The chapter and the AFCEA International Small Business Committee hosted a one-day conference in October to educate small businesses on working with the government. The conference theme was "Doing Business With the Federal Government: Find the Opportunity, Capture and Close the Sale, Grow the Business." The event discussions focused on specific elements of the federal business development cycle. Mark Meaders, chapter treasurer and vice president for finance, served as master of ceremonies while Tom Rachfalski, chapter president, served as government panel moderator. Rear Adm. Raymond E. Berube, USN, commander, Naval Inventory Control Point (NAVICP), provided the luncheon keynote address. SIGNAL Magazine's new media editor, Helen Mosher, demonstrated AFCEA's Web 2.0 offerings. Guest speakers included Angela Williams, mentor protégé program manager, U.S. Department of Homeland Security; Dolores Schnell, professor of acquisition management, Defense Acquisition University; Bill Hamilton, vice president, Advantage Consulting; Judy Bradt, principal and chief executive officer, Summit Insight; Ludmilla Parnell, director, business development for small business partnerships, General Dynamics Information Technology; and Laura Jones, director, business development for homeland security, General Dynamics Information Technology. The conference ended with a six-member government panel comprised of Jodie Paustian, small business specialist, Internal Revenue Service; Marcia Easton, chief of small business programs, U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Life Cycle Management Command; G. Michael Miller, chief logistics officer, U.S. Veterans Administration Healthcare Veterans Integrated Services Network 4; Katherine Rachubinski, associate director, Office of Small Business Programs, NAVICP; David Dickson, director, Philadelphia District, U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA); and Terry Budge, industrial specialist, government contracting division, SBA.

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