Banks to Host 5th Annual Northeast Indiana Defense Summit in Fort WayneThursday, October 15, 2026

FORT WAYNE, Ind. – Senator Jim Banks (R-Ind.) will host the 5 th annual Northeast Indiana Defense Summit in Fort Wayne on Tuesday October 27 and Wednesday October 28. 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: 5 th Annual Northeast Indiana Defense Summit WHERE: Downtown Fort Wayne, Indiana 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 PM – 2:30 PM: Check-In and Registration 2:30 PM – 4:45 PM: Programming Todd Huston, Speaker, Indiana House of Representatives Hon. Mike Dodd, Assistant Secretary of War for Critical Technologies Hon. Emil Michael, Under Secretary of War for Research and Engineering Chris Grisafe, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Energy Rear Admiral Richman, Deputy Director, Regional Strike Systems, SSP Maj. Gen. Lawrence “Larry” Muennich, The Adjutant General of Indiana Mike Johns, Senior Vice President, Kratos Defense John Burer, CEO, ACMI Group Brad Golding, Co-Founder, SpektreWorks Daniel Sennott, Co-Chair, National Security Group, Greenberg Traurig Sean Conroy, Head of National Security Business Development, Skydio Dr. Benjamin Griffin, Executive VP of Innovation and Impact, ARI 4:45 PM: 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 AM – 8:30 AM: Check-in and Registration 8:30 AM – 1:45 PM: Programming Hon. Hung Cao, Acting Secretary of the Navy Adam Telle, Acting Secretary of the Army Sen. 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 Mackenzie Eaglen, Co-Chair, National Future of the Navy Commission Roger Zakheim, Director, Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute Mo Islam, CEO, Arkaea Media 1:45 PM: Closing Remarks – Sen. Jim Banks (R-Ind.) PRESS: For credentialed media planning to attend and cover the event, RSVP to Daniel_First@banks.senate.gov and Elizabeth_Kearns@banks.senate.gov . ###