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Spotts Lecture focuses on ‘Protecting Our Homeland'

Carey (Wurgler) Smith, president of Honeywell Technology Solutions Inc., will be the featured speaker for the Ohio Northern University Spotts Lecture in the Freed Center for the Performing Arts on Monday, Feb. 23, at 7:30 p.m.

Smith’s speech, “Protecting Our Homeland: Past, Present and Future,” is free and open to the public.

Smith’s lecture will focus on measures and countermeasures being used to prevent cyber attacks. These attacks are rampant and have impacted nearly every person, company and government agency. In 2003, the Homeland Security Presidential Directive 7 established a policy for the identification and prioritization of critical infrastructure (any domain that enables people, goods, capital and information to move across the economy). Although progress has been made on critical infrastructure protection, much works remains to be done.

Smith, a 1985 electrical engineering graduate of ONU, is president of Honeywell Technology Solutions Inc. (HTSI), a subsidiary within Honeywell Aerospace. Since September 2011, Smith has led the HTSI business, which provides space, physical and cyber security, logistics, engineering, and health solutions and services for military, federal, commercial and international customers. During this time, HTSI has achieved global expansion and diversification, improved win rates, and industry-leading performance while reducing cost.

In total, Smith has spent nearly 30 years in the aerospace and defense industries. She has held both domestic and international assignments, including a role as president of Lockheed Martin Canada. Smith is a certified program management professional, is a certified Green Belt, and has published more than 10 papers, one of which was recognized by TimeLife Books. In 2012, she was recognized as one of the top 100 female leaders in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). She is a member of the Professional Services Council Board of Directors and sits on the NATO Industry Advisory Board.

The Spotts Lecture series was established by the T.J. Smull College of Engineering in 1986 to bring distinguished speakers to the ONU campus on an annual basis to inform students of the probable professional conditions and challenges that engineers and computer scientists will face in the future.