| Cyber Threats to the Defense Industrial Base - 06/17/2026 - Keystone CoLAB, Kansas City, MO Last year we explored the physical infrastructure underpinning national security - cleared spaces, energy, facilities. This event tackles the other side of the coin: the digital threats targeting defense contractors, federal networks, and the industrial base that supports the warfighter. Nation-state actors are increasingly targeting the defense supply chain through sophisticated cyber campaigns, and companies of all sizes are navigating a rapidly evolving compliance landscape. With a dense concentration of defense contractors and federal facilities across the region, this conversation hits close to home.Format: Panel discussion + networking (evening event)Key Topics:- The evolving cyber threat landscape targeting the defense industrial base - nation-state actors, ransomware, and supply chain attacks- CMMC 2.0 compliance: what defense contractors need to know and how to prepare- Protecting sensitive data across the defense supply chain - from primes to small business subcontractors- CISA Region 7's role in supporting the defense community and private sector- Insider threats, zero trust architecture, and the convergence of IT and OT security in defense manufacturingWhy this is important to Kansas City: The region is dense with defense contractors navigating CMMC, and the concentration of sensitive manufacturing and federal facilities makes cyber defense a daily reality, not an abstract concept. This positions AFCEA KC as a practical resource for the companies that make up the local defense industrial base. |
| Building Autonomy and AI in Kansas City - 12/17/2025 - Keystone CoLAB, Kansas City, MO AI and autonomy aren't just buzzwords - they're redefining how our nation defends, decides, and innovates.Join us as AFCEA Kansas City brings together top minds from government, industry, academia, and the military for a powerful conversation on how Kansas City is helping shape the future of autonomy and artificial intelligence in national security.In partnership with Keystone Innovation District, our Building Autonomy and AI in Kansas City panel will feature leaders working at the bleeding edge of AI/ML mission sets - from innovators building new capabilities to operators deploying them on real missions.Moderator and panelists announced soon - and trust us, you won't want to miss this lineup.Location: Keystone CoLAB, 800 E 18th St, Kansas City, MODate/Time: December 17, 6:00 PMRegister now: https://lnkd.in/giJ6vf_e |
| National Security Infrastructure in Kansas City Panel and Networking Event - 10/22/2025 - Keystone CoLAB, Kansas City, MO AFCEA Kansas City is hosting a panel and networking event at Keystone CoLAB to explore how critical infrastructure like data centers, energy, and secure facilities impact national security. Hear perspectives from leaders across government, industry, and academia - and connect with peers working at the intersection of infrastructure and defense.This panel will examine how Kansas City's ecosystem of builders, engineers, energy providers, defense leaders, and innovators is shaping the foundation of national security. Moderator Brian Weaver will guide a conversation on the convergence of physical, digital, and cognitive infrastructure - how secure construction, resilient energy, advanced manufacturing, and data readiness have become mission-critical assets since WWII. Panelists will explore secure facility design, military modernization, industrial and cyber resilience, and workforce development through the lenses of their respective sectors. Together, they'll illuminate how collaboration across public and private sectors can strengthen both regional growth and national readiness.Moderator:Brian Weaver - Chairman, AFCEA Kansas City / Vice Chair, CGSC Foundation / CEO, Torch.AIPanelists:Tim Dunn - Chairman & Chief Investment & Treasury Officer, JE Dunn ConstructionGregg Thompson - Deputy to the Commanding General (SES), U.S. Army Combined Arms Command, Fort LeavenworthSteve Tanner - Senior Director of Global Security, Kansas City National Security Campus (Honeywell/NNSA)Victoria "Tori" Helm - Mission Critical Global Operations Director, Burns & McDonnell |