Torch Technologies

We are Torch Technologies.

Torch Technologies, Inc. (Torch) is a 100 percent employee-owned business with more than 1100 employee owners dedicated to quality technical services, competitive costs, and ethical business practices. Headquartered in Huntsville, Alabama, Torch has employee owners located in Fort Rucker, Alabama; Los Angeles, California; Colorado Springs, Colorado; Shalimar, Florida; Pacific Missile Range Facility, Hawaii; Honolulu, Hawaii; Aberdeen, Maryland; Patuxent River, Maryland; Boston, Massachusetts; Detroit, Michigan; Dayton, Ohio; Ft. Sill, OK; Corpus Christi, Texas; Washington, DC; Langley AFB, VA; Reagan Test Site, Kwajalein; and Cairo, Egypt.

Areas of Expertise

We are dedicated to providing superior research, development, and engineering services to the Department of Defense in the following primary areas: Weapon System Performance Analysis to include sensors/seekers, aerodynamics, guidance and control, target discrimination, endgame performance, and command and control; Modeling and Simulation with emphasis primarily on high-fidelity level simulations including all digital simulations, Software-in-the-Loop (SWIL) and Hardware-in-the-Loop (HWIL) simulations; Information Technology such as distributed simulations/data management, visualization techniques, high performance computers, and network integration; Manned and Unmanned Aviation; Test & Evaluation (T&E); and Advanced Technology Research and Development including development, testing, and implementation of innovative algorithms and software. As defense contractors, the services we provide directly support the men and women who serve our country. Our Corporate Mission Statement sums up the pride our employees take in the work we do: “Lighting the Pathway of Freedom.”

Recognized Results 

Torch has received both national and local recognition for its business performance, workplace environment, and ethical business practices.  Most recently, in 2022, Torch achieved Certified Evergreen™ status from Tugboat Institute, recognizing Torch’s commitment to remain a privately owned company. In 2021, Torch was ranked on the Inc. 5000 list of the fastest-growing private companies for the fifteenth consecutive year. Torch was also named one of the Best Workplaces in Consulting & Professional Services for the sixth consecutive year by Great Place to Work, and Great Place to Work and Fortune named Torch one of the country’s Best Workplaces for Millennials for the third year, with previous recognition in 2020 and 2018. Torch was also recognized as the 2021 ESOP Company of the Year by the New South Chapter of The ESOP Association for a second time, with previous recognition in 2018. Additionally, Torch was selected as a recipient of the 2021 James S. Cogswell Outstanding Industrial Security Achievement Award by the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA). Washington Technology also listed Torch in its annual “Top 100” Government Contractors ranking for the seventh consecutive year, and Bloomberg Government listed Torch in its annual “Top 200” ranking for the fifth consecutive year in 2021. Torch was also selected for a Colorado Springs Business Journal “Best in Business” award for the second consecutive year in 2021. In 2020, Torch became the only four-time recipient of the Better Business Bureau’s Torch Award for Business Ethics in the North Alabama region, also winning in 2015, 2009, and 2005. Great Place to Work named Torch one of the country’s Best Workplaces for Parents in 2020, and Torch was also named one of the “Best Workplaces in Colorado Springs” by The Colorado Springs Gazette in 2020. In 2019, Torch was ranked on the Entrepreneur 360 list for the third consecutive year. In 2018, Great Place to Work and Fortune magazine named Torch a Best Medium Workplace for the third consecutive year. Additionally, Torch was also named a winner of the 2018 Best Places to Work in Huntsville award, marking Torch’s fifth time to receive this honor, with previous wins in 2017, 2016, 2012, and 2008. In 2016, Torch was named one of America’s Best Small Companies by Forbes. In 2013, Torch was recognized by the Small Business Administration as Small Business Prime Contractor of the Year representing the eight southeastern states in SBA Region IV. Torch was selected by Inc. Magazine and Winning Workplaces as a winner in the 2011 Top Small Company Workplaces national competition. In 2008, the Alabama Information Technology Association selected Torch as Large Business of the Year Leadership in Technology award, and the Principal Group named Torch one of the Principal 10 Best Companies for Employee Financial Security nationwide. Torch won the 2007 Huntsville Chamber of Commerce Small Business of the Year award in the Technology Category. Also in 2007, Inc. 5000 ranked Torch as the No. 1 Fastest Growing Privately-Held Defense Contractor in the Southeast Region. Torch was nationally recognized by Entrepreneur Magazine in July 2006 as one of the 100 fastest growing companies in America.

Torch Core Attributes

Our seven core attributes are the fundamental operating values and principles self-identified and adopted by Torch employee owners. We strive to maintain these principles every day with every individual we hire, every business relationship we begin, and with every client we serve.

• Innovation: Torch maintains a “cutting-edge” atmosphere that encourages employee creativity and thinking outside the box and allows them the freedom to take the necessary risks to implement these ideas.
• Cooperation: Torch employees exhibit an unselfish will to achieve common corporate and customer goals as well as to help others succeed.
• Expertise: Torch employees strive to be world-renowned leaders in their fields of expertise, continuously upgrade their knowledge base and staying abreast of technological advancements and innovations.
• Customer Focus: Torch employees recognize that we exist to support our customers and act accordingly by knowing who our customers are and understanding their requirements and needs.
• Excellence: Torch employees achieve the highest levels of performance, always striving to exceed company and customer expectations.
• Integrity: Torch employees are honest, trustworthy, and dependable and always strive to “do the right thing.” They lead by example and always act in a way to uphold Torch corporate ethics and our reputation.
• Reliability: Torch employees are dependable and consistently lend their efforts to solve the problems at hand and to support the goals of the organization and our customers.

Why Choose Torch?

Ownership. Ethics. Culture.

A 100 percent employee-owned growing business, Torch Technologies, Inc., provides quality technical services at competitive costs, all while maintaining ethical business practices. We are leaders in research, development, engineering, planning, execution, performance analysis, design, and reporting in the following areas: research and development; system engineering; modeling and simulation; test and evaluation; advanced technologies; manned and unmanned aircraft systems; information assurance; computer network defense; and information technology.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7uW0qpHCY0Y&t=6s 

Technology and Solutions Focused

Our company goal is to be recognized as the premier services and solutions provider and preferred prime contractor for our customers. We also strive to be recognized for our integrity and the respect and commitment we give to our customers. As an employee owned company, employees all have a stake in the success of the company, so our employees are highly incentivized to work together. Torch’s culture of cooperation is something our employees are very proud of and is one of the key reasons for our success.

Every Employee Owner Has a Stake in the Outcome

When co-founders Bill Roark and Don Holder formed Torch Technologies, both had previously worked for companies that were sold. Neither wanted to repeat that experience, and in establishing Torch, they wanted every employee to feel secure that their career would not be derailed by a merger or acquisition. Additionally, they wanted to found a company that treated all employees fairly and allowed employees to share in ownership of the company. At Torch, we are all employee owners.

Culture of Cooperation

As an employee-owned company, employees all have a stake in the success of the company, so our employees are highly incentivized to work together. Torch’s culture of cooperation is something our employees are very proud of and is one of the key reasons for our success.

Broad-Based Employee Ownership

All Torch employee owners share the responsibility of ownership, contribute to Torch success, and share in the gains.

A Culture That Gives Back

Torch believes in giving back to the community. Although Torch makes numerous contributions to local charities annually, the cornerstone for employee philanthropy is “Torch Helps,” a 501(c)3, non-profit organization funded by employee-owners and managed solely by employee-owner volunteers. Torch Helps has given more than $1.3 million in total donations of direct grants to local charities in our communities and hundreds of volunteer hours. Torch Helps operates with 100 percent financial efficiency because Torch Technologies covers all expenses associated with the organization’s overhead. Torch Helps believes that “Together Our Resources Can Help.” This captures the spirit and inspiration of Torch’s culture of giving.

Rapid Growth and High Retention

Professionals come to Torch because they know they can affect their jobs, work environment, and the direction of the company as a whole.

Living Up to Our Core Attributes

• Innovation
• Cooperation
• Expertise
• Customer Focus
• Excellence
• Integrity
• Reliability

Camaradarie

Torch employee owners gather frequently to celebrate our successes, recognize employee owners, and socialize with other employees and family members.

Open Communication

Torch Technologies believes in a policy of open communication, which results not just in transparency to employees regarding company operations, but in face-to-face discussions and in the freedom of employees to discuss problems with the appropriate individuals.

Torch Technologies is now Certified Evergreen™. A timely achievement for Torch employee-owners as they will celebrate Torch’s 20th anniversary this October, becoming Certified Evergreen™ signifies that while Torch employee-owners can look back on Torch’s past with pride, Torch is also looking forward. Becoming Certified Evergreen™ means that Torch has committed to finding ways to make 100 percent employee ownership sustainable so that Torch will remain a private company forever.

According to Tugboat Institute®, the Evergreen™ certification is awarded to lasting, private companies that intend to adapt and grow profitably for 100 years, and more. Companies that are awarded Certified Evergreen™ status have undergone an extensive, rigorous assessment with the intention of continual improvement and enduring excellence around values, practices, and people.

Torch co-founder Bill Roark explained that it was always in the plan that Torch would not be sold, stating, “From the beginning, we had a goal to be 100% employee-owned because my co-founder and I had worked for companies that were acquired and we saw firsthand how that changed the culture and morale.” Roark continued, “We did not want to do that to our employees who contribute daily to the success of the company; we wanted to be able to control our own destiny.”

This certification signifies not only Torch’s commitment to being a forever company, but it also signifies Torch’s commitment to Tugboat Institute’s seven core values, the Evergreen 7Ps™. The first three Ps—Purpose, Perseverance, and People First—define the character of the leaders and team. The last four Ps—Private, Profit, Paced Growth, and Pragmatic Innovation—reflect the long-term strategy tenets of an Evergreen™ business.

“We are honored to be recognized as a Certified Evergreen™ company by Tugboat Institute® and to join a peer group of private companies who share our values,” said Torch President and CEO John Watson. Watson continued, “The Evergreen™ certification represents a commitment that we have made to our employee-owners and to our customers– Torch is evergreen. We are proud of the dedication that Torch employee-owners have demonstrated to the Warfighter, to our communities, and to one another, and we look forward to what Torch will accomplish in the years to come as an Evergreen™ company.”