Welcome, New Board Members

We would like to take a moment to welcome two new additions to the Iowa-Illinois Chapter's Board of Directors! Welcome, Nicholas and Joshua!

Nicholas Santana is the President of Ultio Crati, a small apparel and tactical apparel manufacturer based out of Chicago. He is also a very dedicated and enthusiastic member of our Symposium committee, and we are very excited to continue working with him as a new member of the Board of Directors!

Nicholas Santana with his Dad, Victor

Joshua Bruce is a retired Army Automotive Maintenance Warrant Officer, CW-4, where he served for over two decades. Currently, he is a Logistics Analyst for Amentum, working out of Arsenal Island. Amentum has been a sponsor of our local Midwest Government Contracting Symposium for many years. We are happy to have Joshua on board!

Joshua Bruce

Congrats, Future Scholars!

We would also like to congratulate seven NDIA scholarship recipients, and wish them well on all their future endeavors.

Keep an eye on our Facebook and LinkedIn for a closer look at each one of these future leaders, and how they plan to use these funds to further their educations.

Pictured here are the following:

Top Row: Bennet Title, Nicholas Helle, Robert Day, Aaron Stadelmann

Bottom Row: Mackenzie Oberbroeckling, Mehal Raghwani, Johanna Caspers

Upcoming Events

Save the Date! On October 23rd, the Iowa-Illinois NDIA Chapter will provide a unique opportunity to tour Crystal Group Inc., a leading designer, manufacturer, and integrator of rugged servers, displays, storage devices, networking, and embedded devices designed for use in mission-critical applications for military, industrial, and commercial environments.

Stay tuned, registration details coming soon!

Thursday, Oct 23rd at 2:30pm

Supporting Our Community

The Iowa-Illinois NDIA Chapter is honored to support the Putnam Museum and Science Center through a recent donation. As a longstanding institution dedicated to education, exploration, and community engagement, the Putnam plays a vital role inspiring curiosity across all ages. Our contribution reflects NDIA’s ongoing commitment to supporting organizations which enrich lives and strengthen the fabric of our region.

We are also a proud supporter of the Flourish & Bots Project, a robotics group dedicated to empowering young women in STEM. Led by Theresa Barber, the group recently presented at Grace Technologies, where they showcased their engineering skills, innovation, and leadership potential. This initiative aligns with NDIA’s commitment to fostering the next generation of problem-solvers and strengthening the future of our defense and technology communities.

Summer Fun at the Arsenal

Rock Island Arsenal Golf Course: Open to the Public!

Enjoy 9 holes with a cart, a driving range, golf simulator, and more! All in support of our soldiers and their families.

Access Details:

• To play, an Arsenal Visitor’s Pass is required.
• Get yours at the Arsenal Welcome Center (Bldg. 23, 23 Prospect Dr., Moline, IL)
• Open daily, 7 AM–3 PM

Bring a REAL ID and SSN.

If you do not have a REAL ID, bring two forms of identification. Passes are free and only need to be renewed once per year!

Rock Island Arsenal Outdoor Recreation: Open to the Public!

Whether you're planning a camping trip, tackling a home project, or hosting a special event, Outdoor Recreation has the gear to get it done. From canoes and campers to tools, tents, skis, and so much more. They’ve got you covered year-round.

Reservations:

• An Arsenal Visitor’s Pass is required.
• Military: up to 45 days in advance.
• Civilians: up to 30 days in advance.

Explore your next adventure while giving back to our military community.