Michael Heller
Vice President of Human Resources, Xcelerate Solutions
This year, Xcelerate Solutions doubled in size following a major merger, contract wins and a recent acquisition. For HR, growth means integrating new employees, and Michael Heller is proud of his team for doing an incredible job helping everyone adjust to the evolving organization. Heller is energized by the diversity, collaboration and expertise Xcelerate is fostering across the company. He finds it exciting to walk the halls and hear conversations he knows will drive solutions for clients.
“Michael is a dedicated leader who truly values the contributions of every team member,” said Mark Drever, CEO of Xcelerate Solutions. “His commitment to fostering a supportive and empowering environment is what makes our company thrive.”
Xcelerate was founded with a commitment to keeping America safe. Many of its contracts focus on safety, ranging from cybersecurity to personnel vetting. The company is actively looking to hire great people, and many of its top team members have joined after serving in the armed forces. Heller is proud of helping Xcelerate achieve the Virginia Values Veterans designation for three consecutive years, continuing to promote the recruitment and hiring of veterans.
“At Xcelerate we have a highly collaborative, team-oriented culture, we don’t want to lose sight of that,” Heller said. “We want everyone who joins Xcelerate to feel they are part of the team driving toward our collective goals.”
Why Watch
In 2024, Heller’s team embraced the mantra “Elevate!” The company is focused on its people, team and “Xcelerators.” With rapid growth, there has been significant change across employee groups, and Heller’s team is dedicated to creating an environment where everyone can contribute and thrive.
From the moment someone joins Xcelerate, the goal is to ensure a positive experience — whether through daily interactions with colleagues, addressing life changes, seeking career advancement or navigating onboarding. Heller’s team is committed to making Xcelerate an employer of choice.
“The quote that really resonates with me is, ‘The function of leadership is to provide more leaders, not more followers,'” Heller said. “I love to enable people, all employees, to get their own ‘lightbulb’ to turn on and for them to continuously evolve into better human beings.”
Fun fact: As a dad, Heller’s daughter means the world to him. He has always tried to be supportive of her activities, which meant supporting her sport — ballet. “Of course, it is easy to sit in the audience and watch because she dances beautifully, but I am proud to say I danced in over 70 productions of the Nutcracker ballet,” he said. “I started as a party guest and eventually played Uncle Drosselmeyer to her Clara.”