Under Secretary Rand Beers and other federal, state and local officials confirmed to speak

FAIRFAX, Va., Feb. 13, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- AFCEA's twelfth annual Homeland Security Conference, "Securing the Homeland: Working Together, Keeping the Nation Safe", will be hosted at the Grand Hyatt Washington, Washington, D.C., February 26-28, 2013.  Attendees include government and industry leaders, CIOs, and program managers involved in operations, policy and procurement. Additionally, the Conference will include several roundtables this year, focusing on Chief Information Officers, Procurement Executives, and Collaboration when Disaster Strikes. The Keynote Speakers include:

• Mr. Rand Beers, Under Secretary for the National Protection and Programs Directorate (NPPD), Department of Homeland Security
• Gen Michael V. Hayden, USAF (Ret.), Principal, the Chertoff Group, Former Director, Central Intelligence Agency 
• Mr. John Fass Morton, Author, Next Generation Homeland Security: Network Federalism and the Course to National Preparedness
• Mr. J. Alan Orlob, Vice President, Global Safety and Security, Marriott International

Conference panel sessions will cover best practices in securing the cloud, critical infrastructure protection, secure information-sharing, emergency management, and biometrics/identity management.  In addition, sessions will concentrate on critical cyber and homeland security cross-over issues, including situational awareness, training and education, the energy sector, and privacy and security conflicts. Panelists include federal, state and local government officials as well as industry experts.

This year 80 exhibitors will showcase the latest homeland security technologies, including communications equipment, emergency response systems, network and information security, and more. Exhibitors will display products and solutions for law enforcement, federal government, military, and commercial applications.

As a new feature this year, on Tuesday, February 26, AFCEA Small Business will host a Partnership Symposium and matchmaking session at the Conference. Symposium presentations will focus on connecting small business and primes to discuss partnering and teaming opportunities.

The exhibits are open to the public (on-site registration required); there is a registration fee to attend the speakers and panel sessions. For details on the event visit www.afcea.org/events/homeland.

AFCEA International, established in 1946, is a non-profit organization serving its members by providing a forum for the ethical exchange of information, and dedicated to increasing knowledge through the exploration of issues relevant to its members in information technology, communications and electronics for the defense, homeland security and intelligence communities.  www.afcea.org

SOURCE AFCEA International