On March 27, 2025, Peerless Technologies Corporation celebrates 25 years in business – growing from a one-person startup in Dayton, Ohio, to more than 400 employees nationwide.

Over the next 25 weekdays, we’ll spotlight 25 Peerless employees  who exemplify the people who took us from a tiny services company to a leader in R&D, Digital Transformation, Electronic Warfare and much more.

We kick off our Peerless 25-for-25 series with our founder, Michael Bridges

Michael:
First, let me thank every person at Peerless who has made Peerless what it is and gives Peerless the potential to continue to build and grow. The Peerless of today, led by Andrea Kunk, is something I could have never envisioned when we opened our doors 25 years ago. Every employee, every customer, every contract is a blessing far more significant than I could have ever imagined.

What made you decide to start a company?
When I was ten years old, I would buy 50 copies of a popular weekly family newspaper and sell it door to door to make money. If I didn’t sell all the copies, I would lose money. I soon enlisted my best friend and paid him a commission to sell for me. Apparently, for my entire life, I have had the spirit of an entrepreneur, something many have, though only some invoke.

After being in the defense industry for 20 years, I lost my job with another defense firm. It was the year 2000, I was 40 years old, and my wife Marcia and I had little money and no other source of income. It made no sense on paper, but in my heart, I truly believe that it was God’s calling for me and always had been.

On March 27, 2000, Peerless Technologies Corporation was opened for business. I knew in my heart that we could be a better company and a better team of people than any other.  Then, as of now, our focus is on People, Integrity, Quality, and Value.

In 25 years, that has never changed.

What was your proudest moment as a founder and longtime president?
It makes me extraordinarily proud to just be one of the employees working alongside the hundreds of exceptional colleagues at Peerless who put our hard work and reputation out there every single day.

If there’s one exceptional moment, however, in the life of Peerless, was in March 2021 when Andrea Kunk, the next generation of Peerless leaders, stepped into the role of President. Peerless was now moving into its second generation of leadership, and under her leadership, Peerless is being transformed into a company with more substantial and deeper technical offerings than anything I ever dreamed of. Peerless’ recent acquisition of Statheros, which Andrea and her team accomplished, is the first in Peerless’ history and is just more evidence of her leadership and vision for Peerless’ transformation and tremendous future.

What was your first real success?
My first success was in learning a big lesson.

During the first few months of Peerless, we had no sales and no past performance. We could not bid on prime contracts with no past performance. I went to a few local companies, all of whom were having significant success, and said that Peerless could fill empty positions that they couldn’t fill, essentially  asking, “Are there any crumbs falling off your table?”

At least one company agreed to consider Peerless and sent me a position to fill. This is not Peerless’ business model today, but back then, a sale was a sale.

I found the perfect person, and the other company agreed – except she declined the offer. That was May 30, 2000. I was disappointed to be sure, but in my soul, God gave me peace (Philippians 4:7). My first attempt failed. Still, God impressed upon my heart to go back and not just find one candidate but two candidates just in case one declined to be considered or take the position.

As always, God’s way was the better way. Within four days, the company informed me they could use both Peerless candidates, and we had our first sale. The lesson I had learned was to not lean on my own understanding (Proverbs 3:5). I had already hired Andrea (Kunk), who was now in college, to do back-office work, so we were now a company of four people.

 What one thing would you want every new Peerless employee to know?
There are two things that I want every Peerless employee to know. First, no matter what job you have at Peerless, billable or staff, technical or administrative, your job and the work you do directly impact national security. Down the line, Peerless’ work impacts the lives of our brave men and women serving our country. Double-checking a technical detail on the F-22 could be the difference in saving a life. Peerless’s nuclear-related work could bring peace through strength that our nation needs to end wars before they ever start.

Second, I have committed the remainder of my life’s work to sharing that God created every person for a reason and a purpose. After Andrea took over running Peerless, I fulfilled a lifelong goal and completed a master’s in biblical and theological studies at Dallas Theological Seminary.

Every person is a unique creation of God’s sovereign creation. I want the world, especially everyone at Peerless for whom I care so much, to know that God has a plan for them. I now lead studies and teach classes to friends and groups at a homeless shelter, and I disciple those who are interested in, new to, or continuing to grow in the faith in Christ.

Where did the name Peerless come from?
Another Peerless, Peerless Transportation and Storage was started by Oscar F. Schmidt, a mechanical engineer and a 1917 Purdue University graduate who moved to Dayton to work for the Dayton Wright Airplane Company. In time, he left DWAC and started building a commercial truck, something not uncommon then, and committed his entire savings to this effort. The trucking opportunities grew, and the Peerless Transportation Company was incorporated in 1922.

In 1964, my father, Andrea’s grandfather, Carl Bridges, was hired there. The main office was located on the corner of W. Fifth & Perry Streets in Dayton, now part of Sinclair Community College.

As a small child, I recall occasionally going to work with my father on Saturdays and meeting Mr. Schmidt, who I recall was very smart and kind.

My father purchased the company in the early 1980’s.  In 2000, when I was preparing to open a new technology company, it seemed appropriate to honor my father and Mr. Schmidt’s work at the Dayton Wright Airplane Company by using the name “Peerless.”