Judy Darwin and Jamie Miller looked back more than decade and stood in awe of what was happening at the Von Braun Center (VBC) this past week.

Darwin served as the 2022 National Cyber Summit Director and President of the Southeastern Cyber Summit Foundation. Miller is the CEO of Mission Multiplier and President of Cyber Huntsville.

Neither could have imagined that a small gathering of cyber professionals in 2008 would evolve into the National Cyber Summit. The event is billed as the nation’s most innovative cyber security-technology affair, offering unique educational, collaborative, and workforce development opportunities for both rising leaders and industry visionaries.

Judy Darwin and Jamie Miller at the podium last week for the 2022 National Cyber Summit hosted at the VBC

“It really wasn’t like it is today,’’ Darwin said of the Summit’s genesis. “The first one was at Dynetics (in Cummings Research Park). It was like 25 people there and a few vendors for a one-day event.’’

According to Miller, what was once the “Alabama Cyber Summit, then the Southeastern Cyber Summit’’ morphed into a week-long extravaganza of technology.

This week’s National Cyber Summit, the heart of what was being called Cyber Week, kicked off Monday with training sessions. Before the final events concluded Thursday evening, more than 3,000 attendees had traipsed through the Von Braun Center’s South and East Halls.

There was a heavy locals presence, but visitors also came in large numbers from throughout the country and globe.

“This community is really a great community,’’ Darwin said. “They don’t have this kind of community in Tennessee. They don’t have this kind of community in Georgia. This community pulls together. It’s very unique. People come down from D.C. and they’re amazed.’’

One company that was eager to get to the Tennessee Valley was Deltek. The Virginia-based company was a diamond sponsor along with All Points, COLSA, the FBI, Intuitive and PeopleTec.

“When we spend time with the local community and businesses in Huntsville, we walk away more informed,’’ said Deltek Vice President Chris Knight, who hosted a discussion on how to navigate the GovCon cybersecurity compliance landscape. “The importance of this event can’t be underestimated by the GovCon community. Educating yourself and your firm and staying up to date on the latest tech are critical for a company’s cyber strategy.”

The Cyber Week four-day schedule had no holes in it. There were training sessions, general sessions, breakout sessions, keynote luncheons and keynote speakers. Vendors set up in the exhibition hall.

Among the keynote speakers was Dr. James Kirsch, who works out of Redstone Arsenal. He was appointed to the Senior Executive Service in July 2019 where he serves as the Director for the Software, Simulation, Systems Engineering and Integration (S3I) Directorate in the Aviation and Missile Center, Combat Capabilities Development Command.

However, it wasn’t all business at the Summit.

Tuesday, there was the National Defense Cyber Alliance (NDCA) Golf Tournament at Hampton Cove, a walking history tour that began at Constitution Hall Village and the Summit Jam at Mars Music Hall featuring Carly and the Crash and The Wanda Band.

Wednesday had the Poker Run Pub Crawl hosted by Destination Huntsville that started at The Melt on Jefferson Street before moving on to four more places.

Thursday featured a gathering at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center’s Biergarten.

Prior to the start of Cyber Week, Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle suggested a name change to the International Cyber Summit since patrons have come in from around the world.

He had another idea for future Summits.

“Once Space Command comes in we’ll be the Intergalactic Cyber Summit at that point,” he said jokingly, perhaps.

Also this week, retiring U.S. Senator Richard Shelby attended two events in the city and told reporters he couldn’t say with 100 percent certainty that SpaceCom will relocate to Huntsville from Colorado Springs, which is fighting to keep the command.

“Politics play a role here,’’ Shelby said. “I think we have to be alert that it’s not here yet.’’

Don’t tell that to Darwin and Miller.

“They can’t have three commands,’’ Darwin said of Colorado Springs, which is also home to two other military posts.

“It’s coming,’’ Miller said. “It’s a no-brainer. It’s a done deal.’’

There is no doubt about where the 2023 Cyber Summit will be by any name. Darwin will exit as and turn over her Summit Director/President roles to Sentar’s Stephen Pratt. He’s a board member with the North Alabama Chapter of the Information Systems Security Association.

“Thanks for the support,’’ Miller told a keynote luncheon crowd with Dr. Kirsch as the speaker. “See you next year.’’

To register for the 2023 Summit at the VBC visit nationalcybersummit.com.