Ohio manufacturers looking to secure defense contracts will get practical guidance on breaking into the market during the inaugural meeting of the Ohio Manufacturers’ Association (OMA) Aerospace and Defense Policy Council on Wednesday, Nov. 18.

Ryan Blackburn of the Defense Innovation Unit’s OnRamp Hub in Ohio will discuss military procurement opportunities, while Brad Goodenough, founder of Digit3, will explain cybersecurity certification requirements. Additional sessions will tackle government contracting law, intellectual property protection and financial strategies.

“Ohio has the manufacturing strength to play a much larger role in our nation’s defense industrial base,” said James Lee, OMA managing director of public policy services. “We want to help companies cut through the complexity, understand the requirements and turn those opportunities into real business.”

The manufacturers-only meeting runs from 2 to 4:30 p.m. at The Boat House at Confluence Park in Columbus, followed by a reception and dinner at Tony’s Italian Ristorante. Register here. 10/28/2026