Download the full speaker list and their bios.
INTRO:
Dr. Robert T. Smith began his tenure as the 6th Chancellor of LSU in Shreveport in July 2023. Previously, he served as Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at two institutions in Georgia, Valdosta State University and Armstrong State University. Dr. Smith is a passionate proponent for student success, especially among underserved populations and through expanding experiential learning.
Previously, Dr. Smith served Millersville University of Pennsylvania in a succession of roles, including Professor of Mathematics, Chair of the Department of Mathematics and Dean of Science and Mathematics. He began his career as Assistant Professor of Mathematics at Virginia Tech and also served as a researcher at the U.S. Army Ballistic Research Laboratory at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland.
A native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Dr. Smith earned M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Mathematics from the University of Delaware, as well as B.S. (Mathematics) and B.A. (German) degrees from Widener University. More recently, Dr. Smith earned a certificate from the Institute for Management and Leadership in Education at Harvard University. His research background is in mathematical problems arising in engineering and physics; he is also the co-author of ten Calculus textbooks, several of which have been translated into multiple languages and which are in use around the world.
Dr. Smith has been married for 36 years to Dr. Pam Vercellone-Smith, who teaches online graduate courses for Penn State. They are proud parents of two grown children. When he has spare time, Dr. Smith enjoys being outdoors, especially hiking and aspires to be a better golfer.
Tom Arceneaux was elected as Shreveport's 57th mayor in December 2022 and started a four-year term in January 2023. He graduated from Captain Shreve High School in Shreveport and attended college at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, graduating with a bachelor's degree in business administration. He then attended LSU Law Center and has practiced law in Louisiana for more than forty years. From 1982 through 1990, he represented District “C” on the Shreveport City Council and served as the Council Chairman from 1986-1987. After his tenure with the City Council, he continued to be involved with public service in Shreveport by working with organizations such as United Way of Northwest Louisiana, NORWELA Council of the Boy Scouts of America, the Highland Restoration Association, Northwest Louisiana Legal Services, the Shreveport Little Theatre, Holy Angels Residential Facility, AMIKids, and the Rotary Club of Shreveport. He is an active advocate for the Highland neighborhood, where he calls home, and continues to encourage others to be a part of helping to improve communities throughout the area.
He is the proud father of three grown children and loves spending time with his seven grandchildren. With his wife Elizabeth, he enjoys traveling and learning about different places. Our mayor is a season ticketholder for the Shreveport Symphony and has served as guest conductor for a performance of the National Anthem. Mayor Arceneaux is learning to play golf and admits that it is a great way to get outside, exercise, and relax.
Lieutenant General (USAF, Retired) Robert (Bob) Elder joined the George Mason University faculty as a research professor with the College of Engineering following his retirement from military service as the Commander of 8th Air Force and U.S. Strategic Command’s Global Strike Component. He currently conducts research in the areas of command and control, resilient communications, strategic deterrence, global competition, and international actor decision-making. General Elder served as the Central Command Air Forces Deputy Commander for Operation Enduring Freedom, Air Operations Center Commander and Deputy Air Component Commander for Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Commandant of the Air War College. He was the first commander of Air Force Network Operations and led the development of the cyberspace mission for the Air Force. He received his Doctorate in Engineering from the University of Detroit. He lives in Shreveport with his wife Bess and remains active in the community as a member of the Louisiana Military Advisory Council, Shreveport-Bossier Military Affairs Committee, Eighth Air Force Consultation Committee, Collaboration Link Management Board, Louisiana Tech Engineering and Science Foundation Advisory Board, LSU Shreveport Strategic Alternatives Consortium, Shreveport-Bossier Committee of 100, and the Shreveport and Bossier Chambers of Commerce.
President and Senior Director of Strategic Deterrent Studies at GeoStrategic Analysis
Mr. Peter Huessy is President of his own defense consulting firm, Geostrategic Analysis, founded in 1981, and through 2021, Director of Strategic Deterrent Studies at the Mitchell Institute on Aerospace Studies. He was the senior defense consultant at the National Defense University Foundation for 22 years. He was the National Security Fellow at the AFPC, and Senior Defense Consultant at the Air Force Association from 2011-2016. Mr. Huessy has served as an expert defense and national security analyst for over 50 years, helping his clients cover congressional activities, arms control group efforts, nuclear armed states actions, and US administration nuclear related policy, budgets, and strategies, while monitoring budget and policy developments on nuclear deterrence, ICBM modernization, nuclear arms control, and overall nuclear modernization. Mr. Peter Huessy is President of his own defense consulting firm, Geostrategic Analysis, founded in 1981. And since 2022, Senior Fellow at the National Institute for Deterrent Studies. He was also the senior defense consultant at the National Defense University Foundation for 22 years. And advised the office of the Secretary of the Air Force on nuclear modernization and deterrence from 1981-2017. He was the National Security Fellow at the AFPC, and Senior Defense Consultant at the Air Force Association from 2011-2016. Mr. Huessy has served as an expert defense and national security analyst for over 50 years, helping his clients cover congressional activities, arms control group efforts, nuclear armed states actions, and US administration nuclear related policy, budgets, and strategies, while monitoring budget and policy developments on nuclear deterrence, ICBM modernization, nuclear arms control, and overall nuclear modernization. During 1981-2025, he created and hosted 1500 nuclear deterrent seminars, featuring the top nuclear commanders and experts in the United States. He writes a weekly column for RealClearDefense and the Maven Warrior and regularly appears on CBS radio with John Batchelor’s “Eye on the World”. His “ICBM EAR” nuclear report is produced weekly.
SESSION 1:
Dr. Christopher Yeaw is the Associate Executive Director for Strategic Deterrence and Nuclear Programs at the National Strategic Research Institute, U.S. Strategic Command’s University Affiliated Research Center (UARC). An integral component of the University of Nebraska, NSRI leads and leverages collaborative efforts with other academic institutions, National Laboratories, FFRDCs, UARCs, and non-profit organizations. NSRI’s responsively and enduringly supports the US government in successfully executing the strategic deterrence, nuclear and counter- WMD missions with world class research and analysis. The Strategic Deterrence and Nuclear Programs Department leads thought and collaborates across the entire range of strategic and nuclear issues: deterrence policy, threat analysis, weapon design, strategic materials, NC3, wargaming, nonproliferation, counter-terrorism, and education.
Immediately prior to his appointment at NSRI, Dr. Yeaw was the National Nuclear Security Administration's Senior Policy Advisor for Defense Programs, having served as the Department of Energy's lead official in the development and rollout of the 2018 Nuclear Posture Review. Formerly, he was the founder and director of the Center for Assurance, Deterrence, Escalation, and Nonproliferation Science & Education (CADENSE), a nuclear weapons think tank at the Louisiana Tech Research Institute. From 2010- 2015, Dr. Yeaw served in a Senior Executive position as the first Chief Scientist of Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC), which was established in 2009 to organize, train, equip, operate, secure, and maintain all U.S. intercontinental ballistic missile and nuclear-capable bomber forces.
Dr. Yeaw began his career in 1996 at the Naval Surface Warfare Center as a lead missile defense engineer following his graduation with a doctorate in nuclear engineering and engineering physics from the University of Wisconsin at Madison. Next, he served as a lead nuclear weapons technical intelligence officer with the Defense Intelligence Agency. After his tenure at DIA, Dr. Yeaw served as the Principal Advisor for Nuclear Matters to the Assistant Secretary for Verification and Compliance, during which time he was a member of the first U.S. special diplomatic mission to Libya and led the initiation of the dismantlement of the Libyan covert nuclear weapons program. He then served as the Chief Scientist of the Department of Energy's Office of Intelligence. Finally, prior to his AFGSC assignment, he was an Associate Professor and Director of the Mahan Scholars Research Program at the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island, where he also founded the STRATCOM-sponsored Deterrence & Escalation Game and Review (DEGRE) nuclear war game series.
Mr. James R. Howe is currently VP, Threats, Technology, and Future Requirements for Vision Centric, Inc., a SETA to US Army Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office (RCCTO). He is President of Strategic Concepts and Analysis and is also a consultant to National Security Research Institute (NSRI) (UARC to STRATCOM). Mr. Howe has over 50 years’ experience researching US/adversary strategic nuclear forces, strategic defenses, and space war issues. He was principal investigator on a study for OSD/NA to conduct open-source research into the future military utility and feasibility of space offensive warfare, and its impact on future warfare as a continuance of the revolution in military affairs. He was co-developer of the Advanced Hypersonic Weapon (AHW) concept, helped keep AHW concept sold (Now being developed and produced as the Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon).
Mr. Howe developed a concept for destroying threat hypersonic vehicles using long-range high power microwave beams, as well as using the same HPM beam technology for a ground-based ASAT system. Mr. Howe conducted studies for OSD/NA on future warfare, space warfare, future world orders, intercontinental conventional warfare (briefed 8 of Sec Def direct reports), and US/China counter-space 2040; DIA/MSIC on future missile threats; DTRA on advanced technology nuclear weapons and SMDC on Army future space force structure. From 2001-2005 he was Director, Threats and Future Requirements for Boeing, Missile Defense Division, and served as Executive Secretary of Rockwell/Boeing Strategy Working Group where his research developed new business opportunities and influenced national policy and threat decisions and was a win factor in Boeing capture of GMD contract. Briefed Rumsfeld commission on long range missile threat to CONUS that provided engineering proof of the threat, resulting in approval of GMD program and revision of NIE 95-19.
Mr. Howe is a Former US Army Armor Officer with command and intelligence assignments (28 years active and reserve). Mr. Howe earned a MS in International Economics from Oregon State University and MA in International Relations from University of Southern California.
SESSION 2:
Stephen Blank is an internationally recognized expert on Russian foreign and defense policies and international relations across the former Soviet Union. He is also a leading expert on European and Asian security, including energy issues. Since 2020 he has been a Senior Fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute www.fpri.org. In 2020-21 he also was a Senior Expert for Russia at the U.S. Institute of Peace From 2013-2020 he was a Senior Fellow at the American Foreign Policy Council, www.afpc.org From 1989-2013 he was a Professor of Russian National Security Studies at the Strategic Studies Institute of the U.S. Army War College in Pennsylvania. Dr. Blank has been Professor of National Security Affairs at the Strategic Studies Institute since 1989. In 1998-2001 he was Douglas MacArthur Professor of Research at the War College.
Dr. Blank has consulted for the CIA, major think tanks and foundations, chaired major international conferences in the USA and abroad In Florence, Prague, and London, and has been a commentator on foreign affairs in the media in the United States and abroad. He has also advised major corporations on investing in Russia and is a consultant for the Gerson Lehrmann Group. He has published over 1300 articles and monographs on Soviet/Russian, U.S., Asian, and European military and foreign policies, including publishing or editing 15 books, testified frequently before Congress on Russia, China, and Central Asia for business, government, and professional think tanks here and abroad on these issues. He has also appeared on CNN, BBC, Deutsche Welle, CNBC Asia, and is a regular guest on VOA.
Prior to his appointment at the Army War College in 1989 Dr. Blank was Associate Professor for Soviet Studies at the Center for Aerospace Doctrine, Research, and Education of Air University at Maxwell AFB. He also held the position of 1980-86: Assistant Professor of Russian History, University of Texas, San Antonio, 1980-86, and Visiting Assistant Professor of Russian history, University of California, Riverside, 1979-80.
Dr. Blank's M.A. and Ph.D. are in Russian History from the University of Chicago. His B.A is in History from the University of Pennsylvania.
John A. Hill is the Foreign Policy Advisor to the Commander of Air Force Global Strike Command. Previously, Mr. Hill served as Foreign Policy and Political Affairs Advisor to the Commanders of United States Air Forces Europe and Third Air Force at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. During that time, he received the Meritorious Civilian Service Award and the Joint Civilian Service Achievement Award. Mr. Hill served as an officer in the U. S. Air Force for over 29 years in various operational and staff positions, retiring in the rank of Colonel. His highest military decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal and the Legion of Merit. He is a master navigator with over 3,900 hours in special operations C-130 aircraft. He entered the diplomatic arena in 1995 as Operations Officer for the On-Site Inspection Agency-Europe, where he led arms control inspection and escort teams and directed implementation and enforcement of U. S. European arms control treaties. While the Air Attaché to India (2001-2004), Mr. Hill played a major role in the revitalization of the Indo-United States relationship, and was awarded the Department of State Superior Honor Award
SESSION 3:
Ms. Kelly Lee currently serves as the Director, Plans and Programs at Strategic Systems Programs (SSP). In this capacity, Ms. Lee provides executive leadership to SSP enterprise for the development and execution of the program plans and $4+ Billion annual budget for the Navy Strategic Weapons Systems and the joint Navy/Army Conventional Prompt Strike (CPS) program. She serves as a Chief Operating Officer of the SSP Board of Directors. Ms. Lee leads the professionals acquiring strategic weapon systems and the operations of the strategic weapons processing facilities providing the nation with 70% of its deployed nuclear weapons as well as 100% of the United Kingdom’s strategic deterrent capability. Ms. Lee’s leadership fosters innovation in program planning for business operations for financial management, contracts, acquisition planning, cost estimate, legal counsel, information technology, facilities, human capital programs, and the Navy’s treaty implementation and compliance program. Ms. Lee has been a member of the Senior Executive Service since May 2013, and has a total of 38 years of Federal Service.
Prior to her current assignment, Ms. Lee served as the Branch Head for TRIDENT (D5) Missile Systems responsible for design, development, production, technical services, operations, logistics and disposal of the D5 missile systems to include flight test instrumentation and special support equipment for United States and United Kingdom. Prior to her Missile branch head assignment, Ms. Lee served as an Assistant of Missile Production, Assembly and Operations of the Strategic Systems Programs. Her responsibilities included managing the operations of two Echelon 3 organizations, Strategic Weapons Facilities, Atlantic and Pacific, and providing Navy Strategic Missiles to the United States and United Kingdom.
Ms. Lee started her Navy career as an Engineer in Training at NAVSEA 05 where she gained Hull, Mechanical and Electrical (HM&E) systems experiences. Ms. Lee moved to SSP when she was selected to serve as the Strategic Weapons Facility Operations Engineer in 1990. Following that assignment, Ms. Lee was selected to head the Launcher Operations Engineering Section in 2000. Ms. Lee then became the Missile Branch Integration Manager at SSP in 2005. In addition to these assignments, Ms. Lee also served as a Special Assistant to SSP Technical Director supporting Director, SSP for Nuclear Weapon Senior Leaders Oversight Council in 2008. She was selected as the Program Manager responsible for the implementation of Navy Enterprise Resource Planning (Navy ERP) at SSP Headquarters and six Field Sites in 2009. After successful implementation of Navy ERP, she was selected to her first SES position as Assistant of Missile Production, Assembly and Operations in 2013.
Ms. Lee earned Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial and Systems Engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology and Master’s Degree in Public Administrations from American University. Her awards include the Civilian Meritorious Service Award and Department of Navy Certificate of Excellence for Acquisition Reform. She is a member of the Acquisition Professional Community and is Level III certified in the Program Management and Systems Planning, Research, Development and Engineering (SPRDE) career fields.
Rear Admiral Weeks graduated with Merit from the United States Naval Academy in May 1993 with a Bachelor of Science in Naval Architecture. In June 2006 he graduated Cum Laude from Norwich University with a Master of Arts in Diplomacy. He is also a graduate from the Naval Command and Staff College at the Naval War College.
A submarine officer; Rear Admiral Weeks has served at-sea on the USS SEAWOLF (SSN 21), as Engineer Officer onboard USS LOS ANGELES (SSN 688), Executive Officer onboard USS HELENA (SSN 725), culminating in command of USS ALEXANDRIA (SSN 757) from January 2011 until August 2013. He has deployed to the North Atlantic, Mediterranean, the Western Pacific and the U.S. Southern Command area of operations.
Ashore, Rear Admiral Weeks served as Flag Lieutenant to the combined Commander, Submarine Group 2 and Commander, Navy Region Northeast, Material Officer for Commander, Submarine Squadron 22 in La Maddalena, Italy, and at the Submarine Warfare Division on the staff of the Chief of Naval Operations. From July 2005 to May 2006, he was a Federal Executive Fellow at RAND Corporation in Santa Monica, CA. While at RAND, Rear Admiral Weeks co-authored “Sustaining U.S. Nuclear Submarine Design Capabilities,” a study analyzing the viability of the Submarine design base. Following command, Rear Admiral Weeks was the Director of the Nuclear Propulsion Examining Board on the staff of Commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command.
An Acquisition Professional, Rear Admiral Weeks served as the Director of Mission Assurance in the Advanced Undersea Systems Program Office (PMS 394), as the Major Program Manager for Undersea Defensive Warfare (PMS 415), as the Major Program Manager for Advanced Undersea Systems (PMS 394), as the Executive Assistant to the Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Research Development, and Acquisition) and most recently as the Major Program Manager for VIRGINIA Class Submarines (PMS 450).
Rear Admiral Weeks’ first flag assignment was as Program Executive Officer for Undersea Warfare Systems (PEO UWS).
Currently, he is the Program Executive Officer for Strategic Submarines.
SESSION 4:
Maj. Gen. Huser commissioned through Officer Training School in 1996 after earning a bachelor’s degree in psychology from North Central College, Naperville, Illinois. She has extensive experience in space and missile operations. Maj. Gen. Huser has served as a space operations crew member, instructor and training manager, as well as an ICBM combat crew commander, evaluator, and chief of emergency war order plans. She also completed staff tours in the Secretary of the Air Force's Legislative Liaison Office and at United States Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM). Maj. Gen. Huser commanded the 625th Strategic Operations Squadron, Offutt AFB, Nebraska; the 91st Missile Operations Group, Minot AFB, North Dakota; and the 90th Missile Wing at Francis E. Warren AFB, Wyoming.
Prior to her current assignment, Maj. Gen. Huser served as the Principal Assistant Deputy Administrator for Military Application, National Nuclear Security Administration, Department of Energy, Washington, D.C. In that role, she assisted the Deputy Administrator for Defense Programs to maintain the safety, security, and reliability of the nation’s nuclear weapons stockpile.
Kathryn D. Parks is the Deputy Program Executive Officer for Intercontinental Ballistic Missile Systems (ICBMs), Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center, Hill Air Force Base, Utah. She is responsible for total life cycle management of the Sentinel and Minuteman III systems, including development, production and sustainment of these systems to meet the nation’s strategic deterrence needs. From 2006 to 2018, Parks held multiple positions of increasing responsibility at the Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles AFB, California, working with international partners on communication satellites, managing the consolidated command-and-control ground system for four constellations of communication satellites, and defining the future of launch services for the national security space enterprise. In 2018, she moved to the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office, Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, Washington, D.C., and directed two highly classified space programs. In 2020, she was selected to become the Deputy Director for the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office’s Advanced Space Capabilities Group and was responsible for the overall acquisition planning, cost, schedule and performance of a multibillion-dollar portfolio of classified space-related programs. Prior to her current position, Parks was the Deputy Director of the Capability Delivery Directorate for the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Space Acquisition and Integration at the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
SESSION 5:
Maj. Gen. Jason R. Armagost is the Commander, Eighth Air Force, and Commander, Joint-Global Strike Operations Center, Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. "The Mighty Eighth" is responsible for the service’s bomber force and airborne nuclear command and control assets, encompassing approximately 24,000 Airmen across six installations, and proudly operating more than 150 E-4, B-1, B-2, B-52 and T-38 aircraft. The J-GSOC serves as the central command and control node for all operations within Air Force Global Strike Command, orchestrating warfighting and readiness activities for the Commander, Air Forces Strategic.
Maj. Gen. Armagost graduated from the United States Air Force Academy and was commissioned in 1992. He has served in multiple operational and training assignments and logged more than 2,900 hours in the B-2A, F-16CJ, F- 16CG, B-1B, B-52H and T-38A. His notable educational and staff assignments include a fellowship at the Center for International Security and Cooperation at Stanford University, California, Chief of Nuclear Operations on the Joint Staff at the Pentagon, and Director of Strategic Plans, Programs, and Requirements at Air Force Global Strike Command.
Maj. Gen. Armagost commanded the 13th Bomb Squadron at Whiteman AFB, Missouri, the 5th Bomb Wing at Minot AFB, North Dakota, and the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar. His operational assignments supported contingency operations during operations Desert Strike, Southern Watch, Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom, Inherent Resolve, Freedom’s Sentinel and Deliberate Resolve. He also served as the Deputy Commanding General for Security Assistance Group-Ukraine, where he led coordination of the DoD’s historic security assistance support effort to the Ukrainian government. Further, he has flown numerous combat missions in the F-16CJ, B-2A, B-1B and the B-52H.
SESSION 6: Industry Panel:
Mr. Beltrani oversees and manages the execution of multi-discipline design and production teams for the launch control system of submarine launched nuclear ballistic missiles. General Dynamics Mission Systems has integrated and modernized this system for more than 60 years. Mr. Beltrani’s portfolio also includes weapon system security solutions, guidance, navigation and electronic systems production and repair, and high assurance communications. Similar work is performed for the United States Air Force Intercontinental Ballistic Missile strategic deterrent. Mr. Beltrani provides leadership for more than 1200 employees across a variety of programs., manufacturing, and field personal. Prior to this role, Mr.
Beltrani lead Strategy and Business Development for the Strategic Mission Systems business area and was the Segment Director for Nuclear Weapon Security.
Prior to joining General Dynamics Mission Systems, Mr. Beltrani was Vice President of Business Development at L3Harris Reconnaissance Mission Systems Sector, responsible for the growth of the ISR business. Before joining L3Harris, Mike held Program Management and Business Development executive leadership roles at Telephonics and BAE Systems. Prior to joining industry, Mike served in the Air Force for seven years, with his last role in Program Management.
Mr. Beltrani received his Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Assumption University and holds a Master of Business Administration from Western New England University. He received Project Management Institute’s Program Management Professional (PMP) certification in 2005, was a graduate of BAE Systems LEAD program in 2006 and received Stanford University’s Advanced Project Management Certificate in 2009.
He resides in Hamburg, New Jersey with his wife Julie and two daughters, Allison, 22 and Emily, 18.
In this role, Cyr leads a high-profile, mission-critical effort to deliver survivable, secure communication platforms for national defense. He is a proven leader with deep expertise in program execution, strategic growth, and lifecycle management, responsible for driving comprehensive business execution with a complex network of stakeholders, fostering cross-functional collaboration, and delivering results in a dynamic, high-stakes environment. His previous Northrop Grumman leadership roles included the successful E-XX TACAMO capture effort, culminating in the U.S. Navy awarding Northrop Grumman a contract to deliver the E-130J TACAMO to the fleet. He led the Manned C2-ISR portfolio comprised of USAF E-8C Joint STARS, RAF E-3 Sentry and USN Airborne Laser Mine Detection System development, production, sustainment and support programs.
Prior to joining Northrop Grumman, Cyr served in the United States Air Force for over 26 years, where he commanded an Air Control Wing and an Airborne Command and Control Squadron. He has operational flying experience in E-8C, RC-135 and KC-135 aircraft. During his military career he held senior joint operations and planning positions in US Strategic Command’s Joint Functional Component Command for Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance and the Defense Intelligence Agency. In these positions he was responsible for developing the Department of Defense’s global ISR allocation plan, in alignment with DoD and Intelligence Community collection management and Processing, Exploitation and Dissemination efforts. Previously, Cyr gained program management experience on the Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition staff overseeing the U.S. E-10A aircraft, MP-RTIP radar and NATO Airborne Ground Surveillance programs. In this capacity he was responsible for Joint, Air Force and NATO coordination of requirements, budget development, Legislative efforts and media engagement within the Pentagon. He is a graduate of the National War College; earned a Master of Business Administration from Auburn University and a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Boston University. He has also completed the Capture Strategy Executive program at the University of Chicago Booth Executive Education program and Northrop Grumman Corporation’s Program Management Conference.
Greg has been at Moog since 2011 and worked in Space & Defense and Industrial Groups during his tenure. Gravitating towards the 'new' during his career, he has been a part of the creation of the Technology & Advanced Pursuits group, Space Advanced Programs group, Moog Mobile Machinery group, Agile Prime group and most recently Hypervelocity Vehicle Solutions group. Currently serving as the Business Unit General Manager for HVS in the Space Division and leading the integration of multiple product lines into a mission enabling solution set for generational programs.
He earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in 2008 in the field of Mechanical Engineering from General Motors Institute (Kettering University), a Master of Science Degree in 2010 in the field of Systems Engineering from Rochester Institute of Technology and an Innovation in Technology Executive Learning Certificate from Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2022. He is a content creator and teacher for the inaugural Moog LIFT program.
Prior to joining SPA, Mr. Troyano served 28 years in the Office of the Secretary of Defense, including 22 years in the Senior Executive Service (SES) and two years as an Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (DASD). His recent experience includes having led Milestone B approval by the Defense Acquisition Board (DAB) for two critical Air Force nuclear modernization programs - the Sentinel (GBSD) ICBM program and the Long-Range Stand-Off (LRSO) missile.
Mr. Troyano led the DoD-wide process for the SecDef portfolio reviews of the nuclear Triad, including sustainment and modernization programs. His experience includes involvement with nuclear weapons systems and programs, nuclear strategy, capability, and risk reviews, Nuclear Posture Reviews (NPR), strategic planning, roadmap development, risk mitigation, budget/PPBE/resource advocacy, and collaborations with DoE/NNSA, State Dept, DHS, NSC staff.
Mr. Troyano also served in numerous arms control positions since 1994 within OSD, including as Director for Treaty Compliance, with responsibilities to ensure DoD programs comply with treaty obligations. He chaired the New START Treaty (NST) Compliance Review Group (CRG), which developed cost-effective, treaty compliant solutions, served on U.S. delegations, and advised leadership on negotiation and ratification of treaties including NST.
Mr. Troyano twice received the Presidential Rank Award, the DoD Exceptional Civilian Service Medal, and the DoD Meritorious Civilian Service Medal.
He holds a Master of Arts in Security Policy Studies and Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from George Washington University.
SESSION 7:
Mr. Jones has served as a national security professional for over 36 years. As a commissioned officer in the U.S. Army, he served in multiple command and staff positions with the Chemical Corp and later in the Nuclear Operations and Counter-Proliferation career field until his retirement in 2009. Upon entering civil service with the Air Force, he held a variety of leadership positions within the nuclear enterprise, including leading the 710th Nuclear Systems Squadron, 498th Nuclear Systems Wing. Prior to his current assignment, Mr. Jones served as chief of the Nuclear Weapons Division and Interagency Program Coordinator for the U.S. Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center, where he was responsible for the day-to-day execution of sustainment and acquisition activities in support of the Air Force’s nuclear weapons stockpile.
His education includes a BS in Electrical Engineering, MS in Nuclear Engineering, Army Command and General Staff College, Harvard Senior Executives in National and International Security program, and the OPM SES Orientation Course. He is DAIWA certified as LVL III in Engineering as well as Science and Technology Management (STM) and his awards include The Bronze Star Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal (2), Army Meritorious Service Medal (2), Federal Executive Board - Federal Supervisor of the Year, the Army Meritorious Unit Award, and the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award.
SESSION 8:
SESSION 9: Closing Keynote
Gen. Thomas A. Bussiere is Commander, Air Force Global Strike Command and Commander, Air Forces Strategic - Air, U.S. Strategic Command, Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. AFGSC provides strategic deterrence, global strike capability, and combat support to USSTRATCOM and other geographic combatant commands. The command is comprised of more than 33,700 professionals operating at two numbered air forces; 12 active duty, Air National Guard, and Air Force Reserve wings; and the Joint Global Strike Operations Center. Weapons systems assigned to AFGSC include all U.S. Air Force intercontinental ballistic missiles and bomber aircraft, UH-1N helicopters, E-4B National Airborne Operations Center aircraft, and the U.S. Air Force NC3 weapons system.
Gen. Bussiere is a 1985 distinguished graduate of Air Force ROTC from Norwich University. He has held a variety of flying, staff and command assignments including the Deputy Director for Nuclear, Homeland Defense and Current Operations, Joint Staff; Inspector General, Headquarters, AFGSC; Advanced Programs Division, Headquarters, Air Combat Command and duty as the Deputy Chief of Staff, Multi-National Force-Iraq, Camp Victory, Baghdad. He commanded the 325th Bomb Squadron, 13th Bomb Squadron, 509th Operations Group and the 509th Bomb Wing at Whiteman AFB, Missouri. He also served as the Commander, Alaskan Command, United States Northern Command; Commander, Eleventh Air Force, Pacific Air Forces; and Commander, Alaskan North American Aerospace Defense Command Region, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska; Commander, Eighth Air Force; Commander, Joint-Global Strike Operations Center, Barksdale AFB, Louisiana, and Commander, Joint Functional Component for Global Strike; Commander, Task Force 204, U.S. Strategic Command, Offutt AFB, Nebraska. Gen. Bussiere is a graduate of the School of Advanced Air and Space Studies and the U.S. Army War College Advanced Strategic Arts Program. Prior to his current position, Gen. Bussiere served as Deputy Commander, USSTRATCOM.
Gen. Bussiere is a command pilot with more than 3,400 hours in the T-38 Talon, F15C Eagle, B-2A Spirit, B-1B Lancer and F-22 Raptor. He led F-15C combat missions during operations Southern Watch and Vigilant Warrior and B-2 combat missions during operations Allied Force and Iraqi Freedom.
Starting a successful career is closer than you think. With exceptional academics and generous financial aid, LSUS allows you to get your degree close to home while launching you to new heights.