A word from NDIA's vice president of operations.

Dear NDIA Members:

As you receive this year's issue of the Mega Directory, fiscal 2007 will be waning, but what a year it's been! NDIA member volunteers who generously contribute their time and talent to serve in Divisions, Industrial Committees, Chapters and Affiliates to advance NDIA's Advocate--Promote--Provide mission have once again distinguished themselves. To those who may be reading this page.... "Thank You!" ... for your contributions and your steadfast support.

New initiatives and significant accomplishments have characterized division operations in 2007, to include the maturation of the Manufacturing Division and the Robotics Division. The C4ISR Division has conducted an internal reorganization to establish C4 and Intelligence Committees, with the intent of increasing its focus on the intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance mission area. Similarly the Environment and Energy Division has initiated an Energy Security Committee to focus on the national security aspects of our Nation's energy challenges. As of this writing, a new Industrial Committee for Program Management is under development. NDIA is also embarking upon a broad corporate initiative to advocate science and math programs that will excite and attract young Americans to become engineers and scientists. Among other elements still under discussion, the initiative will include organizing a new National Security Science and Technology Workforce Division that will be chaired by Ed Swallow, Northrop Grumman Corporation. The overall initiative will be structured to encourage divisions, chapters, affiliates and individual members to become involved in supporting the effort.

2007 has seen substantial change in the leadership of Divisions and Committees. Industry members assuming chairmanship of NDIA Divisions over the past year include: Edward Morris (Lockheed Martin Corporation)--Manufacturing Division and Thomas Johnson (Paradigm Technologies, Inc.)--Missile Defense Division. Additionally, Mark DeYoung (Alliant Techsystems) will be assuming Chairmanship of the Industrial Committee of Ammunition Producers in the October '07 timeframe. I want to publicly thank each of the retiring chairmen for their long and valuable service to NDIA and pledge my personal support to each of the new division/industrial committee chairmen as they assume their new roles.

As I look ahead, the coming fiscal year is shaping up to be yet another one of significant progress and robust activity as we continue to build upon an already strong portfolio of industry-government events to fulfill the continuing need for information exchange and member networking opportunities. NDIA'S Operations Staff looks forward to continuing our service to the membership at large in the coming year. Please know that your comments and suggestions are always welcome.

Sincerely,

Major General Barry D. Bates, USA (Ret)

Vice President, Operations

National Defense Industrial Association