The Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity and the Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) hosted an industry-wide event focused on Utah’s aerospace and defense sector’s future, challenges, and opportunities.
The event was held on June 24, 2022, at the Davis Conference Center in Layton. More than 350 attendees and 10 exhibitors participated, representing large prime defense contractors with contracts with Hill Air Force Base and the Department of Defense.
This free event included panel discussions for large companies and small/disadvantaged businesses in the industry and a meet-and-greet between defense contractors and Utah’s small and medium-sized businesses. Featured speakers included Gov. Spencer J. Cox, Andrew Busch, retired lieutenant general and former director of the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), and Frank DeMauro, vice president and general manager of Strategic Deterrent Systems at Northrop Grumman.
Gov. Cox talked about how grateful and proud he is that we have so many aerospace and defense companies choosing Utah to grow and expand. He also shared that, as a valued industry partner, the state will continue to ensure that Utah’s a great place for aerospace and defense missions. “Defense is one of the most important industries in the state, and our continued investment into developing the right workforce and creating innovation around this industry are super important to ensure this industry remains an economic engine for generations to come,” said Gov. Cox.
Andrew Busch spoke about the need to keep our Air Force and other defense depots funded and prepared to meet challenges and threats currently facing our country and allies now and well into the future. Busch also talked about his experience with the Air Force’s Secretary Kendall and that his primary concern is China.
DeMauro was the concluding speaker for the main session. He spoke about Northrop Grumman’s partnership with Utah, which has deep historical roots, going back to 1912. He also spoke about small businesses’ critical role in the defense industry. He discussed Northrop’s key partnerships with organizations like the Utah Manufacturer’s Association and several chambers of commerce across the state, as well as the Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity and Utah’s congressional delegation.
If you missed this event and would like to attend future industry events, please visit business.utah.gov/ptac, where we publish events on the PTAC events calendar.
