Leadership Team:
Jeffrey Hamel – Chief Executive Officer and President
Mr. Hamel started his career at Raytheon Company where he worked in manufacturing, development and program management where he gained progressive authority over systems design, R&D, manufacturing and project management functions eventually leading the Patriot Program Office in charge of managing $500M+ development and production programs.
Mr. Hamel left Raytheon in 2000, joining RSA Security to lead the startup of a new engineering organization focused on innovation in the security authentication market. Mr. Hamel built, led and supervised the engineering design team consisting of firmware, software, quality assurance, PCB and mechanical design engineers tasked with researching, designing and developing new security authentication solutions.
Mr. Hamel joined Digimarc/L-1 Identity Solutions’ Secure Credentialing Division/Morpho Trust responsible for the 320 person Professional Services Organization consisting of program and operations managers; system architects, manufacturing, field service, call center and engineering staff. He managed program lifecycle implementing complete systems to provide citizen enrollment, biometric capture, fraud analysis, backend storage, processing and ID production services on time and within budget. He also had was responsible for P&L authority over 50+ domestic and international secure credential programs representing $650M+ in long-term customer contracts and 85% of the division’s yearly revenue.
Mr. Hamel joined IDSS in October 2012 as the President. Mr. Hamel is responsible for the Security business of IDSS Holdings overseeing the development and manufacturing of the DETECT™ 1000 Cabin Baggage Scanner as well as other solutions IDSS is bringing to market in the future.
Paul Medwar – Executive Vice President Finance
Paul Medwar joined IDSS in January of 2018 as Executive Vice President of Finance, Treasurer and Secretary. Mr. Medwar also currently serves as head of Administration for IDSS. Prior to joining IDSS, Mr. Medwar held executive financial and operational positions at Idemia, MorphoTrust USA and Digimarc Corporation over the last 15 years. Mr. Medwar received his Bachelor’s Degree in Finance from Northeastern University.
James Connelly – CTO
Dr. Connelly left the Federal Aviation Administration’s Aviation Security Laboratory to join L-3 Communications Security and Detection Systems Division in 1998. His experience in developing explosives detection equipment while at the security laboratory helped the team prepare for and pass the FAA certification test. Over the next several years, Dr. Connelly’s team achieved certification at reduced threat mass, produced a reduced false alarm algorithm that actually increased detection at the same time, and became the first team to pass TSA’s expanded detection standard that covered homemade explosives.
In his role as Sr. Director at L-3, Dr. Connelly oversaw all engineering activities at the St. Petersburg facility of L-3 S&DS. His team of 24 engineers was responsible for the development and maintenance of the detection algorithms, the system software and the user interfaces for the eXaminer product line, as well as several new system development efforts. In addition to his management duties, Dr. Connelly played an active role in the development of several major new systems. Dr. Connelly contributed to the development of system requirements, review of designs by all disciplines (Mechanical, Electrical, Physics, Algorithm and Software), and review of project progress.
In addition to his system development and management duties, Dr. Connelly served as Co-Chair on the ANSI N42.45 working group which developed the American National Standard for Evaluating the Image Quality of X-ray Computed Tomography (CT) Security-Screening Systems, initially published by IEEE in 2011.
Dr. Connelly joined IDSS in May 2014 as the Chief Technology Officer and leads all our Research & Development efforts.
Omar AlKofahi– VP of Technology
Dr. Omar AlKofahi is a seasoned technology leader and innovator with over 15 years of experience in X-ray Imaging, Physics, Sensor-Fusion, Signal and Image Processing, Software Engineering and Product Development. Dr. Omar AlKofahi cofounded Koftech Technology Consulting in 2015. Prior to that, he worked for 10 years at American Science and Engineering, Inc. (AS&E) which provides products and services for the global homeland security market and is the current market leader in Backscatter technology. At AS&E, Dr. AlKofahi served as the Director of Science and Image Processing, leading a team of physicists and engineers who were responsible for technology and product development.
Dr. AlKofahi has several patents and peer reviewed publications in the fields of x-ray imaging, image processing, computer vision and machine learning, including:
Forward- and Variable-Offset Hoop for Beam Scanning. USPTO 8861684
Three-dimensional mapping based on scattered penetrating radiation. USPTO 8275092
Versatile Beam Scanner with Fan Beam. USPTO 20140233707
Adjustable-Jaw Collimator. USPTO 20130003936
Versatile X-Ray Beam Scanner. USPTO 20120269319
Dr. AlKofahi joined IDSS in June 2017.
Daniel Poder, Vice President Engineering
Mr. Poder was the Director of Applied Research and Advanced Technologies at Morpho Trust USA. His team was comprised of several Ph.D. computer engineering researchers as well as 7 software developers. The focus of the team was to enable Morpho Trust's industry leading Biometric solutions to run on commercially available mobile devices. The team delivered the first fully integrated mobile Facial Recognition System for law enforcement on Apple devices. The team also developed the nation's first field piloted mobile Driver's License with complete end-to-end encryption and authentication. Mr. Poder is personally named on over 20 patent disclosures related to mobile Biometrics, Document Authentication and Mobile Credentialing.
Mr. Poder joined IDSS in September 2015 as Director of Software Engineering.
Patricia Krall – Executive Vice President
Ms. Patricia Krall has more than 30 years of experience in aviation security, research science, chemistry and program management and has held several accomplished positions with high technology companies. As a member of the senior executive team at Integrated Defense & Security Solutions (IDSS), Ms. Krall plays a key role in strategic business development with a focus on marketing and government relations worldwide, analyzing and evaluating proposed business opportunities and expanding the company’s product offerings through both research and development and external strategic partnerships.
Ms. Krall has extensive work experience in the technical, scientific, and management aspects of new product and business development. She was a member of the L-3 management team in 1997 which originally formed the Security and Detection Systems division. She was also the principal investigator responsible for the development of the highly successful eXaminer® TSA certified explosives detection system (EDS) that has been widely deployed throughout the U.S. and in many of the world’s largest and most security conscious airports.
Prior to her current role with IDSS, Ms. Krall held executive positions for L-3 Security and Detection Systems and previously held managerial and technical positions with General Electric, Lockheed Martin and American Hospital Supply Corporation. Ms. Krall earned a Master of Science from the University of Florida and a Bachelor of Science from the University of South Florida.
Ms. Krall joined IDSS in November 2016 as the Executive Vice President and supports our Business Development and Strategic Partnership efforts.
Edward Olin – Vice President of Programs and Field Service
Mr. Olin has 20 years of experience in the fields of operations and services, project management, and program management.
Mr. Olin led the deployments of thousands of security systems ranging from Biometric Enrollment Stations to Checkpoint Technologies (CPT) and Checked Baggage Technologies (CBT), and has served in leadership roles for customer and global services for Vivid Technologies, PerkinElmer, L-3 Communications Security and Detection Systems and Raytheon.
Mr. Olin brings 20 years of experience on DHS/TSA, aviation and Homeland Security projects of all types. He understands the engineering and management requirements associated with a variety of DHS/TSA projects as well as the need for communication with all levels of the project teams and DHS/TSA. He has a proven ability to efficiently plan and execute work scopes of all sizes and is well known and respected by many stakeholder individuals at DHS, TSA, OEMs, airports and airlines.
While serving as Associate Director, Customer Support Services for L-3 and its predecessor companies Vivid Technologies and PerkinElmer Detection Systems, Mr. Olin led a global team; executed strategic IT initiatives and emerging markets programs and managed $90 million profit and loss center. The organization provide Integrated Logistics Support services, maintenance, training, parts, labor, program management, and performance metric reporting for TSA, BAA Airports Limited, Canadian Air Transport Security Authority and other customers.
Mr. Olin’s last role before joining IDSS was with Raytheon as Senior Manager - Program Management, where he was responsible for the overall success of numerous contracts valued at more than $500M, including but not limited to all TSA Intermodal Technology Engineering Systems Integration (ITESI), Transportation Security Equipment Deployment Services (TEDS) and Security Equipment Integration Services (SESI) contracts and task orders. Mr. Olin led a geographically diverse team and managed all technical, schedule, and financial targets of programs and projects and acted as the primary customer contact on status and performance to anticipate and fulfill customer needs, ensuring continued satisfaction and timely program execution.
Mr. Olin joined IDSS is October of 2017 as Director of Programs and Services
John W. Halinski – Advisor
John Halinski is currently the CEO partner of S&R Investments LLC of Manassas dba SRI Group, a veteran owned small business specializing in global security and technology and risk consulting opportunities. He is also the President and owner of Raloid Corporation a manufacturing facility specializing in sensitive DoD programs in Baltimore Maryland. He also consults for the International Civil Aviation Organization, ICAO.
John Halinski became TSA's Deputy Administrator in July 2012. As Deputy Administrator, he was responsible for helping TSA grow as a high-performance counterterrorism agency.
Halinski joined TSA in July 2004, serving in the Office of Global Strategies (OGS) before assuming his role as Deputy Administrator. In this capacity Halinski served as the COO for the 62,000-person TSA. He has spearheaded an operational and cultural change which has stressed a risk-based approach to security, the professional development of the TSA workforce and increasing stakeholder outreach.
As Assistant Administrator for OGS from 2008 to 2012, Halinski was responsible for enhancing international transportation security through compliance, outreach and engagement, and capacity development. Key accomplishments included the advancement of measures to prevent and suppress all acts of unlawful interference against civil aviation and acting as the US Representative on Aviation Security for ICAO. As the Europe Area Manager/TSA Representative for OGS, Halinski was also responsible for all TSA operations and administrative activities in Europe, Africa and the Middle East.
Additional accomplishments since joining TSA include serving as the TSA/DHS lead for the 2006 Winter Olympics and acting as the TSA Representative for the evacuation of Americans from Lebanon in 2006. Halinski also served as the chief technical advisor for aviation security for the U.S. State Department negotiations on Open Skies agreements. He also developed and implemented a successful Africa engagement strategy for TSA, as well as the Safe Skies for Africa program. In addition, Halinski directed the TSA response to international incidents including the international cargo plot of 2010, rebuilding of Haiti's transportation security infrastructure following the 2010 earthquake, and the December 25, 2009 attempted terrorist bombing and printer bombing attempt.
Previously, Halinski served 25 years in the Marine Corps in a variety of positions. Highlights of this period include several successful tours involving counterterrorism, counter-drugs and counter-proliferation operations.
Halinski earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Florida and a Master of Science degree in Strategic Intelligence from the National Intelligence University in Washington, D.C. He is a graduate of TSA's Senior Leadership Development Program and the Federal Executive Institute in Charlottesville, Virginia. John Halinski is also on the Board of Advisors for Marymount University’s Intelligence Studies Program, The Board of Advisors for Christopher Newport University’s Center for American Studies and is a Senior Fellow with George Washington University on Homeland Security issues. John Halinski is also a frequent contributor to the media and has appeared as an expert commentator for NBC, CBS, ABC, Bloomberg and MSNBC as well as being published in various security publications.
Sissy Pressnell
Sissy Pressnell brings over 25 years of security and aviation security experience to IDSS, having worked for Smiths Detection, and Morpho Detection as a Vice President for Strategic Business
Development, Aviation Solutions and External Relations. Sissy also served 4 terms as Chair and industry representative for the Security Manufacturers Coalition. She is a former appropriations aid and Legislative Director to Rep. Hal Rogers (KY), and Senior Advisor to Former Senate Majority Leaders Bob Dole (KS) and Tom Daschle (SD). She is based in Washington, DC.