Episodes

  • Jay Timmons, President & CEO of the National Association of Manufacturers

    Jay Timmons, President & CEO of the National Association of Manufacturers
    Jun 9 2025
    Jay Timmons is president and CEO of the National Association of Manufacturers and one of the longest-serving trade association leaders in America. Under his leadership, the NAM has doubled in size and helped manufacturers achieve sweeping wins on tax reform, infrastructure, regulatory certainty—and in reshaping the perception of manufacturing and manufacturing careers. Jay is a respected voice across the political spectrum, trusted by CEOs and policymakers alike to anticipate challenges and deliver results. He also chairs the Manufacturing Institute, the NAM’s nonprofit workforce development and education affiliate for building the modern manufacturing workforce.
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    34 mins
  • CEOs You Should Know Eric Dell American Bakers Association

    CEOs You Should Know Eric Dell American Bakers Association
    May 27 2025
    Eric Dell is President and CEO of the American Bakers Association (ABA). He leads the trade group’s mission of promoting and growing the commercial baking industry in partnership with its 375+ Members. Eric joined ABA from the National Automatic Merchandising Association (NAMA) as the organization’s Executive Vice President. During his ten-year tenure at NAMA, Eric built a best-in-class advocacy program, forged new industry partnerships, revitalized the industry trade show, and invigorated high-performing teams.
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    26 mins
  • Heinan Landa, CEO, Optimal Networks

    Heinan Landa, CEO, Optimal Networks
    May 19 2025
    Heinan Landa is Founder & CEO of Optimal Networks, Inc. and author of The Modern Law Firm: How to Thrive in an Era of Rapid Technological Change. After earning his B.S. and M.S. in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from Johns Hopkins University, Heinan went on to receive his MBA from The Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania. As fate would have it, it was an assignment for one of his classes at Wharton that prompted him to develop the idea—and even construct a business plan—for his future technology services firm. Since 1991 Optimal has helped more than five hundred clients with their technology needs, all while maintaining an aggressive commitment to unyielding integrity, mind-blowing customer service, and some good old-fashioned fun. He’s always up for a chat about business, technology, corporate culture, nutrition, both the Marvel and DC universes, and all things Mr. Spock, so feel free to drop him a note at hlanda@optimalnetworks.com or www.linkedin.com/in/hlanda/.
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    27 mins
  • Rick Wagner, CEO of Agile Defense

    Rick Wagner, CEO of Agile Defense
    May 2 2025
    Rick Wagner is the Chief Executive Officer for Agile Defense, an innovative IT services and solutions provider. As CEO, Mr. Wagner leads Agile Defense through strategic transformation with intentional investments in mission-guided innovation and deliberate M&A to drive Agile to the forefront of the technology consulting market. Mr. Wagner formerly led Microsoft Federal, a $5B P&L supporting federal agencies of all sizes and scopes as they delivered mission-critical work and embraced technology to achieve objectives and serve citizens. Prior to joining Microsoft, Mr. Wagner was President of ManTech Mission, Cyber & Intelligence Solutions (MCIS) Group, dedicated to advancing technological services to the United States Government’s Intelligence and Department of Defense communities.
    Throughout his career, Mr. Wagner held management positions at Lockheed Martin and Raytheon and worked as a software engineer and project manager for the Naval Surface Warfare Center. Before joining ManTech in 2015, Mr. Wagner was the Chief Strategy Officer at TASC, Inc., where he led growth strategy and business development. Over his 16 years at TASC, he rose from program manager/systems engineer to Chief Strategy and Growth Officer. Mr. Wagner has been selected to the Washington 100 for six consecutive years. Washington Exec selected him as 2019 Intelligence Leader of the Year, and he is a 2021 Federal 100 awardee. He is a staunch advocate for veteran support efforts and has a passion for Early Childhood Education and STEM projects. Mr. Wagner is a member of the Human Better U Board of Directors. He is a commissioner and Vice Chair to the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority. Additionally, he is a member of INSA, AFCEA, and the Wash Exec Leadership Program. Mr. Wagner earned a Master of Engineering Management from George Washington University and a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Pittsburgh.
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    28 mins
  • Jennifer Lawson, CEO of Keep America Beautiful

    Jennifer Lawson, CEO of Keep America Beautiful
    Apr 25 2025
    Jennifer Lawson is President and CEO of Keep America Beautiful, a national nonprofit that works to inspire and educate people to improve and beautify their community environment. Previously, Jenny served as Chief Civic Innovation Officer at Points of Light where she led programs to help companies achieve their social change goals through the actions of their employees. She was also the executive sponsor of Listen. Learn. Act to End Racism, Points of Light’s partnership with Morehouse College, and served as an advisor to the National Trust for Civic Infrastructure. Jenny came to Points of Light from the Pew Center on Global Climate Change (now C2ES), where she led Make an Impact, a global campaign focused on energy efficiency and environmental awareness with some of the nation’s largest companies. Her career began with community development and affordable housing advocacy in Northern Virginia, where she served as the founding Executive Director of the Alliance for Housing Solutions. Jenny graduated from the University of Virginia where she studied Philosophy and Mathematics.
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    2 mins
  • Mahisha Dellinger, CEO of Huzzy Smart Sips

    Mahisha Dellinger, CEO of Huzzy Smart Sips
    Apr 21 2025
    Mahisha Dellinger, star of “Mind Your Business with Mahisha,” a business show on Oprah Winfrey’s Network, pioneered the natural hair care market when she launched CURLS in 2002, a leading organic hair care company that took the natural hair movement by storm. Her journey to the top didn’t come without its own set of challenges. Riding the wave of her success seemed effortless from the outside looking in.

    The taxing demands of entrepreneurship coupled with the stressors of trying to balance it all, while having it all resulted in her search for a way to “power through.” “Like millions of women, I often drank to cope. As life continued to happen & my day-to-day pressure increased...so did my drinking. This daily habit was beyond what any medical professional deemed safe. I knew I needed to make a change for not only me, but for my children. I have this large family that Iove, I have to be around for them…I want to be around for my grandkids. I began to search for a non-alcoholic, functional cocktail that I could enjoy when I needed to wind down.

    More importunately I was looking for a cocktail that would protect and repair my liver, aide in gut health, and detoxify my body. Impossible right? Not at all…the rest was Huzzy history!” Dellinger crafted Huzzy Smart Sips with a curated list of liver protecting properties, detoxifying antioxidants, and a proprietary blend will help of euphoric enhancing ingredients that'll keep you in high spirits all night long. Every Huzzy sip was made to rejuvenate & protect your liver, cleanse your system, aide your gut and invigorate your vitality. Now she drinks Huzzy Smart Sips to relax and revitalize her body, naturally.

    Dellinger is an official member of the Forbes Business Council and was appointed a Small Business Advisor for their entrepreneur community. Black Enterprise awarded Dellinger the 2023 Business Disruptor award. Entrepreneur named her 1 of 100 Powerful Women in the US. She served as a keynote speaker for a host of organizations across the nation including Yelp, AT&T, PepsiCO, Black Enterprise Women of Power & their Vision 20/20 Entrepreneur Conference, Essence Fest, Fast Money, Entrepreneur Magazine, and more.

    Dellinger has also been featured on several television shows throughout the nation and has been seen on OWN, BET, Revolt TV, Good Morning America, etc. Mahisha’s mantra, “To whom much is given, much is required” led to the founding of her MBA style program & non profit, Black Women Making Millions Academy, that is set to help 25,000 businesses scale with over $450 million dollars’ worth of free resources to African American women all over the nation.
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    23 mins
  • Anthony Featherstone, Executive Director, WorkSource Montgomery

    Anthony Featherstone, Executive Director, WorkSource Montgomery
    Apr 21 2025
    Anthony Featherstone joined WSM in early 2021 with over fifteen years of workforce development experience. During his tenure at WSM, Anthony has prioritized system building, community engagement, business engagement, talent pipelines, youth career education, and measurable equity & impact.

    Prior to WSM, Anthony served as the Director of Workforce Operations at KRA Corporation in Columbia, MD – a national provider of employment and training for workforce development boards and human service agencies. In addition to his nine years with KRA, he held leadership roles with the South Carolina Department of Employment & Workforce and a DC-based nonprofit specializing in community-based services. Anthony also served at the District of Columbia Department of Employment Services Office of Apprenticeship, Information & Training.

    Throughout his career, Anthony has successfully delivered high-quality programs for WIOA Adult, Dislocated Worker, In-School & Out-of-School Youth, Public Assistance, and Non-Custodial populations. He has also developed expertise in fiscal management, program operations, quality control, strategic planning, stakeholder relations, and human resource development.

    Anthony earned his MBA with a concentration in Human Resource Development from Webster University in St. Louis, MO, and a BA in Sociology from Coastal Carolina University in Conway, SC. He is also a Certified Career Services Provider (CCSP) and Global Career Development Facilitator (GCDF).

    Anthony is an active member of the Maryland Workforce Association (MWA), National Association of Workforce Development Professionals (NAWDP), National Association of Workforce Boards (NAWB), Southeastern Employment & Training Association (SETA), National Career Development Association (NCDA), and the Montgomery County Commerce Cabinet. He also serves on the Board of Directors for Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation & Nonprofit Montgomery, as well as serving as a member of the United Way of the National Capital Area’s ALICE Research Advisory Committee.
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    29 mins
  • Dennis Kelly, CEO of Tyto Athene

    Dennis Kelly, CEO of Tyto Athene
    Apr 14 2025
    Dennis Kelly, Tyto’s Chief Executive Officer, brings over 30 years of executive experience in the defense and intelligence industry and a proven record of advancing growth, business development, and operational excellence.

    A visionary and strategic leader, U.S. Navy veteran, and a prominent and respected active contributor to the government contracting industry and community, Dennis has held offices such as chief executive officer and president and served in chief operating officer roles in several businesses where he developed strategic plans that successfully led enterprises towards enhanced profitability and unprecedented growth.

    Throughout his career, Dennis has served as an executive leader for several fast-growing companies in the government technology and national security sectors.

    Prior to Tyto Athene, Dennis served as CEO of Eqlipse Technologies, where he led the development and execution of a growth strategy to expand the company into new Department of Defense and Intelligence Community mission areas. He also led Eqlipse through seven strategic acquisitions and associated integrations over eighteen months. Prior to Eqlipse, Dennis served as President and COO of CenTauri, a space, directed energy, cyber, and intelligence solutions firm. At CenTauri, he led a team responsible for doubling the size of the business in less than eighteen months and built a BD team capable of embracing new opportunities that expanded the pipeline to over $4B in qualified opportunities and realized an average sixty-percent win rate.

    Dennis’s career as an executive leader also includes firms such as Buchanan & Edwards, Inc., IOMAXIS, LLC, A-T Solutions, PAE, Tech Team Government Solutions, and Anteon International, Inc.​

    Dennis has served as co-chair of the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce GovCon committee and an adjunct professor in the George Mason University Executive MBA program. Previously, Dennis has been a member of the Board of the Professional Services Council, the USO of Metropolitan Washington–Baltimore, and the executive committee for the Annual D.C. Walk fundraiser for the American Heart Association.

    Dennis holds a bachelor’s degree from Roger Williams University with a major in industrial engineering technology and a minor in computer technology. Dennis also earned an executive MBA from the University of Rhode Island.
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    20 mins
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