Aerospace Defense Forum

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“Hardware Entrepreneurship in Los Angeles”

“Hardware Entrepreneurship in Los Angeles”

Los Angeles Chapter meeting on August 18

Los Angeles is a hotbed for hardware entrepreneurship thanks to the existing manufacturing base and a growing startup ecosystem. To further help with these efforts, new services are popping up like hacker spaces, co-working spaces, and hardware accelerators. Established companies are beginning to recognize the value of this environment and establishing partnerships to stay on the pulse.

Join us in Los Angeles on Friday, August 18, 7:30–9:00am, when Shaun Arora, Co-Founder and Managing Director, Make in LA will discuss how hardware entrepreneurship happens in Los Angeles and how your company can tap into this innovation process.

The meeting is free for members & $40 for non-members ($30 Early Bird until August 11). For more information and to register to attend the meeting go to http://adflaaug17.eventbrite.com.

Information about joining The A&D Forum is at https://aerospacedefenseforum.org.

The Los Angeles chapter of The Aerospace & Defense Forum is sponsored by Moss Adams, Jeffer, Mangels, Butler & Mitchell, InVista Associates, and the 62 Mile Club

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“We Need Growth”

“We Need Growth”

Orange County Chapter meeting on August 3

Why are major systems OEMs like Rockwell Collins and SAFRAN moving to acquire B/E and Zodiac Aerospace, respectively, when there appear to be so few synergies between them?

The answer is GROWTH. With the extremely long program cycles for new aircraft programs, OEMs struggle to grow. Every new platform program becomes a “Must Win”. So what are some of the big differences in these adjacent spaces in the overall aerospace market and what makes the interiors businesses so attractive….and challenging! What must both acquirers do to successfully create value in these market spaces? What can derail these deals?

Join us in Irvine on Thursday, August 3, 7:30– 9:00am, when Jeffrey Johnston, President & CEO, Desser Holdings, will discuss the stark differences in these segments of the aerospace market, why they are attractive, and what makes them so challenging.

The meeting is free for members ($40 non-members). Click here to register to attend the meeting

Information about joining The A&D Forum is at https://aerospacedefenseforum.org.

The Orange County chapter is sponsored by D.A. Davidson & Co., Moss Adams, Hein & Associates, and Verify.

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“Innovation and New Applications in the Unmanned Maritime Domain”

“Innovation and New Applications in the Unmanned Maritime Domain”

San Diego Chapter meeting on July 25

Unmanned Systems in the airborne arena, drones, have dominated the media, but there is considerable innovation and exciting activity in the unmanned maritime systems domain. San Diego, with the Navy’s presence and UCSD’s Scripps Institute of Oceanography, is a fertile ground for this innovation.

Please join us on Tuesday, July 25 (networking: 5:30-6:15pm, meeting: 6:15-7:45pm PST), when Leverett Bezanson, Engineering Manager, SeeByte, Inc.; Chris Gibson, Vice President of Sales, Marketing, VideoRay, and Gaurav Sharma, Embedded Systems Engineer, Teledyne SeaBotix will address the emerging and developing technologies of Unmanned Maritime Systems as well as business and operational employment in various industries.

Unmanned marine vehicle systems are used for a wide range of commercial and military. For commercial, these include: Oil and Gas Exploration and Construction, Oceanographic Data Collection, Hydrographic, Oceanographic and Environmental Surveys. For military these include Mine Counter Measures, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance, Anti-Submarine Warfare, and Fast Inshore Attack Craft for combat training.

The meeting is free for members & $40 for non-members ($30 Early Bird until July 18). For more information and to register to attend the meeting go to http://adfsdjul17.eventbrite.com.

Information about joining The A&D Forum is at https://aerospacedefenseforum.org.

The San Diego chapter is sponsored by Moss Adams, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, LevitZacks, BNY Mellon Wealth Management, and Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton.

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“5 Ways Leaders Solve Problems with Stories”

“5 Ways Leaders Solve Problems with Stories”

Los Angeles Chapter meeting on July 21

Great leaders are great story-tellers. Successful stories not only solve problems, they leave their listeners with a greater ability to adapt to the challenges of life. In this interactive presentation, learn the 5 elements of a great story, and how stories can achieve your goals in every professional encounter – from business introductions to full-scale presentations.

Join us in Los Angeles on Friday, July 21, 7:30–9:00am, when Ann Convery, Principal, Speak Your Business will help us discover:
• How to capture attention in 8-10 seconds
• 3 keys to make your story “all about” your listener, not you
• How to create a “neck-down” story for deep and lasting connection
• The No. 1 way to engage your listeners in 2-5 minutes
• How to use the Empathy Telescope to guarantee emotional investment

Come discover the keys to a great story and then spend up to 30 minutes practicing your story in small groups with peer feedback. Leave with at least one story that will show you how to achieve your goal: from persuading stakeholders to attracting more business.

The meeting is free for members & $40 for non-members ($30 Early Bird until July 14). For more information and to register to attend the meeting go to http://adflajul17.eventbrite.com.

Information about joining The A&D Forum is at https://aerospacedefenseforum.org.

The Los Angeles chapter of The Aerospace & Defense Forum is sponsored by Moss Adams, Jeffer, Mangels, Butler & Mitchell, InVista Associates, and the 62 Mile Club

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“The Challenges for Small Companies in Doing Business with Big Companies”

“The Challenges for Small Companies in Doing Business with Big Companies”

San Fernando Valley Chapter meeting on July 18

Please join us in Sherman Oaks, CA, on Tuesday, July 18, 7:30–9:00am, when David Sharp, Senior Manager of Procurement and Subcontracts, Orbital/ATK, will provide a brief overview of the challenges small companies face in doing business with large companies and steps that can be taken to mitigate those risks.

He will provide information about recent changes in the regulatory and business construct that influences how companies can establish and develop a relationship with a large global company in the ever evolving defense industry.

David will elaborate on the recent FAR changes regarding technology and data security and how it applies to a small business and steps to be prepared to handle information and information transfers in a digital age.

The meeting is free for everyone. For more information and to register to attend the meeting go to http://adfsfvjul17.eventbrite.com.

Information about joining The A&D Forum is at https://aerospacedefenseforum.org.

The San Fernando Valley chapter of The Aerospace & Defense Forum is sponsored by CohnReznick, City National Bank, and InVista Associates.

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“Additive Manufacturing and Simulation Driven Design”

“Additive Manufacturing and Simulation Driven Design –
A New Competitive Edge in Aerospace and Defense”

AZ Chapter meeting in Tempe on July 13

Exceptional performance goals coupled with limited resources and increasing pressures to get parts to market quickly are driving adoption of innovative engineering design, product prototyping and validation as well as manufacturing techniques.

Conjointly deploying Simulation-based Design and 3-D printing provides an increasingly valuable pair synonymous with design performance validation and market-ready additively manufactured products.

Phoenix Analysis and Design Technologies (PADT) is the Southwest’s largest provider of numerical simulation, product development and 3D Printing services and products. Please join us in Tempe, AZ on Thur, July 13, when Eric Miller, Co-Owner & Principal, PADT, will be elaborating on the techniques and tools that PADT deploys to help A&D companies make things better and more consistently.

The meeting is free for members and guests ($30 Early Bird for non-members, $40 after July 6). Limited to 25 attendees. For more information and to register to attend the meeting, go to http://adfazjul17.eventbrite.com.

Click here for more information about and to join The Aerospace & Defense Forum.

The Arizona Chapter of The A&D Forum is sponsored by Moss Adams and National Bank of Arizona.

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“Certainty where Failure is not an Option!”

“Certainty where Failure is not an Option!”
A Tour of Element Huntington Beach
Materials Testing and Product Qualification Testing

A&D Forum Meeting in Huntington Beach, CA on July 12

Element Materials Technology exists to ensure that the materials and products that are in use in some of the world’s most advanced industrial sectors are always safe; of marketable quality; compliant to all relevant industry standards and most of all are fit for purpose in their end application.

Please join us on Thur, July 12, 7:30-9:30am at Element in Huntington Beach, CA, when Jim Riley, General Manager, will describe and demonstrate that what they ultimately deliver is Certainty to those industries where failure simply is not an option.

This special presentation and tour is limited to 20 attendees. US citizenship is required.

Both members and non-members must register by 12:00pm on Monday, July 10. No walk-ins will be permitted to attend.

The event is free for A&D Forum members and $40 for non-members ($30 Early Bird until July 3). For more information and to register to attend go to http://adfsbjul17.eventbrite.com.

Click here for more information about and to join The Aerospace & Defense Forum.

The South Bay Chapter of The Aerospace & Defense Forum is sponsored by Moss Adams, California United Bank, Community Bank, and California Manufacturing Technology Consulting.

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“Airbus, a brief history of the company and the UH-72A (Lakota)”

“Airbus, a brief history of the company and the UH-72A (Lakota)”

Dallas-Ft. Worth Chapter July 13 meeting

Airbus Helicopters is not very well known in the local area. Join us in Arlington, TX on Thur, July 13, 7:30–9:00am (networking and breakfast at 7am), when Lloyd Reaves, Chief Engineer Completions, Airbus Helicopters, Inc. will delve a little into the history of the company starting back at Vought Helicopters up through today’s Airbus. The presentation also gives emphasis on the UH-72 Lakota program. This program has delivered over 400 aircraft to the US Army and Army National Guard on time and on budget.

The meeting is free for A&D Forum members ($30 for non-members until July 6. For more information and to register to attend the meeting, go to https://adfdfwjul17.eventbrite.com.

Click here for more information about and to join The Aerospace & Defense Forum.

The Dallas-Ft. Worth Chapter is sponsored by BellNunnally and the University of Texas at Arlington Research Institute (UTARI).

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“Managing Three Aerospace Companies in 50 Hours/Week”

“Managing Three Aerospace Companies in 50 Hours/Week”

San Fernando Valley Chapter meeting on June 20

Join us in Sherman Oaks, CA, on Tuesday, June 20, 7:30–9:00am, when Steve Cormier, CEO, Global Aerospace Technology, CEO, Pacific Western Aerostructures, and VP Finance, Space Vector Corporation, will address the executive challenges of juggling three aerospace companies at once.

Steve was deeply involved with the 2006 management buyout of Global Aerospace Technology, and as CEO now owns 58% of the company. Likewise, he was involved with the 2009 buy-out of Space Vector Inc. and now as CFO owns 10% of that company. In 2015 he added Pacific Western Aerostructures Inc. to his duties and as CEO owns 100% of this company.

These companies serve different aerospace markets. Global is one of three companies that sell aircraft cargo loading systems, mainly into the passenger to freighter conversion market. Space Vector engineers and produces a variety of products used on rockets and spacecraft. Pacific Western Aerostructures is an aerospace job shop that machines, fabricates and assembles complex mechanical assemblies used on aircraft and various space vehicles.

Interesting approaches to acquiring companies will be summarized, including how these companies were acquired and how they are currently doing operationally.

In these executive roles, time management is very important. Key is the ability to multitask without getting bogged down into a projects that might be assignable to someone else within the organization.

The meeting is free for everyone. For more information and to register to attend the meeting go to http://adfsfvjun17.eventbrite.com.

Information about joining The A&D Forum is at https://aerospacedefenseforum.org.

The San Fernando Valley chapter of The Aerospace & Defense Forum is sponsored by CohnReznick, City National Bank, and InVista Associates.