SAN DIEGO - SEPTEMBER 3, 2025

GOVX Partners with TrueCar and Manly Bands to Raise Over $50,600 for the Gary Sinise Foundation

“On behalf of our founder, Gary Sinise, we are deeply grateful to the GOVX community, TrueCar, and Manly Bands for their incredible support and partnership with the Gary Sinise Foundation,”

-Pete Franzen, Director of the R.I.S.E. Program at the Gary Sinise Foundation

GOVX, the online shopping platform exclusively for current and former military, first responders, emergency medical professionals, and other government personnel, is honored to announce its most recent monthly donation through the GOVX Gives Back program. This latest donation – $50,619.96 – was provided to the military and first responder non-profit organization, The Gary Sinise Foundation. Generated by the support of the GOVX community, this donation was the product of multi-pronged effort combining proceeds of $25,619.96 from orders placed through GOVX.com, and a generous supplementary donation match of $15,000 from True Car and $10,000 from Manly Bands.

Since being established in 2011 by Academy Award–nominated actor and humanitarian Gary Sinise who has been a staunch supporter of our nation’s veterans and first responders for more than 40 years, the Gary Sinise Foundation has been dedicated to honoring and supporting those who serve our country. From building nearly 100 specially adapted, custom built, mortgage free homes for our nation’s most severely wounded heroes to providing concerts and experiences that uplift our nation’s defenders across the nation, awarding grants that supply essential equipment, and so much more, GSF ensures that every effort makes a tangible difference and reflects the foundation’s mission to serve and uplift our nation’s heroes and their families.

“On behalf of our founder, Gary Sinise, we are deeply grateful to the GOVX community, TrueCar, and Manly Bands for their incredible support and partnership with the Gary Sinise Foundation,” said Pete Franzen, Director of the R.I.S.E. Program at the Gary Sinise Foundation. “Their commitment to our nation’s heroes and their families not only aligns with our mission but allows us to further expand our reach and programming, making a lasting difference in the lives of our first responders, service members, heroes and defenders who put their lives on the line every day to serve and protect our country and communities.”

GOVX’s monthly donation is part of the ongoing GOVX Gives Back charitable initiative, raising funds for non-profits serving the military and first responder community. Through the program, a portion of the proceeds from every single order made through GOVX.com are donated to that month’s non-profit organization.


GOVX is committed to supporting our nation’s active duty and former military members, first responders, and all those they hold close.

"We’re proud to stand with the heroes who serve and the foundations that support them," said Alan Cole, CEO of GOVX. "The Gary Sinise Foundation exemplifies dedication and care, and we’re honored to contribute to their meaningful mission and invaluable work on behalf of our military and first responder communities.”


About GovX

GOVX is dedicated to serving those who serve our country and communities – military service members, first responders, law enforcement officers, emergency medical professionals, educators, and other government service personnel. With a customizable suite of solutions, GOVX provides leading brands who share in our mission with a unique opportunity to support this deserving audience. Through our flagship ecommerce site, GOVX.com, brands can authentically reach a growing community of 11M+ members with their own storefront.


More than 1.5K trusted brands currently have a storefront on GOVX.com, offering unbeatable deals to those who serve. With our verification app, GOVX ID, brands can easily enable service member discounts within the checkout flow of their own sites. More than 3K brands currently utilize our GOVX ID technology to honor service members. By leveraging GOVX marketing services solutions, brands can effectively amplify their products or services within our engaged and exclusive community and reinforce their support for Americans who make a difference. In addition to providing unmatched value to those who serve, GOVX also donates a portion of every order to non-profits who serve the military and first responder community. To date we have donated over $2M through our GOVX Gives Back initiative. For more information, visit https://www.govx.com.


ABOUT THE GARY SINISE FOUNDATION

Gary Sinise is an award-winning actor and humanitarian, best known for his roles in “CSI: NY,” “Apollo 13,” and his Oscar-nominated performance in the film “Forrest Gump” as the wounded Vietnam veteran Lt. Dan Taylor. An advocate for our nation’s defenders since the 1980s, after 9/11 Sinise began a tireless crusade to support America’s military and first responders around the world with handshake tours and concerts with his band, the Lt. Dan Band. In 2011, he established the Gary Sinise Foundation as an extension of those efforts. Today, the foundation is building custom homes for severely wounded heroes, honoring and supporting the families of our fallen, providing essential equipment and training for first responders, improving the mental wellness of our defenders, and so much more. For more information and to support, visit www.garysinisefoundation.org.


ABOUT TRUECAR

TrueCar is a leading automotive technology company dedicated to transforming the car buying and selling experience through transparency and data-driven insights. By providing consumers with upfront pricing information, real-time market data, and access to a network of certified dealers, TrueCar empowers buyers and sellers to make informed decisions with confidence. With a commitment to eliminating hidden fees and simplifying the automotive marketplace, TrueCar helps millions of drivers nationwide navigate the process of buying or selling a new or used vehicle quickly, fairly, and efficiently. Learn more at https://www.truecar.com/.


ABOUT MANLY BANDS

Manly Bands is a premier jewelry brand specializing in rugged, stylish, and durable rings designed for men. Combining high-quality materials such as titanium, tungsten, Damascus steel, and alternative metals with unique craftsmanship, Manly Bands creates rings that reflect strength, individuality, and personal style. From wedding bands to lifestyle rings, the company is committed to providing exceptional quality, comfort,

design for men who want jewelry as bold and enduring as they are. Learn more at https://manlybands.com/.

CHRIS BOHNERT - CPO

Chris joined GOVX in 2015, bringing more than 15 years of product, marketing and general management experience in the consumer internet space. As head of Product at GOVX, Chris leads product management, design and business intelligence for the entire product portfolio.


Chris began his career at Active Network in 2002 and helped grow the company from start-up to a successful IPO in 2011. During his time at Active Network, Chris managed several teams and product-lines, including the flagship media property, Active.com and the eCommerce division.


In 2012, Chris joined Takelessons, an online education marketplace matching students with qualified teachers. As VP of Product and Technology, he led a cross-functional team, including engineering, product management and design.


Chris earned a BA from the University of Arizona and an MBA from San Diego State University.

ADAM HOMZE - VP ENGINEERING

Adam joined GOVX in 2014 as the Vice President of Software Development and is responsible for leading the software development group, how our applications are built, and scaling the GOVX tech stack.


Since 2005, Adam has actively participated in the growth phase of several startups; holding multiple technical and leadership positions. Over that time, he has developed a wide range of skills to tackle the challenges inherent in building technology companies.


Adam earned a B.S. in Computer Science from the University of California, San Diego.

AARON PELANDER - CHIEF BRAND OFFICER

As the leader of the Brand Marketing team at GOVX, Aaron is responsible for crafting and executing a comprehensive brand strategy that supports GOVX’s business goals and mission. Working closely with the wider marketing and creative teams, Aaron brings the GOVX identity to life through creative storytelling, consistent brand messaging, strategic marketing channel investments, impactful partnerships and sponsorships, and alignment with key non-profit organizations, all aimed at increasing GOVX brand awareness and recall.


Before joining GOVX in 2014, Aaron held senior marketing and management roles at the Active Network and Provide Commerce. He earned his bachelor’s degree at the University of Arizona and his MBA from San Diego State University.

CAROL SCHNUGG - CFO

Carol serves as Chief Financial Officer for GOVX and oversees all financial, accounting and administrative matters for the Company as well as negotiating and administrating Brand-Partners’ wholesale pricing. Prior to joining GOVX, she served as Controller for Billabong’s Sector 9 company, where she oversaw its acquisition by Billabong and was recruited to oversee all financial and accounting matters along with managing its e-commerce site.


Carol previously owned and operated her own accounting and tax practice and was an accountant with Deloitte & Touche.


Carol received a B.S. in finance from San Diego State University and is a Certified Public Accountant.

ALAN COLE - CEO/PRESIDENT

Alan began his career as co-founder and President of DELTYME Corporation, a San Diego-based web services firm working with national clients including Target, Cisco Systems, Costco and Garden Fresh.


After stepping away from an operating role at DELTYME, Alan attended business school at the University of Texas with a focus on entrepreneurial management. During his time in Austin he took on due diligence responsibilities at Gefinor Ventures (an early stage venture firm) and worked in marketing and business development roles in several Austin-area startups including Convio and Metreos.


Alan ultimately moved back to San Diego to join Active Network, where he held executive responsibility for the company's $50M Media + Marketing division. After six years with Active Network, Alan moved on to serve as COO of TakeLessons, an online education marketplace connecting students with qualified teachers. In late 2016, Alan joined GOVX as CEO.

Alan holds a Bachelor of Science Degree from Santa Clara University and an MBA from the University of Texas at Austin.