4th Annual Samuel Group Halifax Citadel Reception

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On October 1, 2024, DEFSEC Atlantic 2024 attendees were welcomed to the historic the Halifax Citadel National Historic Site for the 4th Annual Samuel Group Halifax Citadel Reception. Hosted by Samuel Group of Companies for the fourth consecutive year, this event marked the official kickoff for the week of DEFSEC Atlantic 2024, a three-day aerospace and defence trade show, and was a resounding success.

With nearly 400 attendees and perfect weather, the evening was a memorable occasion filled with networking, meaningful connections, and an exceptional performance by the 78th Highlanders, whose musket firing demonstration captivated the audience. Against the backdrop of one of Canada’s most iconic landmarks, it was an evening to remember.

The official program began with welcoming remarks and a formal land acknowledgment by The Hon. Jamie Baillie, Managing Director, Atlantic at the Samuel Group. His words reaffirmed the company’s ongoing commitments to reconciliation.

Following Jamie, Samuel Group’s President & CEO, Goran Samuel Pesic, took the stage to present Samuel Group’s key partners, including  Atlantic Canada Aerospace & Defence Association (ACADA) and Canadian Defence Review (CDR). Goran recognized the event’s valued sponsors: Amazon Web Services (AWS) Canada,  ATMIS Advanced Manufacturing, and Quantum Valley Ideas Lab (QVIL).

Special mention was given to Victoria Belbin, CEO of ACADA, and Daniel Kitchen, Managing Editor at CDR, for their contributions.

Premier Industry Sponsor AWS Canada, represented by Col (ret’d) Dan McKinney, Defence Industry Lead, delivered a brief address about the significant work AWS and Amazon are doing to support veterans and the defence community by their commitment to hire and train veterans through various technology skills initiatives.

Goran then introduced sponsors, ATMIS and QVIL, who spoke about their innovative work. David Glover, Sales Business Development, represented Indigenous-owned ATMIS, who is leading indigenous participation in the Canadian defence ecosystem by providing their advanced manufacturing solutions. QVIL CEO Nick Werstiuk shared insights on QVIL’s contributions to the advancements of quantum and the commercialization of quantum products internationally.

A special recognition was extended to VETS Canada, the evening’s featured charity. Samuel Group’s Senior Defence Strategist, Vice-Admiral (Ret’d) Mark Norman, highlighted the importance of supporting veterans and briefly introduced the upcoming NATO-Private Sector Engagement (NPSE) program in Brussels and Luxembourg, organized annually by the Samuel Group’s non-partisan, not-for-profit, the Policy Insights Forum (PIF).

The evening concluded with a spectacular musket firing demonstration by the 78th Highland Regiment accompanied by the 3rd Brigade Royal Artillery, in full 19th-century military regalia. The performance, set against the historic backdrop of the Citadel, left a lasting impression on all attendees.

Once again, the event was expertly captured by local Halifax photographer Phoenix Sorrento, whose photos brilliantly documented the evening’s many memorable interactions. Attendees are encouraged to share the images on social media, with the full gallery available for marketing purposes.

For more information or to request an invitation to next year’s reception, please reach out to the Samuel Group team at info@samuelgroup.ca.