Pacific Northwest Mission Acceleration Center

06/15/2026

As we celebrate 251 years of dedication and service, we wish the U.S. Army a Happy Birthday and thank the men and women who have joined its ranks to serve our nation and the entire U.S. Army family.

06/05/2026

Some events are just too good to end. Sam Zvirzdys and SCOC guests enjoyed tours hosted by CIES Inc, ISCO Manufacturing Solutions, HeliLadder of Blue Moon Designs, and Fuel Safe Systems to end the week in Central Oregon.

Thank you to all of our hosts!

06/05/2026

The Supply Chain Opportunities Conference hit the road this month, with Bend, Oregon, as the destination. Attendees were treated to a fantastic line-up of speakers, panelists, and roundtable discussions. Thank you to our guests Scott Philiben, President of CIES Inc., Michael (Mike) Schindele, Director of Operations at DZYNE Technologies, Jim Allen, Director of Global Supply Chain & Sourced Products at Leupold + Stevens, Inc., Michael Baker, Chairman & CEO of Portman Square Group, Jay Soles, VP of Business Development at EDT (Engineering Design Team), Colin Godby, CEO & Founder of Dust Moto, and Ryan Austin, Chief Operations Officer of Lorica Technologies.

A big thank you to our sponsors - Business Oregon, Baker Tilly, Boeing, Leewens Corporation, TLR - Total Logistics Resource, Inc., Cv International, Inc., Convergence Networks, inTech Consulting, LLC., Cre8tive Technology and Design, and Bridgeways Everett.

Be sure to mark your calendars for our next Supply Chain Opportunities Conference on September 17th, when we head to Boise, Idaho. Join us the evening before for our popular Pints & Professionals networking event.

06/02/2026

Last week, Sam Zvirzdys, Kelly Allen, and Todd Woods traveled to Montana to meet with PNDC members. Their first stop was Intercontinental Truck Body. Next, they toured the Limestone Hills UAS Range and learned about its capabilities. The team ended the day at Montana State University-Bozeman's INSRE (MSU Institute for National Security Research and Education), where they deliver innovative technologies, support researchers, and prepare tomorrow's leaders.

The next day, their trip continued with visits to Tuscano Machine, LLC, EngineWorks, Reveal Technology, LinQ Photonics, and Resilient Computing. They finished with a stop at VTI Aerospace and a tour of Montana Advanced Composites. The team enjoyed meeting these innovators look forward to sharing their stories.

05/12/2026

The Pacific Northwest Defense Coalition (PNDC) today announced the appointment of Keith Swenson as its incoming President and Chief Executive Officer. Swenson will assume the role upon the planned retirement of current President and CEO Denise Ryser, who will continue leading the organization through the end of 2026. During that period, Swenson will work alongside Ryser in a planned leadership transition designed to ensure continuity for PNDC's members, partners, and stakeholders.

Swenson joins PNDC from the Washington State Department of Commerce, where he served as Deputy Assistant Director of the Office of Economic Development and Competitiveness. In that role, he has worked to strengthen regional business development and economic growth initiatives. Swenson’s background reflects a sustained commitment to building institutional capacity and connecting organizations to the communities they serve. He brings direct familiarity with PNDC's mission, having previously served on the PNDC Advisory Board.

PNDC serves as the Pacific Northwest's primary voice on defense industrial base policy, federal contracting access, and supply chain development. Boasting 300 members of the Defense Industrial base, PNDC serves the states of Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Montana.

Ryser, who built PNDC into one of the nation's most active regional defense trade associations, will remain at the helm through the end of 2026. The structured transition ensures continuity of leadership as Swenson prepares to guide the organization into its next chapter.

"Following a highly competitive search, we are delighted to welcome Keith to the Pacific Northwest Defense Coalition," said Eric Yates, PNDC Board Chair and Chief Business Development Officer at Gladiator Technologies. "Keith brings leadership that will continue PNDC's mission to strengthen our members, grow business development opportunities, and support the region's defense and security supply chain. He is the right leader to guide PNDC's future and strengthen the value we deliver to our members, partners, and stakeholders."

05/11/2026

Last week, Congressman Baumgartner met with PNDC members in Spokane. Members discussed challenges they are facing with rising material costs, workforce development, and competitiveness in the global market. They also shared the important advancements our region is making across the defense spectrum.

Thank you to The Spokesman-Review and Emry Dinman for your article and for putting the spotlight on the vital Pacific Northwest defense industry.

In the midst of a 12-county tour in which Rep. Michael Baumgartner, R-Spokane, made a mix of public appearances and private meetings with constituent groups, the congressman met Wednesday with two very different industry groups that each want different things from D.C.

05/10/2026

The PNDC team is heading to the 2026 Xponential Show in Detroit, Michigan, to explore the future of autonomy, today's research, and tomorrow's innovations. We have exciting news! Chris Groves is scheduled to speak on Monday, May 11, from 3:00pm to 3:20pm. His talk, "Vertically Align an Autonomous Ecosystem to Empower the Warfighter," will be in room 142B. You will not want to miss it.

If you are headed to the show, Chris and Sam would love to meet up. Reach out to [email protected].

05/07/2026

Congressman Michael Baumgartner of Washington's 5th District met with PNDC members for our first Congressional Roundtable of 2026. Members discussed the opportunities and challenges facing our industry, focusing on ways to streamline and strengthen federal procurement processes.

We look forward to working with Congressman Baumgartner and continuing to highlight the amazing work our members are doing in the Pacific Northwest.

04/16/2026

The Pacific Northwest Defense Coalition (PNDC)'s popular Pints and Professionals networking event opened this month's Supply Chain Opportunities Conference with an enjoyable evening at the PNW MAC office. Attendees had the chance to connect and socialize with other defense industry professionals. Thank you to our event sponsor, Convergence Networks.

04/08/2026

This hard-working crew took an afternoon to relax, enjoy the sunshine, and even squeeze in some team building at Topgolf. There might have even been some friendly competition. Congratulations to Todd Woods, the day's PNDC Topgolf champ.