John South Named to IDG Computerworld’s 2012 Premier 100 IT Leaders
Heartland Payment Systems® chief information security officer honored for information security initiatives
PRINCETON, NJ ― December 6, 2011 ― John South, chief information security officer at Heartland Payment Systems (NYSE: HPY), one of the nation’s largest payments processors, has been named a 2012 Premier 100 IT Leader honoree by IDG Computerworld, the leading source of technology news and information for IT influencers worldwide. The Premier 100 spotlights 100 leaders from both the technology and business sides of companies for their technology leadership and innovative approaches to business challenges.
As CISO, South ensures the security of Heartland’s merchant payment solutions and enterprise operations through risk assessment and threat modeling programs. He serves as Heartland’s liaison with security professionals in the Financial Services Information Sharing and Analysis Center and is at the helm of Heartland’s industry IT compliance obligations, the operation of the internal IT security audit capabilities and other major endeavors such as the integration of security into the software development lifecycle. South’s teams work hand-in-hand with Heartland’s IT teams on their data center consolidation and modernization as well as cloud computing and virtualization.
An adjunct professor of digital forensics at the University of Dallas, South has been an active member of the U.S. Secret Service North Texas Electronic Crimes Task Force since its inception in 2003 and is the founding president of the FBI’s North Texas InfraGard Electronic Crimes Task Force. Earlier this year, he was named Information Security Executive of the Year in the ISE® Central Awards and a finalist in the ISE North America Awards.
“Information technology and security is the bedrock of our business, and John is doing an outstanding job of building and refining a sophisticated IT infrastructure that protects our organization and our merchants,” said Bob Carr, Heartland’s chairman and chief executive officer. “He is a pioneer in the industry and we are pleased to congratulate him on receiving this honor.”
"The Premier 100 awards program shines a well-deserved spotlight on a stellar group of IT executives," said Scot Finnie, editor in chief of Computerworld. "In today's business climate, IT executives must act quickly to recognize and manage risks throughout their organizations. These 100 men and women have demonstrated an ability to make those clear-sighted decisions that help their IT organizations innovate and deliver business value. Whatever comes their way in 2012, these IT leaders have the skills, the savvy and the judgment to meet the challenge. We're pleased to recognize their leadership and honor their achievements."
The Premier 100 was first created in 2000 to spotlight individuals who have had a positive impact on their organization through technology. These are individuals who manage internal IT organizations, mentor and motivate their IT teams and business colleagues, create a positive work environment, envision innovative solutions to business challenges and effectively manage and execute IT strategies. For more information, visit Premier100.com.
About Heartland Payment Systems
Heartland Payment Systems (NYSE: HPY), the 5th largest payments processor in the United States, delivers credit/debit/prepaid card processing, gift marketing and loyalty programs, payroll, check management and related business solutions to more than 250,000 business locations nationwide. A FORTUNE 1000 company, Heartland is the founding supporter of The Merchant Bill of Rights, a public advocacy initiative that educates merchants about fair credit and debit card processing practices. The company is also a leader in the development of end-to-end encryption technology designed to protect cardholder data, rendering it useless to cybercriminals. For more information, please visit HeartlandPaymentSystems.com, MerchantBillOfRights.org, CostOfABurger.com and E3secure.com.
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