MxD CEO Named to Reagan Institute Task Force on National Security and U.S. Manufacturing Base Competitiveness

Chandra Brown joins 15 other thought leaders to advise on the intersection of the industrial sector and national security

March 24, 2021 – MxD CEO Chandra Brown has been named to the Ronald Reagan Institute’s Center for Peace Through Strength’s newly launched Task Force on National Security and U.S. Manufacturing Base Competitiveness.

The bipartisan Task Force will explore the impact of recent economic developments on the strength of industrial sectors relevant to American national security. It will convene 16 prominent thought leaders, current and former public officials, and industry and financial sector executives.

“It is an incredible honor and responsibility to bring the perspective of MxD, the nation’s digital manufacturing institute and National Center for Cybersecurity in Manufacturing, to this task force,” said Ms. Brown. “The critical issues the task force is tackling are aligned with our own mission to give U.S. manufacturers the tools and expertise they need to increase their competitiveness, improve their cyber resiliency, and ensure they have a talent pipeline for current and future skills needs.”

The Task Force is co-chaired by Marillyn Hewson, former Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer of the Lockheed Martin Corporation, and David McCormick, Chief Executive Officer of Bridgewater Associates and former Undersecretary of the Treasury for International Affairs. Reagan Institute Policy Director Rachel Hoff will manage the work of the Task Force.

The Task Force will receive briefings from subject matter experts and discuss the following five areas of study:

  1. Improving Productivity with Technology
  2. Investing Public and Private Capital
  3. Building the Workforce of the Future
  4. Leveraging Global Partnerships
  5. Setting the Rules and Standards

The Reagan Institute will release the final report of the Task Force ahead of the Reagan National Defense Forum in December 2021, detailing findings and recommendations that will ensure the United States is prepared to meet the challenges of the 21 century from a position of strength.

The full list of Task Force members includes:

  • Ms. Marillyn Hewson | Former Chairman, President, & Chief Executive Officer, Lockheed Martin Corporation (Co-Chair)
  • Mr. David McCormick | CEO, Bridgewater Associates, and Former Undersecretary for International Affairs, U.S. Department of Treasury (Co-Chair)
  • Ms. Chandra Brown | CEO, MxD, and Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Manufacturing, U.S. Department of Commerce
  • Mr. Dan Bryant | Senior Vice President for Global Public Policy & Government Affairs, Walmart Inc., and Former Assistant Attorney General, U.S. Department of Justice
  • Dr. Andrew Erdmann | Chief Operating Officer, State of Missouri
  • Rep. Mike Gallagher | U.S. Representative, Wisconsin, and Captain (Ret.), U.S. Marine Corps
  • Dr. Katy George | Senior Partner, McKinsey & Company
  • Mr. Raanan Horowitz | President & CEO, Elbit America
  • Rep. Chrissy Houlahan | U.S. Representative, Pennsylvania, and Captain (Ret.), U.S. Air Force
  • Mr. John May || Founder and Managing Partner, CORE Industrial Partners
  • Rep. Michael McCaul | Ranking Member, House Foreign Affairs Committee, and U.S. Representative, Texas
  • Mr. Matthew Pottinger | Distinguished Visiting Fellow, Hoover Institution, and Former U.S. Deputy National Security Advisor
  • Mr. Robert Simmons | Vice President of Defense, Space & Security, Boeing Government Operations, and Former Staff Director, U.S. House Armed Services Committee
  • Rep. Elissa Slotkin | U.S. Representative, Michigan, and Former Analyst, U.S. Central Intelligence Agency
  • Ms. Kathy Wengel | Executive Vice President & Chief Global Supply Chain Officer, Johnson & Johnson
  • Ms. Maggie Wilderotter | Board Chairman, DocuSign, and Former Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, Frontier Communications

For more information about the working group, including the full report, visit http://www.reaganfoundation.org/ManufacturingTaskForce.

About MxD
MxD (Manufacturing x Digital) is where innovative manufacturers go to forge their futures. In partnership with the Department of Defense, MxD equips U.S. factories with the digital tools, cybersecurity, and workforce expertise needed to begin building every part better than the last. As a result, our more than 300 partners increase their productivity, win more business and strengthen U.S. manufacturing.

About the Reagan Foundation and Institute
The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute is the nonprofit organization created by President Reagan himself and specifically charged by him with continuing his legacy and sharing his principles – individual liberty, economic opportunity, global democracy, and national pride. The Foundation is a non-partisan organization which sustains the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum in Simi Valley, CA, the Reagan Center for Public Affairs, the Presidential Learning Center, The Air Force One Pavilion, and the award-winning Discovery Center, as well as the Reagan Institute, which carries out the Foundation’s work in Washington, D.C.