Atlanta, Georgia, United States
Garrett Cathcart is the Co-founder and Executive Director of More Perfect Union, a veteran-led movement to strengthen our communities and heal the divide in our country by creating meaningful connections through service, civic engagement and leadership development. Garrett is also a co-founder of 550 Capital Partners, a venture capital firm that specializes in pre-seed funding for start-ups founded by military veterans. 550 believes in the convergence of the veteran and founder communities offers the opportunity to partner with founders carrying their military experience and values into solving problems in the commercial sector. Previously, Garrett served as the founding Executive Director of Mission Roll Call, a national organization that provides veterans a powerful and unified voice in public policy, and as the first Southeast Regional Director of Team Red, White and Blue. Garrett served nine years as a United States Army Cavalry officer and is a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. Garrett’s service included three years in ground combat leadership roles beginning as a Reconnaissance Scout Platoon Leader in Baghdad during the Surge in 2006, colloquially known as the bloodiest year in Iraq. Garrett was also an embedded military advisor living and operating with the Iraqi Army in 2008, and as a Cavalry Troop Commander in Afghanistan where he was commended for his work with local Afghan militias to fight the Taliban. Garrett’s awards include three Bronze Star Medals, an Army Commendation Medal with Valor Device, and a Meritorious Service Medal. Garrett is currently a Major in the Army Reserves where he serves as an Associate Professor of Leadership and Military Science at Georgia Tech. Garrett graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 2004, the Goizueta School of Business at Emory University in 2018. He is a Truman National Security Fellow and a George W. Bush Veteran Leadership Scholar. Garrertt regularly speaks on leadership, service and building innovative teams. He has addressed the Atlanta Hawks, New York University, The Home Depot, The Federal Reserve Bank, and guest lectured at the US Military and Air Force Academies. He has appeared in the Christian Science Monitor, New York Times, CNN, USA Today, and on Fox News, and CBS World News.
The social and civic fabric of our country has eroded and our democracy is at a crossroads. MPU unites the country and strengthens communities though social connection, service and civic engagement. MPU is growing into the next service and civic organization of the United States with military veteran and civic leadership.
Teaching PL 300 Military Leadership to Cadets during the Summer Term Academic Program (STAP) for the Dept of Behavioral Sciences and Leadership.
Venture Capital firm making early-stage investments in startups led by military veterans in target industry verticals of medical technology, health & wellness, and human performance. Our Alpha Fund invested in 18 portfolio companies, with second checks written to multiple PortCos. With one exception (extension round at equivalent valuation), each portfolio company that has raised subsequent round(s), has raised at higher valuations; significant assistance in portfolio companies securing non-dilutive funding.
Primary instructor for developing first-year ROTC Cadets to access as a Commissioned Officer into the Army of the United States. Coach, teach and mentor Cadets in the Tenants of Leadership developing and assessing their leadership skills in preparation to commission as an Army Officer. "MAJ Cathcart led the development of over 50 Cadets setting the critical grounding of the Army Values, Warrior Ethos, and ethics, while providing critical feedback on their leadership characteristics and attributes. He masterfully used his years of combat/deployment experience to train cadets on field craft, tactics, and basic soldier skills expected of today's leaders in complex environments. He challenged them to be their best version resulting in quality, highly proficient Second Lieutenants."
Raised 7 million dollars of start up capital, founded brand, led strategy development, and growth plan to scale to 1.2M members. Provided testimony to US Senate to assist in passing landmark mental health legislation for US military veterans (S785). Nearly half of all veterans are unaffiliated with the Department of Veterans Affairs or any veteran serving organization. Veterans lack a partner that proactively seeks their input on issues impacting their lives and effectively communicating their views to stakeholders. Mission Roll Call is the first-ever of its kind: a movement to give every single veteran a voice in policy and advocacy on the issues that are important to them. We engage them and build a community where veterans, their spouses, families, and caregivers can share their stories, concerns, hopes, wins and voice their issues.