NEWPORT, RI – The Southeastern New England Defense Industry Alliance (SENEDIA) held their annual Defense Innovation Days in Newport, Rhode Island on August 29-31, 2022. This was the eighth year that SENEDIA has hosted this event, which brings together experts in national security and undersea technology, policymakers, senior White House officials, and defense industry leaders.
Aug. 31, 2022 – MRC’s Vice President and Director of Strategy and Business Development Donald McCormack presents a challenge coin to DOT&E Nickolas Guertin at the 2022 Defense Innovation Days.
Representatives from across the nation were in attendance for this three-day gathering, which included exhibits from several companies—such as Raytheon, SAIC, General Dynamics, MIKEL, NeQter Labs, Huntington Ingalls Industries, and Teledyne Marine, to name a few—and two days of panel discussions and speakers. Presenters for the event included Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Senator Jack Reed, Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall, Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro, Chief of Naval Research Rear Admiral Lorin Selby, Department of Defense Director of Operational Test and Evaluation (DOT&E) Nickolas Guertin, and Director of Small Business Programs for the Department of the Navy Jimmy Smith.
McLaughlin Research Corporation’s (MRC’s) Vice President and Director of Strategy and Business Development Donald McCormack, who also serves as a SENEDIA Board Member, had the honor of introducing one of the speakers, Mr. Nickolas Guertin, at which time he also presented him with a challenge coin. Mr. Guertin, who has been the DOT&E since December 20, 2021, spoke on the topic of test and evaluation initiatives for delivering advanced warfighting capabilities.
Mr. Guertin’s extensive 40+ year career includes both military and civilian experience in submarine operations, undersea weapons testing and development, rapid prototyping, and ship construction and maintenance. He was recently nominated to become the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development, and Acquisition (RDA) where he will have the responsibility for leading the Navy’s acquisition efforts.