BATAVIA, Ill., Sept. 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — High Wire Networks, Inc. (OTCQB: HWNI), a leading global provider of managed cybersecurity, has appointed Edward Vasko, CISSP, as chief operations officer. He succeeds Stephen LaMarche, who will remain on the company’s board of directors. Vasko will also continue to serve as chief executive officer of the company’s Overwatch managed cybersecurity services division.
Vasko brings to High Wire more than 33 years of accomplishment in the cybersecurity industry, including extensive experience in business formation, development and driving rapid growth. He has also led several strategic M&As and exits. As a highly respected industry thought leader, he has addressed the national cybersecurity workforce development requirements for protecting the United States and its allies.
High Wire CEO, Mark Porter, commented: “Given Ed’s strong background and record of achievement, we expect his appointment as COO to accelerate our overall growth and development. Thanks to the strong foundation Stephen has laid, he inherits a profitable Secure Voice business, with Overwatch on track for profitability before the end of the year based upon its growing recurring revenue streams.”
Prior to joining High Wire, Vasko served as the director of Boise State University’s Institute of Pervasive Cybersecurity, a leader in cybersecurity research and host of the competency development hub known as the Cyberdome.
In his new position as chief operations officer, Vasko brings to High Wire a wealth of knowledge and experience, having founded and led several cybersecurity organizations into becoming global industry leaders.
“Over the last several months as CEO of Overwatch, I’ve come to understand the exceptional potential of the company’s cybersecurity ecosystem,” stated Vasko. “Composed of U.S.-based security analysts and practitioners, innovative AI-powered platform, and customer-focused processes, Overwatch enables its channel partners to provide the most effective cyber solutions available on the market today.”
Porter added: “We want to extend our deep appreciation to Stephen for his strong contributions as COO and look forward to his continued service as director. He stepped up to take on the COO role at a time when we very much needed his help. He has been instrumental in the turnaround on our balance sheet and cap table, as well as in implementing the automation technology that drives us forward with true scalability.”
Edward Vasko Bio
Prior to Boise State University, Vasko served as senior vice president at a top 50 national managed security and consulting provider. He was previously the co-founder and CEO of Terra Verde (now Avertium), where he helped grow the firm into one of the nation’s largest providers of cybersecurity advisory and managed security services with thousands of clients around the world. He negotiated the sale of Terra Verde to Sunstone Partners, a leading growth equity firm.
Appointed by Arizona’s governor, Vasko served as a commissioner in Arizona’s Commission for Post-Secondary Education from 2015 to 2019. He was also appointed as the co-chair of Arizona’s Cyber Team (ACT) Workforce Development Committee and served as the industry co-chair for the 2019 NICE Conference.
As part of his active involvement in cybersecurity workforce development, Vasko sits on several advisory councils, working with universities to develop curriculum that enables a highly needed cybersecurity workforce that is “ready-to-work” to defend the nation’s critical data and assets.
A believer in lifelong learning, Vasko studied Applied Politics at The University of Akron and Educational Technology at Boise State University. He received an Honorary Doctorate of Science in Technology from the University of Advancing Technology in Tempe, Arizona.
He earned his Bachelor of Arts in history from Arizona State University, and has been a multi-year recipient of the university’s Sun Devil 100 business leadership award.
About Overwatch Managed Cybersecurity
Overwatch’s cybersecurity pipeline continues to strengthen, driven by the growth of the company’s global portfolio of channel partners, including 23 new partners in the first half of the year. Many of these new partners are substantially larger, with more clients and wider industry reach.
Operating at the core of High Wire’s security operation center is Overwatch SOAR(TM), a proprietary security orchestration, automation and response (SOAR) technology. The unique AI embedded in Overwatch SOAR automatically consolidates alerts from various threat prevention and detection-and-response platforms. It processes these alerts with intelligence-based rules that provide enhanced visibility, improved correlation, and faster remediation.
High Wire’s SOAR technology serves as an exponential force multiplier for its dedicated teams of professional security experts, empowering them to deliver the most secure and cost-effective cybersecurity solutions available on the market today.
High Wire offers its Overwatch managed security services exclusively through a global network of managed service providers (MSPs) and managed security service providers totaling more than 200 worldwide.
Reflecting High Wire’s preferred “go-to” status for these global channel partners, Frost & Sullivan ranks High Wire as a Top 12 Managed Security Service Provider in the Americas in the categories of growth and innovation. Overwatch addresses a global cybersecurity market that is expected to grow at a 14.3% CAGR to reach $563 billion by 2032.
The company was recently awarded a major new contract to deliver High Wire’s Overwatch OT/IoT Security(TM) for a U.S. health system comprised of more than 25 hospitals and clinics.
To learn more about High Wire and its award-winning managed cybersecurity services, visit HighWireNetworks.com or view the company’s free video series on YouTube.
About High Wire Networks
High Wire Networks, Inc. (OTCQB: HWNI) is a fast-growing, award-winning global provider of managed cybersecurity. Through over 200 channel partners, it delivers trusted managed services for more than 1,100 managed security customers worldwide. End-customers include Fortune 500 companies and many of the nation’s largest government agencies. Its U.S. based 24/7 Network Operations Center and Security Operations Center is located in Chicago.
High Wire was ranked by Frost & Sullivan as a Top 12 Managed Security Service Provider in the Americas for 2023. It was also named to CRN’s MSP 500 and Elite 150 lists of the nation’s top IT managed service providers for 2023 and 2024.
Learn more at HighWireNetworks.com. Follow the company on X, view its extensive video series on YouTube or connect on LinkedIn.
Forward-Looking Statements
The above news release contains forward-looking statements. The statements contained in this document that are not statements of historical fact, including but not limited to, statements identified by the use of terms such as “anticipate,” “appear,” “believe,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “hope,” “indicate,” “intend,” “likely,” “may,” “might,” “plan,” “potential,” “project,” “seek,” “should,” “will,” “would,” and other variations or negative expressions of these terms, including statements related to expected market trends and the Company’s performance, are all “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. These statements are based on assumptions that management believes are reasonable based on currently available information, and include statements regarding the intent, belief or current expectations of the Company and its management. Prospective investors are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performances and are subject to a wide range of external factors, uncertainties, business risks, and other risks identified in filings made by the company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements. The Company expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to update or revise any forward-looking statement contained herein to reflect any change in the company’s expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances upon which any statement is based except as required by applicable law and regulations.
High Wire Contact
Susanna Song
Chief Marketing Officer
High Wire Networks
Tel +1 (952) 974-4000
Email contact
Investor & Media Relations:
Ronald Both or Grant Stude
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Email contact
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/bf0c6b9b-133e-4040-bfbc-9379d24df9e4
Edward Vasko
Ed Vasko, New COO of High Wire Networks
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