At this year’s IT Hot Topics Conference, there will be two keynote speakers. STEM advocate Dr. Uma Gupta will speak on Wednesday, May 6th, and the other, Howard Schmidt will speak on Thursday, May 7th.  With positions held such as Special Assistant to the Bush and Obama Administrations and Cybersecurity Coordinator for the federal government, it is no surprise that Howard Schmidt is known to be a top information security expert.

Mr. Schmidt, serves as a partner in the strategic advisory firm, Ridge-Schmidt Cyber, an executive services firm that supports business and government leaders in the navigation of cybersecurity challenges. At Ridge-Schmidt, Mr. Schmidt partners up with Tom Ridge, the first secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. He also serves as executive director of The Software Assurance Forum for Excellence in Code (SAFECode).

Mr. Schmidt brings together talents in business, defense, intelligence, law enforcement, privacy, academia and international relations. He also served in the military and law enforcement for over 26 years. Beginning active duty with the Air Force, he later joined the Arizona Air National Guard.

He has also had a dynamic career in the private industry and professional organizations. Mr. Schmidt has testified before congressional committees on computer security and has been featured on television and radio shows including, BBC, ABC, CNN, CNBC, Fox TV as an expert resource about cyber-security, investigations and technology. He is a co-author of The Black Book on Corporate Security and author of Patrolling CyberSpace, Lessons Learned from a Lifetime in Data Security.

Howard is a Ham Radio operator (W7HAS), a private pilot, outdoorsman and an avid Harley-Davidson rider.

The 2015 IT Hot Topics Trainings & Conference is hosted at the Grandover Resort in Greensboro, NC, and features five days of activities including trainings and conference events starting Monday, May 4th. Special trainings are hosted Monday and Tuesday May 4th and 5th, the main conference days are on May 6-7th and the conference wraps up Friday, May 8th with the IT Hot Topics Conference Golf Tournament.

Interested in attending IT Hot Topics Conference 2015? Visit www.hottopicsconference.com.