Fortem Announces Exec Leadership Growth with Jon Gruen Named CEO

Jon Gruen, Chairman Named New Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at Fortem Technologies
Jon Gruen, Chairman Named New Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at Fortem Technologies, brings more than twenty-five years of leadership experience in the military and defense industry, providing emergency management and security solutions to government customers.

Fortem Technologies, a leader in airspace awareness, security, and defense, and a Double 2021 ‘ASTORS’ Homeland Security Awards Program, has announced that Jon Gruen, the company’s existing Executive Chairman will be stepping into the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) position.

Fortem’s current CEO, Timothy Bean, will move into a new role as the company’s President and Chief Operating Officer (COO), as part of a strategic reorganization to better address the increasing market demand for counter-UAS support and reinforces the company’s focus on growth in the defense and government markets.

“With recent investments and the expansion of our Washington DC presence, the time is right to make this move,” explains Timothy Bean.

“Jon and I have worked closely for over two years, and I am excited to have him full-time at the company.”

Timothy Bean, Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer of Fortem Technologies
Timothy Bean, Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer of Fortem Technologies

Gruen brings more than twenty-five years of leadership experience in the military and defense industry, providing emergency management and security solutions to government customers.

Gruen played a significant role in securing more than $10B in program value as a Lockheed Martin Business Development Principal. After which, he co-founded a defense innovation management and operations firm which scaled start-up companies to over $1.5B in combined revenue in just three years.

Gruen is also a U.S. Navy Reserve SEAL Captain, has led Special Operations teams in Afghanistan and Iraq, and was the COO for all Special Operations Force engagements in the Arabian Peninsula.

His expertise in manning, training, and equipping tactical teams that deploy in support of Special Operations worldwide, brings a distinctive perspective to the position of Chief Executive Officer to Fortem Technologies and will help to foster the company’s invaluable relationships with defense partners as well as customers.

Gruen holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the United States Naval Academy in Physics and received his Master of Business Administration from the Haas School of Business, University of California – Berkeley.

Matt Ocko, Co-founder, Co-Managing Partner at DCVC

“With Jon’s impressive defense and commercial background, he is well suited to lead the company’s growth efforts and our critical Washington, D.C. market presence,” according to Matt Ocko, Co-Founder and Managing Partner, DCVC, and Fortem Technologies Board of Directors member.

“Our growing leadership team with Jon and Tim at the helm enables us to serve more of our customers, in more geographies, with even more aggressive capabilities for supporting true security for law enforcement and warfighters against exponential human-operated and autonomous threats.”

Fortem Technologies is a leader in airspace awareness for detecting and defeating dangerous drones.

Through an advanced, end-to-end system of distributed radar, AI at the Edge, deep sensor integration, and autonomous drone capture, Fortem monitors and defends many of the world’s venues, infrastructures, cities, and regions.

The same system is accelerating the safety of the world’s airspace for urban air mobility. Based in Pleasant Grove, Utah, the company is privately held and backed by Toshiba, Boeing, DCVC, Mubadala Investment Company, Signia Venture Partners, among others.

Fortem Technologies Takes Platinum and Gold in the 2021 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Program

Amanda Mieczkowski represents Fortem Technologies to Accept 2021 'ASTORS' Awards at ISC East.
Amanda Mieczkowski representing Fortem Technologies to Accept 2021 ‘ASTORS’ Awards at ISC East.

American Security Today’s Annual ‘ASTORS’ Awards is the preeminent U.S. Homeland Security Awards Program, and now in its Seventh 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.

Fortem Technologies (First of Two)

Best Persistent Aerial Monitoring Solution

  • The SkyDome® 3.7 is a Counter-UAS System that can anticipate rouge drone vulnerabilities, alert personnel, cue defensive measures or launch a drone to autonomously neutralize malicious drones, so neither civilians nor communities are harmed, and minimize collateral damage in urban environments.

Fortem TrueView® radar
The Fortem SkyDome System consists of a low cost and small form factor family of TrueView® radar, the world’s most advanced low SWAP-C radar system with AI on the edge technology for detecting, tracking, and classifying multiple simultaneous small, low to the ground airborne objects; and the Fortem DroneHunter®, which autonomously pursues, captures, and tows away dangerous or malicious drones with no collateral damage.
  • The SkyDome System has evolved to safely defeat larger and multiple targets where other systems are limited by cost, size, power, range, safety, or single drone targeting.

  • The 3.7 update is an example of that natural evolution where updates are added to a fundamentally disruptive autonomous architecture to create real, viable, ongoing solutions to the evolving drone threats.

  • Flexible and portable, the SkyDome® System deploys as a permanent installation or as part of a mobile solution, and is deployed at world-class venues, military bases, airports, and infrastructures around the world and provides an effective and reliable solution.

(See a Live Virtual Demo of a prior SkyDome® System courtesy of Fortem Technologies and YouTube.)

Fortem Technologies (Second of Two)

Best Perimeter Protection Solution

  • SkyDome System 3.7 also pairs DroneHunter’s extensive mitigation range with a long-range camera option that extends the ability to validate a target visually.

Fortem DroneHunter
DroneHunter stops dangerous and malicious drones at a safe distance before they harm people or cause damage to property.
  • While many competing drone solutions utilize camera systems that only have a ~30X zoom, SkyDome System 3.7 offers visual validation up to three times further utilizing an 88X zoom camera.

  • In conjunction with Fortem TrueView radar, this enhanced visual validation range now allows Fortem to boast one of the longest end-to-end detection, validation, and mitigation ranges in the industry.

  • SkyDome System 3.7 also introduced urban clutter suppression algorithms which allows the system to accurately view threatening drones in urban and other high clutter environments.

(Drone sales have exploded in the past few years, filling the air with millions of new aircraft. Simple modifications to these drones by criminals and terrorists have left people, privacy, and physical and intellectual property totally exposed. Courtesy of Fortem Technologies and YouTube.)

American Security Today’s Annual ‘ASTORS’ Awards is the preeminent U.S. Homeland Security Awards Program, and now in its Seventh 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.

Final Days to Submit Nominations in the 2022 ‘ASTORS Homeland Security Awards

Last Call for Entries in 2022 ‘ASTORS’ Homeland Security Awards 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 for consideration 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.

The pinnacle of the Annual ‘ASTORS’ Awards Program is the Annual ‘ASTORS’ Awards Presentation Luncheonan exclusive, affordable, gourmet, full-course plated meal event, in the heart of New York City, held at the International Security Conference & Exposition (ISC East) since it’s inception in 2017.

In a typical year, DEAC Sabatino oversees the facilitation of legitimate travel for more than 410 million travelers in the air, land, and maritime environments.
In a typical year, CBP OFO DEAC Sabatino oversees the facilitation of legitimate travel for more than 410 million travelers in the air, land, and maritime environments.

And who better to address the aforementioned challenges, and initiatives to meet today’s threat landscape than Deputy Executive Assistant Commissioner (DEAC) Diane J. Sabatino of the Office of Field Operations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the opening keynote speaker at the much-anticipated 2022 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Presentation Luncheon, on Wednesday, November 16th, 2022.

As the DEAC of the Office of Field Operations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)Mrs. Sabatino leads more than 31,000 employees and oversees an annual operating budget of $6.5 billion.

Register for the 2022 ‘ASTORS’ Luncheon Today

(Hear a recent interview with Deputy Executive Assistant Commissioner (DEAC) Diane J. Sabatino held at Identity Week Europe on leveraging biometric comparison technology in U.S. air, maritime, and land border environments for the security of passengers, enhancing the customer experience and limiting the transmission of biological pathogens while respecting personal privacies and educating the public as the CBP further expands the implementation of biometrics to keep up with threats to the aviation and other border sectors. These new technological tools are there to automate administrative functions so that the most valuable component of the process, the officers, are able to focus on critical issues as they arise. Courtesy of evie kim sing and YouTube. Posted on Jul 13, 2022.)

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 visiting our AST Website at www.americansecuritytoday.com each month.

The continually evolving ‘ASTORS’ Awards Program will emphasize the trail of Accomplished Women in Leadership in 2022, as well as the Significance and Positive Impact of Advancing Diversity and Inclusion in our Next Generation of Government and Industry Leaders. #MentorshipMatters

So be on the lookout for Special Guests, Presenters, Book Opportunities, and Attendees at the 2022 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Presentation Luncheon in November of 2022 in NYC!

Thomas Richardson, FDNY Chief of Department; Dr. Kathleen Kiernan, President of NEC National Security Systems; and Richard Blatus, FDNY Assistant Chief of Operations at the 2021 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Luncheon at ISC East.

AST Honors Thomas Richardson, FDNY Chief of Department; Dr. Kathleen Kiernan, President of NEC National Security Systems; and Richard Blatus, FDNY Assistant Chief of Operations, at the 2021 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Luncheon at ISC East.

The United States forever changed on September 11th, 2001, and we were fortunate to have many of those who responded to those horrific tragedies join us at our 2021 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Presentation Luncheon.

In the days that followed 9/11, the critical need to protect our country catapulted us into new and innovative ways to secure our homeland – which is how many of the agencies and enterprise organizations that are today ‘ASTORS’ Awards Champions, came into being.

Our keynote speaker TSA Administrator David Pekoske delivered a moving and timely address on the strategic priorities of the 64,000 member TSA workforce in securing the transportation system, enabling safe, and in many cases, contactless travel, and more (Be sure to see Interview.)
TSA Administrator David Pekoske addressing attendees at the 2021 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Luncheon in New York City on November 17, 2021. (Be sure to see AST Exclusive Interview, facilitated by Dr. Kathleen Kiernan HERE.)

Our 2021 keynote speaker featured a moving and informative address from TSA Administrator and Vice-Admiral of the United States Coast Guard (Ret), David Pekoske; to our attendees who traveled from across the United States and abroad, on the strategic priorities of the 64,000-member TSA workforce in securing the transportation system, enabling safe, and in many cases, contactless travel.

Commissioner Bill Bratton signing copies of his latest work, ‘The Profession: A Memoir of Community, Race, and the Arc of Policing in America,’ at the 2021 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Presentation Luncheon. (Be sure to see AST Exclusive Interview with Comm Bratton, facilitated by Dr. Kathleen Kiernan HERE.)

Legendary Police Commissioner William Bratton of the New York Police Department, the Boston Police Department, and former Chief of the Los Angeles Police Department  was also live at the event, meeting with attendees and signing copies of his latest work ‘The Profession: A Memoir of Community, Race, and the Arc of Policing in America,’ courtesy of the generosity of our 2021 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Premier Sponsors.

The 2022 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Program is Proudly Sponsored by New PLATINUM SPONSOR:   NEC National Security Systems (NSS),

New Premier Sponsors Rajant Corporation, guardDog AI, and IPVideo Corporation, and

Returning Premier Sponsors ATI Systems, Automatic Systems, RX Global, and SIMS Software!

In 2021 over 200 distinguished guests representing Federal, State, and Local Governments, and Industry Leading Corporate Firms gathered from across North America, Europe, and the Middle East to be honored among their peers in their respective fields, which included:

Team TSA
Honoring the 20th anniversary of the Transportation Security Administration (Team TSA at the 2021 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Presentation Luncheon.)
NCDMPH (Dr. Goolsby second from left), and American Red Cross Members accept 'Excellence in Public Safety' Awards at 2021 'ASTORS' Luncheon
NCDMPH (Dr. Goolsby second from left), and American Red Cross Members accept an ‘Excellence in Public Safety’ Awards at 2021 ‘ASTORS’ Luncheon

Register Today for the 2022 ‘ASTORS’ Luncheon

2021 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Luncheon (starting front row, left to right) SIMS Software President & CEO Michael Struttmann; TENEO Risk Advisory Executive Chairman Commissioner Bill Bratton; NEC National Security Systems President Dr. Kathleen Kiernan; TSA Administrator David Pekoske; Fortior Solutions General Counsel Katherine Cowan; NEC Corporation of America Senior Vice President & Chief Experience Officer Raffie Beroukhim; TENEO Risk Advisory Chief of Staff David Cagno; Infragard National Board Member Doug Farber, Lumina Analytics Co-Founder & Chairman Allan Martin, and AMAROK Senior Vice President Sales & Marketing Mike Dorrington.
2021 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Luncheon (starting front row, left to right) SIMS Software President & CEO Michael Struttmann; TENEO Risk Advisory Executive Chairman Commissioner Bill Bratton; NEC National Security Systems President Dr. Kathleen Kiernan; TSA Administrator David Pekoske; Fortior Solutions General Counsel Katherine Cowan; NEC Corporation of America Senior Vice President & Chief Experience Officer Raffie Beroukhim; TENEO Risk Advisory Chief of Staff David Cagno; Infragard National Board Member Doug Farber, Lumina Analytics Co-Founder & Chairman Allan Martin, and AMAROK Senior Vice President Sales & Marketing Mike Dorrington.

ISC East is the Northeast’s leading security & public safety event, hosted in collaboration with premier sponsor Security Industry Association (SIA) and in partnership with ASIS NYC.

Each year, in order to keep our communities safe and secure, security dealers, installers, integrators, and consultants, along with corporate, government, and law enforcement/first responder practitioners, convene in New York City to network, learn and evaluate the latest technologies and solutions from premier exhibiting brands.

Representing NEC at the 2021 'ASTORS' Awards Luncheon -Stacey Brown, SVP Raffie Beroukhim, Dr. Kathleen Kiernan, 2021 'ASTORS' Industry Leader of the Year; Christopher Gillyard, Rachel Sisk, and Frank Sangiorg
Representing NEC Corporation at the 2021 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Luncheon at ISC in New York City – NEC Director of Marketing Stacey Brown, NEC Senior Vice President Raffie Beroukhim, NEC NSS President Dr. Kathleen Kiernan, the 2021 ‘ASTORS’ Extraordinary Industry Leadership & Innovation Person of the Year; NEC NSS Regional Sales Director Chris Gillyard, NEC NSS Executive Assistant Rachel Sisk, and NEC Regional Sales Director Frank Sangiorgi

This combination of one-on-one conversations with top innovators, high-quality special events, and cutting-edge education and training, make ISC East the most comprehensive East Coast event to guide the industry in getting back to business.

Taking place November 15-17 at the Javits Center in NYC (SIA Education@ISC: November 15-17 | Exhibit Hall: November 16-17), ISC East will be co-locating again with the Natural Disaster & Emergency Management Expo (NDEM EXPO), a comprehensive trade event and online resource dedicated to the preparation, response, and recovery of physical and human assets of public and private organizations. Qualified professionals who register for ISC East will be granted access to both events.

Corporate firms, the majority of which return year to year to build upon their Legacy of Wins include:

AlertMedia, Allied Universal, AMAROK, ATI Systems, Attivo Networks, Axis Communications, Automatic Systems of America, BriefCam, Canon U.S.A., Fortior Solutions, guardDog.ai, Hanwha Techwin of America, HID Global, Mark43, IPVideo Corporation, Konica Minolta Business Solutions, Lumina Analytics, NEC National Security Systems, NICE Public Safety, OnSolve, PureTech Systems, Quantum Corporation, Rave Mobile Safety, Regroup Mass Notification, Robotic Assistance Devices, Rajant Corporation, SafeLogicSenstar Corporation, ShotSpotter, Singlewire Software, SolarWinds Worldwide, Teledyne FLIR, Valor Systems, and Wiresecure, just to name a few!

Team ATI Systems (featuring Dr. Ray Bassiouni, second from right) Accepts the 2021 Platinum 'ASTORS' Award for the ATI Systems Mobile Solutions for Giant Voice, in addition to a 2020 'ASTORS' Extraordinary Leadership & Innovation Award at the 2021 'ASTORS' Awards Luncheon at ISC East.
Team ATI Systems (featuring Dr. Ray Bassiouni, second from right) Accepts the 2021 Platinum ‘ASTORS’ Award for the ATI Systems Mobile Solutions for Giant Voice, in addition to a 2020 ‘ASTORS’ Extraordinary Leadership & Innovation Award at the 2021 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Luncheon at ISC East.

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 with over 75,000 readers at the Federal, State, and local levels of government as well as firms allied to the government.

American Security Today brings forward a fresh compelling look and read with our customized digital publications that hold readers’ eyes throughout the story with cutting-edge editorial that provides 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 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 both Private & 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.

American Security Today

These experts are from 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 & Dams, Bridges & Tunnels, and other potential targets of terrorism.

Other areas of concern include Transportation Hubs, Public Assemblies, Government Facilities, Sporting & Concert Stadiums, our Nation’s Schools & Universities, and Commercial Business Destinations – all enticing targets due to the large number of persons and resources clustered together.

(See just a few highlights of American Security Today’s 2021 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Presentation Luncheon at ISC East. Courtesy of My Pristine Images and Vimeo.)

To learn more about ‘ASTORS’ Homeland Security Award Winners solutions, please see the 2021 ‘ASTORS’ CHAMPIONS Edition Fully Interactive Magazine – the Best Products of 2021 ‘A Year in Review.’

The Annual CHAMPIONS edition includes a review of Annual ‘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 serves as your Go-To Source throughout the year for The Best of 2021 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 – Just to name a few), the 2021 ‘ASTORS’ CHAMPIONS EDITION has what you need to Detect, Delay, Respond to, and Mitigate today’s real-time threats in our constantly evolving security landscape.

It also includes featured guest editorial pieces from some of the security industry’s most respected leaders, and recognized firms in the 2021 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Program.

  • For a complete list of 2021 ‘ASTORS’ Award Winners, begin HERE.

For more information on All Things American Security Today, as well as the 2021 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Program, please contact Michael Madsen, AST Publisher at mmadsen@americansecuritytoday.com.

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