Cross Match Technologies, a supplier in biometric identity management and technology solutions, announced Rick "Ozzie" Nelson, a founding member of the National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC), has joined the company as VP for business development - Americas.
Cross Match Technologies, a supplier in biometric identity management and technology solutions, announced Rick "Ozzie" Nelson, a founding member of the National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC), has joined the company as VP for business development - Americas.
Prior to joining Cross Match, Nelson served as a senior fellow and director of the Homeland Security and Counterterrorism program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), a globally recognized public policy research institution. At CSIS, Nelson led the organization's policy analysis on a variety of critical national and homeland security issues and established his presence as a thought leader on identity management and information sharing policy and strategy.
"We are pleased to have Ozzie on the team," said Glenn Hickok, senior VP and GM, sales. "He brings a deep appreciation and understanding for the role biometrics plays in the defense, intelligence, and law enforcement communities."
Nelson completed his career in the US Navy, where he served in a variety of senior policy and operational positions. His last military assignment was with the Joint Special Operations Command. Previous assignments included the National Security Council staff at the White House; Navy legislative fellow for Senator Edward M. Kennedy; and as counterterrorism team leader in Deep Blue, the Navy's operational think tank created after 9/11. While assigned to Deep Blue, he led the efforts to integrate biometric and identify management capabilities into deployed naval units and across U.S. government interagency partners, including the law enforcement and intelligence communities.
Nelson is a graduate of the Naval War College and holds a bachelor's degree in political science from the George Washington University and a master's in national security studies from Georgetown University. He is also an adjunct lecturer at Georgetown University, where he teaches courses on homeland security and counterterrorism. He is a frequent contributor to numerous media outlets, including the New York Times, Washington Post, NPR, CBS, CNN, FOX, and ABC.