Cyber Collaboration Continues During Georgia Delegation Visit to Anne Arundel

February 22, 2019

This week AAEDC hosted a delegation from Georgia as a way to continue collaboration and shared opportunities in the cybersecurity space, especially around Fort Gordon and Fort Meade. Engagement between the two cyber communities began in 2018 after officials at AAEDC and the Georgia Department of Economic Development recognized the need for collaboration and partnerships to meet industry challenges. This visit is the third in a series of exchanges between Anne Arundel and Georgia.

The Georgia delegation, made up of cybersecurity executives, university officials and state representatives, began the visit with a welcome from the National Security Agency (NSA). NSA staff gave an overview of the state and local affairs office, the agency’s Small Business Program and technology transfer opportunities before embarking on a tour of Fort Meade led by the garrison’s Public Affairs Office.

What followed was a lunch and discussion at DreamPort, a cyber innovation, collaboration & prototyping facility created by US Cyber Command.  Dreamport’s Executive Director Karl Gumtow and Armando Seay, Advisory Board Member highlighted DreamPort’s Partnership Intermediary Agreement, which was awarded to the non-profit Maryland Innovation & Security Institute in May of 2018, as the foundation for DreamPort. The group was able to learn about how DreamPort is designed as an open facility that welcomes the public and companies throughout the world to tour, collaborate, and development prototypes in support of USCYBERCOM and its mission partners.

The Georgia delegation also participated in a panel discussion hosted by the Cybersecurity Association of Maryland, Inc. called “Cybersecurity Insights From the State of Georgia.” Panelists included:

• Bert Brantley, COO, Georgia Department of Economic Development;
• Justin Daniels, Outsourced General Counsel and Business Advisor, Baker Donelson;
• Matt Colvin, Executive Director of Economic Development, Board of Regents, University System of Georgia;
• Michael Shaffer, Executive Vice President of Strategic Partnerships and Economic Development, Augusta University;
• Robert Ball, General Counsel, Ionic Security; and
• Jeff Schmidt, President & CEO, Authomate.

Attendees were able to learn about cybersecurity challenges, solutions and collaborative efforts to ensure a more cyber secure Georgia. Robert Ball of Ionic Security, a company with offices in Atlanta and Annapolis, talked about the difference between the Fortune 500 companies located in Atlanta versus the government client focused industry of Maryland.

“We have collaborated already. Atlanta has plenty of cyber talent but we also chose to expand right here in Annapolis to also find talent,” said Ball. “The offices have different perspectives to attack problems between the two locations so it offers a richer solution.”

Michael Shaffer also commented on the connection between Fort Meade and Georgia.

“With Fort Meade and Georgia in general we are already connected. We both serve NSA and the DOD and we work to solve their problems,” Shaffer pointed out. “Academia, industry and government live in their own silos but how do you break those down? Collaboration is key and you can take the Georgia Cyber Center and DreamPort as examples.”

The panel ended with a special networking reception between attendees and Georgia visitors, complete with official Maryland crab cakes and beer.

Before departing back to Georgia on Wednesday, the group met with partners Fort Meade Alliance & Lisa Decker of Whiting-Turner Contracting Co. to highlight the particulars of SCIF construction.

As the growth continues around cyber communities in Anne Arundel County and in the State of Georgia, AAEDC looks forward to more opportunities of collaboration and partnership between the two regions.

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