Why We Ring the Bell at SteerBridge

Spend enough time around SteerBridge and eventually you’ll hear the bell.

It hangs at our headquarters in Vienna, Virginia. When SteerBridge wins a contract or reaches a major milestone, people gather around it. Some are in the office. Others join remotely. Work stops for a few minutes so everyone can hear what happened, who helped make it possible, and what comes next.

Recently, we gathered around the bell to mark an important milestone in our work supporting Marine Aviation.

It felt like a good time to explain why we do this.

Because the bell isn’t really the story. What we do around it is.

Why a Bell?

Bells have a long history in naval life. Aboard ships, they helped keep time, marked important events, and signaled changing conditions. Over time, they also became part of naval tradition and heritage, tied to a ship, its crew, and its history.

That history means something to a lot of people at SteerBridge, especially Veterans and others with military connections.
But our bell-ringing tradition is our own. We don’t claim it comes from a specific Navy ceremony. We use the bell because it fits the moment.

A bell gets people’s attention.

At SteerBridge, it also brings people into the mission.

What Happens When We Ring It 

Rob Schroder usually starts.

He talks about the milestone, the work behind it, and why the mission matters. He recognizes the people who helped move the pursuit forward, then hands it over to the project or pursuit lead.

That perspective helps set the tone for what happens next.

The project or pursuit lead talks about the team and what it took to get there.

Sometimes that means calling out people who worked through late reviews, solution sessions, staffing decisions, pricing discussions, or a tough submission. Sometimes it means explaining how the opportunity grew out of work the team was already doing.

The point is that the story doesn’t stay with the people closest to the pursuit.

Everyone gets brought into it.

As a remote employee, I’m not standing next to the bell when it rings. But I’m still part of the moment. I get to hear the story behind the milestone, see the people who carried the work forward, and understand what the company is taking on next.

That’s important. Even if you weren’t directly involved in the pursuit, you still get a sense of what the work is about, who helped make it happen, and what SteerBridge has committed to do next.

Then the project or pursuit lead rings the bell.
Everyone celebrates together.

And a few minutes later, people get back to work.

From Winning to Delivering  

A new contract isn’t the end of something.

It’s the start of a new responsibility.

That’s part of what the bell marks.

The question changes from “Can we win this work?” to “Now it’s our responsibility to deliver it well.”

For SteerBridge, that matters because the work connects to real missions and real people. Aviation readiness, Veteran benefits, infrastructure, payments, data, technology, and program delivery all depend on people and systems doing what they’re supposed to do when it counts.

The bell gives us a chance to stop for a minute before the next deadline shows up.

We talk about the mission.

We recognize the people who did the work.

We celebrate together.

Then we turn to what comes next.

That’s why we ring the bell.

Then the bell rings.

And the next mission begins.

Your Mission. Our Passion.

Interested in Joining the Team?

Explore open roles supporting mission-driven technology: Join the Team

About STEERBRIDGE

At SteerBridge, our vision is to be the trusted partner in delivering transformative solutions that empower our clients to navigate complex challenges and seize opportunities for growth.

Rooted in our core values of integrity, innovation, and engaged leadership, we strive to elevate the standards of service within the government contracting community.