2026 ACG NY DealSource Series: A&D and GovCon

Bryan Cummings is a Managing Director and co-leads the US Financial Sponsor Group at Canaccord Genuity, a global investment banking and wealth management firm. Before joining Canaccord, Bryan served as Head of Financial Sponsor Coverage at DA Davidson, a national middle market investment bank. Previously, he founded and led the U.S. middle market sponsor coverage practice at RBC Capital Markets and led corporate development at a global information services firm. With 20 years of experience across investment banking and corporate finance, Bryan also brings extensive MA& and capital markets experience to his clients in the technology, diversified industrial and aerospace/defense industries, with tenures at J.P. Morgan, Bear Stearns and UBS. 

Before beginning his advisory career, he served as a U.S. Army combat arms officer in the U.S. and overseas with a focus on small unit leadership and shoulder-fired Stinger missiles. Bryan holds a master’s degree in public policy from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government and a bachelor’s degree in Politics and Near East studies from Princeton University. Bryan lives with his wife and daughter in New York City. 

Brock regularly represents clients before government agencies in criminal and regulatory investigations and enforcement actions relating to the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), cryptocurrency regulation, securities fraud, financial integrity, trade sanctions, anti-money laundering, and corporate social responsibility matters.  He also has extensive experience conducting internal investigations and assisting both multinational companies and governmental agencies in assessing and enhancing their regulatory compliance programs. He frequently conducts anti-corruption compliance due diligence for companies engaging in mergers & acquisitions in jurisdictions with high corruption risk, and he advises clients in designing and implementing post-acquisition compliance integration plans. Brock’s investigations and work in compliance counseling have covered issues in over 50 countries and across a range of industries, including digital assets, financial services, retail, oil & gas, life sciences, consumer goods, real estate, automotive, and aviation.  He currently represents and advises various digital asset trading exchanges, DeFi wallet providers, investment platforms, and other cryptocurrency projects in enforcement actions and regulatory compliance matters.

Before joining Cahill, Brock investigated and prosecuted a range of criminal matters while serving as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney and military prosecutor in the U.S. Army. He also served as a legal advisor for combat operations and contingency planning, and he was frequently the U.S. government’s primary representative, negotiator, or compliance inspector on matters of international law at events throughout the Middle East. In 2014, Brock founded Cahill’s Veterans’ New Business Initiative, through which he and many other Cahill attorneys provide pro bono representation and advice to military veterans who are in the early stages of starting small businesses.

Rich Vitaro is an impact-focused advisor, passionate about helping clients achieve step-change and sustainable improvements in performance. He has successfully led over 400 engagements for 100+ clients and is a trusted partner of Senior Management, Boards, and Private Equity sponsors in time-sensitive, complex, and critical situations. Rich has helped clients achieve more than $3 billion in EBITDA expansion from strategy, growth, supply chain and other profit improvement efforts. His work has focused on industrial, distribution, retail, consumer goods and healthcare sectors.

Prior to founding Creo Advisors in 2019, Rich has spent over 30 years in senior client leadership roles with AlixPartners, Booz Allen & Hamilton and The Parthenon Group. Additionally, he led a private equity-owned, middle-market manufacturing business in a full turnaround and helped position the company for future growth. Rich earned his MBA, with Honors, from the University of Chicago and a BS from the United States Naval Academy.

Justin Gans brings a rare blend of operational experience, strategic leadership, and technical insight to the evolving world of defense innovation. He has led initiatives in autonomous systems, advanced robotics, and aerospace/defense M&A. He is currently the head of Strategy and Corporate Development at Forterra, a “Unicorn” status VC-backed company and the leading provider of autonomous ground vehicles to the US military.  He held similar roles at publicly traded companies AeroVironment, Northrop Grumman, and was formerly an investment banker at Capstone Partners.

Before entering industry, Justin served for 10 years as a US Navy SEAL officer, an experience that shaped his approach to leadership, risk, and problem‑solving. Today, he draws on that foundation to bridge the gap between emerging technology and real‑world operational needs, working with teams and partners to accelerate innovation across the defense ecosystem.