About Us

The Homeland Security & Defense Business Council is a non-profit, non-partisan corporate membership organization comprised of the leading large, mid-tier, and small companies that support the Homeland Security Enterprise with best-in-class technology, product, and service solutions. Our activities, designed around the most important issues impacting the homeland security/homeland defense market, help the senior executives and subject matter experts from member companies gain a better understanding of the priorities and needs of their government customers. 

Through a diverse set of programs & initiatives, the Council provides Access, Insight, and Influence through:

  • Forums for government officials from across the HSE to share their priorities and challenges, and exchange insights with industry experts

  • High-level interaction and peer-to-peer networking with your competitors and strategic partners

  • Opportunities to provide individual, corporate, and collective thought leadership to drive behavioral and/or cultural changes that improve homeland security-related processes and policies

We create opportunities for our members to learn from and establish relationships with government decision-makers and bring their business solutions to customers in the homeland security market. 

Our Member Programs & Initiatives

The Council’s unique programs and initiatives are developed around the business needs, capabilities, and priorities of our members in the homeland security market. The companies that get the most out of their membership in the Council are actively involved in developing our initiatives, ensuring that their unique point of view is incorporated in the organization’s work and mission. Council programs and initiatives involve government officials from a range of agencies and components, including the Department of Homeland Security; the Department of Justice; the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Department of Energy; the Department of State; Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms; and the intelligence community.

 Specific programs and initiatives include:

  • Executive Roundtables give our senior-level members the opportunity to engage with top homeland security decision makers in an intimate setting. These interactive forums allow for high-level, strategic discussions about the most critical issues facing the HSE.

  • Executive Briefings provide an informal, in-depth forum for industry executives and subject matter experts to learn from key homeland security policy and program officials, gaining a better understanding of agencies’ and components’ critical programs, priorities, challenges, and opportunities.

  • Executive Tours provide a unique opportunity for Council members to experience firsthand the operational challenges faced by our nation’s homeland security officials. The programs – held at critical locales across the country and in the DC region – combine high-level briefings, facility tours, technology demonstrations, and robust roundtable discussions with officials at various government agencies. They are designed to facilitate a collaborative learning experience, giving our members an important understanding of the perspectives, challenges, and needs of on-the-ground officials.

  • Government-Industry Engagement opportunities provide venues for our members to share both their individual and corporate expertise with their government counterparts and the broader homeland security community. These initiatives include small-group government-industry engagements on specific challenges to both sectors, as well as opportunities to participate in special projects as a thought leader of the collective Homeland Security Industrial Base.

  • Our National Conversation Series involves prestigious government and industry leaders and examines critical homeland security issues from the standpoint of “looking forward.” Combined with the Council’s five-year 20/20 Project on the Homeland Security Enterprise and the release of its annual report, the conversations focus on the strategic vision and direction for the nation’s homeland security efforts, as well as emphasize the need and benefits of greater substantive engagement and communication between government and industry.

  • Congressional Engagement programs focus on developing a strong dialogue between industry leaders and key members of Congress and their senior staff on the issues impacting the ability of our members to support the homeland security mission. Activities include small group Meet & Greet Policy Discussions with members of Congress, Public Policy Lunches with senior committee staff, Industry-Government Homeland Security Receptions, and Congressional Testimony input on issues of concern to the Council membership.

Additional Council Benefits and Programs include:

  • A weekly News Roundup that features timely homeland security-specific news articles, reports, and relevant congressional and legislative activity. We also produce a monthly newsletter featuring recent Council programs and promoting upcoming activities.

  • An Annual Dinner is held during the holiday season where we honor two leading public officials with our Distinguished Service Award and our Government-Industry Engagement Award.

  • Members gather for our Annual Meeting to receive our Annual Report, review our programs, and provide input on our priorities.

ACCESS | INSIGHT | INFLUENCE