Columbia to Host National Cybersecurity Conference

The Howard County Economic Development Authority provided the following information.

Howard County Executive Ken Ulman announced that Howard County has been selected to host the 2014 National Initiative Cyber Education Conference (NICE) on November 5-6, 2014.

NICE was formed with the mission to develop a technologically skilled and cyber-savvy workforce and to build an effective pipeline of future employees.

“This is a great opportunity for Howard County and Maryland to be firmly established as the epicenter of cybereducation, a place where innovation and the development of new technology is encouraged and championed,” said County Executive Ulman.

“We are honored to host the national cybereducation conference and show how Howard County is prepared to lead the ready to work initiative for the nation. The fact that organizers of this national conference selected Howard County for the event is yet another sign that our efforts to promote cybersecurity are being rewarded.”

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is leading the NICE initiative, working with more than 20 federal departments and agencies and with industry and academia to ensure coordination, cooperation, focus, public engagement, technology transfer and sustainability. The aim is to accelerate the Nation’s ability to introduce and inspire the next generation to pursue the key skills needed to drive our cybersecurity and Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) future.

“Cybersecurity has emerged as one of the leading creators of jobs for the region and the world,” said Rick Geritz, CEO of LifeJourney. “Howard County’s education and business leaders, with the tremendous support of County Executive Ulman, have built a world-class community of opportunity for the next generation.”

NICE 2014 will take place over two days at the Sheraton Town Center Hotel in Columbia, Maryland bringing together 140 leaders from academia, as well as experts from industry, and government. The speakers and workshops will focus on Workforce and Skills Development, Building the CyberGeneration, and Industry Driven Initiatives.

“This conference is a great opportunity to showcase what we already know about Howard County as a place to do business,” said Ron Gula, CEO of Tenable Network Security. “We have a tremendous talent pool here, world class educational institutions, and nearby federal resources. This is the perfect place for cyber educators to meet.”

“We’re excited to welcome the NICE conference to Howard County,” said Lawrence F. Twele, CEO of the Howard County Economic Development Authority, one of the sponsors of the event. “This event will offer local cyber industry experts and educators a great opportunity to collaborate with their colleagues from around the country and demonstrate our commitment to address the growing demands of cybersecurity and STEM education.”

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