The National Veteran Business Development Council (NVBDC) and the MVO Task Force made a powerful impact at RES 2025: Reservation Economic Summit – Beyond Boundaries, held March 9-13, 2025, at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.
NVBDC Board Members LTC (ret) Kathy Poynton and MAJ (ret) Annette Stevenson proudly represented the organization in partnership with Jason Palmer, Executive Director of the National Native American Supplier Council (NNASC) and an MVO Task Force partner. Together, they hosted Booth #607, which remained busy throughout the three-day trade show:
With over 500 vendor booths spread across two floors, NVBDC stood out as a leader in veteran business certification and collaboration. Interest in certification and supplier diversity was strong, resulting in a significant number of new prospects and connections.
A key highlight of RES 2025 was the panel discussion, “Unlocking the Power of Supplier Diversity Through Certification”. Annette Stevenson represented NVBDC as a panelist alongside:
- Moderator: Anna Bruty, Partner, Peebles Bergin Law Firm
- Jason Booth, Principal, Windward Engineers & Consultants
- Trevor Boylston, Supplier Diversity Manager, Boston Scientific
- Jason Palmer, Executive Director, NNASC
The panel discussion was well attended and well received, drawing 32 engaged participants. The discussion highlighted how dual certifications—such as those from NVBDC and NNASC—can unlock supplier diversity opportunities across sectors, and emphasized the growing importance of certified Native and veteran-owned businesses in federal and corporate procurement.
NVBDC was also invited to an exclusive networking reception hosted by Peebles Bergin at the Ole Red Las Vegas rooftop bar, providing further opportunities to connect with Jason Palmer, his board, and our valued corporate partner Boston Scientific.
Following the summit, Jason Palmer shared a message of appreciation and optimism:
“Thank you very much for your outstanding support, leadership, and active participation during RES 2025. It was a pleasure to collaborate with you and the NVBDC team in Las Vegas. Thank you to Kathy for the incredible event summary; it was exceptionally thorough and helpful. Thank you to Annette for representing NVBDC on the supplier diversity panel, sharing valuable insights, and contributing significantly to its success. I greatly appreciate the commitment and time you both dedicated to working the tradeshow alongside me. I appreciate you sharing your insights with me and hope NVBDC sees some new applicants from the show.”
— Jason Palmer, Executive Director, NNASC
He added:
“One of NNASC’s primary goals is to develop and host an annual event in the Midwest—likely in Michigan—that grows in scale and significance to mirror the success and impact of RES. We genuinely look forward to learning from NVBDC’s leadership and experience as we move toward realizing this ambition.”
The momentum and connections from RES 2025 affirm the importance of NVBDC’s continued presence at this summit. NVBDC’s collaboration with NNASC and participation in such a dynamic event furthers its mission of supporting veteran entrepreneurs while building lasting bridges with Native-owned businesses and corporate partners alike.
NVBDC thanks everyone who visited Booth #607 and looks forward to seeing many of you again next year—and at future events across the country.
Learn more at nvbdc.org
Connect with the MVO Task Force at nvbdctaskforce.org
