Jason Rathsack

Group Lead, Business Operations @ Defense Contract Management Agency

Jason Rathsack, Group Lead, Business Operations -Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA) DCMA Milwaukee is responsible for contract administration of approximately 3,600active Department of Defense (DoD) contracts and grants in Wisconsin, Northern Indiana, and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Mr. Rathsack previously served as an Administrative Contracting/Grants Officer with DCMA Milwaukee and a Contract Price/Cost Analyst with DCMA Chicago providing direct support to DoD contracting officers in reviewand recommendations associated with proposal analyses, review of contractor business systems, cost accounting standards, and incurred cost disputes. Mr. Rathsack’s Team is responsible for a range of administrative duties as laid out in FAR 42.302 including but not limited to negotiation and settling provisional billing rates, forward pricing rates, final costs on flexibly priced contracts, and administration of DoD Grants where cognizance is delegated. Prior to serving DCMA, Mr. Rathsack performed cradle to grave contract specialist duties for the US Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC), Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC), and the US Dept. of Veterans Affairs (VA). Mr. Rathsack is an active member of NCMA and has served on the NCMA WI Chapter Board for 7 years, most recently elected as President. Mr. Rathsack has a DAWIA Level III Certification in Contracting, a B.S. in Economics/Business, and a Masters of Public Administration (MPA) from UW Milwaukee where he previously served as President of the MPA Alumni Chapter.

Eric Ness

District Director @ Small Business Administration

Eric Ness is the District Director for the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Wisconsin District with locations in Madison and in Milwaukee. As District Director, Eric is responsible for the delivery of SBA programs throughout Wisconsin. Eric joined the SBA in 1990 as a Commercial Loan Officer where he had the opportunity to work in both processing and liquidation of loans. He has served as Finance Chief and Assistant District Director for Economic Development. In December of 2001, Eric assumed the position of Wisconsin District Director. Prior to coming to SBA, Eric worked for Impact Seven as a Business Analyst and was General Manager of Western Wisconsin Development Corporation in Northwestern Wisconsin.Eric graduated from the University of Minnesota with a Degree in Agricultural Engineering and later obtained a Masters in Business Administration from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas.

Megan McKinney

Business Development @ Beacon Interactive Systems

For over 20 years, Megan McKinney has honed her expertise within the commercial, aerospace and defense industries, and built customer relationships with federal government and federal prime clients. Since July 2020, Ms. McKinney has been part of the business development team at Beacon Interactive Systems. At Beacon, Ms. McKinney helps deliver game-changing digital capabilities and mission critical systems to the Department of Defense, supporting the warfighter and driving Mission Readiness across the sustainment lifecycle. Prior to Beacon, Ms. McKinney has held leadership positions in business development, marketing and sales including SupplyCore, Banneker Industries, Monogram Systems and others. Ms. McKinney is an active member of defense industry associations and is currently serving as Vice-Chair Chapters on the National Defense Industrial Association's (NDIA) Member LeadershipoCouncil (NMLC), and NDIA Great Lakes Chapter Board Member (Co-founder 2009, President 2015-2020). Ms. McKinney is also a member of the Association of the United States Army's (AUSA) Restone-Huntsville Chapter.

William Hughes

Partner @ Husch Blackwell

William has extensive experience in the award, protest and litigation of competitively bid and publicly awarded contracts.  He counsels federal contractors on all aspects of government contracts including the Federal Acquisition Regulations, audits, bids, changes, costs, claims, intellectual property rights, terminations and negotiations.  He also has extensive arbitration and litigation experience representing clients in recovering damages or defending against claims on both private and public contracts.  As a former U.S. Government attorney, William is one of the few Wisconsin attorneys with the experience necessary to represent clients in matters involving federal contract law.  He is a graduate of the United States Air Force Academy (B.S.), Marquette University School of Law (J.D.), and the George Washington University Law School (L.L.M. in Government Procurement Law). William also serves as a Member of the Wisconsin Procurement Institute (WPI)

Terry Whipple

Executive Director @ Juneau County Economic Development Corporation

Terry Whipple has a passion for creating a contagious environment for entrepreneurship! He is also adamant that the Midwest needs to foster a culture of entrepreneurism in order to compete in the 21st century economy. Terry is the Executive Director of the Juneau County Economic Development Corporation (JCEDC) and former president of the 7 Rivers Region. He is a seasoned professional with practical experience in a plethora of business applications including business start-up and turn-around, mergers and acquisitions and maximizing business opportunities via trends research. He is skilled in strategic planning, management, negotiations, sales and marketing and an expert in presentations, public speaking, team building and networking. He has been applying his experience in corporate turn-arounds to revitalizing Juneau County and its rural communities. A bridge-builder and collaborator, Terry received the SBA’s Region V and Wisconsin 2005 Home-Based Business Champion of the Year Award. He also received the Wisconsin 2005 Innovation Champion Award for the development of innovative new programs as well as the 7 Rivers Region Pyramid Award. In 2009, Terry was presented the International Economic Development Council Award for Innovative entrepreneurial programs. He has served as an independent business consultant specializing in work with distressed small businesses and currently maintains his own private consulting business. His current appointments include: • President of the 7 Rivers Alliance 2009, Current Board Member • President of iLEAD Entrepreneurial/Leadership Charter School • Chair for the 7 Rivers Economic Development Group • Advisory Board – State of Wisconsin, Department of Corrections • Wisconsin Government Contracting/Appropriations Advisory Committee developing a strategic plan to bring more federal dollars to Wisconsin • Board of Directors and Facilitator for the Juneau County Inventor & Entrepreneur Club • Consultant to the State of Wisconsin for the development of the 42 plus WI I&E Clubs • Advisory Board - Western Technical College • Board of Directors Juneau County Revolving Loan Fund • Board of Directors Juneau County Housing Committee • Board of Directors International Trade, Business and Economic Council He has received awards and recognition for his work and passion for entrepreneurism by the: • International Economic Development Council, Award 2009, Entrepreneur Programs • 7 Rivers Alliance, Pyramid Award 2008 • SBA Region 5, 2005 Home-Based Business Champion • SBA State of Wisconsin 2005 Home-Based Business Champion • 2005 Wisconsin Innovator of the Year • 2004 Top Rural Initiative Award for innovative practices in rural development from Wisconsin Rural Partners at the Wisconsin Community Leadership summit. Terry attended Utah State University and holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Iowa State University. He lives in rural Tomah with his wife and three daughters.

Wisconsin State Representative Tony Kurtz

50th Assembly District @ Wisconsin State Assembly

Representative Tony Kurtz currently serves as the Wisconsin Assemblyman for the 50th Assembly District. Prior to his election in 2018, Representative Kurtz had both military and farming experience. Joining the Army after high school and serving for over 20 years, Representative Kurtz is a veteran of both the Persian Gulf and Iraq Wars and had roles as a U.S. Army attack helicopter pilot and crash scene investigator. Following his military career to the present, Representative Kurtz owns a 230-acre farm in Wonewoc where he lives with his wife and children.

Sam Rikkers

Deputy Secretary and Chief Operating Officer @ Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation

Sam Rikkers is deputy secretary and chief operating officer for WEDC. Prior to joining WEDC in November 2019, he served as strategic economic initiatives director at the Wisconsin Department of Administration. Sam has an extensive background in rural development, both in the U.S. and internationally. He served in the White House from 2013 to 2014 as director on the energy and environment team in the Presidential Personnel Office, then was administrator of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Business-Cooperative Service. Before returning to Wisconsin in 2017, he launched and led the Rural Opportunity Initiative of the Georgetown University McDonough School of Business. In Wisconsin, he served as executive director of Tiny Earth, a global initiative based at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, harnessing the research of undergraduate students to discover new antibiotics. A native of Stoughton, Rikkers holds a juris doctor degree from the University of Wisconsin Law School, a master’s degree in international affairs from Columbia University, and a bachelor’s degree in political science and philosophy from Macalester College. He also served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Zambia.

John Frederick

Director, State & Local Government Relations @ The Boeing Company

John Frederick serves as Director, State & Local Government Operations for The Boeing Company. His responsibilities include representing the company at the local and state levels of government in all legislative, administrative, and public agency matters. Frederick joined Boeing in 1988 as a Material buyer for the KC-135 program. In 1989 he joined the Government Affairs organization, serving as the government affairs administrator and subsequently as the government relations manager. In 2006, Frederick was named a Director of State & Local Government Operations. Frederick earned his Bachelor of Business Administration degree in management from Wichita State University, graduating cum laude, and his Master of Arts degree in political science from Wichita State University. He is also a graduate of the Public Affairs Institute.

Brad Bruce

Manager, Global Supplier Diversity @ The Boeing Company

Brad Bruce is the Manager of Global Supply Diversity for Boeing Enterprise Supplier Development & Diversity. He is responsible for leading strategic planning and execution of Supplier Diversity across Boeing Enterprise. His team of Small Business Liaison Officers partners with Supply Chain to ensure strategic work placement initiatives align with business unit strategy, maximize Small/Diverse business utilization and deliver best value to Boeing and our customers. Brad has a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Athens State University and a certification in Basic/Advanced Contract Management from University of Alabama Huntsville. Brad brings over 27 years of experience with Boeing with 12 years as a small business advocate. In addition to his professional affiliations, he is a Charter Member of the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Prime Contractor Council and a member of the Missile Defense Agency Business Council. He provides advocacy to various associations and local non-profit organizations.

Varick Williams

Senior Team Lead, Global Supplier Diversity @ The Boeing Company

Julia Banegas

Associate @ Husch Blackwell

With her interest in the heavily regulated areas of government contracts and international trade, Julia helps clients conduct business smoothly across the nation and throughout the world. She researches trade and regulatory issues in order to provide customized analysis before large-scale projects are set in motion and helps clients large and small proactively establish compliance measures to keep trade flowing across borders and keep business moving forward. When problems do arise, Julia serves on the team that navigates litigation and negotiates disputes. Julia serves as a liaison and advocate for clients with her research and writing skills before various state and federal agencies such as the Department of Commerce, Government Accountability Office (GAO), International Trade Commission (ITC), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and state alcohol and beverage divisions, as well as the U.S. Court of International Trade and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.

Wisconsin State Representative Nancy VanderMeer

70th Assembly District @ Wisconsin State Assembly

Elected in 2014, Representative Nancy VanderMeer serves as the Wisconsin Assemblywoman for the 70th Assembly District. Representative Vandermeer is a long-time resident of central Wisconsin. After graduating from University of Wisconsin – La Crosse, she would become involved in the local small business community by running VanderMeer Motor Company, a long-owned family business. Currently, in addition to being active in numerous local community organizations, Representative VanderMeer and her husband live and operate his family’s 5th generation dairy farm.

Col. Michael D. Poss

Garrison Commander-Fort McCoy @ Fort McCoy

Colonel Michael D. Poss assumed duties as Garrison Commander at Fort McCoy, Wisconsin, on June 10, 2020. Immediately prior to this assignment he served as the Chief of Staff of the 451st Expeditionary Sustainment Command, Wichita, Kansas. Poss earned a master’s of business administration degree in Business and Leadership from the University of South Dakota, Vermillion, S.D., and a master's degree in Strategic Studies from the U.S. Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, Pa. His military education includes the Quartermaster Officer Basic and Advanced Courses, Combined Arms and Services Staff School, U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, Advanced Joint Professional Military Education, and the U.S. Army War College. He received his Army officer commission in 1993 from the University of South Dakota, Vermillion, S.D., Reserve Officers’ Training Corps program. Poss is a joint qualified officer and has served in various locations as Platoon Leader, Detachment Commander, Observer Controller/Trainer, BN S4 Logistics Officer, G3 Plans Officer, S3 Operations Officer, and a Logistics Structure Analyst. He also served as the Battalion Commander of the Army Reserve Element, U.S. Strategic Command, Offutt Air Force Base, Neb. and Brigade Deputy Commander, Logistics Support Brigade, Rock Island Arsenal, Ill. Poss first deployed as a Sergeant during Operation Desert Storm in 1990 to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Iraq. He then deployed as a logistics officer with the 3d Corps Support Command to Iraq in 2005 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and later with the 3d Expeditionary Sustainment Command to Afghanistan in 2012 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. His awards and decorations include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, Meritorious Service Medal with four Oak Leaf Clusters, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters, Joint Service Achievement Medal, Army Achievement Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters, Army Parachutist Badge, Air Assault Badge, and Aerial Delivery and Materiels Officer Badge as well as related campaign medals for Operation Desert Storm, Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.

Leonard Wood Institute

Session Sponsor @ NDIA Midwest Regional Conference Series - Briefing from The Boeing Company

Ron Hagemann

Chief Executive Officer @ New Composite Partners

Ron has cemented sound and strong relationships with key influencers, policy-makers, administrators and advisors in government. In 2005, New Composite Partners (NCP) became involved with the United States Department of Agriculture. Their work focuses on the mandated purchase of agricultural based products by American government agencies to boost domestic demand for renewable products. NCP works with companies who wish to incorporate renewable materials in their products for purchase by federal and state agencies. Some example of this work includes the successful implementation of renewable materials in security bins and dishes for use by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) at checkpoints across the United States, anchoring stakes for Department of Transportation (DOT) highway construction and shipping pallets for use by various US federal agencies. Optimizing the company’s knowledge and experience with the United States Department of Agriculture’s programs, NCP launched Profitable Sustainability Solutions™ (PS²). PS² is a multi-faceted, dynamic strategy for product market development in which NCP helps clients obtain the proper paperwork needed to facilitate mandated US government sales and unlock the several hundreds of thousands of dollars available for product market development available from the United States federal government for biobased products. Ron has acquired formal professional credentials such as: • Advisor to the American Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce & Industry, which provides direct access to leading private and public sector senior executives in Ukraine. • An Industry Collaborator for The National Composite Center, which was a national research and development organization that has taken the lead in pioneering efforts to promote, develop and apply advanced composite technology to the aerospace and defense, automotive, commercial and infrastructure markets in the national marketplace. • A member of The Society of Industry Leaders, a carefully selected global network of industry professionals and thought leaders with expertise in an industry who can speak to current topics and trends in their field and adding new business development opportunities with consumer brands into their pipeline. • Served as an advisor for various activities involving the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation. • Served as an advisor for 7 Rivers Region Composites Industry Cluster, which is a forward-thinking group of composite manufacturers in the Upper Mississippi River Valley that have aligned themselves with the innovation and advantages of composite materials. • An Industry Collaborator and advisor with Illinois State University’s College of Business, working with the staff at the College of Business in the development and execution of a high-quality interdisciplinary program to develop ethical, knowledgeable, and technologically competent business professionals in an increasingly competitive international Green Marketing business environment.

Dele Ojelabi

Founder and President @ Comcentia

Dr. Dele Ojelabi is the founder and president of Comcentia, a local Mequon WI based IT consulting company that specialize in Enterprise System Integration, DevOps, and Workforce Solutions. Dele has more than 20 years of professional leadership and software implementation experience including strategic leadership, project management; software design, development, testing and implementation. He has extensive experience in training technical professionals and conducting technology-training classes for large groups of technology professionals Dele grew up in Lagos, Nigeria and graduated from the University of Lagos, Nigeria before moving to Paris, France for an MBA at the Ecole Nationale des Ponts et Chaussees. He also received an Ms in MIS from the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee and Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) from Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, England.

Norma Alberts

Small Business Liaison Officer and Plan Administrator @ Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Co LLC

Headquartered in Houston, Texas, Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Company is the largest provider of dredging services in the United States. In addition, the Company has a long history of performing significant international projects. The Company employs experienced civil, ocean and mechanical engineering staff in its estimating, production and project management functions. In its over 130-year history, the Company has never failed to complete a marine project. Great Lakes owns and operates the largest and most diverse fleet in the U.S. dredging industry, comprised of over 200 specialized vessels. Great Lakes has a disciplined training program for engineers that ensures experienced-based performance as they advance through Company operations. The Company’s Incident-and Injury-Free® (IIF®) safety management program is integrated into all aspects of the Company’s culture. The Company’s commitment to the IIF® culture promotes a work environment where employee safety is paramount.

Major Eric Dunford-USAF

Public Affairs Officer @ Volk Field

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