The Chertoff Group Names Board of Advisors and Expands Leadership Team

WASHINGTON, March 17 /PRNewswire/ -- The Chertoff Group, a strategic security and risk management advisory firm, today announced the formation of a Board of Advisors, bringing together a renowned group of leaders with unparalleled experience in the areas of intelligence, foreign policy, international trade, homeland security, and financial services. In addition, former U.S. Customs and Border Protection Acting Commissioner Jayson Ahern, former NSA official William Marshall, and homeland security and defense policy expert Brian White have joined the Chertoff Group.

The Board of Advisors includes:

• Jean-Louis Bruguiere – Judge Bruguiere is a leading international expert on terrorism. Judge Bruguiere has over 25 years of experience investigating serious crime and terrorism-related cases; he also served as the lead for the National Judicial Anti-terrorist Division.

• Joseph Fogg – With more than 35 years of investment banking experience, Mr. Fogg led Morgan Stanley as global head of investment banking; he is currently chairman and chief executive of Westbury Partners, a private equity investment firm that specializes in providing value-added capital to privately owned, emerging growth companies within high-growth, complex markets.

• Joseph S. Nye – Currently a University Distinguished Service Professor at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, Dr. Nye has served as Deputy to the U.S. Under Secretary of State for Security Assistance, Science and Technology; chair of the National Security Council Group on Nonproliferation of Nuclear Weapons; chair of the National Intelligence Council; and Assistant Secretary of Defense.

• Maurice Sonnenberg – Mr. Sonnenberg currently serves as the Senior International Advisor at J.P. Morgan and a Senior International Advisor and Director to the law firm of Greenberg Traurig, LLP. He has held several government advisory positions in finance, international trade, intelligence and counterterrorism, serving five presidential administrations.

• Scott Weber – Currently a partner at Patton Boggs, Mr. Weber has provided legal counsel and policy advice on complex matters involving infrastructure protection, preparedness, continuity of operations and government programs, product liability and security risks within the private sector. Mr. Weber previously served as Senior Counselor at the Department of Homeland Security.

"I want to personally thank each of these individuals for serving in this important advisory role. Each member of our board represents unique expertise and exceptional knowledge that complements the proven record of our team," said Co-founder and Managing Principal Michael Chertoff. "I look forward to working with them as we continue to offer strategic advisory services and informed security solutions that will better prepare both government and commercial clients for today's security challenges."

In addition, the Chertoff Group is pleased to welcome three new individuals to the leadership team:

Mr. Jayson P. Ahern, principal, most recently departed the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) after serving 33 years in government service. Prior to joining the Chertoff Group, Mr. Ahern had served for nearly a year as acting commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the lead agency within DHS responsible for securing, managing and controlling the nation's borders. In this capacity, Mr. Ahern oversaw the daily operations of CBP's 58,000 employee workforce and an operating budget of more than $11 billion. Mr. Ahern's primary focus was keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country, while also carrying out CBP's other border-related responsibilities.

From June 2002 until August 2007, Mr. Ahern served as the assistant commissioner for CBP's Office of Field Operations, a position he also held with the former U.S. Customs Service. In this role, Mr. Ahern managed all field operations in domestic and foreign locations, as well as critical national security and operational programs. In 2003, when the Department of Homeland Security was created, Mr. Ahern presided over the historic merger of personnel from three of CBP's legacy agencies and ensured mission continuity during the largest government reorganization in the last 50 years.

Mr. Ahern was a career member of the Senior Executive Service, a graduate of Northeastern University and a senior executive fellow at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government. In 2005, President Bush conferred the rank of distinguished executive on Mr. Ahern in recognition of his extraordinary leadership and management contributions to the United States government. In 2007, he received the Distinguished Lifetime Achievement Award for outstanding service and contributions toward global maritime security.

Areas of Focus:

• Homeland and Border Security Management
• Global Commerce and Supply Chain Security
• Crisis and Risk Management, Strategy and Implementation
• Global Security and Capacity Building
• Counter Narcotics Planning and Operations
• Government Reorganizations and Merging of Agencies

William Marshall, managing director, has nearly 35 years experience in leadership, management and analytic positions in the intelligence community and Department of Defense. Most recently, Mr. Marshall served as deputy chief of staff for cyber at the National Security Agency (NSA) where he led a new organization supporting the director and deputy director on all key cyber-related initiatives. In this role, Mr. Marshall coordinated development and implementation of NSA initiatives to support and achieve operational integration with the Department of Defense's U.S. Cyber Command and the President's Comprehensive National Cyber Security Initiative. In addition, Mr. Marshall coordinated corporate efforts to plan and prepare for cyber futures as part of NSA's support to the federal government.

Mr. Marshall's career within the National Security Agency also included serving as a member of the NSA senior staff and the first director of the NSA Threat Operations Center. Previously, Mr. Marshall served as chairman of the National Signals Intelligence Committee where he led the inter-agency committee and staff to provide assessments and recommendations for major intelligence community policy and capability decisions. Mr. Marshall first began his career with the National Security Agency as director of Information Operations Technology Center, a joint intelligence community and Department of Defense technology center charged with the development of new offensive and defensive computer network operations capabilities and operating concepts.

Mr. Marshall received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Hampden-Sydney College and a Master of Science for National Security Strategy from the National War College. He has received numerous awards for service including the Presidential Rank Award, National Intelligence Distinguished Service Medal, and National Intelligence Medal of Achievement.

Areas of Focus:

• Information Assurance and Cyber Security
• General Intelligence Community matters

Mr. Brian White, director, brings a vast array of homeland security experience to the Chertoff Group, working in both public and private sector positions over the past 10 years. Most recently, Mr. White served as a principal and senior manager for Homeland Security Programs at Lockheed Martin. In addition, Mr. White was responsible for leading the development and execution of a homeland security strategy for the Integrated Defense Technologies line of business.

From 2006 to 2009, Mr. White served in several senior positions at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) where he counseled the Secretary and senior leadership on all homeland security policy issues. Prior to departing DHS, Mr. White was the principal advisor to the Deputy Secretary where he advised on the development and execution of the Department's budget, significant regulatory initiatives, and complex policy matters including the Secure Border Initiative and the creation and execution of the Presidential-directed National Cyber Security Center and the Comprehensive National Cyber Security Initiative.

Mr. White holds a Master's Degree in Public Administration from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University. Mr. White also serves as a senior associate with the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS); a practice associate at the Institute of National Security and Counterterrorism (INSCT) at Syracuse University; a member of the NDIA Executive Committee on Homeland Security, and has been a guest lecturer at the Naval Postgraduate School.

Areas of Focus:

• Strategic advice on mergers, acquisitions and private equity investments
• Global border and supply chain security
• Cyber security
• International homeland security

These individuals join a highly seasoned leadership team that includes General Michael V. Hayden, former director of the Central Intelligence Agency and the National Security Agency; Paul A. Schneider, former DHS deputy secretary; Charles E. Allen, former DHS undersecretary for intelligence and analysis; Rear Admiral Jay M. Cohen, former DHS undersecretary for science & technology; Dr. Jeff Runge, former DHS assistant secretary for health affairs and Chad C. Sweet, former DHS chief of staff.

About The Chertoff Group

The Chertoff Group is a security and risk management advisory firm that counsels corporate and government clients. The firm, which is lead by the Former U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff, assists clients with addressing threats related to terrorism, fraud, cyber security, border protection and supply chain security, and biodefense. The firm is based in Washington D.C. with offices in New York and London.

SOURCE The Chertoff Group