| John Walp, CISM
John Walp has more than 17 years of IT experience, more than half of which has been focused on information security issues. He currently serves as the Corporate Information Security Officer for M&T Bank, a $70 billion financial institution headquartered in Buffalo, NY. Previously, he held the role of Vice President, Network Security Solutions Manager. His responsibilities include forming and executing the overall strategy for Information Security and Privacy at M&T Bank. This includes groups which focus on external and internal network security which are made up of key security systems such as firewalls, intrusion detection/prevention systems and security information management platforms. He is a Certified Information Security Manager (CISM) as well as an accomplished public speaker that excels at relating highly technical material in to commonly understood concepts. He was a panelist on best practices in Security Information and Event Management Technology at RSA 2007 and is a frequent speaker on security and technology topics. He also serves on the advisory board of the Center of Excellence in Information Systems Assurance Research and Education (CEISARE) at the University of Buffalo and is a board member of the FBI’s Buffalo InfraGard Chapter. He is a customer-focused professional who demonstrates strong leadership, communication, and technical skills as well as a thorough understanding of current business and regulatory environments. Prior to joining M&T Bank, John has held a variety of positions in different industry verticals including Electronic Data Systems and Moog Inc. A veteran of the U.S. Air Force, he served 22 years which included both active and reserve service. In 2004, Mr. Walp was recalled to active duty in and deployed to Kuwait in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. He was selected as part of an elite logistics cadre to aid in establishing the Central Command’s Deployment and Distribution Operations Center. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer Information Systems from State University of New York College at Buffalo. He and his wife Laurie have four children and make their home in Amherst, NY. |
