Podcasts

5 Questions with the CEO

Get to know BENS members in these brief conversations with former BENS President, General Joe 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 42: Jim Hake

December 19, 2023 Comments Off on Building the Base Episode 42: Jim Hake

In this episode of “Building the Base,” hosts Lauren Bedula and Hondo Geurts welcome Jim Hake, the founder of Spirit of America, a unique nonprofit organization. The podcast delves into…

Building the Base Episode 41: Dana Deasy

December 6, 2023 Comments Off on Building the Base Episode 41: Dana Deasy

In this episode of “Building the Base,” hosts Lauren Bedula and Hondo Geurts welcome special guest Dana Deasy, former DOD Chief Information Officer with extensive experience in both the private…

Building the Base Episode 40: Shelly O’Neill Stoneman

November 21, 2023 Comments Off on Building the Base Episode 40: Shelly O’Neill Stoneman

In this episode of Building the Base, Lauren Bedula and Hondo Geurts welcome Shelly O’Neill Stoneman, Senior Vice President of Government Affairs at Lockheed Martin. In the discussion, Shelly shares…

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 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…

Episode 15: David Bonfili, ACME General Corp.

May 12, 2022 Comments Off on Episode 15: David Bonfili, ACME General Corp.

General Joseph Votel speaks with BENS New York member, David Bonfili. David is CEO of ACME General Corporation, a consulting firm leveraging decades of experience as warfighters, researchers, investors, and…

Episode 14: Ryan Millsap, Chairman and CEO, Blackhall Americana

April 29, 2022 Comments Off on Episode 14: Ryan Millsap, Chairman and CEO, Blackhall Americana

General Joseph Votel speaks with BENS Southeast member, Ryan Millsap. Ryan is the Chairman & CEO at Blackhall Americana (and formerly Blackhall Studios), an Atlanta-based streaming service which seeks to…