Business Executives for National Security

What Business Executives for National Security does

Business Executives for National Security (BENS) is a nonpartisan 501(c)(3) nonprofit, founded in 1982 by Stanley A. Weiss, that operates as the primary private-sector bridge to the U.S. national security community. Its core product is an invitation-based membership network of approximately 450 CEO/C-Suite executives who contribute business expertise pro bono through advisory projects, roundtables, executive travel delegations, mentorship, and thought leadership. Services are delivered at no cost to government partners - including the Department of Defense, Department of State, Department of Homeland Security, Department of the Treasury, the Central Intelligence Agency, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, U.S. Combatant Commands, and NATO Strategic Commands - and the organization explicitly does not accept government funding.

BENS has no proprietary technology platform; its "platform" is relational, anchored by 40+ years of bilateral trust with senior government leaders and reinforced by a Distinguished Senior Fellows bench of retired four-star generals and admirals, an Ambassador's Council, and a Stanley A. Weiss Internship pipeline. The organization structures its work around four campaign areas: Homeland Resilience and Response, Strengthening Supply Chains, Mobilizing Private Capital, and Geopolitical and Economic Insights, with content distributed through a Substack publication (The BENS Lens), reports and practitioner recommendations, and a national footprint of seven regional offices (Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, New York, Silicon Valley, and Washington D.C. Metro).

The revenue model is member-funded and member-driven. Primary funding comes from membership contributions and donations, supplemented by a structured planned-giving program (the Stanley A. Weiss Legacy Society) accepting bequests, charitable remainder trusts, charitable gift annuities, and donor-advised fund designations. Strict ethics prohibit lobbying and business development, members participate in their individual capacity, and membership dues are not publicly disclosed. The organization carries a 4-Star Charity Navigator rating (2025) and a Candid Platinum Seal of Transparency (2025).

Name

Business Executives for National Security

Legal name

Business Executives for National Security

Website

https://bens.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1982

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Business Executives for National Security (BENS) is a nonpartisan 501(c)(3) nonprofit, founded in 1982, that connects a 450-member network of CEO/C-Suite executives with U.S. national security leaders through advisory projects, executive travel, and thought leadership, funded by member contributions and provided at no cost to government.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

National Security Advisory Services

NAICS

Professional Organizations (81392)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Executive Leadership & C-Suite Development (EDABAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Executive Leadership Summits (C-Suite, Board, Strategy Offsites) (THAHAMAA)

Keywords

• National security advisory
• Nonprofit consulting services
• Executive membership programs
• Public-private partnerships
• Defense consulting services

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Contributions and Donations: BENS is funded through membership contributions and donations from business executives. Government funding is not accepted. The organization operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit providing services at no cost to the government.
2. Planned Giving and Legacy Gifts: BENS accepts planned gifts including bequests, charitable remainder trusts, charitable gift annuities, and donor-advised fund designations as part of the Stanley A. Weiss Legacy Society.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Business Executives for National Security (BENS) is a nonpartisan 501(c)(3) nonprofit membership organization that connects elite business executives with senior U.S. national security leaders. It organizes four campaign areas—Homeland Resilience and Response, Strengthening Supply Chains, Mobilizing Private Capital, and Geopolitical and Economic Insights—delivered through membership events, executive travel delegations, targeted projects, mentorship, thought leadership reports, and publications.

Product overview

Business Executives for National Security (BENS) is a nonpartisan nonprofit membership organization that serves as a bridge between private sector business leaders and the national security community. BENS does not offer a technology platform or software product; rather, it provides a suite of engagement services including an elite membership program with access to events, roundtables, executive travel delegations, mentorship, and targeted projects. The organization also produces thought leadership through The BENS Lens Substack publication, reports and practitioner recommendations, and runs programs such as the Distinguished Senior Fellows initiative and the Stanley A. Weiss Internship. BENS organizes its work around four campaign areas: Homeland Resilience and Response, Strengthening Supply Chains, Mobilizing Private Capital, and Geopolitical and Economic Insights. The portfolio is fundamentally service-oriented rather than product-based, focused on connecting private sector expertise with government security priorities at no cost to the government.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The BENS Lens: A Substack publication providing exclusive national security insights and perspectives delivered directly to subscribers.
• Stanley A. Weiss Legacy Society
• Eisenhower Awards
• Commission on the National Response Enterprise (CNRE)

Products and services

• BENS Membership Program Elite membership program connecting qualified business executives with senior national security leaders through exclusive events, roundtables, travel programs, and project participation opportunities. Members contribute expertise pro bono to government partners.
• Events & Roundtables Exclusive in-person and virtual convenings for members and guests featuring senior military, intelligence, and homeland security leaders. Includes luncheons, panels, and speaker series.
• Executive Travel Program Private sector leader delegations to examine critical geopolitical issues and engage with international partners. Recent delegations have visited Brussels, Athens, Hanoi, Buenos Aires, and Panama City.
• BENS Projects Targeted project engagements where members collaborate with government partners on specific national security challenges, applying best business practices.
• Mentorship Program Connection between BENS staff and private sector leaders with military, government, and key industry experience to support professional development.
• Thought Leadership Reports & Publications Reports, practitioner recommendations, and publications providing actionable insights on national security challenges facing the United States.
• Distinguished Senior Fellows Program Program bringing retired military generals and admirals to work alongside private sector executives on national security challenges. Current fellows include Lt Gen Brian Beaudreault, Lt Gen Laura Potter, Gen Anthony Cotton, Admiral Christopher Grady, and VADM Trey Whitworth.
• Stanley A. Weiss Internship Program Fall internship program placing high-performing candidates at the intersection of industry and national security, supporting BENS campaigns on homeland resilience, supply chains, and private capital.
• The BENS Lens Exclusive Substack publication delivering national security insights and perspectives, featuring commentary from BENS members and leadership.
• Eisenhower Awards Annual awards honoring public servants and private citizens who safeguard freedom, presented since 1986 to over 100 deserving Americans.
• Stanley A. Weiss Legacy Society Planned giving program for donors to support the organization's mission through deferred gifts including bequests, charitable remainder trusts, charitable gift annuities, and donor-advised fund designations.
• 2025 Leadership Report Annual publication highlighting BENS members' contributions through focused campaigns, strategic convenings, member delegations, and applied thought leadership.

Named customers5 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• U.S. Department of DefensecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1982Primary government partner. BENS provides senior military leaders with access to business expertise and best practices. The organization has worked extensively with DoD on defense reform, acquisition improvements, and operational challenges. Services are provided at no cost to the government.
• U.S. Combatant CommandscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBENS supports U.S. combatant commands and NATO strategic commands by examining business and economic conditions pertinent to their respective missions. Recent delegations have visited to Brussels, Athens, Hanoi, Buenos Aires, and Panama City.
• U.S. Department of StatecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBENS engages senior business and government leaders at the intersection of geopolitics and economic security through the Geopolitics and Economic Statecraft program.
• U.S. Department of Homeland SecuritycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with DHS including FEMA and Secret Service on homeland security challenges including emergency response, infrastructure protection, and national resilience.
• U.S. Department of the TreasurycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on economic security and financial aspects of national security challenges.
• Central Intelligence AgencycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEngagement with CIA on intelligence and security matters relevant to business community insights.
• Office of the Director of National IntelligencecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership providing business perspectives to the intelligence community on national security challenges.
• NATO Strategic CommandscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBENS has supported NATO strategic commands by examining business and economic conditions. Recent engagement includes Commodore Maryla Ingham of Standing NATO Maritime Group 1.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Heritage Foundation: Major U.S. policy research organization with deep national security and defense work and substantial influence in Washington. Comparable to BENS in shaping defense and security policy conversations, though partisan rather than nonpartisan.
• RAND Corporation: Established nonprofit research institution with deep defense and national security policy work, including a longstanding relationship with the U.S. national security community. Broader and more research-output-oriented than BENS but operates in the same national-security advisory space.
• Brookings Institution: Major public policy think tank with substantial national security and foreign policy programs. Overlaps with BENS on policy research and senior-leader convening, though operates at significantly larger scale and with a broader policy remit.
• Young Presidents' Organization (YPO): Premier global membership organization for chief executives offering peer learning, forums, and education. Comparable to BENS in elite executive membership structure and learning/convening model, though focused on private-sector peer exchange rather than national security missions.

Direct peers

• Atlantic Council: Nonpartisan think tank focused on international affairs and national security with strong business and government engagement programs. Comparable to BENS for its defense/foreign policy focus, leadership convening function, and business-government bridge model.
• Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS): Bipartite national security and foreign policy think tank with deep engagement with senior government and private sector leaders. Directly comparable to BENS in subject-matter focus (defense, homeland security, geopolitics) and in producing practitioner recommendations alongside BENS (e.g., 2004 "Tackling the Web" white paper).
• Aspen Strategy Group: Membership-based policy discussion forum within the Aspen Institute convening senior business, policy, and national security leaders around U.S. foreign policy. Highly comparable operating model to BENS — exclusive events, C-suite/government audience, member-driven agenda.
• Council on Foreign Relations: Elite nonpartisan membership organization that convenes senior business, policy, and government leaders around U.S. foreign policy and national security issues. Directly comparable to BENS in operating model (exclusive membership, member dues, think tank publishing) and in serving a similar C-suite/government audience.

Emerging players

• Truman National Security Project: Membership organization for emerging national security leaders with strong policy and government engagement programming. Comparable mission to BENS but focused on next-generation leaders rather than sitting C-suite executives.

Others

• World Economic Forum: International organization for public-private cooperation that convenes heads of state, business executives, and policy leaders around global challenges including security. Comparable to BENS in elite-executive convening function but operating at global rather than U.S. national security scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/bens_org
• Facebookfacebook.com/BENS1982
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/business-executives-for-national-security

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Business Executives for National Security