Wisconsin Procurement Institute

Acquisition Hour: Negotiation Strategies in Federal Contracting
2024-06-12 12:00 - 13:00 (America/Chicago) | VA
Negotiating with the federal government can seem challenging and, at times, even frustrating. Negotiators must not only be familiar with the positions and motivations of the Government, they must also know and understand the rules and regulations that govern the negotiation process in federal procurements. Further, the scope of what is negotiable can vary. Negotiations conducted as part of a pre-award competitive procurement for construction or for commercial items may be much more limited than the negotiations conducted for procurement of research and development or conducted in a sole source or post-award environment. Join us and learn about negotiating with the federal government and how the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) could impact your negotiations.
Speaker: Carol Murphy, Government Contract Specialist, Wisconsin Procurement Institute
This webinar is eligible for 1 CPE credit.
View a schedule of all upcoming Acquisition Hour webinars.

DLA Doing Business with DLA with an emphasis on the SDVOSB Program webinar
2024-06-12 13:30 - 14:30 | VA
Under the Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) Program, DLA and other federal agencies reserve certain contracts exclusively for SDVOSBs. DoD prime contractors with small business subcontracting plans also have goals for subcontracts with SDVOSBs. You do not have to be a SDVOSB to attend this webinar.
For more information, click here.

Satellite Office: Fond Du Lac – hosted by Envision Greater Fond du Lac
2024-06-13 09:00 - 16:00, 2024-07-11 09:00 - 16:00 | Envision Greater Fond du Lac, 23 S Main St Ste 101, Fond du Lac, WI, 54935, United States
WPI will be holding office hours at our satellite location in Envision in Fond du Lac, WI. Contact the counselor directly to schedule your meeting.
To view the upcoming schedule for Fond du Lac, please click here.
To view the full list of satellite locations and schedules, please click here.

NFL 2025 Draft Supplier Diversity Informational Session - Milwaukee, WI
2024-06-13 13:00 - 16:00 | Technology Innovation Center – Room 114, 10437 W Innovation Dr., Suite 320, Wauwatosa, WI, 53226, United States
Registration is now closed due to room capacity.
To attend the June 18th Madison event, click here.

This event is an opportunity to learn more about the NFL 2025 draft, which will be held in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Attend to learn more about unique business opportunities for diverse and small businesses.
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Agenda

1:00 PM – Welcome and Overview of NFL 2025 Draft Opportunities for Small Businesses and Diverse-Owned Businesses
1:20 PM – Certifications for Diverse Owned Businesses to Provide Proof of Diverse Ownership
2:20 PM – WiDEN.biz Platform
2:40 PM – Leveraging Your Diverse Business Certifications Beyond the 2025 Draft
3:00 PM – Q&A and Networking
4:00 PM – Close of Program

The event is held in Room 114 of the Technology Innovation Center in Milwaukee.
For more information, click here.

NFL 2025 Draft Supplier Diversity Informational Session - Madison, WI
2024-06-18 08:30 - 12:00 | WEDC @ The HUB, 2352 S. Park Street, Madison, WI, 53713
Registration is closed. Onsite registration is available.
Please park in Lot A. To view a map, please click here.
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This event is an opportunity to learn more about the NFL 2025 draft, which will be held in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Attend to learn more about unique business opportunities for diverse and small businesses.
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Agenda

8:30 AM – Registration
9:00 AM – Welcome and Overview of NFL 2025 Draft Opportunities for Small Businesses and Diverse-Owned Businesses
9:20 AM – Certifications for Diverse Owned Businesses to Provide Proof of Diverse Ownership
10:20 AM – WiDEN.biz Platform
10:40 AM – Leveraging Your Diverse Business Certifications Beyond the 2025 Draft
11:00 AM – Q&A and Networking
12:00 PM – Close of Program

The event is held at WEDC’s office suite 303 at the HUB in Madison.
For more information, click here.

SAME 2024 Commanders' Briefing Webinar
2024-06-18 09:00 - 12:30 | VA
USACE District Engineer Briefings are coming via webinar on Tuesday, 18 JUNE 2024 from 0900-1230 CST. The webinar will be provided free to both public and private entities, with an optional registration fee ($100 suggested) available to help contribute to the Rock Island Post’s STEM Scholarship fund. A recording of the event will be provided to all registrants!
This year we will have District Engineers from:
– Rock Island District
– Chicago District
– Omaha District
– Kansas City District
– Saint Paul District
– Detroit District
– Saint Louis District
– Louisville District
For more information, click here.

Satellite Office: Oshkosh
2024-06-18 09:00 - 16:00 | Greater Oshkosh Economic Development Corporation, 111 N. Main Street, Ste 204, Oshkosh, WI, 54901, United States
Ken Kotloski will be holding office hours at our satellite location in Oshkosh Economic Development Corporation’s offices located in Oshkosh, WI. Contact Ken directly to schedule your meeting with him. To view their contact information, please click their name above.
To view the upcoming schedule for Oshkosh, please click here.
To view the full list of satellite locations and schedules, please click here.

Satellite Office: Eau Claire - hosted by the Western Dairyland Economic Opportunity Council
2024-06-18 09:00 - 16:00, 2024-06-19 09:00 - 16:00 | Western Dairyland EOC, 418 Wisconsin St, Eau Claire, WI, 54703, United States
WPI will be holding office hours at our satellite location in the Western Dairyland EOC’s offices located in Eau Claire, WI. Contact the counselor directly to schedule your meeting with them.
To view the upcoming schedule for Eau Claire, please click here.
To view the full list of satellite locations and schedules, please click here.

DLA Vendor Shipping Webinar
2024-06-18 14:00 - 15:00 | VA
An opportunity to learn about the web-based system that supports cargo movement for DLA.
For more information, click here.

18th Annual Government Opportunities Business Conference (GOBC) - Volk Field, Camp Douglas WI
2024-06-20 08:00 - 12:30 | Volk Field Air National Guard Base, 100 Independence Drive, Building 475, Camp Douglas, WI, 54618, United States
REGISTRATION DEADLINE: 9:45 AM, Tuesday, June 18. On-site and day-of registration will not be available.
Detailed agenda information on the full series of events will be posted to www.wigobc.org as confirmed.

This conference series is held at various Department of Defense and Federal Agency locations across the state of Wisconsin. Details on locations will be posted to this page as confirmed.
GOBC will provide you the opportunity to gain insights into:

Current operations and priorities at Wisconsin’s Federal and State government agencies and military facilities
Connecting with agency and installation leadership, operational staff and buyers
Locating and bidding on current and future procurement opportunities
Resources available to assist your business in winning government prime and subcontracts

Each event opens with a special presentation, COFFEE with the COMMANDER, for a unique look inside the featured installation.

Schedule:

Confirmed Speakers:

Col. Matthew Eakins, Commander, Volk Field
Procurement Representative from Volk Field
Representative from USPFO, WI National Guard, Contracting Office
Shane Mahaffy, Lead Business Opportunity Specialist, U.S. Small Business Administration
Cindy Gardner, Outreach and Marketing Specialist/SBDC Project Officer, U.S. Small Business Administration
Scott Perry, CEO – Lynxx Networks & President – Bahr Electric
Kris Mize, BSC Assistant Manager, Base Supply Centers
Derek Bodmer, BOC, Wisconsin Emergency Management
Mark Tallman, Regional Economic Development Director, Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC)
Wisconsin Procurement Institute

Emerging Issues: Vetting and securing your supply chain
2024-06-20 11:00 - 12:00 | VA
This series, WPI’s Emerging Issues Series, is intended as an information tool and resource for contract managers and those with a compliance function. The topics selected for the initial group of Webinars are just some of the important topics. Some have not held the spotlight like others but nevertheless they are important. Others, such as Innovation and AI have recently emerged and have shown that they are not just a passing curiosity but truly topics of importance that will continue to impact DoD policy and provide procurement opportunities. These topics included in our first group, are current topics that need attention and need to be addressed. We expect that over time other issues – topics will emerge and come to the forefront. As these topics are identified we will add them to this series.
Determining what information is needed to design a data driven process to understand and vet your supply chain. Creating a standard review process, data sharing agreements and records which should be maintained.
Presenter: Marc Violante, Director, Federal Market Strategies, Wisconsin Procurement Institute.
This webinar is eligible for 1 CPE credit.
For the list of Emerging Issues webinar, please click here.

WPI is Wisconsin’s APEX Accelerator

Cyber Friday: Building a CMMC Program: 3.1.2 Security Awareness Training, Role-Based Training, and Insider Threat Training
2024-06-21 11:00 - 12:00 | VA
To address the pressing need for cybersecurity compliance within the defense industry, the Wisconsin Procurement Institute (WPI) is proud to offer a series of no-cost webinars dedicated to assisting companies in navigating the complexities of the Department of Defense’s Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) Model. Recognizing the challenges businesses face in understanding and implementing the requisite standards for CMMC compliance, these webinars are meticulously designed to guide companies through the creation of essential supporting documentation for CMMC-required processes and how to tie it efficiently into the System Security Plan. With a focus on empowering organizations to meet defense contracting requirements efficiently and securely this series is designed for the manufacturer who does not have a compliance specialist on staff and those within the organization who are taking on the challenge of CMMC Compliance.
Speaker: Matt Frost, Government Contract Specialist, Wisconsin Procurement Institute
This webinar is eligible for 1 CPE credit.
For the full schedule of the Cyber Friday webinars, please click here.

FEMA Chief Information Officer (OCIO) Industry Day
2024-06-24 12:00 - 14:30 | VA
This OCIO Industry Day Webinar will cover:
• APFS Snapshot of Future Contracts
• Wireline Contract
• Audio Visual BPA
• IT Help Desk Contract
• Cyber Security Operations & Control Management (Formerly SOC) Update
For more information, click here.

Satellite Office: Green Bay – hosted by the Northeast Wisconsin Technical College Startup Hub
2024-06-25 09:00 - 16:00, 2024-07-23 09:00 - 16:00 | Northeast Wisconsin Technical College – Startup Hub, 2701 Larsen Road, Green Bay, WI, 54303, United States
WPI will be holding office hours at our satellite location in the Northeast Wisconsin Technical College Startup Hub in Green Bay, WI. Contact the counselor directly to schedule your meeting.
To view the upcoming schedule for Green Bay at NWTC’s Startup Hub, please click here.
To view the full list of satellite locations and schedules, please click here.

Acquisition Hour: Registering in SAM.gov
2024-06-25 11:00 - 12:00 | VA
For many businesses intent on contacting with the federal government, registration in SAM.gov is often a significant hurdle, with its many legal questions and references to the FAR (Federal Acquisition Regulations). But the hurdles can be surmounted with professional expertise on your side. Join WPI as we de-mystify the quest for the all-important CAGE code!
Speaker: Michael Steger, Small Business Specialist, Wisconsin Procurement Institute
This webinar is eligible for 1 CPE credit.
View a schedule of all upcoming Acquisition Hour webinars.

Government Certification Workshop - Federal Certifications
2024-06-26 09:00 - 12:00 | Madison Area Technical College (MATC) Goodman South Campus, 2429 Perry Street, Madison, WI, 53713, United States
Are you a Minority, Disadvantaged, Small, Women, or Veteran owned or HUBZone located business? Join Wisconsin Procurement Institute’s Ben Blanc, one of Wisconsin Procurement Institute’s Government Contract Specialists, for this month’s Government Certifications Workshop where you will learn about what local, state, or federal certifications your business may qualify for and how these certifications could help you gain a competitive edge in the government marketplace.
The topic of this workshop is federal certifications. Federal certifications include:

Small Disadvantaged Business (SDB)
Women Owned Small Business (WOSB)
Veteran Owned Small Business (VOSB) and Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB)
8(a)
SBA Mentor-Protege
HUBZone

Agenda:

9:00 AM – 10:00 AM – Overview of Certification Kinds and Benefits
15 minute break
10:15 AM – 11:15 AM Certification Application Overview
15 minute break
11:30 AM – 12:00 PM – Q&A

Schedule of Topics: click here to view the full schedule and topics for the Government Certification Workshops

Satellite Office: Madison (FEED Kitchens)
2024-07-08 09:00 - 16:00 | FEED Kitchens, 1219 N. Sherman Avenue, Madison, WI, 53704, United States
WPI will be holding office hours at our satellite location in the FEED Kitchens in Madison, WI. Contact the counselor directly to schedule your meeting.
To view the upcoming schedule for Madison FEED Kitchens, please click here.
To view the full list of satellite locations and schedules, please click here.

DLA Training, Knowledge, and Opportunities (TKO) Seminar
2024-07-09 - 2024-07-10 | VA
The TKO seminar is a course that teaches vendors how to start doing business with DLA. Vendors will learn how to find open solicitations, how to submit a quote through the DLA Internet Bid Board System (DIBBS), the procedures for viewing/downloading drawings, and how to use Invoicing, Receipt, Acceptance and Property Transfer (iRAPT) to get paid. There will also be other relevant topics of discussion. All sessions are free and held virtually.
Training is provided by DLA Land and Maritime in Columbus, Ohio, but benefits all DLA suppliers.
For more information, click here.

18th Annual Government Opportunities Business Conference (GOBC) – Truax Field, Madison
2024-07-10 08:00 - 12:30 | Truax Field Air National Guard Base, 3200 Pierstorff St, Building 500, Madison, 53704, United States
Pre-registration closes 12 NOON, Monday, July 1. Due to base access requirements, there will not be an option to register on-site.
Schedule [click to download]:

This conference series is held at various Department of Defense and Federal Agency locations across the state of Wisconsin. Details on locations will be posted to this page as confirmed.
GOBC will provide you the opportunity to gain insights into:

Current operations and priorities at Wisconsin’s Federal and State government agencies and military facilities
Connecting with agency and installation leadership, operational staff and buyers
Locating and bidding on current and future procurement opportunities
Resources available to assist your business in winning government prime and subcontracts

Each event opens with a special presentation, COFFEE with the COMMANDER, for a unique look inside the featured installation.

Satellite Office: Madison (MATC Goodman South Campus)
2024-07-10 09:00 - 16:00 | Madison Area Technical College (MATC) Goodman South Campus, 2429 Perry Street, Madison, WI, 53713, United States
WPI will be holding office hours at our satellite location in the Madison Area Technical College’s Goodman South Campus in Madison, WI. Please click here to schedule a meeting.
To view the upcoming schedule for Madison – MATC Goodman South, please click here.
To view the full list of satellite locations and schedules, please click here.

DLA Doing Business with DLA Land and Maritime webinar
2024-07-10 13:30 - 14:30 | VA
DLA Land & Maritime (L&M) is the land and maritime supply chain manager for DLA and is headquartered in Columbus, Ohio. L&M provides land weapon systems and maritime weapon systems support to the defense community and other governmental customers.
DLA Land and Maritime procures:
Land
– Wheeled Vehicle Components
– Tracked Vehicle Components
– Specialized Batteries
– Nuts and Washers
– Converters
Maritime
– Valves / Hardware
– Fluid Handling
– Electronics
– Motors
– Packing / Gaskets
For more information, click here.

AFRL Small Business Hub - Decoding the Air Force Budget Process: A Guide for Small Business (Dayton, OH)
2024-07-12 12:00 - 15:00 | Wrights Brothers Institute, 444 E. Second St., Dayton, Ohio, 45402, United States
As a small business operating in the DoD market sector, government representatives may say they can’t buy a product or service until funds are “POM-ed.” When asking follow-up questions, the idea of the Planning, Programming, and Budgeting & Expectation (PPBE) process arises, operating in support of the President’s Budget (PB) submission. What is this process and how does it work? For this collider, the Air Force Materiel Command’s (AFMC’s) resident expert on the POM and PPBE process, Ms. Kristen O’Sullivan, Chief, Strategic Plans and Programs, HQ AFMC will be on-hand to define and explain these processes as well as answer questions. This collider will explain how the DoD/Air Force budgeting process works.
For more information, click here.

Satellite Office: Oshkosh – hosted by the Greater Oshkosh Economic Development Corporation
2024-07-16 09:00 - 16:00 | Greater Oshkosh Economic Development Corporation, 111 N. Main Street, Ste 204, Oshkosh, WI, 54901, United States
WPI will be holding office hours at our satellite location at the Greater Oshkosh Economic Development Corporation in Oshkosh, WI. Contact the counselor directly to schedule your meeting.
To view the upcoming schedule for Oshkosh, please click here.
To view the full list of satellite locations and schedules, please click here.

America's Seed Fund 2024 Great Lakes Road Tour - Madison, WI
2024-07-18 08:00 - 12:30 | Center for Technology Commercialization, 780 Regent St., Madison, WI, 53715
America’s Seed Fund Road Tour is a national outreach effort to connect innovators and entrepreneurs to non-dilutive, technology funding opportunities provided through the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs, known as “America’s Seed Fund.” America’s Seed Fund Road Tour encourages participation in innovation and entrepreneurship by members of underrepresented groups while supporting the mission of the SBIR/STTR programs to support scientific excellence and technological innovation to build a strong national economy.
For more information, click here.
Register here.

Cyber Friday: Building a CMMC Program: 3.1.3 Audit and Accountability Policy, Log Review Procedure
2024-07-19 11:00 - 12:00 | VA

NCMA World Congress 2024 (Seattle, WA)
2024-07-21 - 2024-07-24 | Seattle Convention Center, 705 Pike St., Seattle, WA, 98101, United States
Location and Address: Seattle Convention Center Arch Building
705 Pike Street
Seattle, WA 98101-2310
National Contract Management Association (NCMA) is hosting the World Congress training event for contract management, procurement, and acquisition professionals. NCMA World Congress 2024 is the place to expand the reach of your key messages, enhance important relationships, and grow.
Additional information will be provided closer to the event date. Visit the NCMA website for the most up-to-date information.

15th NDIA Great Lakes Chapter Annual Meeting - Itasca, IL
2024-07-24 | W.S. Darley & Co., 1051 Palmer St, Chippewa Falls, WI, 54729, United States
Topics will include contracting, small business, Midwest manufacturing, innovation, and more!
Schedule for the Day:
10:00 AM – Golf Outing [limited availability – Sales Close 3PM, Friday July 19]
3:30 PM – Small Business Exhibitors Setup
4:00 PM – Reception and Exhibits (networking and hors d’oeuvres)
Exhibitor Opportunity
∙ All individuals participating in exhibition must register in Eventbrite under General Attendance.
∙ Each business applying as a Small Business Exhibitor must include 1 add-on indicating interest in Small Business Exhibitor status.
∙ Additional details on exhibitor participation to be communicated upon application and registration.
5:00 PM – Program Begins
AGENDA

Guest Speaker: Matthew Travis, CEO, Cyber-AB

Mr. Travis is the first chief executive officer of the Cyber Accreditation Body (the Cyber AB). Previously, Travis served as the first deputy director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), the nation’s leading civilian cybersecurity agency. There he oversaw the day-to-day operations of the $2+ billion, 2000+ employee organization across the full range of its mission in cybersecurity, infrastructure protections and emergency communications. Prior to this position, he was the deputy undersecretary for national protection (NPPD) within the Department of Homeland Security.
Before entering government service in 2018, Travis served as vice president of homeland security for Cadmus, a security, energy, and environmental professional services firm. He joined Cadmus when the security consultancy he co-founded, Obsidian Analysis, Inc., was acquired by Cadmus in 2016.
A former naval officer, Travis served as an engineering auxiliaries officer aboard the guided-missile frigate U.S.S. CARR (FFG 52). He then served a tour as White House Liaison to the Secretary of the Navy and was also a White House Military Aide. He is a 1991 graduate of the University of Notre Dame and holds a master’s in national security studies from Georgetown University.

Guest Speaker: Kelly Callahan, Integrated Supply Team Chief
Fire & Emergency Services Equipment, DLA Troop Support
Kelly Callahan is an Integrated Supply Team Chief at the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) – Troop Support within the Construction and Equipment Supply Chain. In her current role, she serves as Program Manager for the Fire and Emergency Services Equipment (FESE) Tailored Logistics Support Program. She also works closely alongside the Special Operations Equipment (SOE) Tailored Logistics Support Program. The FESE and SOE Tailored Logistics Support Programs enable customers worldwide to order commercial, off-the-shelf part numbered items within the scope of the contracts. Sales for these programs exceeded $6 Billion in Fiscal Year 2023 and are on track to surpass that for Fiscal Year 2024.
Kelly has 14 years of Government contract experience with DLA. Prior to supporting the FESE Program, Kelly served as a Program Manager for the Wildland Fire Protection Program, Contracting Officer for Class IV Division and as a Contract Specialist for Heavy Equipment Procurement Program.
Kelly is a proud graduate of Temple University and lives outside of Philadelphia with her husband and three children.

Guest Speaker: Wayne Boline, Director – Strategic Cyber Partnerships, Raytheon Technologies (RTX)

Wayne Boline joined Raytheon at Missile Systems in Tucson, AZ in 2003 as the Network Manager responsible for classified/unclassified networks and voice systems for the 10,000+ member business. Before joining Raytheon, he served nearly 23 years in the US Air Force in both enlisted and officer roles responsible for areas in Electronic Warfare, Telecommunications, Computer Crime Investigations, and Communications-Computer Systems. In 2006 he transferred to the Raytheon Corporate IT Security organization in Texas and has held roles in Cybersecurity Incident Response and Cybersecurity Information Sharing and Collaboration. He was a Senior Manager with Raytheon Global Business Services (GBS) and led the Global Cyber Compliance Services (GCCS) team until April 2020 when he began leading the Enterprise Compliance group of the newly formed Raytheon Technologies (RTX), a merger of Raytheon and United Technologies. In Jan 2021 he took on the new role of leading Strategic Relationships in the Cyber Policy and Compliance group and in June was promoted to Director – Strategic Cyber Partnerships and reports to the RTX CISO.
Wayne served five years (2011-2016) as the Chairman of the Board of the Defense Security Information Exchange (DSIE) and is a current board member of Cyber AB and Chair on the Ethics Committee, a current board member of the National Defense ISAC, the RTX representative to the DOD Defense Industrial Base (DIB) Cybersecurity Program, and Co-Chair of the Aerospace Industries Association (AIA) Cyber Security Committee.
Wayne holds the CISSP, ISSMP, and CCSP certifications, a BS in Information Systems Management from the University of Maryland and an MS in Network Security from Capitol Technology University.

Guest Speaker: Nick Gross, Senior Vice President, Government Programs, AAR

Nicholas Gross is Senior Vice President of Integrated Solutions for AAR, an independent provider of aviation services to commercial and government customers worldwide.
In 2019, Gross was appointed a corporate officer in addition to his current role as Senior Vice President of Integrated Solutions, a business that manages commercial and government fleet management services and programs for customers around the world.
Gross joined AAR in March of 2016 as Vice President of Integrated Solutions – Government to oversee the development of custom solutions for government fleets worldwide, including aviation supply chain and contractor logistics support (CLS).
Before joining AAR, Gross spent over 16 years in international management, strategic development and project execution, including positions with Michael Baker International, KS International and KBR, Inc.
Gross is a U.S. Air Force veteran serving four years in the Civil Engineering Squadron with numerous international deployments. He holds an MBA from Kellogg School of Management – Northwestern University and a BS in Business Administration from Troy University.

Guest Speaker: Paul Darley, Chairman, CEO & President, W.S. Darley & Co.

Paul C. Darley is Chairman, CEO & President of W.S. Darley & Co. In 1997, he became President and COO and was appointed CEO in 2003. He was named Chairman in 2011. Under his leadership, sales have increased over 5000% to over $625 million in 2021. He began in pump sales in 1985 and was named Vice President for the Fire Pump Division of Darley in 1990.
Founded in 1908, W.S. Darley & Co is a fourth-generation family business, led by Paul and an executive team that has transformed this 114-year-old company into a world leader in the firefighting and defense industries.
Paul is a graduate of St. Ignatius College Prep in Chicago and he holds a BS Degree in Marketing and Finance from Marquette University. He earned his MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. He recently earned a two-year graduate certificate from the University of Illinois in Emotional Intelligence.

In 2010, W.S. Darley & Co was named the Loyola University Illinois Family Business of the Year and was recognized by Marquette University as Alumnus Family Business of Year in 2009. He has numerous family business speaking engagements including “Resolving Sibling Conflict in Family Business” at the annual Family Business Magazine Conference and is a regular speaker at Northwestern on family business. In 2017, Darley was named the Best Midsize Board in America ($250 – $350 M), by Board of Directors Magazine.
Paul has traveled to 80 countries in his 35-year tenor and has made over 500 industry speaking engagements. He is involved with numerous charitable, business and service organizations. He is a former Chairman of the Chicago Windy City Chapter of Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO) and is currently a trustee for Dominican University.
He is the author of the book Sold! The Art of Relationship Sales. The book highlights emotional intelligence and authentic leadership to sell more, work your way up the corporate ladder…and what to do once you get there.
He is a Past President of the Fire Apparatus Manufacturers Association (FAMA) after serving on its board for the past 5 years. He also served on the Board of Directors of Fire & Emergency Manufacturers & Services Association (FEMSA) for seven years. Paul Darley currently serves on the Board of the National Defense Industry Association (NDIA) for the Great Lakes Chapter.
Paul is married to his high school sweetheart for 36 years and together they raised three daughters in Elmhurst, IL.

Guest Speaker: Nick Cucci, NDIA Great Lakes Chapter Board President

Nick Cucci is the managing director of Playmaker, a fractional CXO for accelerated innovation and business growth. Nick works with forward-thinking executives to solve marketing problems, develop products, and drive profits. Nick is an advisor to several companies including Hatch Defense, serves as President of the National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA) Great Lakes Chapter Board of Directors, and a member of the Innovative Executives League. Nick supports the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, USA Hockey, Special Operations Forces (SOF) community, Frontier Mission Network (FMN), and the Midwest startup ecosystem. Nick holds a Bachelor’s degree and MBA from Roosevelt University with highest honors.

Guest Speaker: Scott Singer, CEO, CyberNINES

CAPT, USN (retired) Scott Singer brings 30 years of military experience in both active duty and reserve rolls along with many years of industry experience. Scott co-founded CyberNINES and serves as the Chief Executive Officer. Most recently Scott was at PaR Systems, where he was Chief Information Officer since 2010. At PaR, Scott had responsibility for information systems, global quality, export control, security, and continuous process improvement. Previously, Scott spent 16 years with Medtronic in various leadership positions including the European Infrastructure Manager, the Vascular division CIO, and the head of global security. Scott has extensive experience with regulatory frameworks and government contracting including Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR/DFARS), HIPAA, medical device (ISO 13485), and cybersecurity (ISO 27001, NIST), aerospace (AS9100) and nuclear (NQA-1).
Scott is the past board chair for the Minnesota Technology Association (MnTech), past President of the University of Wisconsin, Madison NROTC Alumni Association, and current board member of InfraGard. In June 2021, he testified before Congress on the costs to small business to comply with the DoDs Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC). He currently chairs the C3PAO (CMMC Third-Party Assessment Organization) Stakeholder Forum (C3PAOForum.org).
Scott has an MBA in Information Systems from the University of Minnesota, Carlson School of Management, and BS is Meteorology from the University of Wisconsin at Madison. He also has a certification in Joint Professional Military Education from The Naval War College.
For the DoD cybersecurity ecosystem, Scott is a Certified CMMC Assessor (CCA), Certified CMMC Professional (CCP), and CMMC Provisional Instructor (PI). CyberNINES is an Authorized C3PAO.

Guest Speaker: Todd Streicher, President and Co-Founder, CyberNINES

Todd Streicher, Co-founder and President of CyberNINES, also founded the technology company 5NINES in 2001; a successful internet, managed services, colocation, and hosting company providing services to over 250 companies.
He was instrumental in creating 5NINES cybersecurity program in 2017 that offered NIST 800-171 assessments to companies in Wisconsin who are members of the Wisconsin Manufacturer’s Extension Partnership.
Prior to 5NINES, Todd served as a service management expert for the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Compuware Corporation and Telephone & Data Systems, and Philips Electronics in the Netherlands. With more than 30 years of experience in the IT sector, he has worked with businesses of all sizes.
Todd is a founding member of the State of Wisconsin’s Cyber Strategy and Planning Work Group (WCSPWG) that addresses Wisconsin’s critical public and private infrastructure cybersecurity. He is also a board member of WisconsinEye, a non-profit, private public affairs cable network, Wisconsin Aerospace Partners which supports organizations engaged with the aerospace industry, and the National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA) Great Lakes Chapter.
