Speakers

Albert Garza, GSA  (U.S. General Services Administration)

Albert Garza has been involved in government procurement at both the federal and local levels for 35 years.  He started with the General Services Administration (GSA) as a Presidential Management Intern in 1988, and held a variety of positions with GSA's Federal Acquisition Service in Fort Worth and San Diego.  In 2000, he became an economic development specialist and then contract officer for the City of San Antonio's Economic Development Department.  In 2007, he returned to GSA as a Small Business Specialist located in Fort Worth.

Ronald Hobbs, Tinker AFB Small Business Office

​​Ronald Hobbs​ is ​the Director of Small Business​ at ​Air Force Sustainment Center, Tinker AFB, Oklahoma​. He leads the Small Business Directorate, which is charged with maximizing small business participation, liaison with the Small Business Administration, industry outreach, source development, and internal and external education on small business matters.

“My goal is to connect your capabilities to AFSC requirements at the speed of relevancy. In order to achieve CSAF Action Order to Accelerate Change or Lose, we must think outside the box to realize the Art of the Possible results expected by our nation’s citizenry”

Ronald began his Federal Service in Jan 2006 at Tinker AFB Oklahoma. He initially started as a Senior Avionics Technician for the 550th Commodities Maintenance Squadron after being Honorably Discharged from the Air Force in Dec 2004. He then transitioned to the Acquisition Career field through the Defense Career Internship Program. During this time, he received Level III Contracting and Level I Program Management Acquisition certifications. As a Contracting Officer and Supervisor he supported multiple contracting organizations to include Supply Chain, Maintenance Support, Contractor Logistics Support, and Propulsion Contracting organizations. Further, prior to his last assignment he served as the Alternative Competition Advocate and Acquisition Support Chief for the Contracting Directorate at Tinker AFB. Prior to his current position, Ronald was the Chief for the F100, TF33, and T56 Engine Supply Chain Contracting.

Brent Haken, Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education

Brent Haken became the ninth state director of the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education in January 2023. Haken was in his fourth year as superintendent of Morrison Public Schools when he was named state director of ODCTE. Before Haken was named superintendent he served in several capacities in Morrison, including agricultural education instructor, elementary assistant principal, special education director, high school principal and testing coordinator. He was an agricultural education instructor in Wellston, Stillwater and Morrison, Oklahoma prior to becoming an administrator in Morrison. Haken received the 2022 Superintendents Chairman’s Award from the Oklahoma Youth Expo and was the Oklahoma Association of Superintendents District 4 Superintendent of the Year for 2022. He is a member of the Oklahoma State Professional Education Council and the Cooperative Council for Secondary Administrators. He has been a member of the Oklahoma Career Technology Master Teacher Committee, the National Association of Agriculture Educators and the Association of Career Technical Educators and served on the board and as vice president of the Oklahoma Agriculture Education Teachers Association. Haken earned a master’s degree in educational leadership from the University of Central Oklahoma and a bachelor’s degree in agricultural education from Oklahoma State Universit

Berbon Hamilton

Projects Manager with Osage Nation.  Mr. Hamilton is an enrolled member of the Osage Nation and has been with Osage, LLC since 2022.  Mr. Hamilton received his bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with an Emphasis in Management from Haskell Indian Nations University in Lawrence, Kansas. Haskell Indian Nations University is a 4-year accredited Tribal University under the Bureau of Indian Education founded in 1884.  Mr. Hamilton also holds a diploma from the Tuck School of Business, Dartmouth University in Building a High Performing Native American Business. Hamilton is a graduate of SBA e200, Emerging Leaders Initiative hosted by the U.S. Small Business Administration Oklahoma District Office. Mr. Hamilton is married to Haley Buzzard and resides in Catoosa, Oklahoma. Together they have 5 children, LB, Noah, Kiana, Harley, and Foster...

Gerald Lewis

Management & Program Analyst, Small Business Development Program Office (AAP-20),Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center (MMAC), Oklahoma City, OK.

Gerald is a Sr. Management & Program Analyst for the FAA Small Business Development Program Office (AAP-20) located at FAA Headquarters, in Washington, D.C. Gerald has more than forty (40) years of federal procurement experience all with the FAA. He started his career with the FAA in 1969 as High School Student Aid for the FAA Eastern Regional Headquarters, Administrative Services Division, located at JFK International Airport, Jamaica, New York. From 1973 to 1984 he worked in the Purchasing Branch (AEA-55) of the FAA Eastern Regional Headquarters as a Procurement Clerk, Purchasing Agent, and Contract Specialist.

In the fall of 1984, Gerald accepted a position with the FAA Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center (MMAC) in Oklahoma City, as a Procurement Analyst in the MMAC Office of Acquisition (AMQ). In 1985 he was promoted to the position of Contract Negotiator, and in 1988 to a Sr. Contract Specialist position. In January 1995 he was promoted to the Small Business Development Program Manager (AMQ-3) for the Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center. On 9/25/11, Gerald was promoted to his current position, Sr. Management and Program Analyst for the Small Business Development Program Office (AAP-20). The Small Business Development Program Office establishes the FAA-wide small business goals and objectives, develops agency small business program policy and guidance, maintains and creates mechanisms for monitoring and evaluating goal accomplishments and program effectiveness directed at ensuring small and disadvantaged business participation in the FAA's procurement programs.

Kellye Johnson

Kellye Johnson is a Kansas native but currently resides in Oklahoma. She is a graduate of Langston University where she obtained a Bachelors in Sociology. Her MBA with emphasis in Accounting was acquired from the University of Phoenix in 2005. Kellye comes to ODOT from a 14 year career in Finance and Higher Ed. Her experience as an adjunct teacher and her love for community service will assist her in her new position as the DBE Supportive Services Coordinator. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, dancing, gaming, writing, spending time with her huge extended family and designing trendy clothing. 
 
Kellye is excited about the mission of ODOT and hopes to assist disadvantaged businesses in expanding their demographic reach and organizational profiles.

Lana Knott

Lana Knott has recently become the Program Manager for the OkAPEX program at the OK Department of Careertech. She was born and raised in the Great State of Oklahoma in the small town of Afton. She’s a product of our system graduating from the administrative assistant program at NE Tech and then coming to OSU to complete a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management. Go Pokes! 

She started working for the OK Department of Careertech as an administrative assistant and progressed into the OBAN group as a government document specialist. Eventually she worked her way to Customer Service Manager and Adult Ed Financial Analyst. She is very excited about getting to work with Oklahoma’s businesses and help Oklahomans be successful in the workplace and in life.

In her spare time, she enjoys riding horses and competing in play days, being with her husband as he team ropes, and loving the grandma life with her seven littles all under 5.

Aaron Collins

Aaron Collins was named Superintendent by the Metro Technology Centers Board of Education in June of 2020. Under his guidance, the activities of the district have brought Metro Tech to the forefront of statewide educational leaders. Mr. Collins is passionate about equity in education, quality career training and lifelong learning.

Prior to his appointment at Metro Tech, he spent two decades in education serving as a teacher, coach, administrator and most recently as superintendent at Fulton County Schools in Kentucky where he worked extensively in workforce development.

Oklahoma City holds a special place in Mr. Collins’ heart. He completed his student teaching at Millwood Middle School, graduated from Oklahoma Christian University with a bachelor’s degree in 1999 and received the School of Education’s Distinguished Alumni Award in 2014. He has a Master’s and Education Specialist degree in Instructional Leadership from Tennessee Technological University.

Mr. Collins is a United States Air Force veteran who served as a Health Services Management Support Specialist in Operation Desert Shield and Storm. In his spare time, he enjoys jogging, playing basketball and traveling with his family. He and his wife Chanelle have four children: Caleb, Daniel, Abigail and Lydia.  

Greg Weber

Gregory is a Senior Associate Attorney at Koprince McCall Pottroff LLC. Greg’s practice area covers a wide variety of issues pertaining to federal government contracts law. When tackling issues for clients, Greg relies on his experience in complex federal and state regulatory matters to help clients navigate the intricate web of federal government contracts law and its administrative processes. He also uses his skills in research, communication, and drafting to provide clients with clear and concise solutions for many of their varied needs in several areas of government contracts litigation, including GAO bid protests and SBA size and status protests.  He is also a regular contributor to the government contracting blog SmallGovCon.

Jaime Hough

Jaime serves as the Statewide Outreach Coordinator for OK Catalyst and in this role helps connect innovators in the OK entrepreneurial ecosystem to funding resources available through the SBIR/STR programs. Jaime earned her PhD in American Studies from Purdue University.

AJ Rosenthal

AJ Rosenthal is a seasoned professional with over 25 years of experience in engineering and business development. He is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of General Genomics, Inc. (GGI), an AI-informed predictive analytics company specializingin biosciences, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, and national security based in Oklahoma City, OK. His career includes variousleadership roles such as President & CEO, Vice President of Business Development, and Chairman of the Board. Before transitioning to the private sector, AJ had a distinguished military career as a Navy Nuclear Engineer, serving for eight years with multiple wartime tours in the Persian Gulf on the USS Enterprise CVN-65.

AJ’s academic credentials are equally impressive. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Nuclear Engineering Technology from Thomas Edison State University, a Master of Business Administration in Finance from the University of Arizona Global Campus, and a Graduate Certificate in Leadership from the University of Notre Dame's Mendoza College of Business.

He has also earned a Certificate of Distinguished Honor for his mentorship at Cornell University’s College of Engineering, underscoring his dedication to continuous learning and leadership. Throughout his career, AJ has been passionate about solving complex challenges in the field of biotechnology. His extensive experience in new business development, project planning, and artificial intelligence has equipped him with the skills necessary to lead innovative projects and drive strategic growth. Under his leadership, General Genomics Inc. is poised to make significant contributions, leveraging cutting-edge artificial intelligence technology to address some of the most pressing datacentric problems for living organisms.

AJ Rosenthal’s journey from military service to AI is a testament to his adaptability, leadership, and unwavering commitment to excellence. His diverse experiences and accomplishments reflect a career dedicated to both service and innovation, making him a respected leader in his field. AJ continues to push the boundaries of what is possible, driven by a passion to make a meaningful impact.

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