FORT WAYNE – Senator Jim Banks (R-Ind.) will host the 5th annual Northeast Indiana Defense Summit in Fort Wayne on Tuesday, October 27, and Wednesday, October 28.
The two-day summit will bring together senior Trump administration officials, military leaders, members of Congress, and defense industry executives to discuss strengthening America’s defense industrial base, advancing military innovation, and expanding Indiana’s role in national security and defense manufacturing.
WHAT: 5th Annual Northeast Indiana Defense Summit
WHERE: Downtown Fort Wayne, Indiana
WHEN: Tuesday, October 27 and Wednesday, October 28, 2026
- Tuesday, October 27 – Kickoff Panels
The Pearl Event Center, 258 W Main St, Fort Wayne, Indiana 46802
- 2:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.: Check-In and Registration
- 2:30 p.m. – 4:45 p.m.: Programming
- Todd Huston, Speaker, Indiana House of Representatives
- Phil Smith, Command Advocacy Lead, NSWC Crane
- Hon. Emil Michael, Under Secretary of War for Research and Engineering
- Hon. Mike Dodd, Assistant Secretary of War for Critical Technologies
- Rear Admiral Richman, Deputy Director for Regional Deterrence, SSP
- Maj. Gen. Lawrence “Larry” Muennich, The Adjutant General of Indiana
- Mike Johns, Senior Vice President, Kratos Defense
- John Burer, CEO, ACMI Group
- Brad Golding, Co-Founder, SpektreWorks
- Daniel Sennott, Co-Chair, National Security Group, Greenberg Traurig
- Sean Conroy, Head of National Security Business Development, Skydio
- Dr. Benjamin Griffin, Executive VP of Innovation and Impact, ARI
- 4:45 p.m.: Closing Remarks – Sen. Jim Banks (R-Ind.)
- Wednesday, October 28 – Defense Summit
Grand Wayne Center, 102 W Jefferson Blvd, Fort Wayne, Indiana 46802
- 7:45 a.m. – 8:30 a.m.: Check-in and Registration
- 8:30 a.m. – 1:45 p.m.: Programming
- Hon.Hung Cao, Acting Secretary of the Navy
- Adam Telle, Acting Secretary of the Army
- Sen. Dave McCormick (R-PA)
- Senator Todd Young (R-IN)
- H.E. Leena-Kaisa Mikkola, Ambassador of Finland to the United States
- Mike Gallagher, Head of Defense, Palantir Technologies
- Bryon Hargis, CEO, Castelion
- Dino Mavrookas, Founder & CEO, Saronic Technologies
- Shyam Sankar, CTO, Palantir Technologies
- Tom Anderson, President of US Shipbuilding, Hanwha Defense
- Alex Flanagan, Director of Business Development, Prometheus Energetics
- Mackenzie Eaglen, Co-Chair, National Future of the Navy Commission
- Roger Zakheim, Director, Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute
- Mo Islam, CEO, Arkaea Media
- 1:45 p.m.: Closing Remarks – Sen. Jim Banks (R-Ind.)
