The Summit and the Sum of its Profits

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Published: Monday, 27 February 2017 07:26

Prior to the Seventh, Annual Summit, Chad Causey, Executive Director of AADA, stated in an Arkansas Online interview, “Arkansas is open for business, but it has strong businesses here. That is important to highlight as we're recruiting. We've already got a broad base to grow from.” Today, in an interview before the Ninth Annual Summit, it could not be truer.

The Arkansas Aerospace and Defense industry has continued to grow leaps and bounds because of the Alliance, and today roughly 10,000 Arkansans are employed because of the industry. Causey states that what he loves about AADA is that, “I get to work with a lot of amazing people. Some of whom have built amazing companies that started with a small Arkansas foot- print but have grown exponentially, expanding to new heights and enabling thousands of Arkansans to have rewarding careers.”

One of these companies he highlights is Galley Support Innovations, which Gina Radke is Chief Executive Officer, and now President of AADA. They started out as very small business in 2005 with around a $10,000 in sales their first year, and what is now, today, a multi-million-dollar company.

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B&M, An American Dream Come True

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Published: Monday, 27 February 2017 07:26

B&M started out in 1984 with a dad and his kids, an American dream, and a 15,000-dollar loan. They moved to Arkansas from Texas and set up shop in one building with three employees and two customers. Today they operate a seven-building operation, have over 60 employees, and now have customers from Arkansas as well as 32 other states. They are a very unique company in that they provide services for both Aerospace and Military purposes. They provide everything from missiles and bullets coatings to walk way coating and floor fittings used in cargo portions of planes.

B&M has been attending the Summit for going on seven years now, and hosted the meet and greet for the past five. Rauls explains, “The Summit allows us to all be in one big room together.” Brian Rauls, who has been a leader in sales and customer service, and has been with B&M for the past eight years, states, “You know, a lot of people say, if there is anything I can do to help, just let me know. But people like Chad Causey mean it.” He explains how much goes into the conference and emphasizes that AADA and people like Causey who help to orchestrate the event  put in “A lot of hard work and tireless, and thankless planning on their parts, all to bring the state together for three days a year.”

However, Rauls is the first to express his gratitude with what has become a successful and rewarding career for himself and many others who work at B&M. Since attending the Summit the local business has boomed with customers like Boeing, Cherokee Nation, and Dassault Falcon Jet, to just name a few.

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Gina Radke - AADA President

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Published: Monday, 27 February 2017 07:03

Gina Radke, Chief Executive Officer of Galley Support Innovations, and the new President of AADA, has become known over her 13- year business career, as the “toughest thing in a skirt.” When asked if she had to struggle with stigmas and stereotypes as a woman in a still predominately male-driven business world, she replied, no matter the gender question, “I am who I am, and I work hard. Respect comes from showing respect to others and proving I either know what I’m doing or am willing to learn. Respect comes from education and experience,” Both of which are to become even more of a priority in the Arkansas Aerospace and Defense Alliance.

Currently, there are eleven Aerospace Bachelor and Graduate Degrees in thirteen universities in the South. However, not as much value was being placed on early education. Radke plans to change that. She currently serves on the board of the Arkansas Career Education and Workforce Development Commission, and through the state agencies, seeks to expand educational opportunities by “developing a workforce pipeline starting with k-12 to get them excited about going into the Defense and Aerospace industry.”

AADA has a reputation for leading the South in Aerospace Education. Already the non-profit hosts Aerospace and Defense days for this age group, but now Radke is talking with the Little Rock School District about an Aeronautics program centered on STEM. Most Aerospace jobs are centered in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, but Radke states, “We also have marketing jobs, sales jobs, technical jobs and HR jobs. This industry covers absolutely everything.”

Radke’s plans to send this message of opportunity to these age groups is three-fold. One, is the STEM focused Aeronautics program. Two, is by conducting field trips to the facilities, to the airports, and to all the different departments within the industry. Three, is to have industry executives speak to schools and career counselors, to promote opportunity, and growth for the Aerospace and Defense industry, and in turn, Arkansas economy.

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2019 Arkansas Aerospace and Defense Summit Registration is Now Open!

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Published: Friday, 18 November 2016 14:38

2016 Aerospace and Defense Summit Registration and Room Block Available

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Published: Monday, 01 February 2016 16:05

Registration for the 2016 Arkansas Aerospace and Defense Summit March 7-9, 2016 at the Holiday Inn and Convention Center in Springdale is now live on our website www.arkansasaerospace.com

Click here to register as an individual for $125 and access to all events and meals; Group registration is available at this link.

ROOM RATE: A special rate at the Holiday Inn is available by clicking here or calling 1 877 834 3613. USE PROMO CODE: ADS
A working program with industry leading speakers and panelists will be available soon.

Don't forget to follow our twitter feed @ARaerospace for Summit announcements and updates. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact the Aerospace and Defense Alliance team (501) 375-1100.


Exciting Summit Program

B2B Opportunities: Join NASA, GSI and many others for Business-to-Business breakout sessions. To sign up, email  for more information.

Updated Agenda: An updated agenda will be coming soon. We will here from industry leaders including NASA, Lockheed Martin, Gulfstream, AEDC and many more!

Sponsorship Opportunities Available: Sponsorship opportunities still exist for promotion, signage, and listing in the Summit Program. For sponsorship opportunities or to participate in the exhibit hall, download and return the Sponsor Benefit form to Chad Causey, Executive Director, at 1020 West Third Street, Little Rock, AR 72201.


ARKANSAS AEROSPACE. LEADING THE SOUTH