The Protocase Companies and the North Carolina Military Business Center (NCMBC) have announced the final speaker program for the inaugural Velocity Summit, scheduled for November 17 in Wilmington. The event will feature video remarks from Governor Josh Stein, an in-person address by North Carolina Secretary of Commerce Lee Lilley, and a keynote by Lieutenant General (Ret.) Christopher O. Mohan, former Commanding General of U.S. Army Materiel Command, according to the NEWMEDIAWIRE release.
The summit’s focus is examining how North Carolina stakeholders can lead the nation in shortening the time needed to build and sustain ships, aircraft, ground systems and critical components. “America has the engineering talent and manufacturing expertise to meet extraordinary defense needs. The problem is how long it takes to turn a requirement into a delivered capability,” said Dr. Doug Milburn, Chairman of The Protocase Companies. “North Carolina has the industrial depth and talent to help change that in a big way. Velocity Summit puts military leaders, key suppliers and policymakers at the same table to identify the barriers and start removing them.”
The program moves from operational requirements and readiness to the manufacturers responsible for delivery, concluding with a working roundtable on barriers North Carolina can address. The day begins at 9:00 AM with welcome remarks from Martin J. “Jimmy” Hendrix III, Executive Director of the North Carolina Military Business Center (NCMBC), followed by Governor Stein’s video remarks, Jim Morton, President of Cape Fear Community College, and Wilmington Mayor Bill Saffo. Dr. Milburn will deliver the opening keynote at 9:15 AM, followed by keynote remarks from Lt. Gen. Mohan at 9:45 AM.
A military perspective panel at 10:05 AM will feature Carolyn Farmer, Principal Technical Advisor, U.S. Army Materiel Command; Colonel Christopher McDonald II, Commanding Officer, Fleet Readiness Center East; Colonel Jeremiah O’Connor, Chief of Staff, U.S. Army Tank-Automotive and Armament Command (TACOM); Commander Garin Kirkpatrick, Operations Officer, U.S. Coast Guard Aviation Logistics Center; and James Pettway Jr., Small Business Professional, PAE Maritime, Norfolk Naval Shipyard.
Secretary Lilley will address North Carolina’s role in America’s industrial readiness at 12:30 PM. The main industry panel at 12:45 PM, moderated by Jon Phillips, CEO of PhillComm Global, will include Chelsea Lloyd, Director, Supplier Quality Engineering, Archer Aviation; Scott Lampe, President, Hendrick Technical Solutions; Robert Macqueen, Chief Operating Officer, 45Drives; and Bradley Garris, Business Manager, Phillips Corporation–Markforged. A working roundtable from 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM will focus on production bottlenecks, practical interventions for North Carolina and building a sustained Velocity coalition. Closing remarks and next steps are scheduled for 3:30 PM.
The event will be held from 9:00 AM to 3:45 PM EST at Cape Fear Community College, Union Station Conference Center, Room 508, 502 N. Front Street, Wilmington, NC 28401. Agenda and registration details are available via the Velocity Summit page. The summit matters because it directly addresses a critical bottleneck in U.S. defense production: the time lag between identifying a military requirement and delivering the necessary capability. By convening policymakers, military readiness officials, and advanced manufacturers, the event aims to identify actionable solutions that could strengthen the national defense industrial base and bolster North Carolina’s economy. For industry, the roundtable offers a rare opportunity to shape policy on production bottlenecks. For the broader public, a more responsive defense supply chain could enhance national security and support job creation in advanced manufacturing sectors.
