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Gordon England served as Deputy Secretary of Defense, Secretary of the Navy, Deputy Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, and President of General Dynamics Fort Worth Division, President of Engineering at General Dynamics Land Systems, and as corporate Executive Vice President of General Dynamics Information Systems and Technology Sector, Ground Combat Systems Sector and the International Sector.
PhD degree on PFP, 2005-2010
PI for NSF, DoD, DHS and DARPA
Industrial experience with Texas Instruments Wireless Infrastructure Group
Informal advisor to the White House and Congress
Founding Director of the Hume Center for National Security and Technology
Founder of Wireless @ Virginia Tech
IEEE Fellow
Serial Entrepreneur (Third sStartup)
CEO, Hard Tech Investor, Serial Entrepreneur
Board Observer: ThreatQuotient, DeepSig, SecureG
Board Member: N5 Sensors
Advisor: AEGIS.NET, Dover Microsystems, Smart Imaging Systems
Partner, Blu Venture Investors
Founder/CEO, 3eTI
Founder/CEO, Totus Solutions
CTO, Corp Dev, EFJ
Gordon England is Chairman of the Board of Directors of V1 Analytical Solutions Inc., Chairman, President and CEO of the Board of Directors for PFP Cybersecurity Inc., a consultant for Fujitsu Defense Systems, and is a General and limited Partner of GLILOT Capital Partners.
England served as Deputy Secretary of Defense, Secretary of the Navy, Deputy Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, and President of General Dynamics Fort Worth Division, President of Engineering at General Dynamics Land Systems, and as corporate Executive Vice President of General Dynamics Information Systems and Technology Sector, Ground Combat Systems Sector and the International Sector.
England graduated with a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from University of Maryland and a master’s degree in business administration from Texas Christian University.
John Czupak serves on the Advisory Board at Sonatype, PFP Cybersecurity and Cybrary as well as on the Board of Directors at ThreatQuotient.
Czupak was General Manager of the FireAMP business in Sourcefire (then Cisco) and led corp dev activities involved with Cisco’s $2.7B acquisition of Sourcefire (3rd largest cyber M&A deal historically). He was also Senior Vice President, Corporate & Business Development and International & Business Development at Sourcefire.
Before joining Sourcefire, Mr. Czupak was the Senior Vice President of Worldwide Sales for Mountain Wave, Inc., the Vice President of Worldwide Channels for Riverbed Technologies, and the General Manager, EMEA for Aether Systems, Inc. Mr. Czupak was an original member of the management team and Vice President of Asia Pacific and Latin America at Axent Technologies, Inc.
Czupak holds a B.S. in Marketing from Towson State University and an MBA from the University of Maryland.
Hal Shelton is a Principal at Blu Venture Investors and member of Executive Committee. Board member for two portfolio companies. Former CFO and SVP for USEC Inc. a NYSE listed alternative energy company — quarterbacked its privatization via a $1.5B IPO and $.5B debut debt offering. Former VP Finance for Sun Oil Company’s major subsidiaries (R&M, E&P, Ship building) located in US and UK. Former Board member of NASDAQ listed IT learning company and managed its going private transaction. Former Board member and CFO for several non-profits. Certified SCORE small business mentor and author of book on writing a successful business plan.
Shelton received his BS from Carnegie Mellon University and his MBA from University of Chicago.
Steven Chen is a serial entrepreneur and angel investor. He has founded 4 companies. He was the founder and CEO of Totus Solution, Inc. which is a 40-person, growth company with $15M raised capital and a management team which has built multiple companies with $500M+ exits. He was the Founder & Former CEO of 3eTI, a secure wireless company and an Intel Capital portfolio company with favorable exit. He is also a member of the Blu Venture Investors, an angel investment group with 20 active members. Chen was the CTO and VP of Corporate Development of EFJohnson, a $200M public company. He belongs to multiple entrepreneur networks: the Mindshare Alumni (700+ CEO), the FounderCorps (100+ serial entrepreneurs), MissionLink (100+ CXO in national security) and MJDC (400+ professionals).
Chen has built teams and companies, and has taken multiple cyber security products to market successfully. At 3eTI, he enhanced the Intel Centrino, received the necessary certifications, and added Cisco as a reseller. Honeywell OEM’s the 3eTI secure wireless products and resells globally. 3eTI has a Navy contract and is deployed with the smart meters. At EF Johnson, he formed a partnership with Cisco. At Totus, the team has attracted partnership with global channel partners such as Johnson Controls.
Chen received his BS in Electrical Engineering from Tamking University in Taipei, Taiwan and his MS in Electrical Engineering from SUNY Buffalo.
Dr. Jeffrey H. Reed is one of the founders of PFP Cybersecurity and the Willis G. Worcester Professor in the Bradley Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Virginia Tech. He currently serves as Director of Wireless @ Virginia Tech, one of the largest and most comprehensive university wireless research groups in the US.
Reed’s area of expertise is in software radios, smart antennas, wireless networks and communications signal processing. He has authored, co-authored, or co-edited numerous books, textbooks, articles and conference papers. In 2010, he founded the Ted and Karyn Hume Center for National Security and Technology and served as its interim director. Reed also cofounded Cognitive Radio Technologies and Federated Wireless and served on the President’s Council of Advisors in Science and Technology (PCAST) Working Group.
Reed received his BS and MS in Electrical and Computer Engineering from UC Davis. He also received his PhD in Electrical and Computer Engineering from UC Davis.
Jim Cheng is Senior Advisor at Pamunkey Indian Enterprises – Professional Services. Of Counsel to the Lee and Hayes Law Firm, teaches Entrepreneurial Finance at the UVA Engineering School, and serves on numerous boards of non-profit organizations and for-profit startups and mid-sized companies. Cheng is also the former Commerce Secretary of the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Before his role in state government, Cheng was an active angel and private equity investor specializing in technology companies as well as the President of Totus Lighting Solutions.
From 1994-2005, Cheng was the founder and CEO of CHM.
Cheng holds a BS Degree in Computer Science from Old Dominion University, a MBA from the Colgate Darden Graduate School of Business (UVA) and a JD from Georgetown University Law Center.
Tom Weithman is Managing Director of Virginia Venture Partners (formerly CIT GAP Funds). He has established and grown CIT GAP Funds. Weithman formed GAP Fund I and, building on its success, launched the GAP BioLife Fund and the GAP Tech Fund in 2007. Weithman maintains leadership for all day-to-day fund operations, investment strategy, and portfolio management activity for CIT GAP Funds.
Weithman also serves on the board of the Virginia Tech Intellectual Property Foundation and enjoys affiliations with Irish Angels and Catholic Charities of Northern Virginia. He is active in numerous angel investment, venture capital, and entrepreneurial support organizations.
Weithman holds a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Notre Dame, an MBA from Michigan State University and a Master’s degree in Public Administration from Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government.
Mr. Darby is a nearly 39-year veteran of the U.S. Intelligence Community, primarily in the National Security Agency (NSA)/Central Security Service (CSS), culminating in serving over four years as the NSA/CSS Director of Operations (DO). Prior to assuming the DO position, which oversees all of NSA’s collection, code-breaking, analysis and production of signals intelligence (SIGINT), he led some of NSA’s most difficult missions, including Counterterrorism, Cybersecurity Operations, and SIGINT analysis and production on all geographic and transnational missions. He managed a budget in the billions, drove development and use of advanced technologies, and in multiple positions led thousands of globally distributed civilian and military personnel providing intelligence support for military, diplomatic, cybersecurity and law enforcement operations.
Starting his career as a Russian language analyst, Mr. Darby served in a variety of field and operations management positions at NSA and abroad. He spent over a decade following 9/11 in various leadership positions in NSA’s counterterrorism and counterproliferation missions, to include serving as NSA’s Chief of Counterterrorism during the Osama bin Laden operation. Other key senior leadership assignments include serving as NSA’s Chief of SIGINT Analysis and Production and the Deputy Chief of Cybersecurity Operations.
Mr. Darby is on the Board of Directors of ManTech, the Advisory Board of Intelligent Artifacts, and is a Strategic Advisor for the Blu Venture Investors Cyber Advisory Board. He also is a Senior Advisor for Donovan Capital Group and Beacon Global Strategies. In addition, he is an independent consultant as the Principal in Jon Darby Consulting LLC.
Mr. Darby is a graduate of Carleton College, where he majored in Political Science/International Relations with a Concentration in Russian Studies.
Lieutenant General Robert Walsh retired from the Marine Corps on 1 October 2018 after more than 39 years of service, completing his career as Deputy Commandant for Combat Development and Integration and Commanding General of the Marine Corps Combat Development Command.
A 1979 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, Lieutenant General Walsh served as an
F/A-18 pilot at all levels, including commanding VMFA-115, Marine Aircraft Group 31, and 2d Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward) during Operation Iraqi Freedom. He was an instructor at the Navy Fighter Weapons School (TopGun). He has received several writing awards. As a general officer, his staff assignments focused on designing and building the future Navy and Marine Corps as Assistant Deputy Commandant for Aviation, Assistant Deputy Commandant for Combat Development and Integration, and Director of Expeditionary Warfare, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations. His operational and joint assignments included serving as commanding general, 2d Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward) Iraq, and Director of Operations, U.S. Northern Command.
Rick Gordon is an expert on security technology, business strategy and early-stage venture development. Mr. Gordon serves on the advisory board of the United States Naval Academy Center for Cyber Security Studies, and the AlphaTech group in addition to PFP Cybersecurity. He also serves on the board of directors for Atomicorp.
Gordon served as Managing Partner of Mach37 TM, the premier accelerator for cybersecurity entrepreneurs and startups. Prior to this role, Gordon served as Vice President of Product Management at KEYW Corporation, COO of Lookingglass Cyber Solutions, Managing Director at the Civitas Group and CEO of Tovaris. He also served on the founding Board of Directors of Invincea. Gordon has been a frequent contributor and speaker on such issues as security innovation and investing, cloud security, and Internet threat intelligence.
Gordon served as a submarine officer in the U.S. Navy. He received his MBA from the University of Virginia and his B.S. in engineering from the U.S. Naval Academy.
Hank Kenchington is a senior executive with over 25 years’ experience in the strategic management of technology and innovation focused on complex national challenges in energy security and decarbonization, electric power systems, communications and control systems, and cybersecurity for critical infrastructure. As Deputy Assistant Secretary for Cybersecurity and Emerging Threats at the Department of Energy, Hank developed national strategies and programs to enhance the cybersecurity posture of the nation’s energy infrastructure. Hank directed R&D and technology innovation programs in cybersecurity systems for operational technologies and commercialized over 30 advanced cybersecurity technologies now deployed across the nation’s power grid. Hank also worked with the DOE national laboratories, DOD, and the electric sector to lead the development of a national platform for sharing classified and unclassified cybersecurity threat indicators in real-time to better detect and mitigate cyber threats to the nation’s electric power grid. Hank also ed the $4.5 billion Smart Grid Investment Program working with more than 200 utilities to digitize the electric power grid deploying advanced communications and control systems across the nation to enhance grid reliability and resilience. Hank also directed R&D programs in energy storage systems, high-voltage power electronics, grid modeling and simulation, design of grid architectures, grid modernization, microgrids, and advanced materials development. Hank also served as Senior Fellow at the Virginia Tech Hume Center for National Security.
Education – BS in mechanical engineering from Virginia Polytechnic Institute, MS in engineering management from the George Washington University.
Gordon served as Managing Partner of Mach37 TM, the premier accelerator for cybersecurity entrepreneurs and startups. Prior to this role, Gordon served as Vice President of Product Management at KEYW Corporation, COO of Lookingglass Cyber Solutions, Managing Director at the Civitas Group and CEO of Tovaris. He also served on the founding Board of Directors of Invincea. Gordon has been a frequent contributor and speaker on such issues as security innovation and investing, cloud security, and Internet threat intelligence.
Gordon served as a submarine officer in the U.S. Navy. He received his MBA from the University of Virginia and his B.S. in engineering from the U.S. Naval Academy.
Rear Admiral David Simpson is CEO at Pelorus Consulting; Partner at DeepWaterPoint; Professor at Virginia Tech. He has influenced National Defense and Homeland Security policy and provided cutting edge Information, Communications Technology and Cybersecurity solutions for more than 30 years. He previously served as Chief of the Federal Communications Commission’s Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau from 2013 to 2017. As Bureau Chief, he oversaw public safety, homeland security, and cybersecurity activities for more than 30,000 commercial companies in the telecommunications sector. Simpson served as the vice director of the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) from 2011 to 2013. In that capacity, he helped lead an organization responsible for planning, developing and providing interoperable global communications for the Defense community. He also served as a senior delegate to the 2012 ITU World Radio Telecommunications Conference and to the World Conference on International Telecom (WCIT). Simpson’s extensive career includes assignments with responsibility for networks, IT, and crisis communications for afloat and other deployed forces in the United States, Europe, Africa, Asia, and South America.
Bob Flores is a co-Founder of Cognitio Corp, an independent consulting firm specializing in mergers & acquisitions due diligence, cyber security assessments, and advisory services. Flores also serves on the Board of Directors or Advisory Boards of several companies. Prior to Cognitio, Flores spent 31 years in the US Intelligence Community where he held various technology positions, including that of Enterprise Chief Technology Officer at CIA.
Flores holds Bachelor and Master of Science degrees in Statistics from Virginia Tech.
Alan Wade serves on the boards of the Aerospace Corporation in El Segundo, CA, Professional Project Services in Oak Ridge, TN, Assyst Inc in Herndon VA, and on public sector advisory boards of several technology companies.
Wade has held a series of senior positions at CIA, including the Director of Communications, Director of Security, and Chief Information Officer. Since retirement from the CIA, Wade has served on the boards of Safeboot N.V. (acquired by McAfee in 2007), Detica DFI (acquired by BAE Systems in 2008), Composite Software (acquired by Cisco in 2013) and Applied Communications Sciences (acquired by The SI Organization in 2013).
Wade graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from Virginia Tech and received his Masters degree in Electrical Engineering from The George Washington University.
