Overview of the Mentor Protege Program

DETAILS ABOUT THE COLLIDER - https://afrlsbhub.com/event/overview-of-the-mentor-protege-program/

• Date: Thursday, July 17, 2025 – 1:00pm-4:00pm

• Type of Collider: Hybrid – In-Person or Virtual, just let us know at registration

  • Note: Being In-Person is a much more informative experience vs. virtual, but we understand if you can’t make it in-person.

• In-Person Venue: The Hub, 31 S Main St, Dayton, OH 45402

• Recommended Parking: Reibold Garage, 25W W 5th St, Dayton, OH 45422

  • Link to map for parking and how to get to The Hub: https://drive.google.com/file/d/15XL0347R4EU_UGX_j3qL9ko1sXjJG6F8/view?usp=sharing

• Conference Room: The Upper Deck – follow the signs once you get into the Hub

• Optional Networking event after the Collider if you are interested.

• Registration: Click on the ‘Going’ tab below to register

• If you have any questions please email Jim Masonbrink – james.masonbrink@wbi-innovates.com

OVERVIEW

Understanding the current security environment is vitally important for our nation and your business.  Join us for an engaging afternoon learning about threats, risks, and resources to help you and your customers stay secure.  The Air Force Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI), National Security Detachment, will share information about their mission and the support they can provide to the Defense Industrial Base.  Representatives from the National Security Agency (NSA) will discuss resources for the defense industrial base.  Finally, DAU will review the latest Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) updates.  Please note that this event is Unclassified.

AGENDA (All times are EDT)

• 1:00pm-1:10pm – Welcome and Administrative Notes – Luke Schultz, AFMC/SB

• 1:10pm-1:40pm – Defense FAR Supplement (DFARS) Updates – Kelly Kiernan, Defense Acquisition University

• 1:40pm-2:10pm – National Security Agency Resources for DoD Contract Holders – Sam Anim, Peter DeLuca, National Security Agency

• 2:10pm-2:30pm – Break

• 2:30pm-3:00pm – AFOSI National Security Detachment Support – Eric Knueven, Air Force Office of Special Investigations 

• 3:00pm-3:30pm – Threat Brief – 2Lt Jeffrey Campell, Kenneth Wetmore, AFRL/XP2

• 3:30pm-3:45pm – Q&A & Wrap-up – Luke Schultz, AFMC/SB

ABOUT THE COLLIDER

• Date: Thursday, June 26, 2025 – 1:00pm-4:00pm

• Type of Collider: Hybrid – In-Person or Virtual, just let us know at registration

• Note: Being In-Person is a much more informative experience vs. virtual, but we understand if you can’t make it in-person.

• In-Person Venue: The Hub, 31 S Main St, Dayton, OH 45402

• Recommended Parking: Reibold Garage, 25W W 5th St, Dayton, OH 45422

• Link to map for parking and how to get to The Hub: https://drive.google.com/file/d/15XL0347R4EU_UGX_j3qL9ko1sXjJG6F8/view?usp=sharing

• Conference Room: The Upper Deck – follow the signs once you get into the Hub

• Optional Networking event after the Collider if you are interested.

• Registration: Click on the ‘Going’ tab below to register

• If you have any questions please email Jim Masonbrink – james.masonbrink@wbi-innovates.com

REGISTRATION:  The Threat is Real and How to Respond – Cybersecurity and Other Threats – Small Business Hub

Shorter supply chains have proven to be lower risk and more profitable for Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) for 20 to 30% of products that are now imported. Find out how to accelerate and benefit from the trend to strengthen the U.S. industrial base from Harry Moser, Founder of The Reshoring Initiative®.

Join Mr. Moser and the Northwest Texas APEX Accelerator to learn more!

DATE: JUNE 17, 2025

TIME: 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM CDT

LINK: Register for webinar HERE.

The Reshoring Initiative® is a nonprofit organization with the mission to bring good, well-paying manufacturing jobs back to the United States by assisting companies to more accurately assess their total cost of offshoring, and shift collective thinking from "offshoring is cheaper" to "local reduces the total cost of ownership." 

This event is being co-hosted by the Northwest Texas APEX Accelerator Centers, the Texas Manufacturing Assistance Center (TMAC), and other APEX Accelerators across the United States.

This APEX Accelerator is funded through a cooperative agreement with the Department of Defense.

Online | No Cost

The General Services Administration (GSA) is hosting a webinar to discuss the contract consolidation requirements under Executive Order 14240: Eliminating Waste and Saving Taxpayer Dollars by Consolidating Procurement and GSA’s deviations under the initiative to overhaul the Federal Acquisition Regulation under Executive Order 14275: Restoring Common Sense to Federal Procurement.

The webinar will be Wednesday, May 28, 2025 from 1:00 - 2:45 p.m. EDT. To register, click on the Zoom link below.

Register now for our next LIFT Off Webinar "Improving Quality and Vision Systems with AI Software" presented by Kevin Kerwin of Detect-It AI Software!

Are outdated quality control systems holding your production back? Join us for an exclusive webinar that explores how Detect-It AI is transforming manufacturing through smarter, faster, and more accessible visual inspection.

See what you see—only smarter.

With Detect-It AI, anyone can build and deploy powerful neural networks to inspect, monitor, and verify what the human eye might miss. No coding experience? No problem. If you can see it, you can train AI to see it too—in minutes, not months.

🔍 Learning Objectives
✅Why improving quality and vision systems is critical in today's manufacturing environment
✅The challenges manufacturers face with human error and manual inspections
✅How Detect-It AI empowers any user to build coder-free neural nets
✅A behind-the-scenes look at Detect-It's architecture, real-world customer use cases, and industry awards
✅How mistakes on the line are costing manufacturers - and how AI can prevent them

💡 Humans make mistakes. AI doesn’t have to.
Mistakes cost manufacturers time, money, and reputation. Detect-It gives you the tools to take control of your quality assurance like never before—with the precision and consistency of AI.

Register now and discover how you can build your own AI vision system without writing a single line of code!

REGISTER HERE

Join us on May 7 for the Manufacturing Workforce Summit, a free one-day conference that explores solutions to two of our most persistent industry challenges: Growing and maintaining a skilled workforce and a supply chain that can meet the increasing demands of the Defense industry.

This conference offers manufacturers—regardless of your focus—the chance to connect with peers, community partners, educational professionals, and subject matter experts to discover ways to advance your business.

Attendees will:

• Learn best practices for talent development and what the region is doing to grow the pipeline of skilled workers

• Understand the needs of the military-connected community to identify potential growth strategies for your business

• Participate in coordinated matchmaking between prime contractors and manufacturers to unlock business opportunities

• Network to develop potential partnerships and find new ways to attract workers

This event will take place at NextCorps. Breakfast and lunch will be provided.

Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/manufacturing-workforce-summit-tickets-1302643554939

Event Agenda:

8:00 AM to 8:30 AM – Registration and Breakfast

8:30 AM to 8:45 AM - Welcome

8:45 AM to 9:15 AM - Overview of U.S. Navy Maritime Industrial Base (MIB) Mission

• Josh Cramer - BlueForge Alliance - Workforce Development

9:15 AM - 10:00 AM – Best Practices in Workforce Development

• Rich Turner - RTMA - Moderator

• Christina Pierce - Mersen - Apprenticeships

• Ale Mendoza - Optimax - Quality Jobs Toolkit

• Tyrone Reaves - YAMTEP - Reducing Barriers to Work (Transportation)

10:00 AM to 10:15 AM - BREAK & Networking

10:15 AM to 11:00 AM – Partnerships Driving Regional Workforce Development

• Mike Marvin and Kathleen Martin – NextCorps Moderators

• Make It Panelists - (Speakers to be announced)

• Dave Seeley - Rochester Works - Workforce Overview

11:00 AM to 11:45 AM – Supplier Opportunities for the US Navy Maritime Industrial Base

11:45 AM to 12:45 PM – LUNCH & Networking

12:45 PM to 1:30 PM – Navigating the Region’s Supply Base

• Anna Vulaj Fitzsimmons, Monroe County/Finger Lakes Apex Accelerator

1:30 PM to 2:15 PM – Building a Nationwide Network of Suppliers and Workers for our Military’s Technology Future

• Beth Deuermeyer – BlueForge Alliance

2:15 PM to 2:30 PM - BREAK & Networking

2:30 PM to 3:15 PM – Opportunities for Workforce Development Funding, Collaboration, and Growth

• Monroe 2 BOCES - Center for Workforce Development

• Monroe County Economic Development

• U.S. Small Business Administration - Buffalo District

3:30 PM – Event concludes

This is your front-row seat to how DARPA leaders think, fund, and move cutting-edge capabilities into operational use—and how you can be part of that pipeline.

Hear directly from:

• Sha-Chelle Manning, Chief, Commercial Strategy Office

• Jennifer Thabet, Program Director, Small Business Programs Office

• Benjamin “Bach” Bishop, Acting Director, Adaptive Capabilities Office

• Robert Gerbracht, USMC Operational Liaison

• Tejas Patel, Program Manager, Information Innovation Office (I2O)

Date: April 30, 2025

Time: 2:00-3:00 pm ET

Registration: https://learning.theari.us/products/accelerating-impact-darpas-approach-to-transition-and-commercialization-430#tab-product_tab_overview

Please note: You must be logged in to your DARPAConnect account to register.