Michael J. Assante, a recognized security and infrastructure protection visionary and new product development leader, brings a powerful combination of leadership/domain experience, technological vision and strategy development to the Idaho National Lab (INL). Selected by his peers as the winner of the Information Security Magazine's 2007 security 7 leadership award for his efforts as a "strategic thinker". Prior to assuming his strategic leadership position at INL, Mr. Assante was a vice president and Chief Security Officer at American Electric Power, the largest generator of electric power in the US, serving 5 million customers in eleven states. He provided leadership, developed and implemented strategies to enhance security and business continuity for AEP; he was also responsible for protecting and maintaining corporate facilities, critical operating assets and property; and ensured the security and continued preservation of all corporate information and proprietary data and the technology that supports it. Selected for outstanding contribution at the RSA 2005 Conference and awarded the outstanding achievement in the practice of security within an organization. He has been recognized by SC Magazine among all Chief Security Officers as one of two finalists for the global 2005 awards as CSO of the year. He was selected as a finalist for Information Security Executive of the Year of the Midwest in 2005. In 2003, Mr. Assante was awarded best governance program "The Best of the Best - Best Governance Program," Information Security Magazine, December 2003 for the establishment of an enterprise executive security committee. Prior to assuming a vice president's position as Chief Security Officer at AEP, Mr. Assante as a reserve naval intelligence officer was filling a critical position at the National Infrastructure Protection Center. In 1997, Mr.Assante was named as a Naval Intelligence Officer of the Year. In 2002 Assante was selected as one of Columbus Ohio's Top 40 people under 40.