2022 MAC & HDA Partnership Conference

On Jan. 6 – 7, 2022 Hawaii Defense Alliance joined the MAC to host the 2022 Partnership Conference. This annual conference provides an opportunity for MAC and HDA members and partners to learn about the military’s priorities in Hawaii and the Indo-Pacific Area of Responsibility, as well as the steady and increasing economic opportunities the defense sector brings.
Jan. 6 featured ADM John Aquilino, Commander, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM), who provided his insight of the Indo-Pacific Region. Followed by MG Ken Hara, Adjutant General, Hawaii Department of Defense (DoD), who provided an update of the Hawaii National Guard (HING).
On Jan. 7, the conference opened with welcome remarks by Dennis Ling, business & industry development administrator of Department of Business Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT) followed by an update of the Hawaii Defense Alliance with John Greene, defense industry specialist at, DBEDT, and Pono Chong, project manager of Hawaii Defense Alliance.
Dr. George Kailiwai III, director of requirement and resources (J8) at USINDOPACOM; GEN Charles Flynn, commander of U.S. Army Pacific, VADM William Galinis, commander of NAVSEA; Cliff Bean, director of Navy missions and defense sector at Peraton and former NSA Hawaii Commander; and VADM William Galinis, Commander, NAVSEA also provided insight from their respective roles.
The Emerging Workforce Opportunities Panel featured panelists representing the DoD, academia and industry professionals who shared their experiences and insights to increase opportunities for locals and local businesses within the defense sector. Panelists included:
  • Lance Askildson, Provost, Chaminade University
  • Cliff Bean, Director of Navy missions and defense sector, Peraton
  • Tim Faulkner, Senior Executive Advisor, U.S. Army Pacific G2
  • Jairus Grove, Director of the Hawai’i Research Center for Future Studies, University of Hawaii at Manoa
  • Chris Loftis, Site Lead, Huntington Ingalls Industries
  • Leeanne Phillips, J2C Readiness, Plans, and Exercises Branch Chief, INDOPACOM
To watch the recording of day two, click here.