Darren Dannen
Des Moines,IA
Summary
Dynamic Leader and Cyber Security expert with 15+ years of experience leading security strategy and execution. Enthusiastic and servant leader skilled in managing globally dispersed staff and developing high-performing, high-satisfaction teams. Visionary leader known for centering teams around a common vision and goal. Integrate business drivers into security and design with a knack for ensuring operational excellence and protecting assets globally. Expert communicator who skillfully navigates and manages organizational change, meanwhile inspiring teams to reach uncharted levels of success.
Overview
14
14
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Director, Corporate Information Security
Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield
Des Moines, Iowa
07.2017 - Current
- Focused teams on developing innovative and cutting-edge approaches with effective resource allocation and strategic planning for the major shift of migrating from on-premise to public cloud.
- Created annual budget of over 10 million and developed comprehensive plan to accomplish company objectives while staying within budget.
- Led Cloud First Security Transformation through development, implementation, and management of cloud-based security service platforms reducing vulnerabilities by 80%, Isolating customer data and applications, Improved End-Point Security having 246 days free of any malware and Reducing deployed security defects in production by 75%.
- Led DevSecOps teams in development of automated verification and enforcement of security controls, blocking FOSS vulnerabilities and performing code scanning during deployment process or CI/CD pipeline, reducing deployed security defects in production by 75%.
- Directed establishment of Security Framework based on NIST and COBIT controls, meeting 100% of Iowa State Insurance Regulations, HIPAA, SOC1/2 and Blue Cross Blue Shield compliance requirements.
- Confirmed company documentation met compliance requirements and day-to-day operations followed documentation.
- Guided implementation of “Third Party Risk Program”, ensuring vendor risk is appropriate and acceptable.
- Advised Chief Information Officer, Chief Compliance Officer and other executives on information security and regulatory compliance matters.
- Established performance goals for each department and provided feedback on methods for reaching those milestones.
- Developed and grew staff competencies through team development, implementation and support of specific training for various responsibilities.
- Negotiated several vendor contracts.
Director, Information Technology and Security
DataSite
St Paul, MN
08.2014 - 07.2017
- Created annual budget of over 40 million and developed comprehensive plan to accomplish company objectives while staying within budget.
- Managed Teams to guarantee Software as Service operations resulting in 99.9% uptime and no breaches.
- Optimized operational processes by developing company-wide analytics Dashboard to address client-specific metrics, enterprise vulnerabilities, and security coding defects.
- Guided establishment of Security Framework focusing security services and governance mapping to NIST.
- Managed response and remediation of multiple compliance and customer audits, reducing audit issues by 80% in one-year period.
- Assisted company executives during decision-making process by compiling daily reports to suggest corrective action.
- Managed daily operations of over six teams while overseeing multiple locations to foster increased productivity.
Director, Information Technology and CISO
University Of Minnesota Physicians
Minneapolis, MN
06.2009 - 08.2014
- Created annual budget of 45 million and developed comprehensive plan to accomplish company objectives while staying within budget.
- Focused teams on developing innovative and cutting-edge approaches with effective resource allocation and strategic planning.
- Developed Technology Performance Dashboard of Key Performance Indicators with P&L leaders for operations.
- Designed risk scorecard for graphical visualization of risk portfolio for briefings for executives and board.
- Collaborated with key business partners and internal teams to develop three-year information technology strategic plan based on organization's vision and technology assessment which included new team structure and workflow, new logical design of data communication network, implementation of system disaster recovery, implementation virtualization of applications/servers/desktops, staff training and data warehouse implementation.
- Developed comprehensive proposal (technology architectural, budget) and led project lifecycle of PCI project to remediate audit findings across 55 clinics. Brought critical systems into compliance with industry-standards in 15 months with zero security breaches, avoiding potential fines and loss of customers due to lack of adequate security.
- Challenged with ensuring passing both HIPAA and PCI external audits, successfully delivered both ahead of deadline.
- Advised compliance director and executives on information security and regulatory compliance matters.
- Assisted company executives during decision-making process by compiling daily reports to suggest corrective action.
- Confirmed company documentation met ISO requirements and day-to-day operations followed documentation.
Officer in Charge, Intelligence Unit
United States Navy, USN
Mazar-I-Sharif
06.2008 - 06.2009
- Cleared for Top Secret information and granted access to Sensitive Compartmented information based on a Single Scope Background Investigation (SSBI) completed by OPM on December 10, 2006, and May 19, 2011.
- Exercised creative leadership in challenging environment as Commander for intelligence unit performing Information Forensics to extract any useable information, assemble it, and report it forward. “…His direct efforts led to production of 20 documentation exploitation reports [and] over 200 cell phones that significantly enhanced regional force protection measures, saving countless United States and Coalition lives.” – 2009 award citation.
Education
MBA - Management Information Systems
University of Mary
Bismarck, NDMaster of Science - Information Security
Capitol College
Laurel, MDBachelor of Arts - Theology And Philosophy
Lincoln Christian University
Lincoln, ILSkills
- Global Security
- Organizational Leadership
- Technical Security Architecture
- Operational Execution
- Project Management
- Cross-Functional Leadership
- Client Relationship Management
- Continuous Delivery & Modernization
- Change Management
- Cloud Security & Platforms
- Coaching & Mentoring
- Financial Management
- Staff Management
- Strategies and goals
- Verbal and written communication
- Contract Management
Certification
- CISSP - Certified Information System Security Professional
- CCSP - Certified Cloud Security Professional
- CCISO - Certified Chief Information Security Officer
- BSP - Balance Score Card Professional
- Certified ISO Auditor
Navy Reserve Training
- Navy Information Professional Warfare Security Program: Leader of a detachment of IT professionals whose mission is to remain on the cutting edge of worldwide information-security issues, researching the latest threat conditions, trends, and building defensive strategies and formulation of contingency plans to protect information of the highest security classification.
- Navy Basic Intelligence Training Course
Timeline
Director, Corporate Information Security
Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield
07.2017 - Current
Director, Information Technology and Security
DataSite
08.2014 - 07.2017
Director, Information Technology and CISO
University Of Minnesota Physicians
06.2009 - 08.2014
Officer in Charge, Intelligence Unit
United States Navy, USN
06.2008 - 06.2009
MBA - Management Information Systems
University of Mary
Master of Science - Information Security
Capitol College
Bachelor of Arts - Theology And Philosophy
Lincoln Christian University
- CISSP - Certified Information System Security Professional
- CCSP - Certified Cloud Security Professional
- CCISO - Certified Chief Information Security Officer
- BSP - Balance Score Card Professional
- Certified ISO Auditor
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