CISOs Connect's Board of Distinguished CISOs Selects Top 100 Peers, Honoring Professional Prowess and Contributions to Industry

NEW YORK, April 16, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- CISOs Connect's™ Esteemed Board of Judges has announced this year's winners of its preeminent peer-to-peer tribute, the CISOs Connect's™ Top 100 CISOs (C100) awards.

The C100 recognizes singular professional achievements in a role that has become exceptionally dynamic and demanding.  Equally important, it also judges candidates based on their commitment to mentoring and sponsoring the next generation of security leaders, thereby setting a high bar against which successors will be measured.

See the 2024 C100 winners here: https://tinyurl.com/mjj934kc

"This year's candidates were an exceptionally accomplished group, presenting us with the formidable yet gratifying undertaking of selecting 100 elite professionals from a pool of many deserving individuals," said Adam Fletcher, 2024 Esteemed Judge and CSO at Blackstone. "The winners justifiably will serve as role models for the successor generation and repositories of valuable wisdom for more veteran peers."

What distinguishes these awards from other industry honors is the transparency of the process, with defined eligibility criteria and a declared board of judges to choose the winners. There were over 900 nominations, both self-submitted and submitted by third parties on behalf of CISOs who met the established criteria.

Key benchmarks for consideration included service in the role of CISO or its equivalent at an end-user enterprise or organization for at least five years; involvement and leadership roles in professional organizations; and security-related volunteering, mentoring, and activism.

There is no fee or financial requirement associated with the awards.

The following industry leaders served on the distinguished CISO Board:

• Adam Fletcher, CSO at Blackstone
• Anthony Esposito, CISO at McKinsey & Company
• Brian Miller, CISO at Healthfirst
• Heather Hinton, CISO at Large
• John Virden, Assistant VP for Security, Compliance, and Risk Management & CISO at Miami University
• Marcos Marrero, CISO at H.I.G. Capital
• Meredith R. Harper, SVP, CISO at Synchrony
• Robert Pace, VP Information Security & CISO at Invitation Homes
• Sheldon Cuffie, VP & Enterprise CISO at American Family Insurance
• Sheryl Hanchar, Global CISO at Comtech Telecommunications Corp.

"CISOs Connect™ was founded to promote a select group of security leaders who have put themselves on the front line in the ever-widening war against cyber criminals," said David Cass, President of CISOs Connect and GSR CISO. "CISOs have become indispensable figures in the protection of national assets. We created the C100 to recognize those who take it a step further through continuous learning and impressive contributions to the industry."

"The C100 award is renowned in the industry for its transparent process and preeminent board of peer judges," said Marcos Marrero, 2024 Esteemed Judge and CISO at H.I.G. Capital. "This recognition of a truly standout group of professionals serves not only as a well-deserved thank you but also sets new standards for the rest of the industry to live up to."

In addition to honoring the Top 100 CISOs in the U.S., the Board of Esteemed Judges also paid tribute to four other peers.

Meredith Harper, SVP, CISO at Synchrony, was recognized with the CISO Trailblazer Award for forging new territories for professional growth. A critical and creative thinker, Meredith personifies the type of innovative business leader the security industry urgently needs.

Brian Miller, CISO at Healthfirst, was presented the CISO Visionary Award, epitomizing exceptional foresight and vision and taking the CISO role to new heights. The recipient is a true role model for innovation and transformation.

Colin Anderson, CISO at Dayforce, was honored with the inaugural CISO Champion Award for lobbying on behalf of security leaders, their professional development, and creating an award program untainted by financial considerations – the CISOs Connect™ C100. His outstanding long-term contribution to information security is rooted in exceptional technology and business acumen that has earned him trust throughout the industry and a reputation for integrity and fairness.  

The CISO IMPACT award was presented to an individual whose extraordinary contributions have influenced the industry and the organizations it serves. This year's winner is Devon Bryan, who has augmented his distinguished professional achievements by co-founding Cyversity, whose mission is to strengthen the cyber workforce with a balance of ethnicity, gender, and culture, enriching security teams and having a major impact on global cybersecurity defenses.

As a fundamental part of its mission to support and recognize the CISOs unceasing efforts to safeguard their enterprises and organizations globally, Black Kite, Inc. has partnered for the fourth year with CISOs Connect™ to fulfill that mission.

This year's candidates exemplified the spirit of striving that marks the truly outstanding professional," said Paul Paget, CEO of Black Kite. "We are truly honored to help showcase the achievements of the industry's best. Hats off to this year's winners!"

The following organizations also partnered with CISOs Connect to make the C100 possible:
Glilot Capital Partners
Mayfield

About CISOs Connect™ 
CISOs Connect™ is an exclusive membership-only, interactive organization of trusted cyber peers and subject matter experts. Connected by common interests, CISOs Connect™ allows cyber experts to share knowledge and expertise through proprietary content, research and analysis, and collaborate with trusted colleagues to make informed business and technology decisions. 

CISOs Connect™ is part of Security Current™, known for its Security Shark Tank^® and lauded for its CISO-driven content, knowledge sharing and community ethos. It is purpose-built and led by the top CISOs in North America.

Media Contact:
Aimee Rhodes
201-835-9205

SOURCE CISOs Connect