About Dan K. McNeill

Upon completion of the requirements for graduation in 1968, General McNeill was awarded a Bachelor of Science and a commission as a Second Lieutenant of Infantry from North Carolina State University and the University's ROTC program. McNeill has served with Special Forces, airborne infantry, mechanized infantry and aviation units. As a general officer, McNeill has commanded the 82nd Airborne Division, XVIII Airborne Corps, U.S. Army Forces Command as well as serving as an assistant division commander, corps chief of staff, deputy corps commander and Deputy Commander/Chief of Staff FORSCOM. In addition to a myriad of assignments to posts throughout the United States, McNeill has served overseas assignments in the Republic of Vietnam, the Republic of Korea, Italy, Panama, Haiti, Saudi/Iraq and Afghanistan. In June, 2008, McNeill completed a final tour of 16 months in command of NATO's International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan. McNeill retired on July 31, 2008, after completing more than 40 years of commissioned service.

About Fred N. Day IV

Fred Day is former president and chief executive officer of Progress Energy Carolinas, a regulated electric utility serving 1.4 million customers in North Carolina and South Carolina.

As president and CEO, Day led an organization that included seven customer service and operations departments. Those functions included four regional operations departments, a distribution engineering organization, a transmission department and a customer service organization, including three customer service centers - one in North Carolina and two in Florida.

Day spent his entire career with Progress Energy - formerly CP&L - and held several management positions within the company. He was named senior vice president of Energy Delivery in 1997, executive vice president in 2000, and promoted to president and chief executive officer in 2003. Day retired from Progress Energy during July of 2007.

Currently, Day serves on the boards of directors of the North Carolina State Engineering Foundation and Microcell Corporation. He is a past chair of the Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce. He also is past chair and director of the North Carolina Zoological Society, Eastern North Carolina Industrial Council and Wilmington Industrial Development, Inc. He served on the boards of Advanced Energy Corporation and the North Carolina Economic Development Board.

Day received a Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics from Mars Hill College. He also is a graduate of Progress Energy's Management Institute at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

About George Baldwin

George Baldwin is managing director of legislative and community affairs for Piedmont Natural Gas, a natural gas utility headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina. In this capacity, he oversees the company’s staff of Community Relations Managers and provides public policy direction for the company in North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. Baldwin also serves as President of the Piedmont Natural Gas Foundation and Treasurer for the Piedmont Natural Gas Employee Political Action Committee.

 Prior to joining Piedmont, Mr. Baldwin served as vice president for marketing and sales for an energy utility in North Carolina. He currently serves on the Boards of the American Gas Association’s Legislative Affairs Committee, North Carolina Chamber of Commerce and Foundation for the Carolinas-Partners in Philanthropy. 

Baldwin received his MBA from Campbell University and BS in marketing and management from Appalachian State University.

About Piedmont Natural Gas (PNG)

PNG is an energy-services company primarily engaged in the distribution of natural gas to one million residential, commercial and industrial utility customers in North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee, including 61,000 customers served by municipalities who are wholesale customers. The company's subsidiaries are invested in joint venture, energy-related businesses, including unregulated retail natural gas marketing, interstate natural gas storage and intrastate natural gas transportation. For more information on Piedmont Natural Gas, please visit www.piedmontng.com.

About Madhu Beriwal

IEM President and CEO Madhu Beriwal has more than 25 years of experience in disaster and emergency management, homeland security, national defense, and the use of information technology to resolve complex protection issues.

Prior to founding IEM, she worked for the State of Louisiana, focusing on floodplain management and hurricane evacuations for the City of New Orleans and surrounding areas. In 1984, she received a Special Merit award from the Louisiana Emergency Preparedness Association for her achievements in hurricane emergency preparedness.

Ms. Beriwal founded IEM in 1985 as a company dedicated to developing solutions for complex challenges in homeland security, defense, and information technology. IEM’s strength lies in the combination of social, technical, and scientific knowledge with best practices management theory, as well as the use of open and participatory processes that accomplish real and sustainable results for governments, organizations, and individuals.

Ms. Beriwal is a guest lecturer at the Homeland Security Executive Leadership Program at the Naval Postgraduate School’s Center for Homeland Defense and Security in Monterey, California, and is a frequent speaker at conferences, such as the International Association of Emergency Managers conference and the World Conference on Disaster Management. She is a member of the prestigious Army Science Board (ASB), and a former member of the Defense Science Board’s Task Force for Intelligence Needs on Homeland Defense, created at the request of the DoD and the CIA to address counter-terrorism intelligence requirements for homeland defense. Ms. Beriwal was also the invited facilitator for the DoD’s Chemical and Biological Modeling and Simulation Futures Workshop, which examined strategic defense issues. Ms. Beriwal holds a Master’s degree in Urban Planning (Transportation and Land Use) and a Bachelor’s degree in Geography and Economics.

About IEM

In 2010, IEM celebrated a quarter-century of success at helping government at all levels achieve results. Our innovative strategies, technologies, and solutions have practical value—they help our customers save lives, reduce costs, increase efficiencies, and improve decision making. IEM was founded on the belief that objective, scientific data is critical both to developing the solutions and to measuring how well solutions works. Whether your job is defending your country, protecting your community, or delivering essential public services, depend on IEM to deliver solutions that work the first time and earn your trust for the long term.

About Martin Berndt

Following his 2005 retirement from active military service, Lieutenant General Martin R. Berndt has continued to work directly with the military as well as with organizations that support the armed forces.

Berndt currently is a senior mentor to the Marine Air-Ground Task Force Staff Training Program; holds a similar position with the Joint Forces Command; and is a member of the Onslow County Military Affairs Committee.

During his 25-year military career, Berndt commanded the U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Atlantic; U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Europe; U.S. Marine Corps Forces, South; U.S. Marine Corps Bases, Atlantic; U.S. Fleet Marine Force, Atlantic; U.S. Fleet Marine Force, Europe; the II Marine Expeditionary Force/Striking Force, Atlantic; the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit; and the U.S. Joint Forces Command Joint Warfighting Center.

Other positions he held include that as a Middle East/Africa planner and U.S. military liaison to the West Africa Peacekeeping Force in Liberia. He also was the assistant chief of staff of Headquarters, U.S. European Command in Stuttgart, Germany.

Lieutenant General Berndt was commissioned a second lieutenant after his graduation from West Chester University. Following that commission, he attended The Basic School and Vietnamese language school before serving in the Vietnam War.

About Paul E. Busick

Real Admiral Busick retired from active military service during 1998 and currently serves as COO for Delta Private Jets. He also is a member of the board of directors for the Lenoir County Committee of 100, a member of the board of trustees for the Coast Guard Academy, chairman of the Lenoir County Chapter of the American Red Cross board of directors and a past chairman of the Coast Guard Academy Alumni Association Board of Directors.

Busick is an aviator who has commanded the Coast Guard Air Station in San Francisco, California, and the Aviation Training Center in Mobile, Alabama. He has served as deputy chief of the Office of Law Enforcement and Defense Operations at the U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters and as the U.S. Secretary of Transportation's national security advisor - a position that gave him security policy responsibility for all modes of transportation in the country. During 1996, Busick joined the National Security Council as a special assistant to the President and Senior Director for Gulf War Illnesses.

Busick has worked as president and executive director of North Carolina's Global TransPark Authority - an appointment made by then-Governor James B. Hunt, Jr. He also was appointed to a Presidential Oversight Board for certain Department of Defense investigations; and, following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001,  accepted a temporary appointment as the Federal Aviation Administration's associate administrator for civil aviation security. In that position, the admiral oversaw the ongoing worldwide civil aviation security program for the United States.

Busick's military awards include the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, the Coast Guard Distinguished Service Medal and the Legion of Merit. He was awarded the U.S. Department of Transportation's Distinguished Service award and the Federal Aviation Administration's Extraordinary Service Medal - the highest accolade for contributions to civil aviation. During February 2002, Busick was honored as Tarheel of the Week by the News and Observer newspaper.

Busick holds a master of science degree in Industrial Administration from Purdue University and is a graduate of the National War College in Washington, D.C.

About Brett Carter

Brett Carter is president of Duke Energy Carolinas. He leads the Carolinas' utility business, an operation that provides electricity and value-added products and services to nearly 2.4 million customers in North Carolina and South Carolina.

Prior to his appointment as president, Carter served as senior vice president of customer service and business development for Duke Energy. Carter joined Duke Energy during 2005 as vice president of residential and small business customers. He also managed the marketing strategy and operations of the company’s Customer Service Center. Prior to joining Duke Energy, Carter was vice president of the Central Services Division for Aquila.

Carter serves on the North Carolina State Ports Authority Board and currently chairs the Business Development Committee of the Crisis Assistance Ministry of Charlotte. He is a member of Leadership Charlotte. Carter holds a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting from Clarion University of Pennsylvania and a Master of Business Administration, with a concentration in marketing, from the University of Pittsburgh. He has completed the Harvard Business School Advanced Management Program.

About Duke Energy Carolinas

Duke Energy is one of the largest electric power companies in the United States, supplying and delivering energy to approximately 4 million U.S. customers. The company has approximately 35,000 megawatts of electric generating capacity in the Carolinas and the Midwest, and natural gas distribution services in Ohio and Kentucky. Their commercial and international businesses own and operate diverse power generation assets in North America and Latin America, including a portfolio of renewable energy assets. The company is headquartered in Charlotte, and is a Fortune 500 company traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol DUK. For more information about Duke Energy, please visit www.duke-energy.com.

About Jack De Leon

Jack De Leon, COO, joined LORD Corporation in 2003 as Vice President, Marketing and Business Development. In 2005, he was appointed Vice President, Marketing and Sales. Throughout his business career, De Leon has worked with leading-edge companies to develop and deliver technical solutions to global customers to improve the productivity of their manufacturing and processing operations or the performance of their end products.

De Leon joined LORD from Rockwell Automation Control Systems where he served in a variety of executive leadership positions in marketing, business development and general management. Prior to Rockwell Automation, he held progressive manufacturing, marketing and sales management positions at Texas Instruments. He has also served on the Board of Directors for the Open Device Vendors Association and ControlNet International as well as the Strategic Advisory Board for IEEE.

Prior to his business career, De Leon served in the U.S. Army as a commissioned Air Defense Artillery officer, serving in Germany and the U.S. as a platoon leader, battery executive officer and battalion assistant operations officer. De Leon earned a BS in Engineering from the United States Military Academy and a MS in Engineering Management from the University of Tennessee.

About LORD Corporation

Founded in 1924, LORD Corporation is a privately-held company that designs, manufactures and markets mechanical devices and electromechanical systems to control vibration, motion and noise; formulates, produces and sells general purpose and specialty adhesives, coatings and electronic materials; and develops products and systems utilizing magnetically responsive technologies. With headquarters in Cary, N.C., and sales in excess of $610MM, LORD has manufacturing in nine countries and offices in more than 15 major business centers. LORD Corporation employs more than 2,400 worldwide. Visit www.lord.com for more information.

About Robert Dickerson

Major General Dickerson retired during July of 2008 as commanding general of Marine Corps bases and stations on the east coast - from Marine Corps Air Facility Quantico, Virginia to Blount Island Command, Jacksonville, Florida - which included command of Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. 

During his 34-year military career, Major General Dickerson’s war time service included deployment to Southwest Asia to participate in Operations Desert Shield/Desert Storm and Operation Eastern Exit. He also deployed to the Caribbean in June 1994 for Operation Sea Signal.

Major General Dickerson's personal decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal, Defense Superior Service Medal, two Legion of Merits, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medals, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, Joint Service Achievement Medal, the Navy and Marine Achievement Medal, and the Combat Action Ribbon.

He holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Bryant College and a master’s degree from Central Michigan University. Major General Dickerson also is a graduate of the Marine Amphibious Warfare School, Quantico, Virginia; Naval Command and Staff College, Naval War College; Industrial College of the Armed Forces, National Defense University; and Ground Officer Supply School.

About Sean Murphy

Bio coming soon!

About Daimler Trucks North America LLC

Daimler Trucks North America LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Daimler, is the largest heavy-duty truck manufacturer in North America and a leading manufacturer of medium-duty trucks and specialized commercial vehicles.

Headquartered in Portland, Oregon, Daimler Trucks North America LLC manufactures, sells and services several renowned vehicle brands, including Freightliner (heavy-duty and medium-duty trucks), Sterling (trucks for vocational applications and local and regional distribution), Western Star (heavy-duty over-the-road and vocational trucks), Freightliner Custom Chassis (custom chassis for motor homes, school and shuttle buses) and Thomas Built Buses (school buses). The company operates a vast dealer/service network in North America, including over forty used truck sales centers (SelecTrucks). Daimler Trucks North America is also the largest exporter of heavy-duty trucks from North America, marketing vehicles in over 35 countries outside NAFTA. 

About Mark S. Forbes

As Senior Vice President, Mark S. Forbes is the Business Banking Director for Wells Fargo's North Carolina Coastal Plains team that includes Fayetteville, Goldsboro, Kinston, Rocky Mount, Wilson and Wilmington.

Previously, he served as Community Risk Director supporting 40 bankers in 23 markets. He received his MBA from East Carolina University, his Bachelor of Science in Industrial Relations and Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He also received the "CFP" certification.

He is currently serving on the board of The NC 4-H Development Fund and Nash Community College Foundation. He also is Stewardship Chairman for Westwood Baptist Church in Cary, N.C.

About Wells Fargo

One of North America’s largest and most diverse financial services companies with a legendary reputation for strength and stability.

Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) is a diversified financial services company providing banking insurance, investments, mortgage and consumer finance. It is headquartered in San Francisco, but decentralized so that every local Wells Fargo store is a headquarters for satisfying all its customers' financial needs.

It is Number 1 in the U.S. in community banking presence (6,600 stores), mortgage originations, small business lending, middle market commercial banking, agricultural lending, commercial real estate lending, commercial real estate brokerage and bank-owned insurance brokerage. For more detailed information, please visit the Wells Fargo Web site. www.wellsfargo.com

About Samuel T. Helland

Lieutenant General Sam Helland retired in November 2009 after over 40 years of military service.  In his last command, LtGen Helland served as the Commander First Marine Expeditionary Force and Commander US Marine Forces Central Command.

Helland started his military career by enlisting in the Army, serving in Vietnam with MACSOG, 5^th US Special Forces Command.  He then joined the Marine Corps, qualified as a Naval Aviator, he commanded at every level, including CG Combined Joint Task Force, Horn of Africa.   His staff assignments included, US Marine Forces, South, J3 US Joint Forces Command, and Assistant Deputy for Aviation, HQTRs Marine Corps.

Helland is currently an advisor to ORBIS Operations, LLC, a small start up company providing services to numerous government agencies.

He holds a Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of Minnesota, Duluth, a Masters Degree from Troy State University, and a Masters Degree from the Nation Defense University, Industrial College of the Armed Services.

LtGen Helland was recently selected by the Swenson College of Science and Engineering at the University of Minnesota Duluth and inducted into the University of Minnesota Duluth’s Academy of Science and Engineering.

About William F. “Buck” Kernan

General William F. "Buck" Kernan served for 34 years in the United States military and retired December 2002. In his last assignment, Kernan served as Supreme Allied Commander, Atlantic and Commander in Chief, U.S. Joint Forces Command. He has commanded at many levels of the military - starting at the Platoon level and going up through Combatant Command level. He has commanded two Airborne Companies, two Ranger Companies, an Airborne Infantry Battalion, a Ranger Battalion, and the 75th Ranger Regiment. For two years he was an exchange officer to England as a rifle company commander in the 3rd Battalion, the British Parachute Regiment.

He was the assistant division commander (Maneuver) of the 7th Infantry Division, followed by an assignment as the director of Director Plans Policy and Assessments, J5, United States Special Operations Command. He commanded the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) for two years and the XVIII Airborne Corps at Fort Bragg for 30 months.

Kernan's combat tours have included Vietnam, Grenada and Panama. During Operation JUST CAUSE, he led the 75th Ranger Regiment in its combat parachute assault onto Rio Hato.

Awards that General Kernan has received include: the Defense Distinguished Service Medal (with oak leaf cluster); Distinguished Service Medal (with oak leaf cluster); Legion of Merit (with three oak leaf clusters); Bronze Star Medal with "V" device; Bronze Star Medal (with oak leaf cluster); Purple Heart; Meritorious Service Medal (with three oak leaf clusters); Air Medal; Army Commendation Medal (with four oak leaf clusters); Army Achievement Medal; Combat Infantryman Badge; Master Parachutist Badge (with combat star); Air Assault Badge; and Ranger Tab.

General Kernan holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in history and a Master of Arts degree in personnel administration. His military education includes the Infantry Advanced Course, the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, and the U.S. Army War College.

General Kernan served as the Foundation’s chair from December, 2006 to November, 2010. 

About James J. Lindsay

General Lindsay is president of the Airborne and Special Operations Museum Foundation, and a senior observer with the Army's Battle Command Training Program. He served for 38 years in the military prior to his 1990 retirement.

Lindsay's command assignments range from Platoon through MACOM in peacetime and war. His early assignments were with the 82nd Airborne Division and 77th Special Forces Group. He held eight different positions in the 82nd Airborne from platoon through division level. In Vietnam, he served with the Vietnamese Airborne Brigade, commanded the 2nd Battalion 60th Infantry, 9th Infantry Division, and was the G3, 9th Infantry Division.

As a general officer, Lindsay commanded the 82nd Airborne Division, the Infantry School and the XVIII Airborne Corps. He also served as Commander in Chief, United States Readiness Command and was the first Commander in Chief, United States Special Operations Command.

Lindsay's awards and decorations include the Distinguished Service Cross; Distinguished Service Medal, Silver Star (with four Oak Leaf Clusters); Legion of Merit; and Bronze Star with "V" device (with three Oak Leaf Clusters); Combat Infantryman's Badge; Master Parachutist Badge; Ranger Tab; and Special Forces Tab.

Currently, General Lindsay is a member of the United States Army Ranger Hall of Fame and the Officer Candidate School Hall of Fame. He was also the 1996 recipient of the Infantry's Doughboy Award, and the 1998 recipient of the United States Special Operations Command Bull Simon Award.

He holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Nebraska (Omaha) and a Master of Science degree in foreign affairs from George Washington University. Lindsay's military education includes the Infantry Officer Advanced Course, the United States Marine Corps Command and Staff College, and the National War College.

About John G. Morgan, Jr.

With an economics degree from the University of Virginia, Vice Admiral Morgan entered the U.S. Navy in 1972 and for the next 36 years was steeped in the practical side of planning, execution, and organizational leadership. On Sept. 11, 2001, he was commanding 10,000 men and women of the USS Enterprise carrier battle group, just then exiting the Strait of Hormuz. Upon getting word of the second plane hitting the World Trade Center, he immediately turned the group—on his own authority—to be first in the theater of operations against al Qaeda and the Taliban. For his leadership in combat, Morgan was awarded the Bronze Star.

 He capped his naval career as a key advisor to Mike Mullen, then Chief of Naval Operations (and, starting in 2007, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs). In that capacity, he directed the creation of “A Cooperative Strategy for 21st Century Sea Power.” The global strategy is now in effect and reflects the input of national and international leaders in business, military, civic organizations, and think tanks, and is aimed at protecting vital interests in an increasingly interconnected and changing world.

In January 2011, Morgan founded Meridian Way Advisors focusing on maritime prosperity and security.

He serves as a member of the Board of Directors of the U.S. Naval Institute in Annapolis, Maryland and the Board of Advisors of ADS Inc. He and his wife, Jo Anna, live in Winston-Salem, NC.

About Vince Nelson

Vince Nelson is President of BB&T's South Central Region headquartered in Pinehurst, North Carolina. He has 36 years of banking experience. During his career at Southern National Bank, he served as Vice President and City Executive of Goldsboro, N.C.; Senior Vice President and City Executive of Fayetteville, N.C.; and Senior Vice President and Regional Executive of the North Central Region headquartered in Greensboro, N.C. He joined BB&T in 1995 through its merger with Southern National Bank.

Nelson received a bachelor's degree in business administration from East Carolina University and graduated from the School of Banking at Louisiana State University and the North Carolina School of Banking.

He currently serves on the Board of Trustees for The Nature Conservancy of North Carolina and has formerly served as a Board Member for The North Carolina Wildlife Habitat Foundation, the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra, the Greensboro YMCA and was a former Cabinet Member of the Greensboro Self-Help Center.

About BB&T Corporation

BB&T Corporation, headquartered in Winston-Salem, N.C., is among the nation's top financial-holding companies with $165.8 billion on assets. Its bank subsidiaries operate more than 1,800 financial centers in the Carolinas, Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, Georgia, Tennessee, Maryland, Florida, Alabama, Indiana, Texas and Washington, D.C. BB&T ranks No. 2 in market share in North Carolina. For more information about BB&T, please visit www.bbt.com.

About David Robinson

Dr. David Robinson received his Ph.D. in aerospace engineering from North Carolina State University in 1998. Following graduation, he worked for the Naval Surface Warfare Center at Dahlgren. His primary focus was on weapons lethality and effectiveness for a variety of weapon systems. Dr. Robinson’s work was focused on various ballistic missile defense systems for the Missile Defense Agency. In 2004, he founded Corvid Technologies in Mooresville, North Carolina. It is an engineering services firm specializing in the development and application of high fidelity computational physics for a variety of government, defense industry and automotive programs. Corporate experience includes Special Operations Command, Marine Corps Systems Command, Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Navy Integrated Weapons Systems and General Motors Racing. The company is a small-business that employs 35 people with revenue of over $8 million and is expected to grow to 40 employees and over $10 million in 2010. 

About Corvid Technologies

Corvid's (previously Aletheon Technologies) core competency is applying high-fidelity computational physics analysis to solve complex, real-world engineering problems. The computational physics techniques utilized at Corvid span a variety of disciplines and include high-fidelity computational fluid dynamics (CFD), shock physics and structural mechanics. Since the company's incorporation in 2004, they have continued to expand their core capabilities and now have significant efforts ongoing in the areas of applied computational tool development, experimental test support, industrial design and theoretical research. All of these efforts are focused on improving the methodology used to analyze, design, test and build complex engineering systems for the racing and defense industries. For more information about the company, please visit www.corvidtec.com.

About Lance L. Smith

General Lance L. Smith served in the United States Military for 37 years and retired January 2008. Most recently he served as Commander, U.S. Joint Forces Command and NATO Supreme Allied Commander for Transformation in Norfolk, Virginia. As Commander, U.S. Joint Forces Command, he was responsible for maximizing present and future military capabilities of the United States by leading the transformation of joint forces in the areas of joint training; joint interoperability; and joint innovation and experimentation.

As Combatant Command Authority for Air Combat Command, Fleet Forces Command, U.S. Army Forces Command and Marine Forces Command, he held operational control over almost 1.19 million U.S. military forces in his role as the force provider to the other combatant commanders. As Supreme Allied Commander Transformation, General Smith led the transformation of NATO's military structures, forces, capabilities and doctrines to improve interoperability and military effectiveness of the Alliance and its partner nations. He also led individual NATO training development and, in collaboration with Supreme Allied Commander Operations, executed training programs for Coalition forces deploying to Afghanistan, Iraq and Kosovo.

A native of Virginia and a graduate of Virginia Tech, the general entered the Air Force in 1970 after completing Officer Training School. He has more than 13 years in command during war and peace. He commanded two fighter wings and led two air expeditionary force deployments to Southwest Asia: AEF III and the 4th Air Expeditionary Wing. He served as the Commander of 7th Air Force, Pacific Air Forces; Air Component Commander, ROK and U.S. Combined Forces Command Korea; and Deputy Commander U.S. Forces Korea. The general also served two tours at the Pentagon and was Commandant of the NATO School at Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe, Commandant of the Air War College and Commander of the Air Force Doctrine Center. Prior to his current assignment, he was Deputy Commander, U.S. Central Command, MacDill Air Force Base, Florida.

About Robert Springer

A public speaker, lecturer and media consultant, Lieutenant General Springer is the military consultant and analyst for CBS affiliate WRAL-TV5 and Fox affiliate WRAZ-TV50 in Raleigh, N.C. He also has appeared on PBS' News Hour, C-SPAN, National Public Radio ABC Radio, and other broadcast media outlets.

Springer is the founding president and current board of directors' vice chairman for the Air Force Memorial Foundation. The Foundation sited, designed and constructed a memorial to the men and women of the U.S. Air Force. President Bush formally accepted the memorial at a dedication ceremony on October 14, 2006.

Prior to his retirement from the U.S. Air Force, he was the Vice Commander in Chief of the Military Airlift Command. During his 36-year military service, he held additional command positions including commander of the Air Force Military Personnel Center with responsibility for executing all personnel policy for all 600,000 uniformed Air Force personnel.

Springer also served as the U.S. Air Force inspector general with responsibility for world-wide force readiness; special investigations; and all fraud, waste and abuse programs.

Lieutenant General Springer is a command pilot with more than 6,000 flying hours and 72 combat missions flown in Southeast Asia. During a three-year tour in Germany, he commanded an airlift wing at Rhein-Main Air Base and an airlift division at Ramstein Air Base. While at Ramstein, he directed the airlift of the hostages from Teheran on Inaugural Day, 1981. Later, he commanded the 21st Air Force headquartered at McGuire Air Force Base, New Jersey.

He holds a Bachelor of Arts in social sciences and a Master of Science in international affairs, both from George Washington University.

About John Suttle

John Suttle is Senior Vice President of Corporate Communications, BAE Systems, Inc. Previously, Suttle served as Vice President of Communications, BAE Systems Land & Armaments, joining the company in 2007; and as Senior Director of Communications for General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products in Charlotte, North Carolina. 

Before joining General Dynamics, Suttle was editor in chief of Soldiers Magazine. Prior to this, he served as military assistant for public affairs to the secretary of the Army where he performed duties as press secretary. While in Washington, he was deputy director of Army Public Affairs Marketing in the Pentagon. At the Pentagon he worked on a wide range of programs, including the launch of the "Army of One" recruiting campaign. 

Mr. Suttle also spent more than six years overseas and was one of the first soldiers to arrive in Bosnia after the 1995 Dayton Peace Accord. He served as a public affairs officer for the 1st Armored Division and Task Force Eagle.

Suttle served as an Apache attack helicopter pilot and company commander in the Gulf War where he was awarded the Bronze Star. Additionally, he served in Germany and Bosnia-Herzegovina as an Apache attack helicopter battalion executive officer.                                   

Suttle serves as a member of the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce Board of Advisors and is a board member of the Carolinas Freedom Foundation and the Carolinas Aviation Museum. He serves also on the Public Relations Society of America’s Executive Committee and is a member of the National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution.

Suttle is a graduate of the Command and General Staff College and was selected to attend the Army War College. His civilian education includes a Bachelor of Science in mass communications/public relations from Lamar University in 1984 and a Master of Arts in journalism/public relations from Marshall University in 1993.

About BAE Land & Armaments

BAE Land & Armaments is a global leader in the design, development, production, and service support of armored combat vehicles, major and minor calibre naval guns and missile launchers, canisters, artillery systems, and intelligent munitions. It is made up of four lines of business: U.S. Combat Systems, Global Combat Systems, Global Tactical Systems and Security & Survivability. They have operations in 30 locations in the UK, U.S., South Africa and Sweden, and markets in more than two dozen countries. They provide breakthrough technology solutions, world-class systems integration, flexible manufacturing and superior integrated logistics support throughout the product life-cycle. Visit www.baesystems.com.

About Katherine Thomas

A Progress Energy (formerly CP&L) employee for more than 20 years, Katherine currently directs Community Relations and Economic Development in the Carolinas. Throughout her career, she has held a number of management and marketing positions, serving as Manager, Community Relations (Triangle Region), District Manager (Henderson), Western Region Sales Manager (Asheville), and Area Manager (Hartsville/Darlington, South Carolina).

Externally, Ms. Thomas has been active throughout the Carolinas, accepting leadership positions in numerous community and economic development organizations. She presently serves on the Boards of Directors for the following: North Carolina Economic Developers Association (Immediate Past President), North Carolina Economic Development Board, North Carolina Rural Center, North Carolina Community College Foundation, Research Triangle Regional Partnership (Executive Board and Foundation Board), Utility Economic Development Association, and Step-Up Ministry Board. In addition, she is a member of the North Carolina Chamber Economic Development and Infrastructure Committee, Meredith College Business Advisory Board, and Duke Raleigh Hospital Advisory Board (Vice-Chair). She is treasurer for the North Carolina Commerce Trade and Development Fund, and a member of the South Carolina Economic Developers Association, Triangle CREW and White Memorial Presbyterian Church.

Ms. Thomas was recognized by Business Leader magazine as a Woman Extraordinaire in 2005 for her contributions in business, economic development and the community. She was also honored at the 1999 Women in Business Awards, by Triangle Business Journal for her impact on the Triangle business community.

A past member of the Raleigh Chamber of Commerce, Communities in Schools North Carolina, Wake Education Partnership, CIS-Wake County Board of Directors and Executive Committee, and Coker College Board of Trustees and Executive Committee, she is passionate about community service and the need for each of us to give back and serve others.

She has completed Leadership North Carolina (2000), Leadership Raleigh (1998), and the Duke Executive Leadership and Grinnell Leadership programs.

A native of Gastonia, Ms. Thomas is a Meredith College alumnae and magna cum laude graduate. She and her husband, Dr. Ken Thomas, reside in Raleigh, North Carolina. She and her husband have two grown sons, Will and Cooper.

About Progress Energy Carolinas

Progress Energy, headquartered in Raleigh, is a Fortune 500 energy company with more than 21,000 megawatts of generation capacity and $9 billion in annual revenues. Progress Energy includes two major electric utilities that serve approximately 3.1 million customers in the Carolinas and Florida. The company has earned the Edison Electric Institute's Edison Award, the industry's highest honor, in recognition of its operational excellence. The company also was the first utility to receive the prestigious J.D. Power and Associates Founder's Award for customer service. The company is pursuing a balanced strategy for a secure energy future which includes aggressive energy-efficiency programs, investments in renewable energy technologies, and a state-of-the-art electricity system. Progress Energy celebrated a century of service in 2008. For more information about Progress Energy, please visit www.progress-energy.com.

About Michael Walsh

Mike Walsh is President of Parsons Commercial Technology Group (PARCOMM) and is responsible for the business units’ worldwide operations, which include design, construction and program management in life sciences, telecommunications, education and healthcare.

Walsh has 30 years of experience in the start-up, management and leadership of engineering and construction management businesses; and in the design and management, construction and installation of large developments for the industrial, oil and gas, and petrochemical industries throughout the world.

He joined Parsons during 2004 when the company acquired Cork, Ireland-based, MW Consultants. Previously, he was president and owner of MW Consultants, which he founded in 1990 and grew from a single-person operation to a company that became a major player in the Irish market, successfully handling the design and construction of multimillion-dollar euro capital projects. Since late 2006, Walsh served as executive vice president and global business development manager of PARCOMM. Prior to that, he successfully managed PARCOMM's Industrial Division.

Walsh is a Chartered Engineer and a Fellow with the Institute of Engineers of Ireland. He attended the National University of Ireland where he received a bachelor's degree in engineering.

About Parsons Corporation Commercial Technology Group

Parsons develops and implements innovative, proven technologies and applications to provide total solutions for clients in industrial and commercial markets. Parsons is a leader in providing design, engineering, construction, environmental and technical services to major telecommunications carriers; equipment manufacturers; federal and state/local governments; large public institutions; defense contractors; pharmaceutical and biotechnology firms; petroleum and chemical manufacturers; and utility agencies.

By integrating years of market-specific experience with the requirements of our clients, Parsons delivers cost-effective projects and programs safely, on time and under budget. The company offers specifically-focused expertise, complete turnkey solutions and integrated service packages. Parsons' geographic and technical diversity worldwide positions it as a strong national and international leader in serving many markets. For more information about Parsons Corporation Commercial Technology Group, please visit www.parsons.com.

About Lance T. DeSpain

Executive Director

Lance T. DeSpain has served as the Foundation’s Executive Director since May, 2010.

As the Executive Director, DeSpain is charged with developing the vision, mission and goals of the Foundation, along with leading the Foundation’s efforts to drive growth in the six strategic markets laid out in the Foundation’s N.C. Defense Asset Inventory and Target Industry Cluster Analysis.

Prior to joining the Foundation, DeSpain served in a variety of ascending leadership and strategy roles for The Hartford Financial Services Group, including Chief of Staff to the CEO, Director of International business development and the head of M&A for a business unit. In his role, he served as Assistant Vice President: Sales and Marketing Strategy where he was responsible for the development of a comprehensive sales and marketing strategy for the distribution of $10B+ of property and casualty insurance products through 10,000+ agents and brokers. DeSpain also has experience in investment banking and as a strategy consultant for Booz & Co., a leading strategy consulting firm.

Mr. DeSpain also has significant military experience, having served in the United States Marine Corps, from 1995 through 1999. As Captain, he served as Camp Lejeune’s Finance and Budget Officer, and was awarded the Navy Commendation Medal for outstanding leadership and innovative business practices.

DeSpain earned a Master of Business Administration from the Yale School of Management (2001); and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Rochester (1995), where he was a four-year Naval ROTC scholar.

DeSpain resides in Raleigh, NC.

About Kenneth J. Ratashak

Deputy Director

Lieutenant Colonel Kenneth J. Ratashak, USA, Retired serves as the Foundation's Deputy Director. LTC Ratashak is a distinguished 20-year career veteran with expertise in surface to air weapon systems, operational planning and leadership development.  Ratashak has resided in North Carolina for the last eight years with assignments at Fort Bragg and North Carolina State University (NCSU).  Throughout his career he has been an adaptive leader on the cutting edge of change.  He has repeatedly demonstrated his ability to be a strong ambassador for the military and develop partnerships in communities throughout North Carolina.

Prior to joining the Foundation, Ratashak served as Professor of Military Science at NCSU,  where he developed and implemented initiatives to expand the student learning experience, including Project GOLD– a national initiative which encourages ROTC students to enroll in critical strategic language courses and participate in study abroad programs.The formation of Project GOLD has also led to NC State receiving a federal grant to establish a pilot program for a language training center to provide foreign language instruction to the United States Army Special Operations Command. 

LTC Ratashak also served as a member of the UNC Systemwide Evaluation and Recommendation for Veteran Education Services (UNC SERVES), an organization that seeks to improve the educational services for military members and their families.

LTC Ratashak has vast experience serving overseas, including combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan.  In Iraq, he was one of the first Rapid Equipping Force (REF) team leaders, where he identified solutions to material problems and secured the necessary funding to provide over $5 million worth of commercial technology to US Army units.  While serving with the 82^nd Airborne Division in Afghanistan, he applied proactive, adaptive leadership to guide a diverse alliance of Special Forces units, Provincial Reconstruction Teams, Non-Governmental Organizations, and United Nation representatives to collaborate on over $140 million of development projects. 

Other experience abroad includes facilitating the establishment of the Czech Republic reconstruction team by acquiring the necessary fixed assets and infrastructure to integrate more than 190 Czech Republic civilian and military personnel into the NATO forces.

LTC Ratashak’s unique leadership experiences on and off the field will advance the North Carolina Military Foundation’s efforts to support the state’s defense and homeland security economy through increased partnerships between academia, military, business and the community at home and abroad.  His appointment will solidify the Foundation’s ongoing partnership with the University of North Carolina and the U.S. Special Forces.

Ratashak earned a BA from Northwest Missouri State University and an MBA from the University of Phoenix.  He is a graduate of the US Army Command and General Staff College.