ELIZABETHTOWN, Ky. – The Knox Regional Development Alliance (KRDA) launched its capital campaign to fund the organization through 2030 during its recent annual meeting of investors. The non-profit, funded through private and public sector investments, is the only organization dedicated to promoting and protecting Fort Knox and growing the defense sector economy in the region.

Luke Schmidt, a Hardin County native and CEO of L.B. Schmidt and Associates, is co-chairing the KRDA capital campaign with Marilyn Ford, KRDA’s outgoing board chair and City President of Kentucky’s Heartland Region for WesBanco. During the meeting, Schmidt encouraged the assembled investors to continue their support of KRDA.

According to Schmidt, the campaign’s goal is to secure $2.25 million in pledges to fund five years of operations beginning in 2026. Schmidt spoke of the importance of Fort Knox and having an organization like KRDA, proactively working to protect its tremendous impact on our regional economy.

“For more than a century, Fort Knox has fueled this region’s economy and helped us weather global economic downturns better than most,” Schmidt said. “Fort Knox’s $1.3 billion in annual payroll and $5.6 billion in annual economic impact are second to none in this region. It is imperative we do all we can as a community to promote it, protect it and grow defense-related business in the region. KRDA has been doing that now for almost a decade with great success.”

Schmidt pointed to several indicators of success since KRDA was established – most notably that Fort Knox’s annual payroll and annual economic impact have more than doubled.

In addition, the post has gained several new missions, including V Corps Headquarters, the Command Assessment Program (CAP), and a new three-star headquarters in Recruiting Command. These three missions alone have brought nearly 1,000 new jobs.

“The KRDA team always credits the leadership of Fort Knox and its dedicated workforce for putting the installation in a position to gain these missions, as they should. But we also know that KRDA’s advocacy, our community’s support, and the region’s overall quality of place make Fort Knox more competitive when these opportunities arise,” said Schmidt. “Competition for new missions is high and KRDA helps make sure we do all we can as a community to position the installation for continued growth.”

KRDA CEO retired Colonel Lance O’Bryan knows first-hand the importance of community support.  In his last assignment before retirement, O’Bryan was the Fort Knox Garrison Commander. This assignment is comparable to that of a mayor or city manager.

“This community helps set the installation apart from others,” O’Bryan said. “Whether it’s limiting encroachment, providing career opportunities to military spouses and transitioning service members, or fostering partnerships that are mutually beneficial to the community and the installation, we want to be the very best.”

O’Bryan also spoke about the potential for another round of Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) or mission changes associated with the new federal administration’s government efficiency efforts. 

“Because of the installation’s capacity, energy resilience and security, we consider Fort Knox well-suited for growth,” said O’Bryan. “But it’s imperative we have the resources in place to mount a strong advocacy effort in the event the federal government decides to move in this direction. We also regularly share the Fort Knox story with stakeholders and decisionmakers at all levels of government to help keep Fort Knox top of mind. “

Schmidt called KRDA the go-to community organization for all things Fort Knox, emphasizing that its operations and grassroots funding model serves as a national example for defense community organizations. He also commended KRDA’s strong fiscal oversight.

“I have served on several boards and can honestly say I have never seen a level of financial stewardship like that of KRDA. They run a lean operation and it’s tremendous what they have accomplished,” said Schmidt. “I had the privilege of chairing their last capital campaign and am proud to co-chair this campaign with Marilyn.”

During the meeting, O’Bryan also thanked the current board and investors for their support. 

“Thanks to our investors, we are able to dedicate ourselves fully to our mission each and every day,” he said.

In closing the annual meeting, Marilyn Ford explained why Wesbanco supports KRDA.

“Investing in KRDA is an investment in the future of our community,” said Ford. “Their efforts ensure that Fort Knox remains a strong economic engine for our region, creating jobs and driving growth. The return on investment is clear—supporting KRDA means supporting economic stability and opportunity for businesses and families alike.”

To learn more about KRDA, their mission, and how to participate in the capital campaign, visit growknox.org.

GRINNELL, Iowa (January 31, 2025) – Crow Shooting Supply has officially rebranded to Crow Wholesale, marking a significant milestone in its history. This transformation reflects the company’s continued growth and commitment to delivering exceptional value and service to its customers. Alongside this rebrand, Crow Wholesale has launched a new website designed to provide a seamless and efficient shopping experience tailored to the needs of its partners.

According to Shawn McGuire, VP of Sales, “This isn’t just a new name—it’s a new era for us. We’ve listened to customer feedback and built a modern online platform to make running their businesses simpler and more efficient.”

The new website offers several improved features, including a mobile-friendly design that ensures a seamless shopping experience on any device.

Better Account Tools: Users can quickly access account summaries and order history and manage invoices all in one place.

Easier Shopping Features: The platform includes wish list capabilities and an intuitive browsing experience.

Comprehensive Support: A quick-start video is available to guide users through logging in and exploring the platform’s new features.

Despite these changes, the company’s dedication to quality, excellent service, and customer success remains steadfast.

crowwholesale.com

SAN DIEGO – 27 January 2025 – For more than 30 years, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) has invented, innovated and delivered disruptive new defense technologies in support of the United States and its allies, redefining the future of global security in the process. This position as the world leader in unmanned aerial systems gives us unique insights into the policy and regulatory challenges America faces when adopting revolutionary new capabilities and technologies.

We remain a vocal advocate for reform within the U.S. defense acquisition system and support recent calls for ideas and engagement on the topic. To further this dialogue, GA-ASI recently submitted a letter to the new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) outlining several steps we believe to be instrumental in reformation efforts.

A copy of that letter is provided below, to generate additional public discussion on the current state of operations and the path forward.

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24 January 2025

Dear Mr. Musk,

This is an exciting time in Washington, DC and across the nation.  General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI), the leader in unmanned aerial systems, is eager to work with the DOGE on the important task of reforming defense acquisition to enhance its efficiency and contribution to national security.  GA-ASI, an industry upstart and disruptor, led the world in the design and development of unmanned aerial vehicles, and touched off a revolution in military affairs.  All of this was accomplished despite significant friction and resistance from the establishment. We continue to feel this resistance as we seek to break new ground with technologies that will ensure the U.S. and allied forces maintain a decisive operational edge in an increasingly dangerous world. 

We propose to apply our decades of experience with defense acquisition to address the policies, procedures, and organizational oddities that hinder timely delivery of critical capabilities to warfighters. Within GA-ASI’s own export market, poor US Government (USG) policy and sluggish bureaucratic decision-making has opened the door for competitors like China, Turkey, and Israel to win important international customers. Sales lost to these competitors while we waited on some USG action means less funding available for re-investment into R&D and modernized manufacturing infrastructure. 

Bold leadership is needed.  Past reform efforts, often supervised by the very organizations most in need of reform, have failed.  DOGE has the potential to drive meaningful change, and we are ready to help where we can.

As you search for efficiencies within the USG’s defense acquisition system, let me flag a few areas that deserve special attention.  We can provide more detailed descriptions and recommendations upon request.

Delays: Use available authorities to expedite acquisitions, prioritizing warfighter needs over obsession with process. Special rules and processes exist to speed acquisition. But they aren’t used frequently enough and are often modified over time to conform with standard, slower processes.  The USG could accelerate larger system acquisitions simply by setting time limits on DoD milestones to ensure that the period between “requirements definition” and “initial operating capability” (IOC) does not exceed five years.

Buck-passing: Establish accountability within the U.S. Foreign Military Sales (FMS) system, in which execution is fragmented across the Department of State, multiple DoD agencies, and the military services, with none of them able to direct the others. Nobody is ultimately accountable for achieving or failing to achieve the administration’s strategic objectives related to selling defense articles to allies.  Accountability can be achieved through clear lines of authority and responsibility, time limits for decision-making, and a modern IT system to track the distribution and expenditure of billions of dollars (entirely funded by foreign customers) in the US FMS administrative fund account.

Self-shackling: Reform the U.S. interpretation of the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) to focus on missile technology tied to weapons of mass destruction rather than UAS. Today, the antiquated MTCR interpretation ties the USG’s hands even on straightforward export programs which enjoy bipartisan support. We should counter the unfair market advantages gained by foreign suppliers not subject to self-imposed MTCR limitations. Further, we must objectively balance the prioritization of technology security with that of arming allies and partners (using their own money!) for future conflicts and increased burden-sharing.

We look forward to collaborating with you in your important new role.

Sincerely,

Linden Blue

Chief Executive Officer

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc.