Keynote Speakers
Keynote Speaker
Lt. General Russel L. Honoré
Commander of Joint Task Force Katrina
Robert B. Stephan
Colonel, USAF (Ret.)
Assistant Secretary for Infrastructure Protection
Arthur W. Coviello, Jr.
Executive Vice President,
EMC Corporation and President,
RSA, The Security Division of EMC
Keynote Speaker
Lt. General Russel L. Honoré (Ret.)
Commander of Joint Task Force Katrina
When Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans in 2005, the devastation was more than anyone could have imagined. Images of the city drowning in the waters of the Mississippi and Lake Pontchartrain and of the dire conditions at the Louisiana Superdome and Convention Center showed the world that the United States was ill-equipped and unprepared to deal with a natural disaster of such epic proportions. In spite of questionable leadership on many levels, one leader undeniably changed the course of the disaster: Lieutenant General Russel L. Honoré, the commanding general of Joint Task Force Katrina.
A native of Lakeland, Louisiana, Honoré, the “Category 5 General,” swept into New Orleans, surveyed the destruction and took charge, bringing the city back under control and starting the long process of putting it back together.
With a trademark swagger and commanding personality, Honoré is a no-nonsense career soldier who always speaks his mind. While in charge of the entire Army east of the Mississippi, he brought leadership to New Orleans, reminding soldiers to lower their weapons and help those in need, creating a more positive atmosphere as the rebuilding began.
Since his command of Joint Task Force Katrina, Honoré has brought the lessons of Katrina to organizations around the country. An expert on preparedness and responding to catastrophe, he offers insights into protecting people and organizations, outlining the principles necessary to lead through unexpected and uncontrollable crises.
Honoré’s lengthy career has taken him around the world, from Korea to Germany and the entire United States. He has many awards and distinctions, including the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, and a Bronze Star, among others.
The man that New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin called a “John Wayne dude,” Honoré has proven that by taking charge and creating a culture of preparedness, whether as an individual, a group, a city, or an entire country, unexpected crises can be managed and their impacts can be minimized.
Special Guest Speaker
Robert B. Stephan
Colonel, USAF (Ret.)
Assistant Secretary for Infrastructure Protection
In April 2005, Colonel Bob Stephan was appointed to serve as the Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security for Infrastructure Protection in the United States Department of Homeland Security. In this capacity, he leads the nationally coordinated effort to reduce the risk to our critical infrastructure and key resources posed by acts of terrorism, while increasing the nation’s preparedness capabilities, focusing on critical infrastructure protection.
His experience as the Senior Director for Critical Infrastructure Protection in the Executive Office of the President (EOP) makes him a well-qualified choice for the Assistant Secretary position. During his tenure at the EOP, his duties included developing and coordinating interagency policy and strategic initiatives to protect the United States from terrorist attacks across critical infrastructure sectors.
Prior to accepting his current position within the Office of Infrastructure Protection, Colonel Stephan served as the Special Assistant to the Secretary of Homeland Security and Director of the Secretary’s Operational Integration Staff. In this capacity, he was responsible for a wide range of activities that included headquarters-level planning in the areas of strategic and operational planning, core mission integration, and domestic incident management, training and exercises. He also directed the Interagency Incident Management Group, integrating Department and interagency capabilities in response to domestic threats and incidents.
Colonel Stephan held a variety of key operational and command positions in the joint special operations community during a 24-year Air Force career. During Operation Desert Storm, he deployed to Saudi Arabia as a joint battlestaff planner and mission commander supporting Joint Special Operations Task Force strategic interdiction operations in Iraq. As a commander of two Air Force Special Tactics Squadrons, Colonel Stephan organized, trained and equipped forces for contingency operations in Somalia, Haiti, Bosnia, Croatia, Liberia, Colombia and Kosovo.
Colonel Stephan is a distinguished graduate of the USAF Academy and holds a Bachelors Degree in Political Science. He is an Olmsted Scholar and has earned master's Degrees in International Relations from the University of Belgrano, Buenos Aires, Argentina, and The Johns Hopkins University.
Featured Speaker
Arthur W. Coviello, Jr.
Executive Vice President, EMC Corporation
President, RSA, The Security Division of EMC
Art Coviello is responsible for RSA’s strategy and day-to-day operations as it delivers EMC’s global vision of information-centric security.
Mr. Coviello was Chief Executive Officer of RSA Security, Inc. prior to its acquisition by EMC in 2006. He joined the company in 1995 and has been a driving force in its rapid growth, increasing revenue from $25 million in 1995 to more than half a billion in 2007. Under his stewardship, RSA has become acknowledged as the de facto standard for two-factor authentication and encryption, and as a leader in identity and access management. Mr. Coviello’s expertise and influence have made him a recognized leader in the industry, where he plays a key role in several national cyber-security initiatives. He currently serves as Co-Chair of TechNet New England. Mr. Coviello has spoken at numerous conferences and forums around the world.
Mr. Coviello has more than 30 years of strategic, operating and financial management experience in high-technology companies. In addition, he currently serves on the Board of Directors at Sana Security and Crossbeam Systems.
Mr. Coviello graduated magna cum laude from the University of Massachusetts.