The North Carolina Military Business Center (NCMBC) and The Protocase Companies have announced the first wave of speakers for the inaugural Velocity Summit, set for November 17 in Wilmington, North Carolina. The summit will address a critical national security challenge: how to move military requirements into manufactured capability at scale more quickly. The first confirmed speakers include Lieutenant General (Ret.) Christopher O. Mohan, former Commanding General of U.S. Army Materiel Command; Bill Saffo, Mayor of Wilmington; Scott Lampe, President of Hendrick Technical Solutions; Chelsea Lloyd, Director of Supplier Quality Engineering at Archer Aviation; Brad Garris, Business Manager at Phillips Additive Solutions; Dr. Douglas Milburn, Chairman of The Protocase Companies; and Martin J. "Jimmy" Hendrix III, Executive Director of the North Carolina Military Business Center.
This initial group spans military logistics and sustainment, defense manufacturing, aerospace production, additive manufacturing, local government, and the companies working to accelerate the development and production of mission-critical hardware. Their participation signals a focused effort to bridge the gap between military requirements and industrial capacity, a persistent bottleneck in U.S. defense readiness.
"This is exactly the kind of intersectional pedigree we envisioned when we began building Velocity Summit," said Dr. Doug Milburn, Chairman of The Protocase Companies. "The challenge is bigger than any single company, military organization or level of government. We need the people who understand requirements, production, supply chains, technology and policy in the same room, focused on what it will actually take to move faster."
The speaker roster also highlights North Carolina's growing role in advanced manufacturing and aerospace. Hendrick Technical Solutions brings race-derived manufacturing speed and precision to defense programs, Archer Aviation is building next-generation electric aircraft, and Phillips Additive Solutions works with manufacturers to deploy industrial additive manufacturing. Lt. Gen. Mohan adds decades of senior military leadership and deep experience in logistics, sustainment, and the defense industrial base.
Velocity Summit organizers plan to announce an additional wave of speakers in the coming weeks to complete the event's Military and Industry panels. Additional distinguished attendees will also be announced, including senior elected and government leaders from across North Carolina.
The summit, first announced in September, is designed as a forum for practical collaboration among industry, the military, government, academia, and workforce leaders. Discussions will examine how the United States can accelerate production, reduce barriers across the defense industrial base, strengthen critical supply chains, and expand the capacity to build and sustain ships, aircraft, munitions, and other mission-critical systems.
North Carolina enters that conversation with considerable scale. The Department of Defense has an estimated $79.7 billion annual economic impact in the state, where the military is the second-largest economic sector. North Carolina also has approximately 459,000 manufacturing jobs, more than 400 aerospace manufacturers, over 100,000 aerospace, aviation, and engineering professionals, six major military installations, and two deep-water ports.
The inaugural Velocity Summit will take place November 17, 2026, in Wilmington, North Carolina. For more information and to register, visit https://www.ncmbc.us/event/velocity-summit/. The event's success could hinge on translating these discussions into actionable strategies that reduce procurement timelines and bolster the defense industrial base.
