SAN DIEGO - MARCH 12, 2026

GOVX Partners with Manly Bands to Raise Over $46,580 for the Pat Tillman Foundation

“We are honored to partner with GOVX in their commitment to those who have served. Their matching campaign is a powerful example of what it means to invest in the next generation of leaders, not just in words, but in action. At the Pat Tillman Foundation, we believe the best years of service for our Tillman Scholars are ahead of them, and partners like GOVX help make that possible.”

-Dr. Katherine Steele, CEO of the Pat Tillman 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 – $46,583.00 – was provided to the Pat Tillman Foundation, the non-profit dedicated towards empowering military veterans and their spouses as they transition into the next chapter of their lives through education and leadership. Generated by the support of the GOVX community, this donation was the product of multi-pronged effort combining proceeds of $30,586.00 from orders placed through GOVX.com, and a generous supplementary donation match of $15,000 from Manly Bands, the industry-leading accessories brand.


Driven by a profound sense of duty, Pat Tillman stepped away from a successful NFL career with the Arizona Cardinals in 2002 to enlist in the U.S. Army. In the wake of his ultimate sacrifice while serving with the 75th Ranger Regiment in Afghanistan in April 2004, his family and friends founded the Pat Tillman Foundation to carry forward his spirit of service.


The foundation’s flagship initiative is the Tillman Scholars program. It is a highly competitive, merit-based fellowship that selects up to 60 individuals annually. As of early 2026, the foundation has named nearly 1,000 scholars across more than 160 universities.


"We are honored to partner with GOVX in their commitment to those who have served,” said Dr. Katherine Steele, CEO of the Pat Tillman Foundation. “Their matching campaign is a powerful example of what it means to invest in the next generation of leaders, not just in words, but in action. At the Pat Tillman Foundation, we believe the best years of service for our Tillman Scholars are ahead of them, and partners like GOVX help make that possible."

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, and other government service personnel. With a customizable suite of solutions, GOVX provides leading brands who share in this mission with a unique opportunity to support this deserving audience. Through the flagship marketplace, GOVX.com, brands can authentically reach a growing community of 12M+ members with their own storefront. More than 2K trusted brands currently have a storefront on GOVX.com, offering unbeatable deals to those who serve. With the proprietary verification app, GOVX ID, brands can easily enable service member discounts within the checkout flow of their own sites. More than 5K brands currently utilize GOVX ID technology to honor service members. By leveraging GOVX marketing services solutions, brands can effectively amplify their products or services within an 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, over $3M has been donated through the GOVX Gives Back initiative. For more information, visit https://www.govx.com.


ABOUT THE PAT TILLMAN FOUNDATION

In 2002, Pat Tillman put his NFL career with the Arizona Cardinals on hold to serve his country. After his passing in 2004, Pat’s family and friends started the Pat Tillman Foundation to honor and continue his legacy. The Pat Tillman Foundation recognizes remarkable service members, veterans, and military spouses as the next generation of leaders. Through academic scholarships, lifelong leadership development, and a global community of peers and supporters, the Foundation empowers these individuals to make a meaningful impact as they transition into their next chapter of service beyond self.


Learn more and support at www.pattillmanfoundation.org/donate/.


ABOUT MANLY BANDS

Manly Bands, founded in 2016, is a leading online retailer of men’s wedding rings, known for bold, unique designs using materials like meteorite, whiskey barrel wood, and dinosaur bone. They offer officially licensed collections from brands like Jack Daniel’s and Lord of the Rings, emphasizing craftsmanship and authenticity. To learn more or shop their products, visit 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.