From forging new connections in Bloomington to speaking directly with NSWC Crane leadership, Davidson is strengthening its commitment to the people and partnerships supporting the mission in Indiana.
Bloomington, IN – A week of mission-focused engagement in Indiana is underway, with Davidson bringing members of the region’s defense community together and laying the groundwork for partnerships.
On Monday, Aug. 3, Davidson Senior Program Manager Adam Buehler sponsored the D!NG C2M Happy Hour at Heartwork Brewing in Bloomington. Held the night before Crane Regional Defense Group’s quarterly Connect to Mission (C2M), the gathering created an informal setting for people from government, industry and academia to meet, exchange ideas and begin conversations that will continue throughout the week.
For Davidson, sponsoring the event represented more than placing the company’s name on a reception. It was an investment in the relationships and regional partnerships required to support complex national defense missions.
Those conversations continued Tuesday as Davidson made its first presentation at Connect to Mission, an ongoing series designed to give external partners insight into NSWC Crane’s mission areas, challenges, strategic direction and future requirements.
The forum also creates opportunities for transparent discussion, acquisition and contracting information, and direct engagement between Crane and organizations across the regional defense ecosystem.
Before an audience that included NSWC Crane leadership and members of the regional defense community, Davidson Director of Marketing and Communications Rikki Klaus and Buehler delivered joint remarks introducing Davidson’s history, capabilities and growing presence in Indiana.
Thirty years built around the mission
Davidson is new to the Connect to Mission stage as a 5-star member, but not to the work of national defense.
Founded in Huntsville, Alabama in 1996 by defense pioneers Dr. Julian Davidson and Dr. Dorothy Davidson, the company is celebrating 30 years of delivering advanced technical solutions in support of the warfighter.
“We’re dedicated to advanced technical solutions in defense of you, in defense of your parents, in defense of your colleagues, in defense of your kids,” Klaus told the audience.
She traced Davidson’s history to Julian Davidson’s foundational work in ballistic missile defense. A World War II veteran and the first director of the Advanced Ballistic Missile Defense Agency, Davidson contributed to several significant firsts, including early intercontinental ballistic missile and satellite intercept flight tests.
Following his death in 2013, Dorothy Davidson continued their work as Davidson’s CEO and board chair. An accomplished mathematician, systems engineer and defense-industry leader, she designed command-and-control systems and supported military programs in the United States and Europe.
Together, the Davidsons established a company grounded in technical rigor, service and a commitment to the people behind the mission.
Klaus brought that history into the present through Davidson’s Humans-in-the-Loop video series, created as part of the company’s 30th-anniversary celebration. The series introduces employees through the interests, experiences and talents that shape their lives beyond their technical roles—from wingsuit skydiving and snowmobiling to large-scale chalk art.
“Life at Davidson is all about caring for people and treating them well,” Klaus said. “We know our company would be nowhere without them.”
That emphasis on people provided the transition from Davidson’s company history to its growing role in Indiana.
A local presence within the Crane community
For Buehler, Davidson’s connection to Indiana is personal.
An Indiana native and Indiana University graduate, Buehler has lived in the region for about a decade and has worked in the Crane ecosystem for six years. He’s served in the military for 23 years, giving him firsthand experience with tools and systems developed and supported through Crane.
“I care deeply about this region and the success of everybody involved in what Crane is doing,” Buehler said.
Earlier this year, Davidson selected Buehler to lead the company’s growth efforts around Crane, develop new relationships and strengthen existing partnerships.
His role reflects Davidson’s broader approach to entering and supporting a regional mission community: begin with someone who understands the people, the work and the importance of being consistently present.
“I am very thankful that Davidson has invested in the Crane ecosystem, allowing my family and me to remain a part of this amazing community,” he said.
During his remarks, Buehler outlined areas in which Davidson’s existing capabilities align with Crane’s evolving needs, including artificial intelligence and decision support, quantum-enabled optimization, digital engineering, hardware and systems integration, systems engineering and secure microelectronics supply chains.
The purpose was not to suggest that Davidson arrived with predetermined answers. It was to introduce relevant experience, listen directly to Crane’s leadership and begin identifying where Davidson’s people and technologies could contribute responsibly.
Davidson’s team continued that work during focused matchmaking sessions with representatives from NSWC Crane divisions, industry organizations, academic institutions and regional small-business resources.
CRDG describes Connect to Mission as an opportunity for external partners to contribute to the NSWC Crane mission and notes that collaboration outside the installation is essential to Crane’s ability to deliver innovative sensor and weapon-system solutions to the warfighter.
For Davidson, that collaborative model begins with listening.
Where Davidson and Crane align
Although Davidson’s technical capabilities were an important part of the presentation, Buehler emphasized that one of the company’s strongest points of alignment with Crane is its investment in people.
“People are what matter,” he said. “They make products, they design innovative solutions and create revolutionary ways of doing things that fundamentally change the game.”
Technical systems do not develop, integrate or sustain themselves. Maintaining the nation’s competitive advantage requires people who care about the mission, understand the consequences of the work and are supported as they continue developing their skills.
“Taking care of people is an investment that costs money up front and pays huge dividends down the road,” Buehler said.
That philosophy connects Davidson’s employee-centered culture to a practical mission requirement. Complex national security challenges demand experienced teams, trusted relationships and organizations willing to invest for the long term.
Buehler described his own responsibility in direct terms: execute current work, establish new relationships, strengthen existing partnerships and assemble the best teams to address the difficult challenges facing the nation.
“The work is hard and requires trusted partners that understand what’s needed and have a proven track record of delivering,” he said.
From introductions to meaningful collaboration
Davidson’s D!NG gathering sponsorship and Connect to Mission participation represent two complementary parts of the company’s approach in Indiana.
The first is creating opportunities for people to connect across organizational and institutional boundaries.
The second is ensuring those introductions lead to substantive conversations about mission needs, technical challenges and the partnerships required to address them.
Davidson’s presence in Indiana will not be defined by a single presentation, reception or week of meetings. It will be built through continued engagement, strong performance and people like Buehler who understand the community and remain invested in its success.
Together, the week’s events reflect a deliberate approach to growth: support the regional defense community, listen directly to those closest to the mission and build relationships grounded in technical credibility and trust.
The conversations are not an endpoint. They’re part of Davidson’s continued effort to understand where its people, capabilities and partnerships can make a meaningful contribution to NSWC Crane and the mission it serves.
