FORT WAYNE – Senator Jim Banks (R-Ind.) has announced that his 5th annual Northeast Indiana Defense Summit in Fort Wayne on Tuesday, October 27th and Wednesday, October 28th will be livestreamed on YouTube at @SenatorJimBanks and on X at @SenatorBanks.
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, and on livestream (YouTube and X)
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
- Hon. Emil Michael, Under Secretary of War for Research and Engineering
- Hon. Mike Dodd, Assistant Secretary of War for Critical Technologies
- Maj. Gen. Lawrence “Larry” Muennich, The Adjutant General of Indiana
- Rear Admiral Michael Richman, Deputy Director for Regional Deterrence, SSP
- John Burer, CEO, ACMI Group
- Brad Golding, Co-Founder, SpektreWorks
- Sean Conroy, Head of National Security Business Development, Skydio
- Dr. Benjamin Griffin, Executive VP of Innovation and Impact, ARI
- Phil Smith, Command Advocacy Lead, NSWC Crane
- Daniel Sennott, Co-Chair, National Security Group, Greenberg Traurig
- Mike Johns, Senior Vice President, Kratos Defense
- 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
- Hon. Adam Telle, Acting Secretary of the Army
- Senator 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
- Roger Zakheim, Director, Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute
- Mackenzie Eaglen, Co-Chair, National Future of the Navy Commission
- Mo Islam, CEO, Arkaea Media
- 1:45 p.m.: Closing Remarks – Sen. Jim Banks (R-Ind.)
