Summary

In this episode of the GovDiscovery AI podcast, host Mike Shanley interviews Michael Catanasi, the Assistant Secretary of War for Industrial-Based Policy. Catanasi discusses his recent experiences at the Honolulu Defense Forum, where he engaged with various military and international partners to address the challenges and opportunities in maintaining and growing the U.S. Defense Industrial Base, particularly in the Indo-Pacific region. He emphasizes the importance of developing skilled labor and advanced manufacturing capabilities in Hawaii, which are crucial for supporting U.S. military operations in the Pacific.

Guest Bio: The Honorable Michael Cadenazzi was sworn in as the Assistant Secretary of War for Industrial Base Policy (ASD(IBP)) on September 23, 2025. In this role, he is the principal advisor to the Under Secretary of War for Acquisition and Sustainment on industrial base policies and leads the Department of War's efforts to develop and maintain the U.S. defense industrial base to ensure a secure supply of materials critical to national security.  

Over the past two decades, Mr. Cadenazzi has served as a serial entrepreneur and consultant with experience in managing and addressing challenging issues across the aerospace & defense sector. He has launched multiple defense industry services and technology start-ups across the signals intelligence, program analysis, data analytics, and market assessment and strategy sectors, and executed two successful transfers of business ownership. His extensive sector experience includes work from the space to undersea domains and from aircraft and munitions to armor, weapons, ships, and services. His clients have included domestic and international firms from large prime contractors to all levels in the supply chain. His direct experience spans strategy, mergers & acquisitions, operations, supply chain and organizational transformation.

Prior to his civilian career, Mr. Cadenazzi served for ten years as an active-duty U.S. Navy cryptologic warfare officer. He completed the Cryptologic Division Office Course at Corry Station in Pensacola Florida before his first tour at Naval Communications & Telecommunications Area Master Station (NCTAMS) WESTPAC in Agana, Guam. Following graduate education, he was assigned to the staff of Commander, U.S. Navy SIXTH Fleet in Gaeta Italy. He completed his military service on the staff of U.S. Naval Forces Europe in London, the United Kingdom.

Mr. Cadenazzi holds a bachelor's degree in engineering from Tulane University and a master's degree in electrical engineering with an emphasis on RF communications and signals intelligence from the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School. He was commissioned an ensign in 1995 through the Tulane Naval Reserve Officer Corps (NROTC) program.

Learn more at BusinessDefense.gov

LEARN MORE: Thank you for tuning into this episode of the GovDiscovery AI Podcast with Mike Shanley. You can learn more about our Defense business intelligence solutions by visiting www.govdiscoveryai.com. To connect with our team directly, message the host Mike Shanley on LinkedIn. https://www.govdiscoveryai.com/

Summary:

In this episode of the GovDiscovery AI Podcast, Dr. Matt Willis, director of the Army FUZE Program, discusses the historical challenges the Army has faced in innovation and how the Army FUZE Program aims to address these issues. The conversation covers the importance of risk tolerance, the integration of soldier feedback in the development process, and the role of venture capital in supporting Army innovation. Dr. Willis also highlights current focus areas for funding and eligibility criteria for companies looking to engage with the Army FUZE Program.

Guest Bio:

Dr. Matt Willis serves as the Director of Army FUZE, leading the Army's portfolio of private sector engagements through prize competitions (xTech), the Army Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs, the Technology Maturation Initiative (TMI) program, and the Manufacturing Technology (ManTech) program, comprising over $750 million in annual research and development investments. Previously, Dr. Willis served as the Army Director for Laboratory Management at the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology (ASA(ALT)) and held various positions across the Army and the Office of the Secretary of Defense. Dr. Willis earned a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from Cornell University and both a Master of Science and Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

Thank you for tuning into this episode of the GovDiscovery AI Podcast with Mike Shanley. You can learn more about working with the U.S. Government by visiting our homepage: Konektid International and GovDiscovery AI. To connect with our team directly, message the host Mike Shanley on LinkedIn. https://www.govdiscoveryai.com/

In this episode, host Mike Shanley sits down with Howie Lind, President and Executive Director of ISOA, the International Stability Operations Association. Howie brings decades of experience across the Department of Defense, State Department, and the Pentagon, including serving as Deputy Director for the Iraq Project and Contracting Office.

Together, they unpack:

• What ISOA members are experiencing across acquisition, contracting, and geopolitics - ISOA's unique role at the intersection of government and industry
• How companies, especially new defense entrants, can get the most ROI out of the 2026 ISOA Annual Summit
• What makes ISOA's overseas conferences so high-value for networking and partnership-building

Whether you're already an ISOA member or looking to expand into overseas stability operations, this conversation is loaded with practical insights.

RESOURCES:

Howie Lind; howielind@stability-operations.org

Gneeral Inquiries: Ginny Maycock; gmaycock@stability-operations.org

Sponsorships Contact: Roxanne Kaufman; roxannekaufman@stability-operations.org

BIOGRAPHY:

Howard Lind serves as the President and Executive Director of the International Stability Operations Association that represents private sector companies and non-governmental organizations that work in fragile states around the world.

Previously, Mr. Lind served as a Washington DC representative for the Fluor Government Group regarding work in the Middle East and central Asia.

Prior to joining Fluor, Mr. Lind served in the Departments of Defense and State in the offices of Iraq and Afghanistan reconstruction from 2003 to 2007. He began at the Pentagon in support of Iraq and Afghanistan, then in the State Department's Iraq Reconstruction Management Office. Following that assignment, Mr. Lind served again in the Pentagon in the office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology (ASA-ALT) as Deputy Director for the Iraq Project and Contracting Office.

Mr. Lind began his professional career as a US Naval Officer. After a 20-year career, he retired at the rank of Commander having served aboard five Navy ships of the line and at Navy headquarters staffs. Mr. Lind received a Bachelor of Science degree from Virginia Tech and a Master of Science degree from the Naval Postgraduate School.

LEARN MORE:

Thank you for tuning into this episode of the GovDiscovery AI Podcast with Mike Shanley. You can learn more about working with the U.S. Government by visiting our homepage: Konektid International and GovDiscovery AI.

To connect with our team directly, message the host Mike Shanley on LinkedIn. https://www.govdiscoveryai.com/

https://www.konektid.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/early-defense-opportunity-identification/