The first responders experience: rockaway beach
National first responders week | October 25-28, 2026
The First Responders Experience is for first responder business owners, non-profit executive directors, corporate ESG/CSR partners, and aligned investors building the economic resilience of our communities.
Intentional Structure
Guided working sessions, social connection, and space to reflect—so you can grow your business through “what’s possible” and real-time productivity.
Collaborative Energy
Connection among the first responder allied ecosystem is a key part of the process. You’ll pick up new techniques, and create leverage for your mission, from the group as from the content itself.
Expert Facilitation
Hear from Fortune 500 insiders who made the jump to community-impact entrepreneurship. These industry experts are first responder allies who can translate corporate best practices into relevant tactics for YOUR business.
A Supportive Space
Strategic planning is not exclusive to corporate leadership, but it can feel like a luxury as a founder.
The FIRST RESPONDER EXPERIENCE is a time to reflect + restore as a leader in a space built on shared values.
The experience is held at The Rockaway Hotel + Spa during “locals summer” in Rockaway Beach, NY. Rockaway Beach is a neighborhood built on the love and respect for first responders, and our local businesses honor their commitment to public service everyday.
We believe first responder businesses are one of the most powerful, under-recognized economic forces in America.
packages & events
Join us in Rockaway Beach, NY - a neighborhood with incredible pride and appreciation for the First Responder community, and First Responder Owned Businesses.
Sunday, October 25 - Wednesday, October 28
3 Night Hotel stay
Welcome Dinner on Sunday, October 25th (valued at $150/pp)
$400 Hotel Credit to be used at your discretion
3 days of expert-level small group business coaching support with First Responder community corporate allies
National First Responders Day Breakfast hosted by Invest in First Responders with Livestrong (valued at $250/pp which includes lunch and donation)
click on image for package details
An exclusive business, capital, and asset-conversion immersion package, curated by NMG Ventures (NMGv) in strategic partnership with Invest in First Responders (IIFR). Engineered for accredited commercial real estate syndicators, tech operators, clean energy allocators, and strategic partners seeking proprietary deal access, complete with dedicated NMGv Concierge team support and an onboarding allocation of $5,000 in KIO Rewards.
PACKAGE INCLUDES
Curated Boutique Lodging: 3 nights of premier accommodations at The Rockaway Hotel + Spa.
Dedicated NMGv Concierge Support: The NMGv concierge team coordinates arrival logistics, private check-in, chauffeured site transport, and briefing access for an effortless on-site experience.
$5,000 KIO Rewards Account Allocation: Enrollment in an active KIO Rewards account credited with $5,000 in redeemable value, compliantly structured through KIO Trust rails for conversion into equity stakes across participating NMGv ecosystem vehicles: KW Coastal Developments (KWCD), KIO Solar, KIO Trust, or KIO AI Solutions (KIO AIS).
Full Itinerary Access
Somatic Immersion & Performance: Daily access to hotel pool facilities and somatic reset sessions curated by KIO Wellness.
ITINERARY
Welcome Dinner hosted by Invest in First Responders | Sunday, October 25, 2026
After a leisurely check-in to the boutique Rockaway Hotel + Spa, join the rooftop sunset welcome dinner overlooking the city skyline for an evening of cocktails, great food, and authentic networking with investors and partners.
Invest in First Responders Panels & Workshops | Monday, October 26, 2026
Full access to Monday panels and interactive workshop sessions designed to bridge corporate business planning processes and insights with the first responder operating system.
Strategic Partners & Investor Day | Tuesday, October 27, 2026
[10:30 AM – 12:00 PM] Strategic Partners & Investor Brunch: Hosted strategy meal with registered allocators, investors, partners, and lead broker Melissa Carrington, Broker-Owner at RE/MAX Elite.
[12:30 PM – 2:30 PM] Chauffeured Sites Tour: Executive chauffeured group transportation inspecting NMGv's exclusive target portfolio of 6+ strategic off-market parcels structured for Passive House development modeled after NYC HPD's Beach Green Dunes benchmark, with each property ring-fenced inside an individual SPV for liability protection.
[3:00 PM – 5:30 PM] McGuire Room Briefing: Operational review of KIO Solar canopy infrastructure, clean energy storage vaults, and KIO AI Solutions (KIO AIS) sovereign edge compute architecture.
National First Responders Day Luncheon | Wednesday, October 28, 2026
Hosted by Invest in First Responders Co-Founders & FDNY Family, Chrissy & Kevin Neafsey with special guest Suzanne Stone, President & CEO, Livestrong. Join community leaders, First Responders, allies, and changemakers committing to support cancer and mental health resources for the First Responder community for the next 25 years.
A premier enterprise impact package engineered for corporate partners, banking institutions, technology leaders, and business foundations dedicated to building generational economic resilience for First Responders (FR), presented by NMG Ventures in alliance with IIFR. Sponsoring organizations secure premier accommodations (+1 included) and dedicated NMGv Concierge team support while directly funding FR wellness, enterprise venture acceleration, and commercial project management pipelines.
PACKAGE INCLUDES
Enterprise Host Accommodations (+1 Included): Premier lodging at The Rockaway Hotel + Spa across all 4 days of programming, sessions, and executive convenings for the registered executive and one corporate partner, deputy, or guest.
Dedicated NMGv Concierge Support: The NMGv concierge team coordinates delegate intake, registration management, and personalized briefing itineraries for a seamless executive experience.
Direct FR Sponsorship: Directly underwrites up to 4 First Responders (FR) to attend the complete summit.
Project Management Contract Pipeline: Sponsored FR leaders receive preferred first-offering pathways for compensated Project Management contracts across active NMGv commercial passive builds and community digital twin implementations.
KIO/IIFR Venture Acceleration Reserve Allocation: Direct capital allocation to the KIO/IIFR Reserve Fund to finance ongoing venture acceleration training, equipping FR leaders to lead commercial passive developments as servant leader entrepreneurs.
Curated 1-on-1 Strategic Introductions: Private introductions with key resources, project principals, and ecosystem leaders aligned with your organization's community reinvestment or strategic objectives.
EXECUTIVE ACCESS & NETWORKING
Tuesday Itinerary Access (Both Attendees): Full access to the Strategic Partners & Investor Brunch, Chauffeured Sites Tour, and McGuire Room Briefing (3:00 PM – 5:30 PM).
Priority Seating: VIP seating at the National First Responders Day Luncheon on Wednesday, October 28.
Optional Co-Branding: Tailored co-branding opportunities across digital summit assets and alliance media distributions.
National First Responders Luncheon
Honoring 25 Years. Investing in the Next 25.
Wednesday, October 28, 2026
National First Responders Day
11:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.
The Rockaway Hotel
Hosted by Invest in First Responders founders Chrissy & Kevin Neafsey, and Livestrong, CEO, Suzanne Stone.
On National First Responders Day, join 100 mission-minded business leaders and community delegation for a seaside luncheon investing in cancer resources and mental health support for first responders and their families.
Ticket purchase price includes lunch and donation to the 911ride.org mission.
first responders Experience Itinerary overview
event Speakers
Meredith Hudson
Founder & CEO of SLB | Former D1 Athlete | Sports Mom
Meredith is a former advertising sales insider with over 20 years of experience at consumer companies like Google, Snap, Amazon and Roku.
As a sports mom, she started SLB to solve a problem for female athletes. In 18 months, Meredith grew her brand to $1M in revenue and sold 30,000 bags through her highly engaged community of 3,000 female athlete ambassadors.
As our Keynote Speaker, Meredith will share insights on she leveraged corporate know-how, and where frankly none of that matters as an entrepreneur - leading to her blowout success.
Matthew king II
marine corp veteran | Founder & Managing director, NMG Ventures (NMGv) | Chair, NMGv EmpowerYou foundation
Matthew King II is a visionary entrepreneur, Marine Corps Veteran, and seasoned business professional with over 30 years of cross-functional experience navigating finance, real estate, and venture creation. As the Founder and Managing Director of NMG Ventures, Matthew sits at the intersection of technology and economic empowerment, leveraging AI solutions to drive extraordinary success for enterprises, governments, and diverse entrepreneurs.
A former banker specializing in commercial real estate and business lending, Matthew possesses a unique, highly strategic lens for capital structuring and identifying funding opportunities. He channels this financial expertise and his deep-seated belief in disciplined, mission-focused execution into his role as Chair of the NMGv EmpowerYou Foundation. The foundation is fiercely dedicated to supporting First Responders, Firefighters, and Veterans, while actively empowering women, BIPOC, and LGBTQ+ individuals with the tools for economic self-sufficiency and holistic well-being.
Driven by the spirit of Aloha and a relentless pursuit of excellence, Matthew specializes in building self-sustaining business ecosystems where capital meets community impact. For the 2026 First Responders Experience, he is focused on bridging the gap between frontline entrepreneurs and socially responsible institutional capital to unlock.
Chrissy neafsey
co-founder, invest in first responders | executive director, friends of firefighters | 3x FOUNDER | Author
Chrissy Neafsey is a 3x Founder: Summit Chasers, Sentra AI and Invest in First Responders, investor in frontline serving startups, and currently serves as the Executive Director at Friends of Firefighters.
Deeply rooted in a legacy of public service, she is the wife of a retired NYPD/FDNY first responder, the daughter of healthcare workers, and the granddaughter of a former Chief of Police.
Over a 20-year career in human capital strategy, she has aligned her professional expertise with a lifelong purpose: building sustainable, inclusive economies that honor service, community, and resilience. She specializes in designing small business foundational frameworks focused on long-term economic stability and intergenerational mentorship. She is driven by the conviction that First Responder–Owned Businesses (FROB) are more than commercial opportunities - they are vital anchors for strong, safe, and connected communities.
Her track record of community-centered leadership spans from guiding Yahoo’s VALOR ERG to driving business-led change today, leveraging her network and expertise to create impact one opportunity, one person, and one community at a time. She is also the author of Living a More Thoughtful Life (September 2026).
suzanne stone
President & CEO, Livestrong | Foundation Builder, Social Impact Expert, Speaker & Starfisher
For too long, we've viewed charity as sacrifice. What if it could be something more powerful - and more sustainable?
Traditional nonprofit models were never built for long-term resilience. They ask our most passionate people to solve complex problems with limited, uncertain resources. And despite decades of generosity, the challenges we’re tackling haven’t become easier - or smaller.
This isn’t a theory for me. It’s personal. I’ve seen what happens when individual passion runs into systemic limitations. And I’ve come to believe that treating symptoms isn’t enough. Real progress requires changing the system itself.
Here’s my philosophy: doing good should also be good business.
As President & CEO of Livestrong - one of the most recognized social impact organizations in America - I’m focused on building scalable, self-sustaining solutions that improve the lives of people affected by cancer. That means:
● Turning our most trusted assets (community, brand, and data) into market value.
● Building earned revenue streams that fund our mission for the long haul.
● Using donor dollars as the catalyst - not the crutch - for innovation and growth.
We’re bringing this to life through tech-forward tools like Ellis, our AI-powered survivorship companion, and through partnerships that align mission and margin.
I’m a systems thinker and builder working to future-proof one of the most mission-driven brands in the world.
national first responders day luncheon sponsorship opportunities
Rockaway Beach, NY is a neighborhood built on the love and respect for our first responders, and our local businesses honor their commitment to public service everyday.