National Invest In Veterans Week® (NIVW) has been honored with the prestigious Award by Acquisition International
National Invest In Veterans Week® (NIVW) has been honored with the prestigious Business Excellence Award by Acquisition International. This recognition solidifies NIVW’s unmatched contributions to veteran entrepreneurship, intellectual property leadership, and its historic congressional recognition as the only trademarked veteran business observance in the United States.
Founded in 2019 by National Football League veteran Drayton Florence and nationally syndicated columnist and Iraq War veteran Jeff Shuford, NIVW was created to honor, elevate, and empower veteran entrepreneurs. Since then, it has transformed into a powerful economic movement, redefining veteran advocacy and setting the standard for veteran-focused economic empowerment.
With five Congressional Record entries, multiple state proclamations, a rapidly expanding global presence, and a proven track record of influencing policy, NIVW is not just an observance—it is a business-driven, social capital-powered force that is reshaping how veteran entrepreneurs succeed in the modern economy.
Congressional Recognition: Five Entries Cementing a Multi-Generational Legacy
For the first time in U.S. history, a single family has secured five Congressional Record entries, marking their contributions to American culture, economic empowerment, and veteran entrepreneurship. This level of institutional recognition is unprecedented, creating multi-generational leverage for brand expansion, policy influence, and global partnerships.
Breaking Down the Five Congressional Record Entries
📜 Bill Baker & The Five Satins (1994) – Doo-Wop Pioneers Recognized
📅 August 19, 1994 – Senator Joe Lieberman entered Bill Baker and The Five Satins into the Congressional Record, recognizing their iconic role in shaping American music history with In the Still of the Nite. This entry cemented their status as one of the most influential doo-wop groups of all time.
📜 Jim Freeman & The Five Satins (2015) – A Second Congressional Tribute
📅 April 23, 2015 – Rep. Rosa DeLauro reaffirmed the group’s lasting impact, noting how In the Still of the Nite remained a cultural touchstone for generations.
📜 Jim Freeman (2015) – Individual Recognition
📅 Later in 2015 – Jim Freeman was separately honored for his individual contributions to music, acknowledging his unique role in shaping the doo-wop genre beyond The Five Satins.
📜 Jeff Shuford (2024) – Championing Veteran Entrepreneurship
📅 March 8, 2024 – Rep. Matt Rosendale entered National Invest In Veterans Week® (NIVW) into the Congressional Record, spotlighting its impact on veteran-owned businesses.
📜 Jim Freeman & The Five Satins (2004) – ‘Lost in the Fifties Tonight’
📅 July 8, 2004 – The Congressional Record (E1318) acknowledged the cultural significance of Lost in the Fifties Tonight, which features In the Still of the Nite. This recognition further proves the lasting influence of The Five Satins, whose music has been woven into later generations of popular hits.
State Proclamations Expanding NIVW’s Influence
Beyond national recognition, the Freeman-Shuford family and National Invest In Veterans Week® have been honored at the state level for their contributions to music, business, and veteran advocacy.
🏛 South Carolina General Assembly – Recognizing National Invest In Veterans Week® and Jeff Shuford’s impact on veteran entrepreneurship.
📜 Montana Governor Greg Gianforte (2023 & 2024) – Issued proclamations acknowledging National Invest In Veterans Week®.
📜 Douglas County, Oregon (2022) – Honored National Invest In Veterans Week® for its role in promoting veteran-owned businesses.
These official proclamations further solidify NIVW’s position as a leading force in veteran economic policy and advocacy.
Jeff Shuford’s AI Research: Driving Economic Empowerment for Veterans
Jeff Shuford’s deep impact in artificial intelligence, predictive analytics, and AI ethics has solidified his role as a global thought leader in AI-driven economic empowerment. His research has been cited in leading AI and compliance journals, including:
✅ 'Deep Reinforcement Learning and Its Industrial Use Cases' (Wiley Online Library, 2025)
✅ 'A Multifaceted Vision of Human-AI Collaboration' (IEEE Access, 2025)
✅ 'Quantum Computing and Artificial Intelligence: Synergies' (Compliance Cosmos, 2025)
Shuford’s vision for AI-enhanced veteran entrepreneurship integrates predictive business modeling, AI-powered financial literacy tools, and ethical AI governance. His work demonstrates how AI can transform veteran entrepreneurship, improving access to funding, streamlining business operations, and enhancing decision-making.
Jim Freeman’s RIAA-Certified Legacy in Music
Jim Freeman’s contributions to music aren’t just cultural—they’re commercially significant, resulting in gold, platinum, multi-platinum, and diamond-certified albums.
RIAA-Certified Sales Featuring In the Still of the Nite
💎 DIAMOND® – Dirty Dancing soundtrack
💿 9X MULTI-PLATINUM® – Boyz II Men – Cooleyhighharmony
💿 PLATINUM® – Rock & Roll Era, 1956
💿 PLATINUM® – Boyz II Men’s tribute version
📀 GOLD® – The Beach Boys 15 Big Ones
RIAA-Certified Sales Featuring Lost in the Fifties Tonight
💿 PLATINUM® – Ronnie Milsap Greatest Hits Volume 2
📀 GOLD® – Ronnie Milsap Lost in the Fifties
📀 GOLD® – Ronnie Milsap 40 #1 Hits
This commercial success reinforces Jim Freeman’s lasting legacy in American music.
A Legacy That Spans Generations
With five Congressional Record entries, state proclamations, AI research citations, brand expansion strategies, and veteran-focused advocacy, National Invest In Veterans Week® has built a sustainable legacy that extends across business, culture, and policy.
🔗 Join the Movement & Build Social Capital
🌎 Visit InvestInVeteransWeek.com
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Through a calculated blend of historical influence, AI innovation, and veteran economic advocacy, NIVW continues to redefine how social capital can be leveraged for long-term financial sustainability and cultural impact.
