.”
What advice would you give to the next generation of GovCon leaders who aspire to make a similar impact?
“I went back and looked at the list of prior inductees, and it’s clear that if you make the impact they did, you will join the list. Study, then master, the term “value creation” in all its complexity. Customer satisfaction, market positioning, company culture, management and key employee incentives, tech content, competitiveness, and board / shareholder guidance. Surround yourself with the best, listen, and act.”
What excites you most about the future of government contracting?
“I am an investor now, with my son Jason in the lead, along with the rest of my family. I’m still partnered with PE firm Madison Dearborn Partners to build platforms in the space, and we still own Aevex Aerospace together. So, I am happy that others have to worry about the future while I embrace life without stress. ”
The 2025 Greater Washington Government Contractor Awards® will be hosted on Wednesday, November 5, at The Ritz-Carlton, Tysons Corner. Early access tickets to the GovCon Awards are available to finalists. General admission ticket sales will start on Monday, September 8.
For the full sponsor list, as well as more information on the 23rd Annual Greater Washington Government Contractor Awards®, please visit our event page.
