Session Summaries

Army Future Technologies and Emerging Requirements.
Speaker: Robert W. Watts, Deputy Director, Contested Logistics Cross-Functional Team, US Army Futures Command.
This session will cover the Army’s modernization priorities within the aerospace, ground vehicle and armament domains and its anticipated challenges in engaging a defense industrial base capable of delivering and sustaining these advanced systems throughout their life cycle.    

Sustaining the Warfighter, Sustaining our Defense Industrial Base.
Speaker: Donald Schulze, Deputy Director, DLA Land Supplier Operations, Defense Logistics Agency, Land and Maritime
DLA Land and Maritime will highlight the monumental challenges facing their agency in engaging a viable and innovative defense industrial base capable of sustaining America’s warfighters in peace and conflict worldwide. 

Department of Defense Small Business Programs, Support and Outreach. This session features speakers from DoD agencies and industrial activities who are dedicated to supporting small business engagement in the federal market.  Speakers will address agency requirements, forecasts, goals, outreach efforts, workshops, webinars and other activities to engage small businesses and foster collaboration with their acquisition teams.  This session will empower small businesses with the knowledge, tools and support required to engage and ultimately thrive in the defense industrial supply chain.

  • Lee Moritz, Regional Business Development Professional (Hickory), North Carolina Military Business Center
  • John Henley, Associate Director, Small Business Programs, Defense Logistics Agency, Aviation
  • Kreston Harris, Director, DLA Land and Maritime Office of Small Business Programs, Defense Logistics Agency, Land & Maritime
  • Chris Rabassi, Small Business Programs, Office of Small Business Programs, Marine Corps Installations East
  • Terressa Bebout, Technical Director of Small Business Strategy, Office of Small Business Programs, Naval Air Systems Command
  • Dawn Chartier, Director, Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Lakehurst Office of Small Business Programs

Sustaining Supply Chain for Ground Vehicles / Maritime Systems (Agency). Government panel members will discuss policies, procedures, acquisitions and industry engagement initiatives to sustain, expand and enhance the supply chain for existing and future ground vehicle and maritime systems.  Panel members will address and seek industry input on measures to optimize supply chains and supply chain management, while reducing risk (to industry and government) and encouraging domestic manufacturing to address supply chain vulnerabilities, build combat power and project it globally.     

  • Rick Gilmore, Regional Business Development Professional (Triad), North Carolina Military Business Center
  • CAPT Dale Haney, Director, DLA Maritime Supplier Operations, Defense Logistics Agency, Land and Maritime
  • Donald Schulze, Deputy Director, DLA Land Supplier Operations, Defense Logistics Agency, Land and Maritime
  • Captain Andrew T. Pecora, Commander, USCG Surface Forces Logistics Center

Sustaining Supply Chain for Ground Vehicles & Maritime Systems (Industry). Industry panelists, including manufacturers and service providers, will address current and anticipated opportunities, requirements and challenges to engagement in the DoD ground vehicle and maritime markets.  The panel will address a broad scope of issues and lessons learned from both prime and subcontractor perspectives regarding barriers to entry, contracting challenges, supplier certification, demand volatility, compliance requirements, technology integration and risk reduction throughout the contract performance period(s) and system sustainment life cycle, including obsolescence.    

  • Rick Gilmore, Regional Business Development Professional (Triad), North Carolina Military Business Center
  • Michael Brown, Vice President of Outside Services, Richard Childress Racing
  • Steve Murphy, VP Of Contracts & Global Supply Chain, GM Defense
  • Lindsey Crisp, President & CEO, Carver Machine Works
  • KeAnne Hoeg, Director, Data Management Systems, Supplier Matching & Reporting, North Carolina Manufacturing Extension Partnership (NCMEP), North Carolina State University

Sustaining Supply Chain for Aerospace and Armaments Systems (Industry). Industry panelists, including manufacturers and service providers, will address current and anticipated opportunities, requirements and challenges to engagement in the defense aerospace and armament markets.  The panel will address a broad scope of issues including procurement and contracting challenges, supplier and demand volatility, compliance requirements, technology integration and risk reduction in sustainment throughout the contract performance period(s) and system life cycle, including obsolescence.    

  • Joe Tew, Regional Business Development Professional (Western Carolina), North Carolina Military Business Center
  • KeAnne Hoeg, Director, Data Management Systems, Supplier Matching & Reporting, North Carolina Manufacturing Extension Partnership (NCMEP), North Carolina State University
  • Tony Nelson, Computational Scientist, Corvid Technologies

Sustaining Supply Chain for Aerospace & Armaments Systems (Agency). Panel members will discuss policies, procedures, acquisitions and industry engagement initiatives to sustain, expand and enhance the supply chain for existing and future aerospace and armaments systems.  Particular emphasis will include challenges and innovative solutions to address obsolescence.  Panel members will address and seek industry input on measures to optimize supply chains and supply chain management, while reducing risk (to industry and government) and encouraging domestic manufacturing to address supply chain vulnerabilities, build combat power and project it globally.

  • Joe Tew, Regional Business Development Professional (Western Carolina), North Carolina Military Business Center
  • Kelly Watts, Director Supplier Operations, Defense Logistics Agency, Aviation
  • Donald Schulze, Deputy Director, DLA Land Supplier Operations, Defense Logistics Agency, Land and Maritime
  • Terressa Bebout, Technical Director of Small Business Strategy, Office of Small Business Programs, Naval Air Systems Command
  • Dawn Chartier, Director, Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Lakehurst Office of Small Business Programs

Defense Logistics Agency Operations and Acquisition Processes. This session provides an in-depth focus on acquisition processes of the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) Aviation and DLA Land and Maritime.  Speakers will address their agencies’ procurement strategies, acquisition workflows, software platform utilization, supplier and small business engagement and contract management and technology implementation activities to enhance supply chain resilience and sustain the defense industrial base.   These resources include the DLA Internet Bid Board System (DIBBS), DLA Collaboration Folders (cFolders), Supplier Requirements Visibility Application (SRVA), Post Award Requests (PARs), Joint Certification Program (JCP), Source Approval Requests (SARs) and Replenishment Parts Purchase or Borrow Program (RPPOB).

  • Joe Tew, Regional Business Development Professional (Western Carolina), North Carolina Military Business Center
  • Matthew Woods, Senior Business Process Analysts / Automated KO, Defense Logistics Agency, Aviation
  • John Dotchin, Procurement Process Support Directorate, Defense Logistics Agency, Land & Maritime
  • Christina Geobert, Branch Chief – Automated One Time Buy Team, Procurement Process Support Directorate, Defense Logistics Agency – Land & Maritime

Empowering the Future: Strengthening the DoD Aerospace Workforce. This session will address the critical challenges, opportunities, strategies and resources available to recruit, educate, train and retain top talent within the aerospace sector. Panelists will share insights on strategic initiatives, emerging technologies, industry-specific training and workforce development programs designed to enhance the capabilities of a future-ready workforce in support of the aerospace industry, the Department of Defense and the national security of the United States. 

  • Erin Ananian-Gentile, Regional Business Development Professional (New Bern), North Carolina Military Business Center
  • Dr. Charlene Stokes, Manufacturing Technology Program Office, Program Manager Manufacturing Education and Workforce Development, Office of the Secretary of Defense
  • Nick Yale, Director, Aviation Programs, Guilford Technical Community College
  • David Mayers, Director of Aviation, Guilford County Schools
  • Dawn Katz, Dean of Workforce Development, Lenoir Community College
  • Jim Catteau, Site Operations Manager, TCOM

Fortifying the Future: Enhancing the DoD Industrial Workforce.  This session will address the critical challenges, opportunities, strategies and resources available to recruit, educate, train and retain a highly skilled industrial workforce.  Panelists will highlight strategic initiatives, emerging technologies and industrial training and workforce development programs designed to enhance the availability and capabilities of a future-ready industrial workforce for DoD and the defense industrial base.  

  • Erin Ananian-Gentile, Regional Business Development Professional (New Bern), North Carolina Military Business Center
  • Dr. Charlene Stokes, Manufacturing Technology Program Office, Program Manager Manufacturing Education and Workforce Development, Office of the Secretary of Defense
  • Ricky Meadows, Dean of Career & Technical Programs, Craven Community College
  • Megan Johnson, Workforce Development Coordinator II, Craven Community College
  • Jami Dale, Program Chair, Megatronics, Central Piedmont Community College
  • Brandi Bragg, Workforce Connector, Northeast NC Career Pathways

Cybersecurity Compliance Panel – Securing Your Business in the Defense Supply Chain . Because businesses within the defense supply chain are increasingly vulnerable to cyber threats, DoD is increasing security requirements contractors must implement to keep sensitive information secure.  This session provides essential insights and practical, low/no-cost strategies to safeguard businesses against evolving cyber risks. Topics include an overview of CMMC 2.0, basic cyber strategies and resources/tools to help businesses comply with DoD  standards and to safeguard data in support of US national security. 

  • Laura Rodgers, Director of Cybersecurity Practice, North Carolina State University
  • Lori Jackson, President, White Raven Security
  • Matt Kline, Director of Compliance, Corvid Cyberdefense
  • Lawrence Cruciana, President, Corporate Information Technologies

Why present Your Technology or Innovation to Federal Agencies. In this session you will learn about the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program and how it might benefit your company. You will learn how it works, how to apply, the many Federal agencies that award contracts or grants through the program, and why a quad chart explaining your innovation is the first step. So, if you would like to get an award of up to $1.5 Million to develop your technology or innovation, then you won’t want to miss this session.

  • TJ Gilroy, Program Manager, North Carolina Defense Technology Transition (DEFTECH) Office

Case Studies: Presenting Your Company and Technologies to Federal Agencies.  Selected businesses will each have five minutes to pitch their innovative technology solutions, followed by questions and feedback from government representatives. This interactive format provides a unique opportunity to showcase cutting-edge solutions and receive valuable, direct feedback from government officials.  Session attendees will gain insights into government needs and requirements, increasing their own chances of successful collaboration and business growth in the federal marketplace.

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