Feb 28, 2018   SOURCE: BusinessWire

GRIMM Names Automobility Industry Expert Jennifer Tisdale as Director of Connected Mobility and Infrastructure

GRIMM (SMFS, Inc.) a leading cybersecurity research and engineering firm, today announced the hiring of Jennifer Tisdale as its Director of Connected Mobility and Infrastructure. In this role, Jennifer is responsible for engaging with automotive industry Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), suppliers, and industry stakeholders to ensure that cybersecurity initiatives are integrated into the future of mobility and smart city infrastructure.

Previously, Jennifer served as the Cybersecurity Program Manager in product development for Mazda North America and as the Cyber-Mobility Program Manager for the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC). In this role, she supported the automotive and defense industries by banding together the new world of smart mobility and cybersecurity for the advancement of connected and autonomous vehicles.

“Every OEM is practicing some level of security, but they are still largely resistant to adopting a more widespread cyber mindset. They hear ‘hacker,’ and think ‘criminal activity.’ This presents a great opportunity for us to educate the automotive and mobility communities in Detroit and beyond to change the negative narrative associated with ‘hackers’ and encourage the automotive industry to embrace and value the cyber research(ers) as a necessary part of the supply chain,” said Jennifer Tisdale, Director of Connected Mobility and Infrastructure for GRIMM. “The ‘smart’ mobility industry is changing the way society thinks about transportation and the connected city infrastructure that supports connected and autonomous vehicles. This is an opportunity for GRIMM and our elite cybersecurity researchers to assist the industry in ensuring we transition safely, for the good of consumers and citizens…”

In addition to her new role with GRIMM, Jennifer serves as the Cyber-Mobility advisor to the Michigan Chapter of the National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA) Board of Directors. She is an advocate for security integration in smart city and Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) design, building a cybersecurity community of interest and often speaks publicly on changing the perception of “hackers” from nuisance to necessity.

“We’re incredibly excited to have had Jennifer join the GRIMM team. She brings unparalleled expertise in mobility industries - automotive, aerospace, unmanned vehicles and drones - and will be a valuable asset in transforming the way organizations in the automotive space view cybersecurity,” said Brian DeMuth, CEO of GRIMM. “We’re confident Jennifer can make a significant impact prompting automotive and mobility communities as they continue to think strategically about cybersecurity.”

Tisdale is located in Detroit, Michigan and will support GRIMM’s expansion in the region. For more information about GRIMM, please, visit https://www.grimm-co.com/.

About GRIMM

GRIMM offers security engineering and consulting services backed by research and development in delivering the art of the possible in cybersecurity. The team services government and commercial clients from a diverse range of industries, including the safety sectors such as critical infrastructure, automotive, and IoT embedded devices, and web-based applications, networks, and systems. Additionally, GRIMM develops and teaches advanced custom courseware and training programs in software and embedded system security. Visit us at https://grimm-co.com.