SENATOR MIKULSKI, GOVERNOR O’MALLEY LAUNCH MARYLAND CYBERSECURITY ROUNDTABLE

Industry-led organization provides forum for CyberMaryland partners

ANNAPOLIS, MD – U.S. Senator Barbara Mikulski and Governor Martin O’Malley today launched the Maryland Cybersecurity Roundtable. The Maryland Cybersecurity Roundtable is another step in Maryland officials’ coordinated efforts to foster growth and create jobs by expanding the burgeoning cybersecurity industry in Maryland.

“Maryland is the epicenter for cybersecurity,” Senator Mikulski said. “Our elite and indispensable Federal agencies, talented universities and colleges, and vibrant and growing private sector are working together to build a safer nation and a stronger economy with jobs that will never leave Maryland. This roundtable is a team effort to identify and solve the common challenges facing Maryland’s cyber businesses and cyber warriors as they protect national security, trade secrets, and our personal identities. The goal is for Maryland to sell its cybersolutions not just around the beltway but also around the world.”

Forming an industry-led cybersecurity roundtable was among the recommendations that the Federal Facilities Advisory Board (FFAB) called for in the strategic plan it released in February 2013. The FFAB’s strategic plan focused on better leveraging the potential of federal government agencies and military installations to drive innovation and create jobs in Maryland.

“The Cyber Roundtable is yet another example of our efforts to lead the nation in cyber – and create long-term, family-sustaining jobs for Maryland’s highly-skilled workforce,” said Governor O’Malley. “We’re bringing together military personnel, state agencies and other stakeholders to better harness opportunities to continue to grow Maryland’s cyber industry, explore best practices to protect personal information, and lead the fight to keep America’s virtual borders secure.”

The Maryland Cybersecurity Roundtable provides the state’s cyber sector with a forum for discussion of issues, concerns and opportunities. Organized as a non-profit entity, the roundtable is led by an executive committee:
Leonard A. Moodispaw, President and CEO, KEYW
Jeffrey Wells, Executive Director of Cyber Development, Maryland Department of Business & Economic Development
Kevin Kelly, Vice President, COO and Officer, Van Scoyoc Associates; COO and Managing Partner, Van Scoyoc Kelly & Roberts PLLC; Chairman, Federal Facilities Advisory Board
Deborah A. Bonanni, Senior Advisor, Intel Operations, Intelligent Decisions
Richard Schaeffer, Founder, Riverbank Associates LLC
Darrell Durst, Vice President of Cyber Solutions, Lockheed Martin Corporation
Belkis Leong-Hong, Founder, President and CEO, Knowledge Advantage Inc.

“Maryland has become ground zero for cyber science and research as it relates to the defense of our Nation’s critical infrastructure, intellectual property, and the networks that support our economy,” said Maryland Cybersecurity Roundtable President Len Moodispaw. “Senator Mikulski and Governor O’Malley have a shared vision for the establishment of a single group to collaborate, coordinate, and support all of the efforts represented by the vast cyber resources of our state. Academia, industry, and government are all important players bringing vision and leadership to the challenges at hand. I am honored, proud, and pleased to lead the initial efforts to create the Maryland Cyber Roundtable.”

In response to President Barack Obama's request to ensure the security of the nation’s data, Governor O’Malley launched the CyberMaryland initiative in January 2010. Home to the National Security Agency, the U.S. Cyber Command, the National Cybersecurity Center of Excellence and other military and federal assets – as well as a vibrant community of innovative cybersecurity companies – Maryland now ranks second in the nation for cybersecurity jobs per capita (per 10,000 residents), according to a March 2014 report by Burning Glass Technologies. This year, Governor O’Malley and the General Assembly expanded the Cybersecurity Tax Credit to $4 million, a 33 percent increase over last year.

Senator Mikulski and Governor O’Malley launched the new project today at The Hotel at Arundel Preserve in Hanover, Md. The event was attended by more than 175 people, including members of the new Maryland Cybersecurity roundtable; members of the FFAB; representatives of cybersecurity companies, military commands and federal facilities; and other CyberMaryland partners. The Senator and Governor were also joined by Dr. Patrick Gallagher, Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology and Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, and Debora Plunkett, Director of the Information Assurance Directorate at the National Security Agency.