FaceTec has appointed Mike Rankin, former Director of the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV), as a strategic adviser. Announced today, the hire is part of FaceTec’s growing public-sector engagement strategy, targeting ID-issuing authorities and law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and internationally.
Rankin brings over 40 years of experience across public administration and criminal justice, most recently serving as First Assistant Prosecutor for Special Services in Franklin County, Ohio. FaceTec CEO Kevin Alan Tussy said Rankin’s “vast experience will help FaceTec provide valuable guidance and education about the broad applications and benefits of our world-leading digital identity verification technology.”
Strengthening an Expanding Portfolio
Headquartered in Summerlin, Nevada, FaceTec provides 3D face capture, certified liveness detection, and matching SDKs that support digital identity programs in over 170 countries. In 2024, the company reported 2.6 billion liveness checks with a flawless record against spoof attacks, underlining the scalability and robustness of its technology.
Recent moves have emphasized cryptographic upgrades, security validation, and key government-oriented hires. In February, FaceTec extended the security horizon of its UR Code protocol using Ed25519 signatures. March saw the release of the UR Encoder, a self-hosted toolkit for secure code generation – critical for adoption by government agencies.
In May, FaceTec recruited Faith Contreras, the former head of facial recognition at the Arizona Department of Transportation, to lead government outreach. Days later, its UR Code technology passed an independent audit by Praetorian Security with no vulnerabilities found.
June brought the announcement of two new U.S. patents covering remote onboarding and anti-spoofing methods, while FaceTec also maintained visibility through its title sponsorship of the Identity Week 2025 series.
Strategic Significance of the Rankin Appointment
Rankin’s background makes him well-positioned to translate FaceTec’s biometric tools into the language of DMV modernization: faster credential issuance, shorter queues, and stronger fraud prevention. His previous roles, including senior positions in motor-vehicle and state governance, give FaceTec direct access to U.S. public-sector networks where large-scale digital identity pilots are increasingly in focus.
His appointment also lines up with FaceTec’s broader strategy: roll out critical UR Code infrastructure, validate it through audits and patents, and build trusted relationships with public administrators capable of moving projects forward. Rankin is expected to advocate for biometric liveness as a requirement in digital ID procurement, and promote UR Codes as a cost-effective alternative to NFC-based mobile driver’s licenses.
With legal support from firms like Finnegan, retained in late 2024 to bolster global IP enforcement, FaceTec appears increasingly well-positioned to introduce and promote the UR Code concept across North America and Europe. Rankin’s appointment reinforces that position, and further signals the company’s commitment to a project that could dramatically revitalize identity assurance across a range of jurisdictions.
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By Cass Kennedy and Alex Perala
