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• Management
• Staff

About Clerus Solutions - Management

Clerus is supported by the Civitas Group, LLC and its managing board, consisting of ten senior executives with extensive backgrounds in homeland and national security, venture finance, and government affairs.

 

Jay Maxwell, Founder, President and CEO

Jay Maxwell is the founder, President and CEO of Clerus Solutions, LLC. He has over 25 years experience working with state and federal agencies, specializing in the implementation of nationwide, large-scale information systems that involve the driver license program domain.

During his career, Mr. Maxwell designed and implemented the National Driver Register's Problem Driver pointer System (PDPS) while at NHTSA in the 1980's, managed the Commercial Driver License Information System (CDLIS) while at AAMVAnet, Inc., and after September 11, 2001, led AAMVA's efforts to develop the best approach to prevent a person from holding more than one license. While at AAMVA, Mr. Maxwell served as technical advisor to the U.S. House Judiciary Committee staff while the Real ID Act was being drafted.

Mr. Maxwell received a BS in Mathematics from the State University of New York.

 

Gordon Burns - Chairman

Gordon Burns has over twenty-five years of experience in banking, early stage investing and the security technology industry. His focus includes companies with leading software security solutions. Currently, he is Chairman of three companies: Security Innovation in Wilmington, MA; SI Government Solutions in Melbourne, FL; and I Squared, also in Melbourne. These companies each focus on providing private and government sector entities with leading edge software and cyber security tools and technologies.

Over a twenty year career as an investment banker, Mr. Burns's positions included heading leveraged finance at Salomon Brothers and as the head of investment banking in the Americas for UBS Securities.

He is a graduate of Yale University and Harvard Business School.

 

Charles R. Black, Jr., Director

Mr. Black, Chairman of BKSH & Associates, is recognized as one of the nation's leading public affairs professionals. A senior advisor to Presidents Reagan and Bush, he served as principal public spokesman for President Bush in the 1992 presidential campaign, and, earlier, as spokesman for the Republican National Committee. In 2000, he served as a volunteer political advisor and surrogate spokesman for the Bush/Cheney presidential campaign. Mr. Black has managed the successful elections of more than ten members of the U.S. Senate and more than a dozen Members of Congress. He acted as political consultant to U.S. Senators Jesse Helms, Robert Dole, Phil Gramm and Dave Durenberger, and as political director of the Republican National Committee under Chairman Bill Brock.

A graduate of the University of Florida and The American University School of Law, Mr. Black currently serves on the boards of directors of the American Conservative Union, the Fund for American Studies, the U.S. Air Force Academy Foundation and The Mills Corporation.

 

Richard Gordon, Director

Rick Gordon is an expert on security technology, business strategy and early-stage finance. Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Gordon was a senior consultant with The O'Gara Company, a strategic consulting firm that advised large systems integrators and emerging technology companies on the homeland security market. Previously, he served as CEO of Tovaris, a specialized encryption software development company. Mr. Gordon was also a technology investment banker at Bear, Stearns & Co., serving many emerging technology companies and participating in several technology initial public offerings.

Mr. Gordon has also served as a submarine officer in the U.S. Navy. He received his MBA from The Darden School at the University of Virginia and his BS in Engineering with Merit from the U.S. Naval Academy.

 

Robert H. Swindell, Director

Mr. Swindell currently serves as President and Managing Director of the Civitas Group, llc. Prior to joining Civitas, Mr. Swindell spent 17 years as an investment banker at Lehman Brothers, most recently as head of U.S. Technology Banking. His primary client focus was the security, communications, and services sectors. He had previously headed the global consumer/industrial and debt/capital markets groups within investment banking. Mr. Swindell has extensive capital markets and corporate finance experience having initiated or executed more than 200 transactions in all product areas.

Mr. Swindell currently serves on the Board of Advisors of the Benefactors Society at the University of Virginia's College of Arts and Sciences. He has a BA in Economics from the University of Virginia and an MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

 

David Howe, Director

Prior to joining Civitas, David Howe served as Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Emergency Preparedness and Response at the Homeland Security Council at the White House. While there, he coordinated policy on issues ranging from WMD defense and counterterrorism to disaster response and preparedness. He also served as the Chief of Staff to the President's Critical Infrastructure Protection Board where he helped draft the National Strategy for Cyber Security. Previously, he served as CEO of a California-based software company, and as Managing Director of EHS Partners, a highly successful consulting firm started by former McKinsey & Company consultants focused on turn-around projects for Fortune 500 clients. He worked for four years at McKinsey & Company, leading engagements in energy, healthcare and other commercial sectors.

Mr. Howe served for four years as a Special Warfare Officer in the U.S. Navy, including leadership of a SEAL Team detachment during Operations Desert Storm and Provide Comfort. Mr. Howe received an MBA from the Wharton School and a BA from Harvard University.

 

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