NGAUS will connect defense industry representatives and National Guard officials next month for the association’s 29th Annual Industry Day.
The event is set for Dec. 7-8 at the National Guard Memorial, the association’s headquarters in Washington, D.C.
Doing business with the Guard is unique and complex. The event serves as an educational platform, helping companies, especially those new to the defense market, navigate the process while learning about the Guard’s latest requirements.
Attendees will also hear from Guard leaders and learn how NGAUS educates Congress on Guard needs and what its legislative priorities are.
Speakers include Gen. Thomas M. Carden, vice chief of the National Guard Bureau; Brig. Gen. Matthew R. McDonough, director, strategy, design and requirements for the Air National Guard; Maj. Gen. Gary W. Keefe, the adjutant general of Massachusetts and chairman of the NGAUS board; and Maj. Gen. Francis J. Evon, the adjutant general of Connecticut and president of the Adjutants General Association of the United States.
“Industry Day identifies key Guard stakeholders and provides industry partners with a clearer understanding of capability gaps, enabling businesses to better align their products and services with the Guard’s operational needs,” said Darin Gilderoy, the chair of the NGAUS Corporate Advisory Panel. Following his retirement from the Army, Gilderoy engaged with NGAUS to further support Minuteman Soldiers while representing Stanley Black & Decker as Senior National Sales Manager for Government.
“The event clarifies who the major players are within the Guard and helps industry partners understand the Guard’s capability gaps. This understanding is essential for businesses to identify how their products or services can best support the Guard’s needs,” continued Gilderoy.
The two-day event begins with a mini-Industry Day session on pressing capability gaps and strategies for adopting new solutions at both the state and national level. Senior Guard leaders will explain their priorities directly to industry participants, offering insight into current needs and future directions.
The session also explains the NGAUS resolution process and how industry feedback can influence future defense appropriations for equipment and training. The NGAUS Fiscal Year 2028 Legislative Resolutions booklet will be available for all participants.
Business-to-business networking throughout the event will give companies further insight into the Guard’s environment and help them offer relevant solutions.
According to Nina Reiss, the association’s industry liaison, NGAUS expects more than 200 attendees. Reiss is also scheduled to speak.
This will be the second Industry Day of the calendar year. Last year’s event was moved to February from its traditional December date due to last fall’s government shutdown.
More information about the event and registration is available here.
—By Michael Metz
Source: www.ngaus.org
