Keynote Speaker
Andre J. Gudger Director Office of Small Business Programs Office of the Undersecretary of Defense Acquisition, Technology & Logistics
Mr. Andre J. Gudger was appointed as the Director of the
Office of Small Business Programs in March 2011. Mr.
Gudger serves as the principal advisor to the Secretary of
Defense on small business matters.
Mr. Gudger’s career spans more than 15 years in the
defense, intelligence, and investment banking industries.
Previously, Mr. Gudger worked on key technical andfinancial initiatives with the Federal Deposit Insurance
Corporation, Union Bank of Switzerland, and AT&T.
From 2003‐2009, Mr. Gudger served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of
Solvern Innovations, a corporate entity which provided acquisition support and
cyber solutions through training, research, and innovation. During this period,
Solvern Innovations provided software development and commercialization
through technology transfer to the Human Computer Interaction Lab at the
University of Maryland College Park. In 2009, Solvern Innovations was acquired by
TeleCommunication Systems where Mr. Gudger served as the Senior Vice President
of the Cyber Intelligence division.
Mr. Gudger currently serves on several boards throughout the region, including the University of Maryland Baltimore County, the Maryland BRAC Small & Minority Business Advisory Board, and the Cyber Advisory Board.
Opening Speaker
Dr. Gerald L. Gordon President and CEO Economic Development Authority in Fairfax County
Virginia Business Magazine named Dr. Gerald L. Gordon as its "2010 Business Person of the Year."
Dr. Gordon is the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Economic Development Authority in Fairfax County. He has been with the FCEDA since late 1983. In that time, office space in the county grew from 32 million square feet to more than 115 million square feet and jobs in the county grew from 243,000 to more than 600,000. As a result, the real estate tax rate has decreased from $1.47 to $1.09.
Dr. Gordon has also worked for Arlington County, Virginia and the United States Department of Labor. Dr. Gordon was instrumental in creating the Emerging Business Form and bringing the 1998 World Congress on Information Technology to Fairfax County. In 2005, the FCEDA was named by Site Selection Magazine as one of the Top Ten Economic Development organizations in North America. In 2007, Time magazine called Fairfax County "one of the great economic success stories of our time."
Dr. Gordon has taught at the Catholic University of America, The University of Maryland, George Mason University and Virginia Commonwealth University. He has consulted with numerous city and state governments throughout the United States and around the world, as well as the governments of Poland, the island of Vieques in Puerto Rico, and the Federated States of Micronesia. He has also served as a consultant to various governmental agencies, the United States Navy, businesses, non-profit organizations, associations, colleges and universities, and the United Nations.
Dr. Gordon holds a Bachelor's Degree from the Citadel, a Master's degree from George Washington University, and a Doctorate in International Economics from the Catholic University of America. He is the author of eleven books and numerous articles on strategic planning, economic development, leadership styles, and other management topics. Dr. Gordon is the 2003 recipient of the prestigious Israel Freedom Award of the Israel Bonds organization.
In 2006, Dr. Gordon became the first American to address the All-Parliamentary Exports Group in the British House of Commons. In 2007, Dr. Gordon was accepted for inclusion on the roster of Fulbright Senior Scholars. In 2007, Dr. Gordon was named a Fellow of the International Economic Development Council, and in 2010 he received the James Rees Award from the Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce.
Bridget Bean
Washington District DirectorU.S. Small Business Administration
Bridget Bean was named District Director of the Washington Metropolitan District Office for the U.S. Small Business Administration in 2009. Prior to this appointment she served in numerous positions within SBA's headquarters. Most recently she served as Deputy Associate Administrator for the agency's 68 field offices across the nation. In this position she was in daily contact with all SBA District Directors--a strategic position that allowed her to identify the practices and habits of the most effective offices in the country.
Her experience in the areas o Small Business Advocacy, Government Contracting and Procurement, and Entrepreneurial Development Assistance have brought a particular benefit to the more than 300,000 local firms, including 1,600 firms currently participating in the SBA's 8(a) Business Development Program through the District Office. These previous positions provide her with a keen understanding of policy development that she is implementing for small businesses in the Washington metro area.
Ms. Bean's tireless advocacy for VOSBs and SDVOSBs throughout the region and her support of organizations such as the Community Business Partnership and the Virginia SBDC network are a key reason why our region continues to be one of the best in the nation for veteran owned businesses. We are fortunate to once again welcome Ms. Bean as our closing speaker for the our conference!
Closing Remarks
Joseph McDade
Director, Air Force Office of Small Business Programs
Mr. Joseph M. McDade Jr., a member of the Senior Executive Service, is the Director of the Air Force Office of Small Business Programs in Washington, D.C. Mr. McDade advises the Secretary of the Air Force and senior leaders on small business procurement issues. He is also responsible implementing policies, programs and initiatives designed to secure $8 billion in small business prime contract awards annually.
Mr. McDade has extensive experience in procurement law, program management, and more than a decade of executive experience in a broad range of assignments. Prior to assuming his current position, he held executive positions in the Air Force Office of the General Counsel, the Air Force Deputy Chief of Staff for Manpower and Personnel, and the Army Deputy Chief of Staff for Manpower and Personnel. Prior to entering public service, Mr. McDade worked as an associate in a private law firm from 1988 until 1991 where he specialized in government contract law and legislation.
Education1988 Juris Doctor degree, Georgetown University Law Center, Washington, D.C.1985 Bachelor of Science in International Affairs, cum laude, Georgetown University School of Foreign Service, Washington, D.C
Thomas Leney (invited)
Executive Director, Small and Veteran Business ProgramsDepartment of Veterans Affairs
Thomas
J. (Tom) Leney serves as the Executive Director for Small and Veteran
Business Programs at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, where
he is responsible for programs that promote small business participation
in VA contracting, with special emphasis on service-disabled and
other Veteran-owned small businesses (SDVOSBs and \/OSBs). Mr.Leney
is a member of the United States Senior Executive Service.
Prior
to his government service, Mr. Leney gained practical insight into the opportunities
and challenges facing small businesses through his leadership
in two successful small businesses, Evolver, lnc., and Professional
and Scientific Associates. His personal experience as a government
contractor has enabled Mr. Leney to mentor small businesses on the
complexities of government contracting. His earlier work at Winrock International
and the United Nations Foundation overseeing the development
of projects to support the U.S. Government and the United Nations
around the world has given him an understanding of the complexities
of partnership development on many levels.
Mr.
Leney is a Veteran of the United States Army, serving from 1973 to 1995.
He led an armored cavalry squadron in the Persian Gulf War of 1991
and was the Chief, Strategic Plans and Policy for the Department of the
Army. He received his Bachelor of Science degree
from the U.S. Military
Academy, West Point, NY. He holds a Master of Public Policy from the
John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, and a Master of Business
Administration from Georgetown University.
Thomas J. (Tom) Leney serves as the Executive Director for Small and Veteran Business Programs at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, where he is responsible for programs that promote small business participation in VA contracting, with special emphasis on service-disabled and other Veteran-owned small businesses (SDVOSBs and \/OSBs). Mr.Leney is a member of the United States Senior Executive Service.
Prior to his government service, Mr. Leney gained practical insight into the opportunities and challenges facing small businesses through his leadership in two successful small businesses, Evolver, lnc., and Professional and Scientific Associates. His personal experience as a government contractor has enabled Mr. Leney to mentor small businesses on the complexities of government contracting. His earlier work at Winrock International and the United Nations Foundation overseeing the development of projects to support the U.S. Government and the United Nations around the world has given him an understanding of the complexities of partnership development on many levels.
Mr. Leney is a Veteran of the United States Army, serving from 1973 to 1995. He led an armored cavalry squadron in the Persian Gulf War of 1991 and was the Chief, Strategic Plans and Policy for the Department of the Army. He received his Bachelor of Science degree from the U.S. Military Academy, West Point, NY. He holds a Master of Public Policy from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, and a Master of Business Administration from Georgetown University.