Dr. Kathleen Kiernan, the 2021 ‘ASTORS’ Extraordinary Industry Leadership and Innovation Person of the Year Award Recipient, and President of NEC National Security Systems (NEC NSS), has yet again been selected as a premier leader in the security industry.
Dr. Kiernan has been chosen for the Women in Security Forum (WISF) Power 100 by the Security Industry Association (SIA). This award recognizes 100 female leaders whose leadership and professional contributions are shaping the future of security.
NEC National Security Systems (NSS) is a leading provider of biometric identity and artificial intelligence (AI) technology for federal government agencies in defense, intelligence, law enforcement, and homeland security.
Dr. Kiernan has been the head of NEC NSS, a subsidiary of NEC Corporation of America, since 2021.
Dr. Kiernan brings a wealth of security experience to her role, leading a diverse team in implementing cutting-edge biometric, AI, and machine learning applications for the U.S. Government and federal law enforcement. Throughout her career, she has championed innovation and diversity in the industry while advocating for high-tech solutions to solving societal challenges such as human trafficking and child sexual exploitation.
A 29-year veteran of Federal Law Enforcement, Dr. Kiernan retired as Assistant Director for the Office of Strategic Intelligence and Information for ATF. She is a subject matter expert for the defense, intelligence, and law enforcement communities.
She works with organizations that are making positive change in the world, including Business Executives for National Security (BENS), the AFCEA Intelligence Committee, and the Center for Advanced Red Teaming (CART), University of Albany, SUNY.
Former ‘ASTORS’ Person of the Year recipients also include ATF Director Steven Dettelbach, Diane Sabatino, former CBP Deputy Executive Assistant Commissioner (DEAC) Office of Field Operations (OFO), Jim Robell, the President and CEO of Fortior Solutions, and David Antar, General Manager of IPVideo Corporation a Motorola Solutions Company.
Dr. Kiernan is also the Founder and CEO of national security, education, risk management, and training firm Kiernan Group Holdings (KGH, Chair Emeritus of InfraGard National Members Alliance, adjunct faculty member at the Naval Postgraduate School, and sits on various industry thought leadership boards, and was recently elected to the International Biometrics + Identity Association (IBIA) Board of Directors.
“As a lifelong champion for empowering women in security and law enforcement, it is truly an honor to be recognized by SIA as part of the Women in Security Power 100,” said Dr. Kiernan.
“This acknowledgment, particularly following International Women’s Day, reflects the remarkable strides taken by NEC, underscoring the collective dedication of our exceptional female leaders. It is a testament to their unwavering commitment to excellence and their instrumental role in shaping a more radiant and inclusive world,” she added.
In addition to her work addressing critical security challenges with advanced technology, Dr. Kiernan has led the way in building a security industry that is more inclusive for women.
She founded the Lipstick Mafia organization, which fosters collaboration among women from intelligence, law enforcement, and defense backgrounds.
Dr. Kiernan is also the Founder and CEO of national security, education, risk management, and training firm Kiernan Group Holdings (KGH), Chair Emeritus of InfraGard National Members Alliance, is an adjunct faculty member at the Naval Postgraduate School, and founder of 2023 ‘ASTORS’ Homeland Security Award Winning Preparedness Without Paranoia – Threat Awareness Training (PWP.org).
PWPORG (Preparedness Without Paranoia) is a 501(c)(3) built by law enforcement and security industry practitioners and educators to provide educational resources on safety and emergency preparedness to kids, families, and communities.
Don Erickson, CEO of the Security Industry Association, praised honorees as trailblazers in the security industry.
“The WISF Power 100 celebrates the extraordinary women security leaders who are changing expectations, having an impact, changing perceptions, and driving our industry forward.
“We are honored to mark International Women’s Day by recognizing the impressive accomplishments of this year’s outstanding class of honorees and commending them for their vision, advocacy, and impact.”
The Power 100 announcement comes amid broad celebrations of International Women’s Day, a global recognition of women’s social, economic, cultural, and political achievements.
The SIA Women in Security Forum will recognize the Power 100 honorees at ISC West 2024 on April 12 as part of its WISF Keynote event, where attendees will connect with other leaders and innovators in the security industry and celebrate the WISF Power 100 honorees.
NEC National Security Systems (NSS) is a subsidiary of NEC Corporation of America and a leading biometric identity and AI technology provider for federal government agencies in defense, intelligence, law enforcement, and homeland security agencies.
Based in Arlington, Va., NSS deploys proven groundbreaking technology for access control, identity verification, scene processing, advanced analytics, fiber optic sensing, border control, and transportation security, among other applications.
(Hear the latest from NEC NSS President Dr. Kathleen Kiernan in this exclusive interview at the 2023 ‘ASTORS’ Homeland Security, Public Safety, and Government Excellence Awards Ceremony at ISC East in NYC. Courtesy of AST and Vimeo.)
To Learn More, please visit www.necnss.com.
NEC NSS Sweeps the 2023 ‘ASTORS’ Homeland Security Awards Program
American Security Today’s Annual ‘ASTORS’ Awards, the preeminent U.S. Homeland Security Awards Program, now entering its Ninth Year, recognizes industry leaders of Physical and Border Security, Cybersecurity, Emergency Preparedness – Management and Response, Law Enforcement, First Responders as well as federal, state and municipal government agencies in the acknowledgment of their outstanding efforts to Keep our Nation Secure.
NEC NATIONAL SECURITY Systems (First of Three)
Best Facial/IRIS Recognition Solution
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NEC Face/Iris Capture
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NEC National Security Systems (NSS), a Foreign Ownership, Control or Influence (FOCI)-mitigated subsidiary under a Special Security Agreement (SSA) with the U.S. Government, provides full-service solutions for large agencies using the intellectual property and resources of the global NEC brand.
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NEC has partnered with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agency, the Office of Biometric Identity Management (OBIM), and the Department of State (DoS) Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement (INL) Digitus project in Mexico, to deploy their two most prominent matching engines, AIM XM and AIM-ES, to the AWS cloud environment.
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The NEC Face/Iris Capture system combines NEC’s number-one-ranked face recognition technology with its number-one-ranked iris recognition technology to create a highly accurate (false acceptance rate of 1 in 10 billion) identity verification system. In addition to high accuracy, the system quickly authenticates registered users by simply standing in front of the terminal.
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Even under conditions where individuals may be wearing masks, goggles, or gloves, NEC’s Face/Iris Capture is capable of maintaining its high accuracy, ensuring convenience to the user without compromising security. The system can be integrated into various access control and payment systems as an added layer of security without disturbing existing workflows.
(NEC aims to eliminate the risk of spoofing and malicious attacks by building a highly advanced authentication system that turns each individual’s critical bio information into a “key” to unlock the door to the digital world. Bio-IDiom combines multiple biometric authentication technologies that take safety to a higher level and create a new value in biometrics with face, fingerprint, and iris recognition technologies. NEC’s biometric technologies are focused on supporting society’s safety, security, efficiency, and equality while maximizing each technology’s advantages. Courtesy of NEC and YouTube.)
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This cloud-native architected platform supports the characteristics of cloud computing noted in NIST Special Publication 800-145, The NIST Definition of Cloud Computing—on-demand, self-service, broad network access, resource pooling, rapid elasticity, and measured services.
NEC NATIONAL SECURITY Systems (Second of Three)
Best Perimeter Protection Solution
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NEC Intelligent Perimeter Intrusion Detection System (IPIDS)
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The NEC Intelligent Perimeter Intrusion Detection System (IPIDS) combines NEC’s global expertise in transoceanic fiber cable with advances in machine learning-based artificial intelligence to create a cutting-edge perimeter security system.
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IPIDS can detect physical intrusions and disturbances above ground, underground, and underwater by optical fibers connected to a centrally located interrogator, which sends and receives light to the optical fiber. Physical intrusions like fence climbing or digging create vibrations, which the interrogator interprets as changes in light.
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Then, the IPIDS machine learning-based AI classifies and locates the physical intrusion and sends an alert to our customizable graphical user interface. The machine learning-based AI can differentiate between anomalies like digging, fencing climbing, fence cutting, human walking or running, vehicles moving, and low-flying aircraft.
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NEC IPIDScan also pinpoint where the anomaly occurs within 1 m (3 ft). The tuning of these alerts creates a highly accurate alerting system with a low nuisance alarm rate for a reliable perimeter security system with a low cost of ownership.
(NEC NSS IPIDS uses state-of-the-art optical fiber sensing, video analytics, machine vision, computer vision, AI, machine learning, deep learning, and sensor fusion to achieve real-time and ubiquitous situational awareness of physical security threats and anomalies. Courtesy of NEC and YouTube.)
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IPIDS covertly, quickly, reliably, and accurately detect, locate, and prompt automated video verification and trigger escalated security response. Featuring industry-disruptive probability of detection, nuisance alarm rate, and total cost of ownership, IPIDS can be used in the US Federal government’s various programs and systems, such as Anti-terrorism/Force Protection, Integrated Base Defense, Electronic Security, Emergency Management, Public Safety, Protective Distribution, and Linear Ground Detection.
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Additionally, NEC’s IPIDS is immune to electromagnetic interference and requires no electrical power in the field, making it ideal for monitoring both near and remote areas, and one interrogator can detect anomalies along up to 160 km (100mi) of optical fiber, contributing to low equipment and installation costs.
NEC NATIONAL SECURITY Systems (Third of Three)
Best Pedestrian Entrance Control Solution
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NEC Gateless Entry
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NEC’s Gateless Entry Solution combines the global No. 1 face algorithm with proprietary person re-identification technology to allow fast and reliable entry control at speed for groups of people.
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NEC’s Gateless Entry technology provides accurate matching, even if people are facing away from the camera or their bodies are occluded.
(Hear from Frost and Sullivan analyst Danielle VanZandt about how NEC is the leader in pushing the biometric industry forward, about today’s biometric authentication trends, and how it will progress in the future. Courtesy of NEC Corporation and YouTube.)
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Gateless Entry innovative from NEC eliminates the need for traditional or guarded security gates, reducing bottlenecks and wait times without affecting a site’s or event’s security.
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NEC’s Gateless Entry allows large groups of people to be authenticated simultaneously, smoothly, without stopping. If a person whose face image has not been registered in advance enters the area, an alert can be displayed above their head or on a security monitor nearby.
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*AST is delighted to welcome back Returning PLATINUM Awards Sponsor NEC National Security Systems, to the 2023 ‘ASTORS’ Homeland Security Awards Program.
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NEC National Security Systems is a subsidy of NEC Corporation of America (NECAM), recognized for Six Consecutive Years in the Annual ‘ASTORS’ Homeland Security Awards Programs.
Nominations are currently being accepted for the 2024 ‘ASTORS’ Homeland Security Awards Program at https://americansecuritytoday.com/ast-awards/.
Comprehensive List of Categories Include:
| Access Control/ Identification | Personal/Protective Equipment | Law Enforcement Counter Terrorism |
| Perimeter Barrier/ Deterrent System | Interagency Interdiction Operation | Cloud Computing/Storage Solution |
| Facial/IRIS Recognition | Body Worn Video Product | Cyber Security |
| Video Surveillance/VMS | Mobile Technology | Anti-Malware |
| Audio Analytics | Disaster Preparedness | ID Management |
| Thermal/Infrared Camera | Mass Notification System | Fire & Safety |
| Metal/Weapon Detection | Rescue Operations | Critical Infrastructure |
| License Plate Recognition | Detection Products | COVID Innovations |
| Workforce Management | Government Security Programs | And Many Others to Choose From! |
Don’t see a Direct Hit for your Product, Agency, or Organization?
Submit your category recommendation to Michael Madsen, AST Publisher, at: mmadsen@americansecuritytoday.com.
Homeland Security remains at the forefront of our national conversation as we experience an immigration crisis along our southern border and crime rates that are dramatically higher than before the Pandemic across the United States.
These challenges have become a national priority with an influx of investments in innovative new technologies and systems.
Enter American Security Today, the #1 publication and media platform in the Government Security and Homeland Security fields, with a circulation of over 75,000 readers and many tens of thousands more who visit our AST website at www.americansecuritytoday.com each month.
The pinnacle of the Annual ‘ASTORS’ Awards Program is the Annual ‘ASTORS’ Awards Ceremony Luncheon Banquet, an exclusive, full-course plated meal event in the heart of New York City.
The continually evolving ‘ASTORS’ Homeland Security, Public Safety, and Government Excellence Awards Program will highlight the trail of Accomplished Women in Leadership in 2024.
So be on the lookout for exciting upcoming announcements of Speakers, Presenters, Book Signing Opportunities, and Attendees at the 2024 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Presentation Luncheon in November of 2024 in New York City!
In 2023, this exclusive sold-out event featured at ISC East, well over two hundred representatives of law enforcement, public safety, and industry leaders came together to honor the selfless service of those who stand on the front lines – and those who stand beside them – providing the capabilities and technologies to create a safer world for future generations.
Comprehensive collaborations between these private and public sectors have led to the development of innovative intelligence and technologies that serve to protect our Nation.
Steven Dettelbach, Director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms (ATF) and Explosives, delivered the keynote address at the 2023 ‘ASTORS’ Homeland Security and Excellence in Public Safety Awards Ceremony and Banquet Luncheon.
Director Dettelbach spoke with passion on the epidemic of Gun Violence by Illegal Guns taking place across the United States, which results in over 125 deaths daily and impacting generations of families – leaving open chairs at holiday events.
Firearm injuries were the leading case of death for children for the third year in a row, he explained, and have doubled in the U.S. since 2021, levels that are simply intolerable.
Director Dettelbach lauded the strong partnerships with Federal, State, Local, and Tribal Policing that ATF has earned and relies upon to reduce violence and spoke with admiration as a former prosecutor on the selfless sense of mission and drive that is universal across the entire First Responder Community.
The prestigious Annual ‘ASTORS’ Homeland Security Awards Program highlights the most cutting-edge and forward-thinking security solutions coming onto the market today to ensure our readers have the information they need to stay ahead of the competition and keep our Nation safe – one facility, street, and city at a time.
The ‘ASTORS’ was specifically designed to honor distinguished government and vendor solutions that deliver enhanced value, benefit, and intelligence to end-users in a variety of government, homeland security, enterprise, and public safety vertical markets.
(See a few highlights during the 2023 ‘ASTORS’ Homeland Security and Government Excellence Awards Ceremony and Banquet Luncheon in NYC during ISC East on November 16, 2023. Courtesy of AST, My Pristine Images, and Vimeo.)
The 2023 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Program was Proudly Sponsored by Platinum Event Sponsor: NEC National Security Systems (NSS)
And Our RETURNING Premier Sponsors:
ATI Systems, Automatic Systems of America,
Guard Dog AI, IPVideo Corporation, Rajant Corporation, RX Global, SIMS Software, and American Security Today!
Why American Security Today?
The traditional security marketplace has long been covered by a host of publications putting forward the old-school basics to what is Today – a fast-changing security landscape.
American Security Today is uniquely focused on the broader Homeland Security & Public Safety marketplace and brings forward a fresh, compelling look and read with our customized digital publications that hold readers’ eyes throughout the story with cutting-edge editorials that provide solutions to their challenges.
Harness the Power of the Web – with our 100% Mobile Friendly Publications
AST puts forward the Largest and Most Qualified Circulation in Government with Over 75,000 readers on the Federal, State and Local levels.
AST Digital Publications are distributed to over 75,000 qualified government and homeland security professionals in federal, state, local, and private security sectors.
‘PROTECTING OUR NATION, ONE CITY AT A TIME’
AST Reaches Private and public Experts, essential to meeting these new challenges.
Today’s new generation of public safety and security experts need real-time knowledge to deal with domestic and international terrorism, lone wolf attacks, unprecedented urban violence, shifts in society, culture, and media bias – making it increasingly difficult for Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, First Responders, Military and Private Security Professionals to implement coordinated security measures to ensure national security and improve public safety.
These experts are from the Government at the federal, state, and local levels, as well as from private firms allied to the government.
AST provides a full plate of topics in our AST Monthly Magazine Editions, AST Website, and AST Daily News Alerts, covering 23 Vital Sectors such as Access Control, Perimeter Protection, Video Surveillance/Analytics, Airport Security, Border Security, CBRNE Detection, Border Security, Ports, Cybersecurity, Networking Security, Encryption, Law Enforcement, First Responders, Campus Security, Security Services, Corporate Facilities, and Emergency Response among others.
AST has Expanded readership into integral Critical Infrastructure audiences such as Protection of Nuclear Facilities, Water Plants and Dams, Bridges and Tunnels, and other potential targets of terrorism.
Other areas of concern include Transportation Hubs, Public Assemblies, Government Facilities, Sporting and Concert Stadiums, our Nation’s Schools and Universities, and Commercial Business Destinations – all enticing targets due to the large number of persons and resources clustered together.
To learn more about ‘ASTORS’ Homeland Security Award Winners solutions, Be On the LookOut for the 2023 ‘ASTORS’ CHAMPIONS Edition Fully Interactive Magazine – the Best Products of 2023 ‘A Year in Review.’
The Annual CHAMPIONS edition reviews ‘ASTORS’ Award Winning products and programs, highlighting key details on many of the winning firm’s products and services, including video interviews and more.
It will serve as your Go-To Source throughout the year for ‘The Best of 2023 Products and Services’ endorsed by American Security Today and can satisfy your agency’s and/or organization’s most pressing Homeland Security and Public Safety needs.
From Physical Security (Access Control, Critical Infrastructure, Perimeter Protection, and Video Surveillance Cameras and Video Management Systems), to IT Security (Cybersecurity, Encryption, Data Storage, Anti-Malware, and Networking Security – to name a few), the 2023 ‘ASTORS’ CHAMPIONS EDITION will have WHAT YOU NEED to Detect, Delay, Respond to, and Mitigate today’s real-time threats in our constantly evolving security landscape.
It will also include featured guest editorial pieces from some of the security industry’s most respected leaders and recognized firms in the 2023 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Program.
For more information on All Things American Security Today, as well as the 2024 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Program, please contact Michael Madsen, AST Publisher at mmadsen@americansecuritytoday.com.
AST strives to meet a 3 STAR trustworthiness rating, based on the following criteria:
- Provides named sources
- Reported by more than one notable outlet
- Includes supporting video, direct statements, or photos
Subscribe to the AST Daily News Alert Here.
*NEC National Security Systems (NSS) and the InfraGard National Members Alliance (INMA)* recognized in American Security Today’s Annual ‘ASTORS’ Homeland Security, Public Safety, and Government Excellence Awards Programs.
**The NMEC CyberTipline and the FBI’s Active Shooter Program are also recognized in American Security Today’s Annual ‘ASTORS’ Homeland Security, Public Safety, and Government Excellence Awards Programs.
***ICE HSI Honored in 2021 ‘ASTORS’ Homeland Security Awards Program
Learn More…
NEC NSS & INMA Combat Human Trafficking with Education Series
 Power 100 by the Security Industry Association (SIA).){kind=link}