MidAmerica Business Force Prospectus

BENS (Business Executives for National Security) is a national, non-partisan, nonprofit organization of senior business executives applying their expertise and leadership to the national security apparatus.  The organization is highly regarded for its’ proven record of using business skills and best practices to achieve measurable, demonstrable results.  It is well qualified and staffed to help address the terrorist threats that menace our nation. 

Business Executives for National Security has launched a MidAmerica Business Force to address Agricultural Biosecurity threats as a critical infrastructure component to Homeland Security issues. The MidAmerica Business Force is a unique government – academia – private sector partnership to address agricultural terrorism, and natural agricultural disasters. 

The BENS Business Force concept is strongly endorsed by Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge. The MidAmerica Business Force is strongly endorsed by Senator Pat Roberts (KS) and former Missouri Governor Bob Holden.  Initially the MidAmerica Business Force will work with the State of Missouri and State of Kansas, and expand to a MidAmerica presence. The Business Force effort will begin by developing operational capabilities that are best handled through a partnership between the public and private sectors. This effort compliments BENS uniqueness of serving as “citizen oversight” for preservation and protection of our national security apparatus.   

Programs: 

• Business Response Network (BRN): The BRN connects emergency management personnel to needed private sector resources (goods, services, equipment, volunteers) quickly and effectively during a catastrophic event. The BRN system uses a secured database available to emergency management through the internet. The Business Response Network (BRN) is an actionable database of private sector companies that would provide goods and/or services upon declaration of the Governor that a State of Emergency exists in the State. 
• Agricultural Community of Practice Portal: The Business Force is developing a knowledge management centered portal that brings government-academia-private sector participants together to provide solutions to Homeland Security challenges. 
• Business Preparedness and Response Committee: The Business Force has partnered with the Kansas City MidAmerica Regional Council to create a business committee to engage private sector organizations in the region’s homeland security efforts. 
• Midwest Agricultural Alliance: The Business Force partnered with the University of Missouri and Kansas State University to research emerging technology and its applications for agricultural terrorism counter measures. 

What’s in it for Business? 

• The MidAmerica Business Force provides our members with unmatched access to senior regional and national-level executives, organizations, and government leaders, providing companies a voice to contribute to, shape, and benefit from, Homeland Security policies, initiatives and programs. Furthermore, participation in the MidAmerica Business Force gives companies greater visibility in business opportunities that they may not be tracking. The Business Force enables better stewardship of a company’s funds and efforts into high priority, well managed programs that contribute directly to its own organization and the community at large.