Podcasts

5 Questions with the CEO

Get to know BENS members in these brief conversations with General Joseph Votel exploring the intersection of business and national security. In these interviews, private-sector leaders discuss industry best practices for assisting the national security agencies in executing their missions to keep America secure.

Building the Base

"Building the Base" - an in-depth series of conversations with top entrepreneurs and leaders from tech, financial, industrial, and public sectors.

Our special guests are weighing in on a broad selection of topics such as: shaping our future national security industrial base, leadership in challenging times, experiences related to the intersection of business and national security, and personal anecdotes related to their positions of influence.

Building the base is hosted by our own BENS member Lauren Bedula who is the Managing Director and National Security Technology Practice Lead at Beacon Global Strategies, and BENS Distinguished Fellow, Jim "Hondo" Geurts who retired from performing the duties of the Under Secretary of the Navy and former Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development & Acquisition.

Building The Base Logo Box

InFocus is an in-depth series featuring business and national security experts providing insider perspectives on today’s most vexing challenges facing our nation’s security.

The first set of InFocus discussions is Building the Base: unique perspectives on shaping our future national security industrial base during this pivotal time in our Nation’s history. Hear from top entrepreneurs and leaders from the high tech, financial, industrial, and public sectors, as they share their ideas and perspectives about how we can all work better together to ensure our national security and prosperity.

Building the Base conversations are hosted by longtime BENS member and leader of the BENS Technology and Innovation Council Lauren Bedula and former Under Secretary of the Navy and now BENS Distinguished Fellow, Hondo Geurts.

Building the Base Episode 23: Brian Schimpf

March 8, 2023 Comments Off on Building the Base Episode 23: Brian Schimpf

In this week’s episode of Building the Base, Hondo and Lauren join Brian Schimpf, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Anduril Industries, to discuss the future of the defense industrial…

Building the Base Episode 22: Joe Courtney

February 22, 2023 Comments Off on Building the Base Episode 22: Joe Courtney

Don’t miss this week’s episode of Building the Base, we’re hosting Congressman Joe Courtney, representing Connecticut’s 2nd Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives to discuss topics around the…

Building the Base Episode 21: Frank Finelli

February 8, 2023 Comments Off on Building the Base Episode 21: Frank Finelli

In this week’s episode of Building the Base, Hondo and Lauren join Frank Finelli to discuss the future of the defense industrial network.  Frank’s varied experiences in the military, on…

5Qs WCEO Podcast

In this podcast, President, and CEO General Joseph Votel (ret.) interviews private-sector leaders contributing their expertise and industry best practices to help the Department of Defense and other national security agencies execute their missions to keep America secure. The show features short conversations of 10-15 minutes. Speakers include leading BENS members and experts in the topics driving trends in national security, American foreign policy, U.S. resilience, and issues with which the membership is engaging. 

Episode 18: Tom Noonan

May 24, 2023 Comments Off on Episode 18: Tom Noonan

In Episode 18 of “5 Questions with the CEO,” General Joe Votel, USA (Ret.) talks with BENS member Tom Noonan about keys to successful entrepreneurship, failure’s key role in building…

Episode 17: Albert Tan

May 10, 2023 Comments Off on Episode 17: Albert Tan

In Episode 17 of “5 Questions with the CEO,” General Joe Votel USA (Ret.) talks with BENS member Albert Tan, who takes us on a journey that began when at…

Episode 16: Brendan Marshall

April 21, 2023 Comments Off on Episode 16: Brendan Marshall

In Episode 16 of “5 Questions with the CEO,” General Joe Votel, USA (Ret) talks with BENS member Brendan Marshall, CEO of Flow. Brendan is a serial entrepreneur and amongst…