Nate Copeland
Shenandoah University
1985 Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award Recipient
As president of InTec, LLC, Nate Copeland helps protect our national security by providing technical and management expertise to U.S. civil, defense and intelligence agencies. We caught up with Copeland to learn about his life’s adventures and passions since receiving the Sullivan Award at Shenandoah University in 1985.
What do you remember most about receiving the Sullivan award? Were you surprised?
I was very surprised! I didn’t know much about the award at the time, but I felt so honored to receive it as a student. I am not exactly sure who nominated me for the award, but I am pretty sure it was Dr. Brandt. He was a great professor that I really looked up to during college.
What do you do now?
I am president of InTec, LLC, a defense contracting company that focuses on intelligence. After college, I joined the Air Force as an Imagery Intelligence Officer and fell in love with it. I had no idea what I was doing, but they Air Force-trained me, and I really learned to love what I do. I worked for some big firms after the Air Force and was excited to come on board at my current firm and build it to the company it is today. We went from having just five employees in 2012, and we will have close to 190 by the end of this year.
What do you do outside of work? What are you passionate about?
I am passionate about helping the special-needs community, specifically in our hometown. My wife and I started the EMBRACE Special Needs Ministry at our church a few years ago, and I sit on the board for Joni & Friends of Ohio. Our daughter is pursuing a career in social work and really inspired us to be more involved with organizations that help those with special needs and people with disabilities.
If you could give one piece of advice to young people now, what would it be?
Life has to be more than work! We need to pick a slate of “life electives” and have those balance the work.
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