Michael-Bruno Hosts SAME Executive Director

The U.S. small business Michael-Bruno, LLC hosted SAME Executive Director, Brig. Gen. Joe Schroedel, USA (Ret) in their Naples, Italy office recently for an industry round-table that included companies from Bahrain, Djibouti and Italy.

“Our goal was to allow government contractors an opportunity to express their issues and concerns in a town-hall-like atmosphere as well as provide them with information on the benefits and developments of SAME,” says Michael Sedge, CEO of Michael-Bruno and former President of the SAME Naples Chapter. “For most of the company owners it was a one-of-a-kind encounter, knowing that a senior leader within the SAME organization would listen, take notes of their comments and show interest in their concerns.”

The Naples meeting was part of Brig. Gen. Schroedel’s tour to meet with military and industry leaders throughout the European theater and layout the 2020 SAME Strategic Plan put out in January.

“We have really been missing out on the big picture,” said Luciano Carpinteri, of the Italian company Edilizia Integrale, after the event. Being a member of SAME and participating in their activities can fill that gap for us.”

Mr. Valter Pecci, from COSMEZZ in Djibouti, noted that SAME is exactly what is needed in East Africa, as a conduit between industry and clients. The comment came at a timely moment during Schroedel’s trip, given that he and Sedge had meet with senior leaders of NAVFAC EURAFSWA the previous day and one of the questions they posed was how the organization might help put together an industry day in Djibouti.