Growing up in Longview, Texas, Travis Mack knew his small-town community well, but not the vast world beyond it. An opportunity to join the Navy changed that.

Serving with people from different backgrounds taught him skills that would guide the rest of his life—to lead, hold himself accountable, stay composed under pressure, do more with less and, most importantly, persevere.

When Mack left the Navy, he set out to follow his passion of building something of his own. “That's the entrepreneurial aspect of who I am and what's built in my DNA,” he said.

A lifelong entrepreneur, Mack is familiar with the highs and lows that come with building new businesses. After a series of obstacles, including an IT consulting business that didn’t succeed, he found his footing with Saalex Corp., a federal aerospace and defense contractor with nearly 1,000 employees that supports weapon systems and aviation platforms across the Department of Defense. The company’s technology powers the test ranges where new systems are put through their paces, and it designs war games that help the military develop its software for avionics and aviation logistics systems. Increasingly, Saalex is using AI to modernize the aging code the military runs on. The work reaches as far as homeland missile defense.

Industry adaptability: Change or get left behind

Saalex started as a small business and evolved into a defense contractor with each new hire and technology it took on.

“We iterate. We evolve. We change over time,” Mack said. “And if you don't change, you risk company failure.”

His military background gives Mack a deeper understanding of his company’s clients. “I get to support the men and women who are out there fighting the good fight and the hard fight,” Mack said.

Serving them well means keeping up with the latest technology. Mack believes AI is driving a fourth industrial revolution. He expects the companies that come out ahead will be the ones that embrace it instead of hiding from it.

“As a founder, you're going to fail. No one's going to get this right immediately,” he said. “But you have to be iterating.”

Saalex holds itself to the same standard, constantly revising how its teams work as it becomes more AI-enabled. Mack calls it thinking about defense tech differently. For Saalex’s clients, that means the modernization of the military’s antiquated systems, helping the military decide faster and see threats sooner.

That work is also taking Saalex to new places, including an office in Huntsville, Alabama, a state where JPMorganChase is also investing heavily through the American Dream Initiative.

Personal banking relationships that scale: Growing together

Mack's relationship with J.P. Morgan started with his personal accounts. When sequestration hit, he turned to the bank for lines of credit and credit cards to keep Saalex going.

“As a small-business owner, you're trying to pull all the levers,” Mack said.

That personal banking relationship expanded into a commercial one with J.P. Morgan Middle Market Banking. Today, the firm supports Saalex with treasury management and corporate credit cards, along with advisory solutions from its aerospace and defense sector specialists.

“J.P. Morgan has scaled with us,” Mack said.

Much of that support comes from the Inclusive Banking team led by Fred Royall, who has worked with Mack for years. The team serves veteran-owned and other local and diverse businesses, from startups to established companies. For Royall, the relationship has been equally rewarding.

“Travis is the kind of founder who has been tested and has always come through with a stronger company,” Royall said. “That resilience and ingenuity is what we see across our clients, and it's why we're dedicated to helping entrepreneurs access the capital and connections they need to grow and thrive.”

Mack is often impressed with how such a large bank seems so small with regard to accessibility and responsiveness. “It helps being able to access your banking team and executive leadership when you have major challenges,” Mack said. He has used many banks throughout his career, and it still amazes him that he can reach his J.P. Morgan team whenever he has a question, big or small. When a subject is outside his expertise, he picks up the phone, and the team tracks down answers.

The support goes beyond banking to include networking. Mack attends the J.P. Morgan Founders Forum every year, convening with fellow leaders. He also leans on the bank's research and analysis. “They'll put you in the room, they'll answer your questions, they'll give you all kinds of education,” he said. “I often see J.P. Morgan doing more educating than anything else, and in my role, that's critical.”

The exchange goes both ways. Mack has spoken at D’Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families at Syracuse University’s CEOCircle, a training and mentorship program for veteran entrepreneurs that J.P. Morgan Commercial Banking sponsors, sharing what he has learned with founders coming up behind him.