Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Under Secretary of Intelligence and Analysis (I&A) and Chief Intelligence Officer, David J. Glawe, provided the keynote address at the Arkansas Corporate Security Symposium (CSS) on August 14, 2019. The Arkansas CSS was hosted by I&A in partnership with the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Domestic Security Alliance Council and Walmart, Inc. Under Secretary Glawe discussed I&A’s mission and how the new Mission Center Model construct is working to provide intelligence in a timely manner to mitigate threats and have a scalable model within the organization. The event drew over 300 registered private sector, federal, state, local, academia, and homeland security officials.
The Honorable Asa Hutchinson, Governor of Arkansas, kicked off the event with welcoming remarks while Rachel Brand, Executive Vice President Global Governance, Chief Legal Officer, and Corporate Secretary, Walmart, Inc., provided opening remarks. Additionally, there was great emphasis on the Homeland Security Information Network (HSIN) to provide the state, local, and private sector partners to collaborate and access intelligence. The additional topics discussed included: Counterintelligence Threats to Agricultural, Making Corporate Security Engaging, Security Consideration for Soft Targets, Cyber Mitigation and Response, and Threats to Critical Infrastructure. Initial feedback from the participants indicated the information provided and speeches were extremely helpful and informative.
“The Corporate Security Symposiums provide an unprecedented opportunity to advance our partnership with the private sector, and to address the wide range of threats that impact their operations – from foreign influence, cyber threats, to active shooters,” Under Secretary Glawe mentioned during the event. “DHS is committed to advancing this partnership to keep our country safe.”
Following the CSS, Under Secretary Glawe met with Governor Asa Hutchinson to discuss the threats facing Arkansas as well as opportunities for DHS to increase its intelligence and analytic support in identifying and mitigating threats within the state.
Under Secretary Glawe also met with security executives from Walmart to discuss threat priorities across the commercial facilities sector and the importance of information sharing partnerships to defend against emerging threats. Following the discussions, Under Secretary Glawe toured Walmart’s Emergency Operation Center (EOC) and their Investigative Risk Operations Center (IROC).
Discussions throughout the day underscored the important role that private sector partners play in securing the homeland, and DHS looks forward to facilitating enhanced public private partnerships.
