SAMS and CGSC Foundation cohost National Security Roundtable

The U.S. Army Command and General Staff College’s School of Advanced Military Studies (SAMS) and the CGSC Foundation cohosted a National Security Roundtable program March 8-9, 2016 at the Lewis and Clark Center on Fort Leavenworth, Kan. Participating in this NSRT program were 16 business leaders from varied industries and professions, including banking and financial services, legal, business consulting, construction, defense contracting, government and academia.

Click the photo to view the NSRT photo gallery.

During the evening of March 8, the guests were welcomed by the CGSC Chief of Staff Mr. Jeff LaMoe, who provided an overview of the College, including how the Army develops leaders. On March 9, the group met at Flint Hall to receive a briefing from SAMS Director Col. Hank Arnold and SAMS exercise director Eric Price on the planning exercises the students were conducting that morning. The participants then went out with their SAMS student escorts to spend time in the SAMS classrooms.

After the morning in the SAMS integrated planning exercise, the group moved back to the Lewis and Clark Center and received a CGSC Foundation orientation briefing from Foundation CEO Doug Tystad. Col. Arnold provided information on the overall SAMS program after which SAMS faculty members presented a panel discussion entitled “The South China Sea: A 21st Century Trade and Security Issue.” Faculty members leading the panel were Dr. William Gregor, Col. James Wright, Col. Paul Schlimm, Col. James Powell and Mr. Patrick Wesner.

Initial feedback from participants was positive, but according to Tystad, the Foundation will be sending them a survey to get any specific comments they have in the coming weeks. As newly-minted NSRT graduates the participants will also be charged with nominations for attendees at the next NSRT program scheduled for later in 2016.

A bit of a surprise during this roundtable was the presentation of a donation check to the CGSC Foundation from the Lockheed Martin Corporation. NSRT attendees Harry Lesser, Jr., and Chris Yuknis, both from Lockheed Martin, made the presentation to Foundation Chairman Lt. Gen. (Ret.) John Miller during the program.

At the conclusion of the program CGSC Chairman Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Miller and SAMS Director Col. Arnold presented each guest with a graduation certificate and a challenge coin. The students and faculty that supported the program also received coins.

Leaders in this roundtable program:

Thomas Benjamin, Attorney, Business Advisor, Thomas J. Benjamin, PLLC
Jeffrey Ellis, Attorney, Retired
Katie Ervin, Midwest Regional Director, Webster University
Elizabeth Ewert, Senior Vice President, UMB Bank
Angela Gates, COO & CFO, UMB Financial Services, Inc.
Kent Harris, CEO, Harris Associated Consulting
(Ret.) Harry Lesser, Jr., Director, IEW & SOF Programs, Lockheed Martin
Daniel Mayer, District Manager, Waddell & Reed, Inc.
Jay Reardon, Vice Chairman, Commerce Bank
(Ret.) Florian Rothbrust, Senior Vice President, JE Dunn Construction Company
Mark Stephens, Sr. Executive Director, SOCOM Accounts, Cubic
Richard Welnowski, CEO, SightDeckKC, LLC
Chris Wendelbo, Agency Specialist, Lincoln Financial Group
Tanner Wycoff, Vice President Relationship Manager-Corporate Banking, Citizens Bank & Trust
(Ret.) Chris Yuknis, Director, Army Programs, Lockheed Martin
Mr. Hannes Zacharis, County Manager, Johnson County Government