Board of Directors
Don Dixon, Managing Director, Trident Capital
Don Dixon is a co-founder of Trident Capital and has been a Managing Director since 1993. From 1988 to 1993, Don was Co-President of Partech International, a venture capital firm associated with Banque Paribas. From 1983 to 1988, he was a Managing Director of Alex. Brown & Sons. Earlier in his career, Don was a Vice President of Morgan Stanley & Co. and a Senior Account Officer at Citibank, N.A. Don's current directorships include Advanced Payment Solutions, Clarus Systems, Continuent, Merchant e-Solutions, Royalty Share, Inc., Qualys and Transware. Earlier, he served as a director of the following public companies: Affiliated Computer Services, Inc. (ACS), BankAmerica Merchant Services, Inc. (BPI), BlueStar Solutions, CSG Systems International, Inc (CSGS), Epicor Software Corporation (EPIC), Evolving Systems, Inc. (EVOL), InfoUSA.com, Inc., a subsidiary of InfoUSA, Inc. (IUSA), Pegasus Solutions, Inc. (PEGS) and Unison Software, Inc. (UNSN).
Lt. General (Ret) USAF Kenneth A. Minihan Lt., Managing Director, Paladin Capital Group
General Minihan is a Managing Director of Paladin where he is focused on the development and implementation of new investment opportunities for Paladin's Homeland Security Fund. Prior to joining Paladin, Lt. General Minihan was the 14th Director of the National Security Agency (NSA)/Central Security Service. While at the National Security Agency, he was instrumental in the definition and implementation of the National Information Assurance Program. During his military service, Lt. General Minihan developed extensive experience in making new technologies operational and implementing leading edge services and products in a competitive environment where lives were often at risk. During the last twenty years of the Cold War and the transition to the Information Age, he was instrumental in the definition and selection of technology solutions to solve many difficult national security information needs. Throughout that time, Lt. General Minihan helped set the performance standards for information enterprise operations. Lt. General Minihan was the most recent Chairman and President of the Security Affairs Support Association, which focuses on shared government and industry national intelligence and technology challenges. He also is a member of the Air Force Association, the National Military Intelligence Association and other national organizations. He has substantial experience in capital raising, enterprise operations, business development and business readiness assurance. He devotes considerable attention to and consults on national security affairs. Lt. General Minihan has a B.A. Degree from Florida State University, a M.A. Degree from the Naval Postgraduate School, and has completed executive development programs at the University of Illinois and Harvard University. Among his awards and decorations are the National Security Medal, the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, the Bronze Star, the National Intelligence Distinguished Service Medal, and the Legion of Merit.
Lt. General Minihan represents Paladin on the boards of directors of Arxan Technologies, ClearCube Technology, GlassHouse Technologies and Nexidia.
Howard Schmidt, Venture Consultant, Trident Capital
Howard Schmidt joined Trident Capital as a Venture Consultant in May 2003. Howard has over thirty-one years of public service in law enforcement, computer forensics and IT Security. Previously, Howard served as Vice Chair of the President's Critical Infrastructure Protection Board, reporting to Condoleezza Rice, National Security Advisor and Gov. Tom Ridge, Director of Homeland Security. Upon leaving his White House post, Howard joined eBay as its Chief Security Officer. With eBay's consent, Howard agreed to consult with Trident on venture opportunities within the IT Security field and to serve on the board of directors of one or more Trident portfolio companies. He is currently on the board of Trident portfolio companies Qualys and Sygate. Prior to joining the Critical Infrastructure Protection Board, Howard was the Chief Security Officer for Microsoft Corporation, where he oversaw the Security Strategies group, ensuring the development of a trusted computing environment via auditing, policy, best practices and incubation of security products and practices. Before joining Microsoft, he was a Supervisory Special Agent, Director of the Air Force Office of Special Investigations, Computer Forensic Lab and Computer Crime and Information Warfare. (HQ AFOSI/CCI). He directed establishment of the first dedicated computer forensic lab in the government. Before AFOSI, Howard was with the FBI at the National Drug Intelligence Center (NDIC) where he headed the Computer Exploitation Team as a Computer Forensic Specialist. He also served as a municipal police officer, as an instructor at the FBI academy, and as a special investigator for the US Army Reserves. He is a current or former executive or board member on numerous national and international IT Security and Forensic Science organizations.
Mark Iwanowski, Founder
Mark has successfully led high tech global businesses for both commercial and government customers for twenty-five years, and his vision and leadership of KSR are informed by his extensive industry expertise. Mark was most recently the CIO of Oracle Corporation - the world's largest enterprise software provider with over $15 billion in revenue - where he was responsible for managing the company's worldwide IT systems across 100+ countries. Additionally, he was responsible for the integration of Oracle's Global IT services with the company's Global Product Support to ensure the reliable delivery of high quality services to Oracle On Demand customers. Prior to Oracle, Mark managed a systems integration, ASP, and outsourcing business for SAIC, the world's largest private system integrator. Mark was also a principle in Quantum Magnetics, an industry leader in detection technology for identifying explosives and illegal drugs, and held executive positions within Raytheon and Honeywell. At Raytheon, Mark was responsible for top line growth in the Submarine Signal Division where he managed a $200 million in sales and R&D budet. While at Honeywell, Mark was responsible for turning around the company's marine robotics business unit back to profitability.
John DeSantis, Chief Executive Officer, TriCipher
John has more than twenty-five years of sales, marketing, and management experience in the telecommunications and information technologies fields and has held executive management positions with both start-ups and large international public companies. His most recent position was President and CEO of Sygate Technologies, Inc., recently acquired by Symantec Corporation. Prior to Sygate, John served as senior vice president for Network Computing Devices and was vice president, European operations for Cincinnati Bell Information Systems (now Convergys Corporation).
General (Ret) USMC Peter Pace
General Pace retired from active duty in the United States Marine Corps in October 2007 after more than 40 years of service. He was sworn in as the sixteenth Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff September, 2005. In this capacity, he served as the principal military advisor to the President, the Secretary of Defense, the National Security Council, and the Homeland Security Council. Prior to becoming Chairman, he served as Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. General Pace holds the distinction of being the first Marine to have served in either of these positions.
General Pace is a 1967 graduate of the United States Naval Academy; he holds a Master's Degree in Business Administration from George Washington University and attended Harvard University for the Senior Executives in National and International Security program. The General is also a graduate of the Infantry Officers' Advanced Course at Fort Benning, Ga.; the Marine Corps Command and Staff College, in Quantico, VA; and the National War College, at Ft. McNair, Washington, DC.