The Security Industry Association (SIA) has announced that Daryle Hernandez and Arun Vemury have been selected as recipients of the 2024 SIA Excellence in Government Service Award. This award, presented at the SIA GovSummit, recognizes public servants who have shown outstanding leadership and dedication in advancing the effective use of security and life safety products to benefit society.
Daryle Hernandez is the director of the Interagency Security Committee (ISC) in the Infrastructure Protection Division at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). In this role, Hernandez is responsible for enhancing the security and protection of federal buildings and nonmilitary facilities across the United States. He collaborates with chief security officers and senior executives from 60 federal agencies and departments that constitute the ISC. Hernandez brings over 25 years of organizational leadership experience, having previously served as an interagency senior advisor with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and led the Department of the Army’s protection office, overseeing the security of over 1 million personnel across more than 100 federal installations and 6,000 standalone facilities. He holds master’s degrees in political science from Rutgers University and strategic studies from the Army War College.
“Daryle Hernandez’s leadership has been crucial in the development and implementation of ISC guidelines and standards across federal agencies,” said SIA CEO Don Erickson. “His extensive experience and commitment to security have greatly benefited SIA and our events, including the annual SIA GovSummit.”
Arun Vemury serves as the senior advisor for the Biometric and Identity Technology Center within DHS’s Science and Technology Directorate (S&T). He oversees a portfolio of innovative projects for DHS S&T and mission components such as Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). Vemury has spearheaded biometric technology rallies, providing a collaborative framework for testing biometric products in operational settings. His contributions to the development of DHS’s biometric entry/exit system have earned him multiple government awards. Vemury holds an undergraduate degree in electrical and computer engineering from the University of Maryland and a graduate degree in computer engineering from George Washington University.
“Arun Vemury’s leadership in leveraging industry capabilities to support homeland security is exemplary,” said Erickson. “His work at the Biometric and Identity Technology Center and his consistent support for SIA events have been invaluable. He is always available to consider industry input and provide insights on DHS’s most complex challenges.”
The 2024 SIA Excellence in Government Service Awards will be presented on May 21 during a special ceremony at the SIA GovSummit. The event, which will be held May 21-22 in downtown Washington, D.C., brings together government security leaders and private industry technologists for information sharing, networking, and education on security topics affecting federal, state, and local agencies. The summit will feature insights from experts at DHS, the U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. Department of Education, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the Federal Protective Service, the General Services Administration, the Pentagon Force Protection Agency, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection, among others. The event is free for all government employees, including U.S. and international federal, state, county, and municipal-level staff, as well as all military, law enforcement, and public safety personnel.