Who We Are
Our Mission
Veteran Executive Leadership (VXL) is a veteran-led platform dedicated to bridging military leadership and small-business ownership. We empower veterans to step confidently into entrepreneurship while supporting business owners with a trustworthy, disciplined succession path. At our core, we believe in integrity, service, and the long-term value of relationships.
Our mission is to empower veterans to acquire, operate, and grow meaningful businesses — and to provide business owners with successors who will honor, protect, and build upon their legacy.
“Service doesn’t end when the uniform comes off — it evolves, Onward and Upward!”
— Troy, Founder of VXL
Our Values
Integrity
We operate with honesty, transparency, and respect in every relationship.
Service
Our work is rooted in serving veterans, business owners, and communities.
Leadership
We believe disciplined, values-driven leadership builds strong, enduring companies.
Legacy
We honor the lifework of business owners and ensure their companies thrive for years to come.
Meet Our Founder —
Troy A. Beane
Troy A. Beane is a serial entrepreneur. He formed his first company as a side hustle in high school. Like many, he failed. In 1998, searching for discipline, resources, and education, he joined the military.
The events of 9/11/2001 led to a career in service. After a 21-year career in the USAF and US Army and several mobilizations and deployments, Troy retired as a Major from the Pennsylvania National Guard.
During his military career, Troy took to heart the lessons in shared hardship in the enlisted ranks, the experience and responsibility as a commanding officer, and the insight and influence of working with dedicated experts at ‘echelons above reality’.
Troy transferred these lessons and experiences into a civilian career as a Management Consultant and later minority owner and COO for Greencastle Associates Consulting – an all-veteran management consulting firm to Fortune 500 companies.
Troy founded Veteran Executive Leadership in 2022 and is now on the path to creating generational wealth for veterans through entrepreneurship, coaching, mentoring, and shared services.
Leadership
Heather Rankin
CFO
As a CFO in the construction industry, I specialize in financial strategy, risk management, and operational efficiency to drive sustainable growth. With a Bachelor's degree in Accounting from National American University, I bring a strong foundation in financial planning, budgeting, and cost control to ensure projects are executed profitably and in compliance with industry regulations.
Mark Knorr
Chief of Staff
Mark Knorr is the Chief of Staff at Veteran Executive Leadership (VXL), where he serves as a strategic partner to the executive team, driving operational alignment, integration, and disciplined execution across VXL’s growing platform of companies.
With 42 years of military experience, Mark’s background spans Engineering, Special Operations, and service with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, where he worked in project Cost Engineering and Bid Negotiation. These roles shaped his ability to lead in complex, high-stakes environments where precision, accountability, and coordination are required.
Beyond military service, Mark built and led a highly technical trade business in emissions measurement instrumentation, delivering work under tight tolerances and demanding quality standards, including projects aligned with NASA-level specifications. This combination of field leadership and technical execution informs his deep respect for craftsmanship, systems, and people.
At VXL, Mark focuses on operational integration, cultural scalability, and executive advising—ensuring strategy is translated into action and teams perform at a consistently high level. His leadership philosophy is grounded in a simple truth: strong culture enables exceptional execution.
Why Choose VXL?
VXL blends veteran leadership experience with disciplined acquisition and support — creating opportunities for veterans and security for business owners.
What sets us apart:
- Veteran-first approach to ownership and operations
- Support through every step — acquisition, transition, and long-term strategy
- Commitment to preserving culture and legacy
- Long-term operating mindset, not quick flips
- Transparent, steady, values-driven process