Wednesday, February 15, 2017

After a national search, Ben Myers has been named the Chief Information Security Officer for the University of Georgia. His appointment takes effect immediately.

Myers has been serving as interim CISO at the University since July 2016, where he previously served as an IT associate director for UGA’s Office of Information Security. In that role, Myers directed vulnerability management, risk management and security compliance measures from UGA’s Office of Information Security.

Myers also served as chief information security officer for the Georgia Student Finance Commission, which administers student financial aid for postsecondary education, including the HOPE programs. While at the Georgia Student Finance Commission, Myers led the corporate information security program and the security strategy for the agency. He also served as a subject matter expert on federal contracts, compliance and security program requirements.

“The University of Georgia has made tremendous strides in adding additional layers of security to protect its information assets. Ben has been an important part of developing and implementing these controls, and I am delighted that he is willing to take on a greater leadership role serving the students, faculty, and staff of the University of Georgia” said Timothy M. Chester, the University’s Vice President for Information Technology.

The CISO serves as UGA’s senior information security executive who advises senior leadership on emerging security threats; changes in regulatory requirements to protect research, student and financial data; and designs strategies to protect the University’s data.

One of the key initiatives for the CISO is the expansion of UGA’s two-factor authentication service, called Archpass, to additional services and systems across the University. Archpass adds an additional layer of security for accessing web-based services. UGA’s vLab (virtual computer lab) is one of the services that will soon require authentication with Archpass. The CISO will also play a significant role in the implementation of a new financial system at UGA and the adoption the University System of Georgia’s shared human resources system.

“I was very pleased to learn that Ben had been selected for the CISO position,” said Marshall Chalmers, chairperson of the search committee. “The search committee had the enviable task of interviewing a very competitive candidate pool, and Ben emerged as the most qualified candidate. I’ve had the pleasure during the search process of becoming better acquainted with the University’s terrific information security team, and I am excited to see what the team will achieve under Ben’s leadership.”

As CISO, Myers will lead a team of 13 staff members in UGA’s Office of Information Security with teams focusing on security operations and risk assessment.

“I’m grateful for the opportunity to continue serving the University of Georgia as its Chief Information Security Officer,” Myers said. “I’m looking forward to continue working with our colleagues across the institution on addressing the challenges and issues higher education is facing when it comes to matters related to cyber security.”