On March 12, 1992, wife and husband team Sonya Velasco and Bruce Arvand co-founded IBSS straight out of college, investing $1,500 into their vision to create a better world. The company was birthed out of a desire to positively impact the community and environment.
IBSS’s first contract, obtained in June, 1992, was a $50,000 Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant from NASA.
To help boost IBSS as it was getting off the ground, Sonya found a creative way to obtain a subcontract. In May, 1992, she was employed at an architectural firm in Washington, D.C., and she convinced them to convert her from an employee to a subcontractor.
Along the way, Bruce enticed his family to join the team. His brother Behzad Hadaegh joined the company in 2004, and his other brother Houman Hadaegh joined in 2009. His sister Negin Hadaegh and her husband Reza Vafa joined in 2020.
With Bruce’s heart of gold, he has always looked for ways that IBSS can give back to the community. He had this to say about IBSS’s 30th anniversary.
“Sonya and I started IBSS 30 years ago, fresh out of school with $1,500. We did not have much other than a burning desire to create a better world by creating jobs and protecting Mother Nature. It has been a magical journey. Amazing beautiful people joined us and helped us evolve into a compassionate and serving community. IBSS is a community of like-minded teams with common core values and mission. I can’t wait to see how we will impact life during the next 30 years.”
– Bruce Arvand, IBSS President
Sonya and Bruce saw building a business as a tool to provide career opportunities for like-minded individuals. They were dedicated to creating a culture where people enjoyed coming to work. They also wanted to provide meaningful work, positively impact the environment, and continually give back to the community. As the company grew, profits were reinvested, providing more growth opportunities.
When asked to reflect on the first 30 years, Sonya had this to say.
“Thirty years ago, IBSS was just a dream of the two of us building a company that would provide an opportunity to share a vision with the people we care about and provide a positive impact and contribution to our community and environment. NOAA became our client before our 10th anniversary, and our first employee joined IBSS sometime after that. Now 30 years later, our dream has become a reality: with each new person joining, it creates a ripple effect of building a better life and future for the next generation.”
– Sonya Velasco, IBSS CEO
The company started out with cybersecurity capabilities and has added several capabilities as it has grown. IBSS felt their brand needed to be expanded to encompass its growth and new capabilities, so it launched a new brand today, which includes a new logo and a website refresh.
To celebrate 30 years in business, IBSS is raising funds for scholarships in STEM fields. The goal is to raise $30,000 in 30 days!
IBSS has established partnerships with a number of educational institutions and looks forward to deepening relationships with them through these donations. All donations go directly to scholarship recipients who are looking to gain an education in a STEM field, as IBSS is passionate about encouraging students in these areas. The following schools will be the recipients of these scholarships to aid deserving candidates.
- Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University (Alabama A&M)
- Bellingham Technical College
- Howard University
- Northwest Indian College
- University of Maryland
To raise this scholarship amount, IBSS will match dollar-for-dollar all donations received! Project Giveback is partnering with IBSS to accept tax-deductible 501(c)(3) donations (please indicate “For IBSS” on your donation) (select “PayPal” and then you will be given the option to continue with PayPal or use a credit card). IBSS has previously partnered with Project Giveback to provide volunteers and monetary support for Thanksgiving food drives. The company looks forward to celebrating the scholarships with the student recipients and watching their careers unfold.
IBSS is grateful for every employee because each one of them is making a difference that will impact the future.
ABOUT IBSS
Since 1992, IBSS, a women-owned small business and Certified B Corporation, has provided transformational consulting services to the Federal defense, civilian, and commercial sectors. Our services include cybersecurity and enterprise information technology, environmental science and engineering (including oceans, coasts, climate, and weather), and professional management services.
Our approach is to serve our employees by investing in their growth and development. As a result, our employees bring greater capabilities and provide an exceptional level of service to our clients. In addition to creating career development opportunities for our employees, IBSS is passionate about giving back to the community and serving the environment. We strive to leave something better behind for the next generation.
We measure our success by the positive impact we have on our employees, clients, partners, and the communities we serve. Our tagline, Powered by Excellence, is a recognition of the employees that make up IBSS and ensures we deliver results with quality, applying industry best practices and certifications. Read more About Us.
