TargetTack® is honored to announce that the company has been nominated for the U.S. Small Business Administration’s National Veteran-Owned Small Business of the Year Award. 

This nomination is a meaningful milestone for our team and family. It reflects not only the innovation behind TargetTack, but also the veteran-led values, family foundation, and community support that have shaped the company from the beginning. 

The SBA’s National Small Business Week awards recognize entrepreneurs across the country who demonstrate leadership, resilience, innovation, and a strong commitment to their communities. The Veteran-Owned Small Business of the Year category specifically honors veteran entrepreneurs who continue serving others through business leadership, problem-solving, and economic impact. 

For TargetTack, that recognition is deeply appreciated. 

A Family-Founded Business Built to Solve a Real Problem

TargetTack was built around a simple goal: make target setup easier, cleaner, versatile and more reliable for marksmen and archers. 

What began as a familiar frustration with unreliable methods like tape, staples, spray glue and clips became the foundation for a smarter, American-made solution. TargetTack’s reusable target-retention system was designed to help users secure paper targets to common backers and backstops more quickly and dependably, reducing wasted time and helping keep practice sessions focused on training. 

That practical, problem-solving mindset has been recognized by supporters who know the company and family firsthand. 

Michael Vickery, Founder and Principal of STEAMfruit, LLC, described TargetTack as “a family-founded venture” that provides reusable target-retention tacks addressing “significant inefficiencies in conventional target hanging methods.” He also noted that, with its “focus on thoughtful design and American manufacturing,” TargetTack’s ingenuity and resilience align closely with SBA values. 

Stephen Mack, co-owner at Inside Archery and Inside Firearms, echoed that perspective, calling TargetTack “exactly the kind of innovation and entrepreneurial problem solving that drives the shooting sports industry forward.” He highlighted the company’s clear understanding of a common frustration faced across disciplines and praised the product as “a simple idea, executed exceptionally well.” 

Veteran-Led Leadership with a Strong Sense of Service 

This nomination also reflects the leadership behind the company. 

As a veteran and majority owner, Ben Berry has built TargetTack with a focus on service, integrity, resilience, and long-term value. Those qualities are not only evident in the company’s products, but also in the way the business operates and the relationships it builds.

Kevin P. Butler, Colonel Retired, U.S. Army, also highlighted the veteran leadership at the heart of TargetTack in his letter of recommendation. Writing as both a longtime professional colleague and “a brother in arms,” Butler said Ben Berry leads the company with the same values that defined his military service, describing TargetTack as a business grounded in “trust, teamwork, resilience, and doing the right thing even when no one is watching.” He added that Ben “has never stopped serving,” and that through TargetTack he continues to build something that “serves others, creates opportunity, and reflects the values of military service in the civilian world.” 

Parker Dinsmore, International Trade Specialist at the Maine International Trade Center, wrote that Ben’s “resilience, collaborative nature, and community spirit shine through the company and how he leads it.” He added that Ben makes the people around him feel “important, valued, and like family,” and praised his willingness to share insight and support other small businesses. 

Jessica Bull of Calathea Creative wrote that Ben “exemplifies the very best of American small business ownership.” She described him as honest, deeply passionate, and unwaveringly fair in his dealings with customers, partners, and collaborators. She also noted that TargetTack itself reflects those same values through transparency, reliability, and a genuine commitment to its community. 

That combination of innovation and character is central to what this nomination means to us. TargetTack was created to solve a practical problem, but its growth has been made possible by trust, collaboration, and a commitment to doing business the right way. 

Made in the USA and Built with Purpose 

A recurring theme throughout the nomination and letters of recommendation is TargetTack’s commitment to American manufacturing. 

From the start, our team has believed that product quality, accountability, and values matter. That belief has shaped how we design, source, and grow the business. 

Jessica Bull of Calathea Creative wrote that Ben’s commitment to domestic manufacturing “is not the easiest or least expensive path,” but one he intentionally chose because it aligns with his values. She noted that by prioritizing American-made materials and U.S.-based manufacturing, TargetTack supports domestic jobs, strengthens local supply chains, and reinforces the importance of investing in American workers, inventors and communities. 

Stephen Mack, co-owner of Inside Archery and Inside Firearms, similarly wrote that TargetTack’s Made in the USA focus reflects “discipline, accountability, and pride in craftsmanship.” 

That commitment remains an important part of who we are and how we continue to grow. 

Continuing to Innovate for Marksmen and Archers 

As TargetTack has grown, so has our vision for supporting the shooting sports community.

Recent product releases include our gamified practice targets, designed to help bring more structure, challenge, and measurable progress to range sessions. These new products are built to make training more engaging while helping marksmen and archers sharpen focus, consistency, and performance. 

We are also preparing to launch the Shot Showdown Challenge, an initiative designed to bring structured challenges and friendly competition to the shooting sport communities. 

In addition, we are developing the TargetTack Snap System™, a modular accessory concept designed to expand the versatility of TargetTacks for use in sponsor signage, range communication, and wind indication. 

Each of these efforts reflects the same mindset that started the business in the first place: identify a real problem, build a practical solution, and keep improving the experience and adding value for the people we serve. 

Grateful for the Community Behind the Nomination 

This nomination is an honor, and we are deeply grateful for the community that has helped make it possible. 

That includes our customers, partners, collaborators, and supporters who believed in TargetTack early, shared our products, offered feedback, and helped us grow. 

It also includes the people who took the time to write letters of recommendation in support of both the business and Ben’s leadership.

Michael Vickery, Founder and Principal of STEAMfruit, LLC, wrote that Ben and Julie Berry embody a “rising tide lifts all boats” philosophy, with a strong commitment to ensuring others benefit from their success. He also praised their ability to foster meaningful relationships and help strengthen Maine’s entrepreneurial landscape. 

That spirit of collaboration, gratitude, and shared progress has been part of TargetTack from the beginning, and it continues to shape where we are headed next. 

Looking Ahead 

Being nominated for the SBA National Veteran-Owned Small Business of the Year Award is an exciting milestone for TargetTack. More than anything, it is a reminder of why we started: to create useful products, serve the shooting sports community well, and build a business rooted in integrity, service, and innovation. 

We are proud of how far TargetTack has come, grateful for this recognition, and even more grateful for the people and partners who have helped us along the way.  Our next objective is to get our great American products into as many hands and range bags in the US, Canada and partnering US countries.  Make the switch today like thousands of marksmen and archers have done already worldwide and experience the #1 Modular Target Mounting System™ advantage. 

More updates will be shared as the National Small Business Week awards program continues.