Walk into the headquarters of BlueForge Alliance in Bryan-College Station, and you’ll find more than just a slick office in the heart of Lake Walk. You’ll find an ambitious movement to revive something most Americans don’t spend much time thinking about: the Defense Industrial Base.

At the center of it all is Matt Prochaska, a seasoned leader with the calm confidence of a man who is focused, and who knows his mission matters. As President of the BlueForge Alliance Foundation, Prochaska speaks with urgency, but not panic, about the state of U.S. manufacturing, the skilled trades, and what it’s going to take to get America back on track.

“We’re here to serve the Defense Industrial Base,” Prochaska says, his voice steady. “And what that means is, we’re shoring up the backbone of national defense. Factories, workers, communities. The pieces that keep America safe.”

BlueForge Alliance is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, founded in 2022 with a bold vision: to rebuild a manufacturing sector that’s eroded over decades and to do it by working with, not around, the communities where those factories and workshops live.

BlueForge Alliance: Local Roots, National Reach

“We’re all about collaboration. We’re all about alliances and partnerships,” Prochaska says. “Everyone talks about national strategy, but you can’t move the dial nationally unless you act locally. That’s why we’re investing in communities.”

BlueForge chose its location carefully. Directly in the center of the Lake Walk innovation district, the foundation finds itself among a growing cluster of forward-thinking companies yet grounded in Texas tradition. For visiting partners and remote staff flying in from across the country, there’s The Stella Hotel just across the street, as well as restaurants like Campfire, Kanji Sushi, and The Board Room. Lake Walk offers the world-class amenities that companies like BlueForge need to attract top talent, which include a thoughtful masterplan that incorporates nature, lifestyle, dining, and entertainment, all wrapped in the kind of small-town welcome that’s increasingly hard to find.

“Our partners come in from all over the country,” Prochaska says. “Every time they visit, they’re blown away. Not just by the building, but by the people, the energy, and the opportunity here.”

Bryan-College Station, with its proximity to Houston, Austin, and Dallas, offers a trifecta of talent, logistics, and affordability. The university pipeline supplies the fresh talent and ideas that innovative companies need, and the regional workforce brings real-world skills to the table. It’s the kind of ecosystem that BlueForge believes is key to resurrecting America’s manufacturing prowess.

Matt Prochaska, President of the BlueForge Alliance Foundation

Bridging the Skills Gap

But it’s not just about where they are. It’s about who they’re reaching.

“There’s been such a heavy push on four-year degrees over the years,” Prochaska says, “which are absolutely important, but we’ve lost focus on the trades. That’s where we’re seeing the biggest workforce shortages.”

Welders. Electricians. Machinists. HVAC techs. These roles aren’t just “alternatives” to college, they’re national imperatives. Especially when you consider the Defense Department’s staggering demand for skilled labor. Just to support the Navy’s submarine program, the U.S. needs an estimated 150,000 additional workers in the maritime industrial base. And those are jobs that don’t get filled with another MBA.

To tackle that head-on, BlueForge has been thinking outside the cubicle. Partnering with platforms like NASCAR, they’re leveraging popular culture and motorsport to reach a new generation of hands-on talent. It’s not just recruitment, it’s reinvention.

A Different Kind of Nonprofit

What sets BlueForge apart isn’t just its mission. It’s how the mission is funded and focused.

“Because we’re a nonprofit, every dollar goes back into the mission,” Prochaska explains. “We’re not here to turn a profit. We’re here to serve.”

That clarity of purpose has attracted attention. From policymakers and defense contractors to community colleges and high schools, people are noticing the Alliance’s model and results. What started as a fresh concept in 2022 is now drawing national recognition.

Looking Ahead

“There’s a lot of growth ahead,” Prochaska says. “We’re committed to the Navy. But we’re also watching the bigger picture, looking at how our model can support the broader defense industrial base, and how we can build real resilience into America’s supply chain.”

That growth won’t just come from the halls and chambers of Washington. It’ll come from tech schools, community partnerships, and thousands of skilled hands building the bones of national defense.

“We’re about community. We’re about faith. We’re about family,” he says. “At the end of the day, that’s what keeps the wheels turning.”

What is the Defense Industrial Base?

The Defense Industrial Base (DIB) includes the businesses, workers, and institutions that design, produce, and maintain military equipment and technology. From shipbuilders to semiconductor fabs, it’s the infrastructure behind America’s military readiness. But for decades, it’s been shrinking, especially in the skilled trades. BlueForge Alliance is part of a growing movement to reverse that trend.