AmeriCOM was proud to sponsor and co-host the recent Arizona Legislative and Community Partners Breakfast in Tucson, joining forces with industry and academic leaders to bolster the Southern Arizona optics manufacturing landscape.
The morning centered on a critical mission: scaling the technician talent pipeline and aligning policies to support long-term economic growth. From congressional insights to community-driven workforce solutions, the event highlighted the power of cross-sector collaboration in securing our national defense supply chain.
Arizona’s 6th Congressional District Juan Ciscomani spoke at the Legislative Breakfast.
Arizona’s 6th Congressional District Juan Ciscomani spoke at the Legislative Breakfast.
AmeriCOM was proud to sponsor and co-host the recent Arizona Legislative and Community Partners Breakfast in Tucson, joining forces with industry and academic leaders to bolster the Southern Arizona optics manufacturing landscape.
The morning centered on a critical mission: scaling the technician talent pipeline and aligning policies to support long-term economic growth. From congressional insights to community-driven workforce solutions, the event highlighted the power of cross-sector collaboration in securing our national defense supply chain.
Huge thanks are in order to the Arizona Technology Council leadership team for bringing this impactful event to life:
- Paloma L. Santiago, VP of the Arizona Technology Council.
- Katie Schwertz, Chair of Optics Valley — a committee of the Arizona Technology Council — for convening such a vital group of stakeholders.
Special thanks to Jamie Neilson-Six, Director of Operations and Events, for her incredible coordination and support throughout the planning process.
And thank you to these speakers, who were instrumental in sharing their vital expertise:
- U.S. Congressman Juan Ciscomani for his remarks on the importance of this sector.
- Ian Roark from Pima Community College for the academic pipeline perspective.
- Karla Bernal Morales, MBA, from The Chamber of Southern Arizona for community impact insights.
- Thomas Sarama from Raytheon for providing the industry lens.
We remain committed to national workforce development efforts and advancing innovation across the defense industrial base. We are excited to build on this momentum alongside the Arizona optics community.
Left to right: Paloma Santiago, Arizona Technology Council; Dave Shelton, AmeriCOM; Katie Schwertz, Edmund Optics; AZ. Representative, Juan Ciscomani; Ian Roark, Pima Community College, and Karla Bernal Morales, The Chamber of Southern Arizona.
Dave Shelton, AmeriCOM, and Thomas Sarama, Raytheon Technologies.