SIA Appoints Industry Vets to Steer Identity and Biometric Technology Advisory Board

The Security Industry Association (SIA) has officially announced the duo that will be leading its Identity and Biometric Technology Advisory Board (IBTAB). Benji Hutchinson will be the Board’s Chair, and Jim Black will serve as Vice Chair.

The IBTAB, formed this year, is aimed at leveraging industry expertise to encourage informed buy decisions with respect to areas like facial recognition systems, mobile identification platforms, biometric devices, and identity verification solutions. Its work will entail virtual networking events with government officials, official meetings with policymakers, and helping to shape educational content from the SIA, among other efforts.

In pursuing these ends, the IBTAB will accordingly be steered by the steady hands of biometrics and cybersecurity industry veterans. Hutchinson is the president of NEC Corporation of America‘s U.S. federal government business, and 20 years of experience in the areas of biometrics, IT, computer vision, and identity security. He has also served as a consultant to the Pentagon’s Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence, and to the U.S. Army Biometrics Task Force.

Black, meanwhile, holds a prominent role with Microsoft’s Cloud Operations and Innovation Physical Security Group, where he serves as Director of Security Standards and Controls. He is also a Certified Protection Professional and Physical Security Professional through ASIS International; while the International Association of Professional Security Consultants has credentialed him as a Certified Security Consultant.

They know their business, in other words; and are well-positioned to help the SIA in its efforts to lead the industry.

“I’m looking forward to working together with my colleagues to ensure we further develop and promulgate standards and principles that promote equitable uses of biometric technology,” commented Hutchinson. “We plan to engage in public dialogue to educate and inform decision makers and practitioners about how to safely and effectively deploy these technologies and what it would mean to lose this capability.”

“I’m excited and very much looking forward to offering perspective and insights to SIA leadership on critical technology issues impacting security, privacy and society,” added Black.

The Board’s launch came shortly after the SIA announced the winners of its RISE Scholarships for 2021 – an effort to help encourage the development of the next generation of security industry professionals.