Prominent members include Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, former Cisco chairman John P. Morgridge, and former Infor CEO Charles E. Phillips.

After 25 years in the business industry, Weiss became interested in the geostrategic challenges of nuclear weapons and mutually assured destruction.

At a 3-day conference on nuclear conflict, Weiss realized that the "problem was being addressed from every professional point of view except one: No one from the business community had been asked to contribute.

BENS’ early work focused extensively on initiatives aimed at U.S.-Soviet threat reduction and inefficiencies within support functions of the Department of Defense, including the maintenance and construction of military housing.

They have also broadened their partnerships to include other government agencies such as the Departments of State, Treasury, and Homeland Security; the Office of the Director of National Intelligence; and the unified combatant commands.