15 MAY – VIPs Gather for USBTA Ribbon-Cutting in Indian Head

Written by G.S. Proctor & Associates – https://www.gsproctor.com/vips-gather-for-usbta-ribbon-cutting-in-indian-head/

Attendance was high. The VIP list was long. A celebration was in order.

Friday’s ribbon-cutting and Grand Opening of the U.S. Bomb Technician Association’s Bomb Disposal and Technology Center marked the latest major milestone in a two-year journey to create the organization’s new headquarters in Indian Head.

The center will be a hub of activity, used by public safety and military bomb technician personnel for training and technology development, testing and commercialization.

G.S. Proctor & Associates has enjoyed working with USBTA President and CEO Sean Dennis along the way, and we were honored to attend the Grand Opening. 

The event began with Indian Head Mayor Brandon Paulen welcoming guests before Sean Dennis offered his remarks. He was followed by a collection of VIP speakers representing Congress, the DOD, ATF, FBI and DHS, along with others from the Charles County Military Alliance Council, state and local government, academia and private industry. 

The USBTA is a 501c3 membership association, supporting public safety and military bomb technicians. Its Bomb Disposal and Technology Center serves as an anchor tenant in the new Maryland Technology Center in a newly renovated space in Indian Head. The MTC will ultimately house a larger collection of businesses and organizations focused on defense and security.

The full list of speakers at Friday’s event included: 

• Indian Head Mayor Brandon Paulin
• Sean Dennis, USBTA President and CEO
• Congressman Rick Crawford, Chair of the EOD Congressional Caucus
• Steven Harris, Deputy Executive Assistant Director of DHS’ Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency
• Rear Admiral Kevin P. Byrne, Commander of the Naval Surface Warfare Center and the Naval Undersea Warfare Center
• John Stewart, Unit Chief Director of the FBI Hazardous Devices School
• John Wester, Special Agent in Charge of ATF’s National Center for Explosive Training and Research
• Maryland Secretary of Commerce Mike McGill
• Maryland Sen. Arthur Ellis; Maryland Del. Edith Patterson
• John Hartline, Board Chair of the Rural Maryland Council
• Charles County Commissioners President Reuben Collins and Commissioner Thomasina Coates
• Pam Frank, Executive Director of the Charles County Military Alliance Council