Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC) Southeast hosted its highly anticipated Industry Day event on Monday, Dec. 9, at the Adam W. Herbert University Center at the University of North Florida.
The event, themed Building Partnerships, Shaping the Future, welcomed more than 650 industry professionals from across the region.
NAVFAC Southeast Commanding Officer Capt. Miguel Dieguez kicked off the event by welcoming attendees and emphasizing the importance of collaborating with industry partners to support the Navy’s mission.
“Industry Day is one of our most important annual events as it allows us to connect with industry partners who play a critical role in delivering infrastructure investments, base operations, and environmental readiness,” Dieguez said. “This year’s theme, Building Partnerships, Shaping the Future, underscores our commitment to innovation, collaboration, and accelerating progress toward achieving the Chief of Naval Operations Project 33 targets.”
The daylong event brought together contractors, suppliers, and key stakeholders to strengthen partnerships, share strategic insights, and explore opportunities within NAVFAC Southeast’s portfolio of projects.
The keynote speaker, Vice Adm. Jeffrey T. Jablon, deputy chief of naval operations for installations and logistics, addressed attendees via a Microsoft Teams call from the Pentagon. He shared insights on the Navy’s strategic priorities and emphasized the critical role of infrastructure in supporting the Warfighter.
In response to valuable feedback from previous Industry Day events, NAVFAC Southeast made several improvements to enhance the experience. The schedule was optimized to provide more networking opportunities, giving attendees extra time to connect and build relationships with key stakeholders.
Presentations from the Planning, Design and Construction; Public Works; Environmental; and Command Information Office directorates and production support divisions covered essential topics for industry professionals, offering opportunities to provide feedback and ask questions.
To further promote direct engagement, the event also included one-on-one sessions, allowing participants to have in-depth discussions with key NAVFAC Southeast personnel about specific project opportunities and needs.
“These changes were designed to enhance collaboration and ensure that both industry partners and NAVFAC Southeast maximize the value of the event,” Dieguez added.
“We’re thrilled to see such a strong turnout,” said Luke Killam, associate counsel for NAVFAC Southeast and coordinator of the Industry Day event. “These events are vital for strengthening partnerships and aligning with industry to achieve high-quality results.”
The Industry Day event marked another successful step in NAVFAC Southeast’s ongoing efforts to expand collaboration with private-sector partners. The command remains focused on delivering innovative and sustainable solutions for the U.S. Navy’s critical facilities and infrastructure needs.
NAVFAC Southeast participates in various industry outreach events throughout the year, including the Society of American Military Engineers (SAME) Industry Day held Dec. 10 in Jacksonville, Florida, and the SAME Small Business Conference held in November in New Orleans, Louisiana.
For more information about NAVFAC Southeast and upcoming contract opportunities, visit https://atlantic.navfac.navy.mil/NAVFAC-Worldwide/NAVFAC-Southeast/Contract-Opportunities/.