Tampa Security Summit 2027
February, 17-19
Join us at the forefront of security innovation,
where business acumen meets military expertise to forge a safer tomorrow.
2027 Tampa Security Summit
Please Join us February 17–19, 2027 for the Tampa Security Summit, an exclusive gathering of YPOers, spouses and our military guests.
The Summit kicks with an opening reception on Wednesday at 5:00pm followed by networking dinner at Mise en Place with our CENTCOM Coalition friends, military leaders, and global guests.
Thursday takes us onto MacDill Air Force Base (AFB), the campus of U.S Central Command and U.S. Special Operations Command, for briefings from CENTCOM and SOCOM leadership, paired with candid discussions on AI-driven weaponry, cyber strategy, and global security. Due to base restrictions, we need to cap the event to 100 YPOers/Guests. We’ll go to a waiting list after the 100 and clear it in early January.
Our co-chairs for the event are Admiral Eric Olson (US Navy retired) and Ben Eason, who bring in colleagues for the discussion. This event offers rare access to senior military, diplomatic, and intelligence leaders, and the chance to build deep connections with fellow YPOers from around the world.
This is a must-attend gathering for anyone serious about global leadership and security and curious about the world taking shape ahead. Register now. Our meeting hotel is the Hotel Haya and we have a $279 special rate at this link if you need a hotel.
We’re going to need driver’s licenses and/or passport information for base access as well.
Summit Meeting Organizers
Ben Eason
Leonard Johnson
David Reed, YPO Suncoast Gold
Mark Gordon, YPO Florida Gold
Steve Pistono, YPO Florida Gold
Mark Begelman, YPO Miami Gold
Clive Metz, YPO Caribbean At Large Gold
Kathy Feghali, YPO Northeast At Large Gold
Barry Alpert, YPO Suncoast Gold
Jim Bellas, YPO Suncoast Gold
For Registration, Click the Button Below
You will be redirected to the registration page where you can provide your personal information for MacDill AFB access on February 18, 2027,
and then pay for your registration.
Registration deadline December 31, 2026 or when we hit our cap of 100 people. We’ll go to a waiting list that we’ll clear by January 15th.
Registration is not refundable, but it can be transferred to somebody else until December 31, 2026
You May Also Donate for Supporting our Cause
Your donation will help us improving the quality of the Summit and 50% of your donations will be given to Special Operations Warrior Foundation who support the families of our fallen Special Warfare Operators.
Summit Objectives
Leadership Development
Enhance your leadership skills through specialized programs designed to elevate business acumen and ethical standards.
Civic Engagement
Foster a deeper understanding of civic responsibilities and democratic principles among business professionals and the public.
Military Collaboration
Bridge the gap between the business community and military institutions to promote mutual understanding and cooperation.
Summit Event Schedule
Opening Remarks
Location TBD
Wednesday, February 17, 2027
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Networking Dinner
Mise en Place Restaurant, Ybor City
Wednesday, February 17, 2027
7:00 PM - 9:00PM
Conference
Location TBD
Thursday, February 18, 2027
9:00 AM-1:00 PM
Morning sessions on modern warfare, cyber, AI-driven weaponry, and defense priorities.
Military Focus
MacDill AFB
Thursday, February 18, 2027
2:00 PM- 6:00 PM
Afternoon at U.S. Central Command (MacDill AFB) with briefings from senior military leadership of CENTCOM, SOCOM and representatives of theater commands around the globe.
Dinner
MacDill AFB
Thursday, February 18, 2027
6:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Evening dinner on base with reflections and informal conversations and the war story.
Conference
Hotel Haya, Ybor City
Friday, February 19, 2027
8:30 AM - 3:30 PM
(Breakfast 7:30 AM - 8:30 AM)
Morning discussions on global strategic competition with the US Centcom Coalition and invited guests.
What Our Attendees Say
“We live in a VERY complex world and this event did a remarkable job capturing both tactical and strategic geopolitical events captured in a non-partisan way through experts' eyes.”
Deeper understanding of Ukraine/Russia conflict and Russian mentality, perspective about Iran operations, NATO priorities, great input from liaison officers as usual, much better view of China-Taiwan threat...and growing concern re US military readiness (funding,speed of weapons development, weapons inventory, new nuclear arms race, etc)..
1. Overwhelmed by the caliber of presenters. A wide range of backgrounds, worldviews, skills, etc. What a learning experience.
2. I appreciate the candidness about it being a summit to hear from all perspectives. No agendas. A real intellectual meeting where big ideas can be discussed. We lack that in this day and age. Being included in a format like this was a tremendous educational opportunity and gift.
3. A bit on the side away from the formal event, I genuinely enjoyed meeting other YPO members. Great for networking too!
A glimpse of current state of our major adversaries and associated warfare from the perspective of our COCOM military leaders and engaged business leaders. It was a very informative summit
I have so many comments in mind, it’s hard to summarise in a few sentences. I appreciated the nuanced strategic discussions, getting to ask questions on such important topics where I have limited expertise, getting a sense of how our military operates and partners with allies, understanding and appreciating the complexities of our geopolitical situation, and meeting so many extraordinary military personnel.