The inaugural Velocity Summit, set for November 17 in Wilmington, North Carolina, has confirmed its first group of speakers, signaling a serious push to tackle one of the most pressing challenges in U.S. national security: moving military requirements into manufactured capability at scale more quickly. The event is hosted by the North Carolina Military Business Center (NCMBC) and The Protocase Companies.
The speaker lineup spans military logistics, defense manufacturing, aerospace production, additive manufacturing, local government, and the companies working to accelerate mission-critical hardware. 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 first wave reflects North Carolina’s growing role in advanced manufacturing and aerospace. Hendrick Technical Solutions brings race-derived speed and precision to defense programs, Archer Aviation is building next-generation electric aircraft, and Phillips Additive Solutions helps manufacturers deploy industrial additive manufacturing. Lt. Gen. Mohan adds decades of senior military leadership and deep experience in logistics, sustainment, and the defense industrial base.
“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 summit’s importance is underscored by North Carolina’s defense manufacturing 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. These assets position the state as a critical hub for strengthening the defense industrial base.
Velocity Summit was announced in September 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 capacity to build and sustain ships, aircraft, munitions, and other mission-critical systems. Organizers will announce additional speakers and distinguished attendees, including senior elected and government leaders from across North Carolina, in the coming weeks.
For more information and to register for the event, visit https://www.ncmbc.us/event/velocity-summit/. The inaugural Velocity Summit will take place November 17, 2026, in Wilmington, North Carolina. As originally reported by NEWMEDIAWIRE, the event represents a timely effort to bridge the gap between military requirements and industrial capacity, with implications for national security and the future of defense manufacturing.
