About Arcata Associates
Coming together to make a difference. Working together to make an impact.
Photo courtesy of NASA
Who We Are
Arcata is a technical services company supporting our nation’s defense and maintaining our country’s leadership in science, aeronautics, and space. Our greatest strength is our people. Together, the hard work of our staff and team members support critical operations that make a difference and advance human achievement.
Arcata is committed to giving back to the community, always putting ethics and diversity first, and leading the team to ensure our mission, vision, and values are met at all times. Learn more about the Arcata mission, vision and values, as well as the history of Arcata below.

Arcata Community
Arcata cares about the communities in which we operate, and we are committed to giving back to local causes and organizations that our employees support.

Ethics & Diversity
Arcata is committed to the highest ethical standards. We strive to be an inclusive company that attracts and retains professionals from diverse backgrounds.

Leadership Team
The experienced professionals that make up Arcata’s leadership team stand ready to ensure the Arcata mission, vision, and values are attained at all times.
The Meaning of Everything with Tim Wong
A Technical Services Company with a Foundation for Success
Our Mission: To enable human achievement and customer success by delivering superior technical services and entrepreneurial solutions.
Our Vision: Bringing together the brightest minds and enabling them to maintain and enhance our nation’s defense and leadership in space and science.
ACHIEVEMENT
We are driven to exceed our customers’ expectations and work to advance human innovation.
CUSTOMER
We align our services and products to meet the individual needs of each and every customer.
INTEGRITY
With every customer and employee, we conduct our business in a legal, moral, and ethical manner.
COMMUNITY
We are committed to protecting the environment and supporting the communities where we operate.
QUALITY
We strive for constant improvement, technological advancements, and world-class solutions.
PEOPLE
We provide a safe work environment that encourages teamwork, personal growth, and respects diversity.
INNOVATION
We seek out technological advances that provide innovative value-added solutions for critical missions.
Where We Came From – History of Arcata

Buck Wong
Arcata is the product of Buck W. Wong’s vision, tenacity and experience. With a successful 30-year career as a Merchant Marine and Naval officer, engineer in the aerospace and electronics industry, and entrepreneur, he leveraged his expertise and experience to establish Arcata Associates, Inc. in 1979. The goal? To provide innovative and customer focused technical services in support of our nation.
As an engineer supporting the early days of America’s space program, Buck experienced first-hand how a smart, dedicated, and committed team could do the “impossible,” and he started his company, Arcata Associates, Inc., with this conviction.
Arcata was built on family values, employee appreciation, and excellent customer service. Arcata’s first federal government contract started in 1979 when the company provided Operations & Maintenance (O&M) of Specialized Range Instrumentation in support of the Nevada Test & Training Range (NTTR) at Nellis AFB, Nevada. As the company started to grow, Buck asked members of the family to assist him in managing the company.
In 1984, his son, Tim, joined the company after graduating from college, and in 1986, Buck’s wife, Aurora, joined the company as Corporate Counsel. Nancy, Buck’s daughter, became actively involved in the company in 1992 after graduation from business school.
After founding and leading the company for fourteen years, Buck decided to retire and asked Tim to take over as President and CEO in 1993. Today, Arcata operates in seven states; supports the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, and NASA; and continues to receive accolades from its customers.

Buck & Aurora Wong

Arcata 2008 NASA Small Business Prime Contractor of the Year Award Ceremony – Tim Wong, Nancy, Wong, and Anthony Ng and NASA Associate Administrator, Office of Small Business Programs, Glenn Delgado

2011 NASA Small Business Prime Contractor of the Year – NASA Administrator Charles Bolden, Anthony Ng, Tim Wong, NASA Associate Administrator, Glenn Delgado, and NASA Armstrong Director of Mission Support, Gwen Holm
Awards

2022 NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Small Business Subcontractor of the Year

2022 Teledyne Brown Engineering MO&I Subcontractor of the Year

2018 NASA Small Business Subcontractor of the Year

2018 NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center Small Business Subcontractor of the Year

2015 NASA Small Business Subcontractor of the Year

2015 NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center Small Business Subcontractor of the Year

2015 Teledyne Brown Engineering MO&I Subcontractor of the Year

2013 NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center Small Business Prime Contractor of the Year

2013 Rigel Award Winner - Small Business of the Year for the Lockheed Martin Orion Contract

2011 NASA Small Business Prime Contractor of the Year

2011 NASA Dryden Flight Research Center Small Business Prime Contractor of the Year

2010 NASA Dryden Flight Research Center Small Business Prime Contractor of the Year

2008 NASA Small Business Prime Contractor of the Year

2008 NASA Dryden Flight Research Center Small Business Prime Contractor of the Year

2008 NASA Shared Services Center Small Business Subcontractor of the Year

2006 NASA George M. Low Award Finalist

2006 US Small Business Administration Region IX Prime Contractor of the Year

2005 and 2004 NASA Dryden Flight Research Center Minority Contractor of the Year

2005 NASA Dryden Flight Research Center Public Service Group Achievement Award

2005 SAIC AFOTEC Award to Small Business

2003 NASA Minority Subcontractor of the Year

2003 CSC NASA Program Information Systems Mission Services (PrISMS) contract Minority Subcontractor of the Year

2003 Lockheed Martin NASA Consolidated Space Operations Contract (CSOC) Minority Subcontractor of the Year
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Photo courtesy of NASA

“The engineering and integration support we provide on a day-to-day basis directly impacts, and is critical to, the readiness and success of the warfighter. Keeping the mission in mind, we understand the importance of what needs to be done to make each project a success.“
– Tiffany, Supervisor