3rd Annual Samuel Associates Halifax Citadel Reception

On October 3, 2023, hundreds of DEFSEC Atlantic 2023 attendees were treated to a one-of-a-kind evening program at the Halifax Citadel National Historic Site. Hosted by Samuel Associates for the third year in a row, this year’s iteration of the Citadel Reception has become the largest event of its kind to kick off the three-day aerospace and defence trade show.

Departing from downtown Halifax’s Sutton Place Hotel, guests were driven up the hill to the ramparts of the 18th-century British fortress via shuttle buses organized courtesy of the hosts. Alongside stunning views of the Halifax waterfront, they were welcomed with a networking reception sponsored by Amazon Web Services, the EXA Consulting Group, Millbrook First Nation and the Samuel Group of Companies.

The official program began with welcoming remarks and a formal land acknowledgement from Goran Samuel Pesic, Samuel Associates’ President & CEO, in line with the company’s commitments to reconciliation.

Jamie Baillie, Samuel Associates’ Managing Director for Atlantic Canada, followed up with a presentation of unique upcoming NATO-Canadian Industry engagements and conferences in Ottawa and Brussels organized annually by the Policy Insights Forum (PIF), a Samuel Group non-partisan, non-profit organization.

We extend special recognition to the Naval Reserves, celebrating a remarkable 100 years of service to Canada, our spotlighted charity The National Naval Reserve Monument Association (NNRMA), and the Halifax Citadel Society team for their hospitality.

Lastly, Samuel Associates’ Senior Political Associate Brian Macdonald closed the evening official program with a thank you to attendees for participating in the successful third iteration of the Halifax Citadel Reception. The event concluded with a unique musket firing program from the 78th Highland Regiment and 3rd Brigade Royal Artillery dressed in full 19th-century military regalia.

Samuel Associates wishes to once again express its appreciation to all those who contributed to making this year’s Citadel Reception a resounding success. Among the four hundred attendees were executives from the leading Canadian defence primes, prominent members of naval entities, Industry association leaders from ACADA, DEFSEC Atlantic 2023 organizers, and military representatives from various governments.

Local Halifax photographer Phoenix Sorrento brilliantly documented the event, capturing many memorable interactions. All the reception photos are accessible to attendees for marketing and social media sharing purposes.

For invitations to next year’s event or more information on the 3^rd Annual Samuel Associates Halifax Citadel Reception, please contact our team at info@samuel.associates.

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