AL.com:
Attendance exceeded expectations this week at the Von Braun Center for the 18th annual Space & Missile Defense Symposium.
According to symposium organizers, more than 4,000 name badges were printed for attendees, which is about 1,000 more than previous events. Organizers said last week that about 3,000 people were expected to attend.
Another sign of the symposium’s success, organizers said, was that exhibit space sold out more than two months before what was described as the “premier professional development and networking event for the space and missile defense industry.”
Boeing served as the event’s Titanium sponsor.
“We take great pride in the partnership that Boeing plays in the space and missile defense community and this year’s symposium,” said Bill Phillips, vice president Boeing Huntsville Customer Engagement and SMD Industry symposium chair. “Our ultimate goal is to insure that we assist the warfighter in providing solutions and innovations that allow them to never go into a fair fight.”
Highlights of the event included Frank Kendall III – Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics – was the keynote speaker at the sold-out symposium dinner on Wednesday. At the dinner, Intuitive Research and Technology CEO Rey Almodóvar was named the recipient of the Maj. Gen. John Bruce Medaris Award, which recognizes individuals who have demonstrated technical excellence in promoting U.S. defense preparedness.
Also honored at the dinner was Nancy Archuleta, who was given the Third Annual Dr. Julian Davidson Leadership in Missile Defense and Space Technology Award. The recognition is given to a small business leader for contributions in the development of space, missile defense, tactical missiles and aviation capabilities and philanthropic contributions to the community.
A new feature at the symposium was the Missile Defense Agency’s Wargame, an unclassified interactive simulation based on a notional representation of the 2025 ballistic missile defense system. About 200 symposium registrants participated in the game.
The symposium will return to Huntsville in August 2016.
