Theme 1
“Building Trust Through Authentic Leadership”
While structure provides formal authority, genuine influence is earned through character, consistency, and clear communication. Speakers will explore how balancing confidence with humility creates the deep credibility required for true team cohesion.
Keynote Speaker:
ADM Sandy Winnefeld
Admiral Sandy Winnefeld served as the ninth Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from 2011-2015. As the nation’s number two ranking military officer, his portfolios included investment, personnel, strategy, policy, and operations, as well as participation as a member of the Deputies Committee of the National Security Council.
He began his naval service as a fighter pilot, flying the F-14 Tomcat during several deployments to the Arabian Gulf region, and serving as an instructor at the Navy Fighter Weapons School, also known as Topgun. During this period he also was senior aide to General Colin L. Powell.
After squadron command, he graduated first in his class from the Navy’s nuclear power school and subsequently commanded USS CLEVELAND and then USS ENTERPRISE during our nation’s response to the terror attacks of 9/11. Later he simultaneously commanded NATO Joint Command Lisbon, Striking and Support Forces NATO, and the United States SIXTH Fleet. After serving as the Joint Staff Director of Strategic Plans and Policy, he assumed command of United States NORTHERN Command and the North American Aerospace Defense Command, also known as NORAD.
A frequently published author, he currently serves as Distinguished Professor at the Sam Nunn School International Affairs at Georgia Tech, where he is also a member of the Engineering Hall of Fame. He is also a senior non-resident fellow at the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs of the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.
Admiral Winnefeld graduated with High Honor from Georgia Tech in Aerospace Engineering and received his commission through the NROTC program.
Panelists:
Mr. Robin Dreeke
Robin Dreeke is a U.S. Naval Academy graduate (Class of 1992) and former Marine Corps officer who went on to spend more than 20 years in the FBI as a counterintelligence special agent. He recruited and handled high-value sources and later served as Chief of the Counterintelligence Behavioral Analysis Program, where he conducted high-stakes operations, trained agents and leaders to read people accurately and build trust under pressure.
He is the author of The Code of Trust, Sizing People Up, It's Not All About Me, and Unbreakable Alliances, and the instructor of the MasterClass Become the Person Everyone Trusts. His work is practical, not theoretical: how to earn honesty, judge trustworthiness, and build alliances when the stakes are high. The through-line of his career is trust.
Mr. Erik Kapitulik
Eric Kapitulik was born and raised in Thompson, Ct and attended the United States Naval Academy. While there, he was a four-year varsity letter winner and played on three NCAA Division I Lacrosse Tournament teams. He graduated in 1995 and served as both an Infantry Officer and Special Operations Officer with the 1st Force Reconnaissance Company, 1st Marine Division. As a Force Reconnaissance Platoon Commander, Eric led 20 covert operations specialists in Special Forces-related missions, including long-range reconnaissance patrols, hostage rescue, high-altitude jump exercises, ship takeovers, and gas-oil platform takedowns. He left active duty after eight years of service and graduated from the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business in 2005.
Eric is an ultra-endurance athlete and an avid high-altitude mountaineer. He has completed numerous marathons, the Canadian Death Race Ultra Marathon, and eight Ironman Triathlons, a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike ride, and marathon race. He has summated five of the fabled 7 Summits, the tallest peaks on each of the seven continents, including Mt. Everest. He is theFounder and CEO of The Program Leadership LLC, a leadership development company that works with corporations and leading collegiate and professional athletic teams throughout North America.
Mr. Bob Kuberski
Bob Kuberski is a Financial Planner with CREATIVE financial group, where he and his team specialize in helping individuals, families and their businesses solidify their financial futures. Bob’s investment background began in 1996, subsequent to his time as a naval officer, when he joined Associated Investments in Green Bay, WI after his rookie NFL season with the Green Bay Packers.
He then went on to work as a financial advisor at Morgan Stanley for the remainder of his NFL career before spending the intervening years guiding financial advisors and their clients while at Invesco, Ridgeworth Investments, Eaton Vance and Cohen & Steers. He holds FINRA Series 7, Series 24, Series 63, Series 65, and SIE certifications.
Bob is a proud graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and holds a BS in Political Science. He remains actively involved as an alumnus, serving as President of his class, Secretary of the U.S. Naval Academy Council of Class Presidents, and a Trustee for the U.S. Naval Academy Alumni Association Athletic & Scholarship Programs. In addition to his financial expertise, Bob is enshrined in the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame, the Navy Sports Hall of Fame and as a member of the All-Time team at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium for both his collegiate career and his five-year NFL career, including a Super Bowl XXXI victory with the Green Bay Packers in 1996. Bob believes his greatest accomplishment in life is marrying his wife and raising their family together.
He is a member of the Union League and the Delaware County Chamber of Commerce. In his spare time, he enjoys boating, fishing, marksmanship, reading, and spending time with family and friends. He resides in Delaware County, PA, with his wife, Janet, and is the proud father of three grown daughters: Brooke, Brynne, and Bridgit.
https://www.1creative.com/advisors/bob-kuberski/
