Due to the demand and increased growth, organizers announced they are adding a third day of programming for 2026, which is scheduled for Dec 8-10, 2026.

The CDCA’s second annual Eastern Defense Summit saw nearly 15 percent attendance growth and featured distinguished guests from across the country.

The sold-out summit has drawn more than 2,400 attendees to the Charleston area, breaking last year’s record attendance of just over 2,000.

***To view the Eastern Defense Summit’s day one recap video, click here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZllX0DTpl5c***

• ● Rear Adm. Susan BryerJoyner, Director, Warfighting Integration Directorate, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations


• ● Rear Adm. Laura Dickey, Deputy for Operations Policy & Capabilities, U.S. Coast Guard


• ● Rear Adm. Rusty Dash, Commander, Assistant Commandant for Command, Control, Communication, Computers and Information Technology (C4IT), U.S. Coast Guard


• ● Rear. Adm. Amy Grable, Assistant Commandant for Command, Control, Communication, Computers and Information Technology (C4IT), U.S. Coast Guard


• ● Lt. Col. Daniel Finkenstadt, Ph.D., Staff Officer, Department of the Air Force


• ● Capt. Andrew Gibbons, U.S. Navy, Senior Military Acquisition Advisor

The Charleston Defense Contractors Association’s second annual Eastern Defense Summit is set to feature high-profile speakers, exhibitors and sponsors from across the country as the mid-December event draws near.

• ● Dr. Laura Taylor-Kale, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Industrial Base Policy, DoD


• ● RADM Amy Grabel, Assistant Commandant for Engineering & Logistics, USCG


• ● RADM Rusty Dash, Commander, Assistant Commandant for Command, Control, Communication, Computers and Information Technology (C4IT), USCG


• ● RADM Laura Dickey, Deputy for Operations, Policy & Capabilities, USCG


• ● RADM Susan Bryer-Joyner, Director, Warfighting Integration Directorate, N2N6I, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations


• ● Col. Jeffery Van Bourgondien, Program Manager, Marine Air Ground Task Force Command & Control (MAGTF C2) PEO Land Systems, USMC


• ● Col. Ian Fletcher, Commanding Officer, 2nd Marine Information Group (II MIG), USMC


• ● Lt. Col. Caleb Reed, Marine Corps Warfighting Lab


• ● State Sen. Elect Ed Sutton (D-District 20)


• ● North Charleston Mayor Reggie Burgess

After the resounding success of the Charleston Defense Contractors Association's inaugural Eastern Defense Summit, this year’s event is on track to break attendance and sponsorship records.

H.R. 7887, the ACCESS Act, would open up additional government contracting jobs to those who do not have four-year college degrees.

MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. – The Charleston Defense Contractors Association (CDCA) and Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) are scheduled to hold a joint press conference where Mace will show support for, and discuss the importance of recently introduced bipartisan bill, H.R. 7887.

H.R. 7887, the “Allowing Contractors to Choose Employees for Select Skills Act” or the “ACCESS Act,” which is co-sponsored with Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.), was reported favorably by the House Committee on Government Reform and Oversight. If adopted, the bill will help those who do not have a four-year college degree obtain more jobs as government contractors by removing the requirement that such workers hold a college degree from a four-year institution.

WHO: Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) and the Charleston Defense Contractors Association.
WHAT: Joint press conference to highlight a bill that will make government contracting jobs more accessible to those who do not hold four-year college degrees.
WHERE: Embassy Suites Hotel located at 100 Ferry Wharf Rd. Mt. Pleasant, S.C., 29462.
WHEN: Wednesday, May 29. Media call time is 11 a.m. ET. The press conference will begin at noon.

Members of the media must RSVP to Peter Dabrosca.

Please note that parking is paid, but vouchers will be available.

About The CDCA:
The Charleston Defense Contractors Association (CDCA) supports the defense community in the Charleston metro area, South Carolina and the Southeast U.S. The CDCA advocates defense issues with the community and represents its members with the Naval Information Warfare Center (NIWC) - Atlantic, the U.S. Coast Guard and other Government agencies in the area and surrounding regions. The CDCA also provides input on issues and initiatives to the broader community in such areas as education, small business mentoring, and congressional affairs. 

CHARLESTON, S.C. – The Charleston Defense Contractors Association (CDCA) is sponsoring a Friday event with the Greater Charleston Council of the U.S. Navy League, the Coast Guard and Charleston County where the city of Charleston will be designated an official “Coast Guard Community.”

The special event is scheduled to begin with a groundbreaking ceremony at 9:15 a.m. where the expanded U.S. Coast Guard base will reside.

Later in the day, a reception bringing together national,state and local leaders, including political figures, will begin at 3 p.m. ET at the South Carolina State Ports Authority Cruise Terminal, located at 196 Concord St., Charleston, SC 29401. CDCA members will be available for interviews at this time.

The Commandant of the Coast Guard, Adm. Linda L. Fagan, has been invited to make the groundbreaking announcement and attend the reception.

A “Coast Guard Community” provides exceptional support to Coast Guard members and their families, making a special effort to acknowledge the service and sacrifice of Coast Guard members while making them feel welcome in their home away from home. Thirty-two cities and regions have been designated by Congress as “Coast Guard Communities,” and Charleston will be the 33rd.

The Coast Guard works in numerous capacities in Charleston, including providing critical security at the Port of Charleston. The military branch plans to grow its presence in the city over the next decade into the nation’s largest Coast Guard homeport, making the Coast Guard a top regional employer.

“CDCA is well known in Charleston for its commitment to supporting the military and defense communities in our wonderful city and around the country,” said CDCA President Gary Jaffe. “I’m proud that CDCA will be sponsoring Friday’s event to recognize the great work of our U.S. Coast Guard, while celebrating our community’s support for them.”

Each year, CDCA hosts The Eastern Defense Summit where over 2,000 leaders in industry, academia, and government gather to collaborate on actionable solutions for our nation’s pacing threats.

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About Charleston Defense Contractors Association:
The Charleston Defense Contractors Association (CDCA) supports the defense community in the Charleston metro area, South Carolina and the Southeast U.S. The CDCA advocates to preserve, strengthen, and grow the Charleston defense industry through partnership and collaboration with stakeholders and our community. The CDCA represents its members with the Naval Information Warfare Center (NIWC) Atlantic, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Marine Corps, the Defense Health Agency (DHA) and other Government agencies in the area and surrounding regions and provides input on issues and initiatives to the broader community, such as education, small business mentoring, and congressional affairs.

Formerly the CDCA Defense Summit, the rebrand is meant to attract a wider audience of military and defense organizations to the annual summit, which is held each December. This year’s conference will focus on emerging threats from nations and groups worldwide.

CHARLESTON, S.C. – The Charleston Defense Contractors Association (CDCA) announced Monday that they are rebranding their annual CDCA Defense Summit to appeal to a wider audience of defense contractors, government, and military organizations. The conference will now be called the Eastern Defense Summit, a CDCA event.

The inaugural Eastern Defense Summit is scheduled to be held on December 6 and 7, 2023 at the Charleston Area Convention Center in North Charleston, SC.

After nearly two decades of bringing together defense industry leaders from across the U.S. Southeast, this year, CDCA’s footprint will expand to the Eastern United States as a whole, allowing CDCA to connect more experts in the defense industry and allowing them to collaborate in their missions of protecting the United States from foreign threats.

The CDCA has collaborated with the Naval Information Warfare Center Atlantic (NIWC LANT) for more than a decade to present an annual conference and will continue to collaborate with these partners and several others to present the Eastern Defense Summit later this year.

The 2023 Eastern Defense Summit’s theme will be “collaborating on actionable solutions for our nation’s pacing threats” and will highlight the growing threats from foreign entities around the world. This theme represents the necessity to envision and deliver on near-term solutions to meet such challenges at an accelerated pace.

World-leading experts from across the Department of Defense, Information Warfare community, Intelligence community, industry, and academia will gather in Charleston in early December to better understand and address the challenges and threats faced within the defense ecosystem today. The Eastern Defense Summit presented by CDCA is one of the largest defense-focused events on the East Coast.

The Eastern Defense Summit serves as a mechanism for defense and industry leaders to collaborate on innovative solutions and other focus areas that enhance interoperability across defense assets. By presenting exhibit demos, keynote addresses, innovation spotlights, and high energy tech exchanges, the Summit will provide an opportunity for all representatives to form partnerships that enable a national defense tactical edge which no foreign adversary can match.

The Eastern Defense Summit will be an immersive and collaborative in-person event located at the Charleston Area Convention Center in North Charleston, SC, a short drive from the Charleston International Airport. The convention center is conveniently located within walking distance to several hotels, restaurants, shopping, and other attractions. The Innovation Pitch Jam will remain a keystone event of the Eastern Defense Summit in December. Click on the Innovation Pitch Jam link above for more information.

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About Charleston Defense Contractors Association:
The Charleston Defense Contractors Association (CDCA) supports the defense community in the Charleston metro area, South Carolina and the Southeast U.S. The CDCA advocates to preserve, strengthen, and grow the Charleston defense industry through partnership and collaboration with stakeholders and our community. The CDCA represents its members with the Naval Information Warfare Center (NIWC) Atlantic, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Marine Corps, the Defense Health Agency (DHA) and other Government agencies in the area and surrounding regions and provides input on issues and initiatives to the broader community, such as education, small business mentoring, and congressional affairs.

CHARLESTON, S.C. – The Charleston Defense Contractors Association (CDCA), one of the largest defense organizations in the southeastern U.S., announced that Paula Callahan has been promoted to executive director after serving as its operations executive since 2018.

With Callahan spearheading initiatives and events for the CDCA for four years, the national defense and security consortium has grown from 20 members to nearly 288 members and just hosted its largest defense summit in the organization’s 20-year history.

“Anyone who has worked with or is a member of the Charleston Defense Contractors Association knows that Paula is the heartbeat of CDCA,” said Gary Jaffe, president of the CDCA. “Paula works day in and day out to help bring together security experts, government officials and private defense companies to collaborate and evolve the defense industry of tomorrow.”

Prior to serving as the CDCA’s operations executive, Callahan held administrative positions in elementary and higher education, as well as collegiate athletics.

According to Callahan, her passion for national defense is a family affair. Her father served in the U.S. Navy and her son is currently serving in the U.S. Air Force, while Callahan’s husband and stepson are both defense contractors.

“I’m beyond honored to receive this promotion, especially as we kick into high gear for 2023,” said Callahan. “The defense industry has always been a part of my life in one way or another, so to be in a position to help form partnerships with military and private defense entities across the country, and harbor that collaboration right here in Charleston, it means a lot.”

In addition to hosting small business and other defense industry symposiums, Callahan also lead the planning and execution of the 15th Annual CDCA Defense Summit, which saw record-breaking attendance and exhibitors this year, with more than 1800 attendees. Under Callahan’s leadership, the CDCA Defense Summit added more than 25,000 square feet of event space to house 60 more exhibitors and more than 400 additional attendees in the convention center’s exhibit hall, providing more military leaders and defense experts with a larger event to meet and discuss national security strategies, unveil new technologies, and collaborate with other industry leaders.

Additionally, the CDCA has hired on Dee Dee Phillips as its administrative coordinator, where she will support Callahan with organizational finances, membership recruiting, communication, operations, and event planning.

Phillips formerly served as the executive staff assistant to the Deputy Director of the U.S. Army Futures and Concepts Center. Phillips also led writing efforts for Army regulations, standard operating procedures and continuity operating procedures for both U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command and for the Army National Guard Bureau Regional Cyber Command as a contractor.

For more information on the CDCA and its leadership, visit www.charlestondca.org/about.

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About Charleston Defense Contractors Association:
The Charleston Defense Contractors Association (CDCA) supports the defense community in the Charleston metro area, South Carolina and the Southeast U.S. The CDCA advocates to preserve, strengthen, and grow the Charleston defense industry through partnership and collaboration with stakeholders and our community. The CDCA represents its members with the Naval Information Warfare Center (NIWC) Atlantic, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Marine Corps, the Defense Health Agency (DHA) and other Government agencies in the area and surrounding regions and provides input on issues and initiatives to the broader community, such as education, small business mentoring, and congressional affairs.

CHARLESTON, S.C. – One of the largest defense conferences in the southeastern U.S. plans to be even bigger this year following a record-breaking event in 2021. The Charleston Defense Contractors Association (CDCA) announced that registration is currently open for the 2022 CDCA Defense Summit scheduled to take place Dec. 7-8 at the Charleston Area Convention Center, just days after the organization’s 20-year anniversary.

Now in the 15th year, the CDCA Defense Summit plans to add more than 25,000 square feet of event space to house 60 more exhibitors and more than 400 additional attendees in the convention center’s exhibit hall, providing more military leaders and national defense experts with a larger event to meet and discuss national security strategies, unveil new technologies, and collaborate with other industry leaders.

“Our organization’s success and growth over the last two decades is really a reflection of the phenomenal members who contribute to, and make up, the CDCA,” said Gary Jaffe, president of the CDCA. “When this organization first started, there were 11 members. Today, we have more than 250 organizations dedicated to improving and revolutionizing the defense space, while spurring regional, national and global innovation for the national security environment.”

Last year’s CDCA Defense Summit saw more than 100 vendors and exhibitors, 67 sponsors, and more than 1,650 registered attendees, shattering previous attendance records.

The 2022 CDCA Defense Summit plans to host the presentation portion of the Palmetto Tech Bridge Prize Challenge, a competition of innovation that features up to 8 pre-chosen participants who will propose their innovative concepts surrounding unmanned solutions to attendees at the summit.

At the conclusion of presentations, a government judging panel will determine the Prize Challenge winner and a runner-up for each category. The Prize Challenge winners will be announced on the last day of the Defense Summit and presented with cash prizes and concessions.

Notable organizations scheduled to attend this year’s Defense Summit include the Naval Information Warfare Systems Command (NAVWAR), the Naval Information Warfare Center Atlantic (NIWC-LANT), the U.S. Marine Corps, the U.S. Coast Guard and many other Department of Defense (DoD) organizations focusing on today’s technical challenges.

The annual Defense Summit has hosted influential speakers and attendees in years past, including Sen. Lindsey Graham, Sen. Tim Scott, Rear Adm. Christian Becker, Lt. Gen. William Bender, Lt. Gen. Dennis Crall, Rear Adm. Douglas Small and more.

Attendees are encouraged to register by Oct. 12 to receive the Early Bird registration rate of $550. Advanced tickets bought between Oct. 12 and Dec. 5 are $675. On-site registration the day of the event is $775 and all government and active-duty military members receive free admission.

For general registration for the 2022 CDCA Defense Summit, visit www.eventbrite.com/e/15th-annual-cdca-defense-summit-tickets-402782753057?aff=PressRelease.

For sponsorships and exhibit space, please visit https://events.jspargo.com/CDCA22/Public/enter.aspx.

Members of the media must register for the event at www.charlestondca.org/media-registration.

For more information on the CDCA and the CDCA Defense Summit, contact summit@charlestondca.org or visit www.charlestondca.org/cdca-summit-15.

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About Charleston Defense Contractors Association:
The Charleston Defense Contractors Association (CDCA) supports the defense community in the Charleston metro area, South Carolina and the Southeast U.S. The CDCA advocates to preserve, strengthen, and grow the Charleston defense industry through partnership and collaboration with stakeholders and our community. The CDCA represents its members with the Naval Information Warfare Center (NIWC) Atlantic, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Marine Corps, the Defense Health Agency (DHA) and other Government agencies in the area and surrounding regions and provides input on issues and initiatives to the broader community, such as education, small business mentoring, and congressional affairs.

CHARLESTON, S.C. - The Charleston Defense Contractors Association (CDCA) announced Monday that their organization has officially implemented new leadership within its board of directors to include new board members following their 21st annual election. This included the appointment of a new president, vice president, treasurer, and secretary for the CDCA.

According to the CDCA, the elected board of directors will serve for three years and remain in their current roles from 2022 until the next annual election in 2023.

“Having been a member of the CDCA board of directors for over three years, and holding various positions along the way, I’m more excited now than ever about where this organization is headed,” said Gary Jaffe, the newly elected president of CDCA. “Being entrusted to lead the CDCA is an incredible honor and I look forward to seeing what opportunities await.”

Jaffe, a resident of Charleston for nearly 20 years, works as the director of strategy and growth for Atlas Technologies, Inc., a veteran-owned small business IT solutions firm specializing in secure communications and networking for military clients. Jaffe attended The Citadel, also known as the Military College of South Carolina, where he earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and later an MBA from The Citadel’s Graduate College.

Additionally, Jaffe served in the U.S. Air Force and was deployed during Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. He currently serves as a senior executive for Atlas Technologies, Inc. providing Jaffe with insight and experience that will prove valuable as CDCA’s new president.

Mike Teeple, the newly-elected vice president of CDCA, has been supporting the local Charleston defense Industry for 15 years as a senior leader at Booz Allen Hamilton. Teeple attended The Citadel, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree, and later a Masters degree from The Citadel’s Graduate College. Additionally, Teeple served in the U.S. Navy as a Surface Warfare Officer (SWO) onboard the USS VISCKSBURG (CG 69) and the USS CHUNG-HOON (DDG 93). Teeple also served in the USNR supporting the Maritime Expeditionary Group. According to Teeple, his vast experience in the defense industry allows him to offer unique insight and recommendations to the board.

Manuel Lovgren, affectionately referred to as “Manny,” was re-elected as the treasurer of the CDCA. Lovgren has been a resident of South Carolina since 2013 and has 33 years of experience in Operational Business Development Leadership and Management for DoD services. He also serves as the vice president of strategic initiatives for Orbis, where he provides business strategies and helps with organizational funds. Lovgren was a part of the Sonar Technician community while serving in the U.S. Navy for six years. Known for his ability to grow finances for businesses, Lovgren is looking forward to continuing to apply those skills as the treasurer of CDCA.

Claire Allen, a former adjunct instructor at Trident Technical College, has been involved in various Charleston organizations since 1998. Following her tenure as an educator, Allen went on to receive her Project Management Professional certification from the Project Management Institution to further build her expertise in the government contracting industry. Along with her certification, she has received a BBA in Marketing and an MBA in Entrepreneurship. Claire was elected to CDCA’s Executive Board to serve as the Secretary and Chair of the Operations Committee.

Also noteworthy, serving his first term on CDCA’s board of directors is Ron Ravelo, a former Navy pilot with 30 years of military service. After retiring from the Navy in 2017, Ravelo joined the Charleston defense industry as a Senior Program Manager — then Director — of SRC, a nationally-recognized defense research and development company. In September, Ravelo joined SAIC in their NIWC Atlantic account as a senior director, where he is responsible for the account’s C4ISR programs and charged with execution and growth.

Ravelo will serve as the new chair of CDCA’s Education Committee.

According to CDCA, the new members of the board have a distinguished and longstanding record of strong leadership that is sure to help with expanding the organization. If you are interested in learning more about the board of directors, visit www.charlestondca.org/board-of-directors.

Those interested in becoming a member of CDCA or would like to learn more about the organization are encouraged to visit www.charlestondca.org. About CDCA: The Charleston Defense Contractors Association (CDCA) supports the defense community in the Charleston metro area, South Carolina and the Southeast U.S. The CDCA advocates defense issues with the community and represents its members with the Naval Information Warfare Center (NIWC), Atlantic, U.S.Coast Guard, and other Government agencies in the area and surrounding regions. The CDCA also provides input on issues and initiatives to the broader community in such areas as education, small business mentoring and congressional affairs. To learn more about CDCA or to join, visit www.charlestondca.org/join-us-overview.

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About Charleston Defense Contractors Association:
The Charleston Defense Contractors Association (CDCA) supports the defense community in the Charleston metro area, South Carolina and the Southeast U.S. The CDCA advocates to preserve, strengthen, and grow the Charleston defense industry through partnership and collaboration with stakeholders and our community. The CDCA represents its members with the Naval Information Warfare Center (NIWC) Atlantic, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Marine Corps, the Defense Health Agency (DHA) and other Government agencies in the area and surrounding regions and provides input on issues and initiatives to the broader community, such as education, small business mentoring, and congressional affairs.

Media interested in speaking with someone from the CDCA should contact Justin Clements at justin.clements@judgepr.com or at 812.621.0631***

CHARLESTON, S.C. – The Charleston Defense Contractors Association (CDCA) announced Thursday that the 15th Annual CDCA Defense Summit will be held Dec. 6-8, 2022 following this year’s event, which saw record-breaking attendance and sponsorships, as well as sold-out exhibitor space.

The CDCA Defense Summit, now in its 14th year, saw more than 100 vendors and exhibitors, 67 sponsors, and more than 1,600 registered attendees, shattering previous attendance records.

The 2021 CDCA Defense Summit, one of the largest national defense conferences in the Southeast U.S., became one of the first major conferences to be held in person at the Charleston Area Convention Center since the COVID-19 pandemic, giving military leaders and national defense experts the opportunity to convene in Charleston to discuss national security strategies, unveil new technologies, and collaborate with other industry leaders.

“We have never had this amount of people attend in the past,” said April Nadeau, president of CDCA. “We sold out all of our booth space, had more sponsors than we’ve ever had and lots of industry and government engagement and collaboration, which is really the primary purpose of the Defense Summit.”

In addition to exhibitors, innovation contests, training opportunities and technology showcases, the CDCA Defense Summit hosted an array of panels and speakers, including Navy Rear Adm. Douglas Small, commander of Naval Information Warfare Systems Command; Capt. Nicole Nigro, commander of Naval Information Warfare Center Atlantic; and Secretary William Grimsley of the South Carolina Department of Veteran’s Affairs (SCDVA). The three are some of the many key leaders who spoke at this year’s conference.

“Events like this are important to the military because fundamentally engaging with industry, with the military defense industrial base, helps drive technology and capabilities forward to help us achieve our mission success,” stated Maj. Daniel Byrnside, 125th Cyber Protection Battalion commander with the U.S Army National Guard.

For more information on CDCA, the Defense Summit and how both are shaping the national defense space of the future, visit www.charlestondca.org.

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About Charleston Defense Contractors Association:
The Charleston Defense Contractors Association (CDCA) supports the defense community in the Charleston metro area, South Carolina and the Southeast U.S. The CDCA advocates to preserve, strengthen, and grow the Charleston defense industry through partnership and collaboration with stakeholders and our community. The CDCA represents its members with the Naval Information Warfare Center (NIWC) Atlantic, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Marine Corps, the Defense Health Agency (DHA) and other Government agencies in the area and surrounding regions and provides input on issues and initiatives to the broader community, such as education, small business mentoring, and congressional affairs.

CHARLESTON, S.C. – Less than one month remains until the Charleston Defense Contractors Association (CDCA) is scheduled to host their 14th Annual CDCA Defense Summit at the Charleston Area Convention Center Dec. 7-9.

The three-day event, which expects to host more than 1,400 attendees, is designed to bring together government, academia, business and military leadership to discuss ideas, innovation and solutions to current and future national defense challenges.

Some of the topics of focus at this year’s event include unmanned systems, national defense strategy, cyber hardening, and more.

One of the largest defense conferences in the Southeast, the CDCA Defense Summit will feature nearly 100 vendors and exhibitors, including Booz Allen Hamilton, IBM, SAIC, Red Hat and more at the 77,000-square-foot exhibit hall located at 5000 Coliseum Dr.

“We are so excited to finally be back and in-person for this year’s event,” said CDCA President April Nadeau, who expects this year’s summit to have record-breaking attendance. “This conference brings together some of the brightest minds in the national defense space, and we thank each and every one of our sponsors, vendors and attendees for making it possible.”

Among the long list of accomplished speakers at this year’s summit is Rear Adm. Douglas Small, Commander of Naval Information Warfare Systems Command, and Rear Admiral Kevin Lunday, Deputy for Material Readiness of the U.S. Coast Guard. The two are some of the many key leaders who are scheduled to attend and speak.

In addition to exhibit demonstrations, keynote addresses and high-energy technology exchanges, the 2021 CDCA Defense Summit plans to host the presentation portion of the Palmetto Tech Bridge Prize Challenge, as well as the CDCA Summit 2021 Innovation Pitch Jam. The two competitions of innovation feature pre-chosen participants who will propose their avant-garde concepts addressing issues and challenges surrounding national security.

At the conclusion of all oral presentations, a government judging panel will determine the Prize Challenge winner for each category. Additionally, Defense Summit attendees will vote for the winner of the People’s Choice Award for both the Innovation Pitch Jam Event and each category of the Palmetto Tech Bridge Prize Challenge.

The Prize Challenge winners will be announced on the third day of the Defense Summit and presented with $15,000 in cash prizes and concessions.

The annual conference has hosted influential speakers and attendees in years past, including Sen. Lindsey Graham, Sen. Tim Scott, Rear Adm. Christian Becker, Lt. Gen. William Bender, Lt. Gen. Dennis Crall and more.

For registration details, summit schedule, sponsors and vendors, and other pertinent event information, visit www.charlestondca.org/cdca-summit-14.

Members of the media looking to register for media credentials can do so at www.charlestondca.org/media-registration.

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About Charleston Defense Contractors Association:
The Charleston Defense Contractors Association (CDCA) supports the defense community in the Charleston metro area, South Carolina and the Southeast U.S. The CDCA advocates to preserve, strengthen, and grow the Charleston defense industry through partnership and collaboration with stakeholders and our community. The CDCA represents its members with the Naval Information Warfare Center (NIWC) Atlantic, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Marine Corps, the Defense Health Agency (DHA) and other Government agencies in the area and surrounding regions and provides input on issues and initiatives to the broader community, such as education, small business mentoring, and congressional affairs.

CHARLESTON, S.C. - Less than two weeks remain for those who are interested in submitting innovative technology concepts to the Palmetto Tech Bridge Pitch Jam Prize Challenge 2021 with the deadline ending on Sept. 19.

The Palmetto Tech Bridge Prize Challenge is currently seeking innovative ideas in the categories of Multilevel Security (MLS) and Assured Position Navigation and Timing (PNT). The top five participants for each category will be chosen by Oct. 29 and will be invited to give oral presentations of their ideas to government judges and attendees at the 14th Annual CDCA Defense Summit scheduled to be held in person on Dec. 7-9, 2021 at the Charleston Area Convention Center.

For the first presentation, selected participants will give a live, 10-minute presentation to attendees and government representatives in the exhibit hall at this year’s CDCA Defense Summit, after which conference attendees will vote on a People’s Choice Best in Show winner for each topic.

The second presentation will be conducted privately, with selected participants giving a 30-minute oral presentation, followed by 20 minutes of questions and answers, to government evaluators and other representatives interested in the Pitch Jam.

At the conclusion of all oral presentations, the government judging panel will determine the Prize Challenge winner and a runner-up for each category. The Prize Challenge winner for each topic will be announced on the third day of the CDCA Summit and presented with a cash prize and concessions valued at $15,000 for each winner, while the runner-ups will receive an honorable mention.

Companies selected to present at the CDCA summit will also receive a membership in up to five business groups managed by Advanced Technology International (ATI), a value of approximately $2,500 per company.

Key Dates:

Sept. 19: Submissions deadline for both topics

Sept. 19 - Oct. 19: Judging of contest submissions to determine oral presentations

Oct. 29: Invitations sent to participants for oral presentations at 2021 CDCA Defense Summit

Nov. 5: Deadline to RSVP for oral presentations at 2021 CDCA Defense Summit

Nov. 19: Oral submissions electronic briefing material provided to participants

Dec. 7-8: Oral presentations given to attendees and government judging panel at 2021 CDCA Defense Summit

For an overview of the submission process and up-to-date information on how to enter, judging criteria, rules, and prizes, visit www.challenge.gov/challenge/palmetto-tech-bridge-pitch-jam-prize-challenge-2021/#description.

In addition to the Pitch Jam, the 2021 CDCA Defense Summit will feature industry exhibit demos, keynote addresses, innovation spotlights, high-energy tech exchanges, and more. For more information on this year’s CDCA Defense Summit, visit www.charlestondca.org/cdca-summit-14.

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About Charleston Defense Contractors Association:

The Charleston Defense Contractors Association (CDCA) supports the defense community in the Charleston metro area, South Carolina and the Southeast U.S. The CDCA advocates to preserve, strengthen, and grow the Charleston defense industry through partnership and collaboration with stakeholders and our community. The CDCA represents its members with the Naval Information Warfare Center (NIWC) Atlantic, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Marine Corps, the Defense Health Agency (DHA) and other Government agencies in the area and surrounding regions and provides input on issues and initiatives to the broader community, such as education, small business mentoring, and congressional affairs.

CHARLESTON, S.C. – One of the largest defense conferences in the southeastern U.S. will return in-person and is scheduled to take place this December in Charleston, the Charleston Defense Contractors Association (CDCA) announced Thursday.

The 14th Annual CDCA Defense Summit is scheduled for Dec. 7-9 and is hosted by the CDCA at the Charleston Area Convention Center in North Charleston. The event focuses on command, control, computers, communications, cyber defense, combat systems, intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, information warfare and more.

The summit brings together leaders from government, military, academia and businesses to spark ideas, innovation and discuss solutions to current and future challenges. Several hundred businesses are typically represented each year, while thousands of people attend and work the event. This year’s conference is expected one of the best-attended since its inception.

“Nothing really beats face-to-face interaction, which is why we’re excited about returning to an in-person event, which brings the best and brightest leaders from the private sector, military, government and academia together,” said April Nadeau, president of the CDCA. “Based on the level of interest we are seeing, this looks like it is going to be our best-attended conference so far, as we think people are excited to finally get out and network again.”

In addition to exhibit demonstrations, keynote addresses, innovation spotlights and high energy technology exchanges, the annual conference typically attracts some influential leaders. Former speakers and attendees have included Senator Lindsey Graham, Senator Tim Scott, Rear Admiral Christian Becker, Lt. Gen. William Bender, Lt. Gen. General Dennis Crall and many more.

This year, among the long list of accomplished speakers, Rear Admiral Douglas Small, Commander of Naval Information Warfare Systems Command, and Rear Admiral Kevin Lunday, Deputy for Material Readiness of the U.S. Coast Guard, are two of the many key leaders who are scheduled to attend and speak.

Some of the CDCA’s leading sponsors and members include Akima, Booz Allen Hamilton, CACI International, GRSi, KBR, Life Cycle Engineering, McAfee, Quest Public Sector, Rubrik Federal, SAIC, Sentar, and WR Systems.

Those interested in sponsoring or attending the conference can learn more by visiting charlestondca.org/cdca-summit-14.

The annual summit in Charleston is geographically positioned close to the Naval Information Warfare Center Atlantic and between U.S. Cyber Command in Maryland, U.S. Fleet Forces Command in Virginia, Joint Special Operations Command in Fort Bragg, North Carolina, Army Cyber Command in Augusta, Georgia, U.S. Southern Command, U.S. Central Command and U.S. Special Operations Command in Florida. As a result, it has grown into one of the largest defense leadership summits in the eastern U.S.

In addition to the annual summit, the CDCA hosts quarterly small business and industry outreach initiative (SBIOI) symposiums throughout the year.

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About Charleston Defense Contractors Association:
The Charleston Defense Contractors Association (CDCA) supports the defense community in the Charleston metro area, South Carolina and the Southeast U.S. The CDCA advocates to preserve, strengthen, and grow the Charleston defense industry through partnership and collaboration with stakeholders and our community. The CDCA represents its members with the Naval Information Warfare Center (NIWC) Atlantic, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Marine Corps, the Defense Health Agency (DHA) and other Government agencies in the area and surrounding regions and provides input on issues and initiatives to the broader community, such as education, small business mentoring, and congressional affairs.

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For all news and industry media related inquiries, please contact our PR firm at 813.279.8335 or by emailing news@judgepr.com

CHARLESTON, S.C. – The Charleston Defense Contractors Association, which hosts one of the largest annual defense leadership summits in the eastern U.S., has selected Judge Public Relations to represent the organization and their events through at least 2022, the CDCA announced Monday.

“We are excited to work with Judge PR and their team as we move forward in this post-pandemic world and prepare to launch one of the first in-person, major defense summits since 2019,” said Maura Boselowitz, a member of the board of directors and chair of the public relations committee for the CDCA, which is comprised of hundreds of companies working in the defense industry throughout the U.S.

Judge Public Relations, a PR firm and marketing agency headquartered in Tampa, Florida, began by specializing in defense, counterterrorism and technology, and now also represents clients from a variety of different industries.

“It’s an absolute honor to be working with the CDCA and to have the opportunity to showcase an organization, which attracts top leaders from the private sector, government and defense,” said James Judge, CEO of Judge PR and a former public affairs specialist for the U.S. Department of Defense, NATO and the U.S. Coast Guard. “The CDCA members and their networking events are absolutely critical when it comes to ensuring the leaders of our military and our allies have the ability to share ideas with those who are in charge of creating the latest technology, munitions and equipment to support our national security.”

In addition to the annual summit, the CDCA hosts quarterly small business and industry outreach initiative (SBIOI) symposiums near the Naval Information Warfare Center Atlantic in Charleston, SC.

The 14th Annual CDCA Defense Summit is scheduled for Dec. 7-9 at the Charleston Convention Center with a focus on command, control, computers, communications, cyber defense, combat systems, intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, information warfare and more.

The annual summit in Charleston is geographically positioned between U.S. Cyber Command in Maryland, U.S. Fleet Forces Command in Virginia, Joint Special Operations Command in Fort Bragg, North Carolina, Army Cyber Command in Augusta, Georgia, U.S. Southern Command, U.S. Central Command and U.S. Special Operations Command in Florida. As a result, it has grown into one of the largest defense leadership summits in the eastern U.S.

About Charleston Defense Contractors Association

The Charleston Defense Contractors Association (CDCA) supports the defense community in the Charleston metro area, South Carolina and the Southeast U.S. The CDCA advocates to preserve, strengthen, and grow the Charleston defense industry through partnership and collaboration with stakeholders and our community. The CDCA represents its members with the Naval Information Warfare Center (NIWC) Atlantic, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Marine Corps, the Defense Health Agency (DHA) and other Government agencies in the area and surrounding regions and provides input on issues and initiatives to the broader community, such as education, small business mentoring, and congressional affairs.

About Judge PR

Judge PR is a full-service public relations, marketing and creative services agency. The company was founded in 2011 by James Judge, an award-winning public relations expert, former journalist and decorated war veteran. In 2019, the firm was ranked as the fastest growing PR-firm in America among the Top PR Firms in the U.S. For the past three years in a row, Judge PR has been ranked among the top 25 PR firms in the Southeast U.S.

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For all news and industry media related inquiries, please contact our PR firm at 813.279.8335 or by emailing news@judgepr.com

CHARLESTON, S.C.-January 8, 2020 – Today, the Charleston Defense Contractors Association (CDCA) applauded the recent signing into law by the President of the FY 21 Appropriations bill which included a $5 million in the to support technology procurement. The successful effort, which was led by then U.S. Representative Joe Cunningham (D-SC) and U.S. Representative Joe Wilson (R-SC) involved an intensive effort by CDCA that engaged the entire South Carolina House delegation. The federal funds would be used to foster advancements with leading academic research institutions, world-class industry partners, renowned federal labs and forward-thinking state organizations to foster the use of advanced technologies such as Machine Learning (ML) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the defense sector.

"South Carolina’s defense community is vital for creating jobs. By supporting this effort, we ensure that our state continues to lead the nation and the world in cybersecurity, which is critical for our national security and future job growth,” said Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC). "I was grateful to work with my South Carolina colleagues to help bring defense funding to the state.”

“I was proud to work with my colleague Joe Wilson to introduce and pass an amendment into the appropriations package to support the effort. This funding will help support the partnership between the Navy and Lowcountry tech startups, small businesses, companies, and universities; strengthening our national security and our defense community here at home,” said U.S. Congressman Joe Cunningham (D-SC).

The funding will provide the resources for the Navy to catalyze a collaborative innovative environment. One of the first initiatives will be the modernization of complex IT environments on-board Naval ships, at Naval installations and within data centers to utilize AI and ML to improve human efficiencies.

“We are very fortunate to have such great support from Representatives Cunningham and Wilson who are true champions for the Defense industry in the Palmetto State and we are grateful for having such a strong working relationship with both of them,” said Heather Walker, President of the CDCA. “This innovative concept is an exciting new approach that fosters collaboration between the Navy, industry, academia and key stakeholders from across the state and is designed to spur both defense innovation and job creation in South Carolina.”

The 2018 National Defense Strategy was a call to the Department of Defense (DoD) to find ways to harness innovation in private businesses and academia to better serve and protect our country.

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About Charleston Defense Contractors Association:
The Charleston Defense Contractors Association (CDCA) supports the defense community in the Charleston metro area, South Carolina and the Southeast U.S. The CDCA advocates to preserve, strengthen, and grow the Charleston defense industry through partnership and collaboration with stakeholders and our community. The CDCA represents its members with the Naval Information Warfare Center (NIWC) Atlantic, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Marine Corps, the Defense Health Agency (DHA) and other Government agencies in the area and surrounding regions and provides input on issues and initiatives to the broader community, such as education, small business mentoring, and congressional affairs.