Kevin Harkins

A LIFE SHAPED BY SERVICE

Kevin Harkins is a retired U.S. Coast Guard officer, entrepreneur, and scholar whose career has been defined by service, leadership, and resilience. Born in Wyoming and raised in Arizona, his early years fostered a love of sports, the outdoors, grit, and a deep belief in hard work and possibility. Those formative experiences laid the foundation for a life centered on challenge, commitment, and purpose.

LEADERSHIP IN UNIFORM AND BEYONE

Over more than two decades in uniform, Kevin held command at sea, served in senior policy roles at Coast Guard Headquarters and the Pentagon, and worked alongside the FBI and other federal agencies. After retiring from military service, he founded Harkcon, Inc., a government contracting firm focused on improving mission performance. He later co-founded two craft breweries—6 Bears & a Goat Brewing Company and The Port Oysteria and Brewery in Fredericksburg, Virginia—bringing together business vision, leadership, and community spirit.

PURPOSE, PERSPECTIVE, AND LEGACY

Kevin earned a Ph.D. in Applied Management and Decision Sciences, bringing academic rigor to his lifelong focus on leadership and organizational effectiveness. He is the author of The Hard Part Was the Point (Koehler Books, 2026), a memoir that weaves together stories from his upbringing, his years at the Coast Guard Academy, his military and business career, and the lessons learned along the way about leadership, legacy, and living with purpose. A service-disabled veteran and seasoned executive, Kevin continues to mentor leaders, speak, advise organizations, and seek new ways to serve. He and his wife, Paula, live in Virginia, where they enjoy time with family, community, and the occasional pint from a local brewery he helped build.