WALTHAM, Mass., Oct. 14, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Beacon Interactive Systems announced today that CEO and Co-founder ML Mackey has been named to the newly formed Massachusetts Small Business Development Center (MSBDC) Statewide Advisory Council.

The council is comprised of business, government, economic development and community leaders helping to guide the MSBDC’s work with entrepreneurs and growing businesses across the Commonwealth. Established as part of the organization’s five-year strategic plan, the council will advise MSBDC leadership on the emerging needs of small businesses, opportunities for collaboration and programs that support industry growth.

“Massachusetts has an extraordinary community of entrepreneurs, but turning a promising idea into a sustainable business takes more than ingenuity,” said Mackey. “It takes access to the right guidance, connections and opportunities at each stage of growth. I’ve seen what small businesses can accomplish when those pieces come together, especially when new technologies move beyond the prototype and into real-world use. I’m excited to work with the MSBDC and my fellow council members to help more entrepreneurs make that journey.”

As Beacon’s CEO, Mackey has championed the utility of small business innovation and its power to transition cutting edge technologies into operational use. She serves on the Executive Committee of the National Defense Industrial Association Board, is a past Chair of the National Small Business Association, a past member of the Small Business Administration’s Invention and Innovation Advisory Committee and the National Academies of Sciences Army Science & Technology Roundtable.

Beacon is a U.S. digital innovator accelerating the transition of technology impact into tactical advantage for the Department of War, its partners and allies. Beacon has combined commercial-sector expertise, deep defense knowledge and an end-user driven approach to develop and deploy mission-proven digital solutions to increase readiness, operational capacity and command visibility at scale. Today, Beacon’s products are deployed on over 250 U.S. Navy vessels and across 19 ship classes. By delivering technology with an instinct for warfighter needs and the real-time insight needed to make informed decisions, Beacon helps defense organizations transition innovation into mission impact.

https://www.msbdc.org/

Media Contact: marketing@beaconinteractive.com

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SOURCE Beacon Interactive Systems