Lee Platt, LSM’10, credits her experience with Leadership Southern Maryland as a contributing factor in her decision to create Avening Management and Technical Services, of which she is CEO. “I’ve always been driven, assertive, and successful in business and I was truly humbled when I started LSM,” she said. “For the first time in my life, I was surrounded by others equally (or more) driven, assertive and successful. It changed my perspective quite a bit, but it took a while for the impact to manifest itself in me quitting my job and going into business for myself. I only discovered in retrospect that LSM, among other influences, did have that impact,” she explained. Platt added, “I had worked for other people for 30 years and always felt like I was being held back, pushed down and marginalized even though I believed that my skills, experience, and work ethic should have been leveraged more to impact the organization’s success. LSM contributed to me finding the courage to prove myself.”
Platt opened AveningTech in January 2013. The company provides information technology services to Federal government clients with a focus on network and systems engineering and cybersecurity. As CEO, Platt has a wide range of responsibilities including corporate and business development, recruiting, customer relationship management, capture and proposal management, project and program management, quality assurance, and “generally, anything that needs to be done.” Platt has dedicated many long days to making the company successful. “Having people whose livelihoods depend on you is a tremendous responsibility and one that I take personally,” she explained. “Our goal was to build a company that our employees would be proud to work for, and we strive to accomplish that daily.”
Over the last few years, Platt has traveled extensively around the country and in the Asia-Pacific region as she continues to grow AveningTech. She has written countless proposals and read thousands of resumes. Somehow, Platt still manages to stay involved in her community. She is very active during election season, contributing to and participating in campaigns for local candidates. She has served on several Charles County commissions, most recently as chair of the Redistricting Commission for the county commissioner districts. Platt previously volunteered at the Humane Society and currently contributes to Round Table Haven, a local animal rescue organization. She also meets monthly with a group of fellow female business leaders.
In addition to her work with AveningTech, Platt holds a Maryland real estate license. Outside of the demands of her business and community involvement, she strives for balance. She is a fitness-lover who enjoys both jazzercise and water aerobics. She also performs with a pops chorus in Alexandria, Virginia. Platt recently became a first-time grandmother. “I love what I do for a living so I spend a lot of my ‘free’ time on business related things,” Platt said. “When I’m not working, I enjoy cooking and entertaining, reading, and going to the beach.”
To learn more about Platt’s company AveningTech.
