DON WRIGHT, President | CEO
Before taking over the leadership of ISIS, Don Wright served as the Chairman & CEO of The Confluence Group, a consulting business for the Aerospace, Defense and Security Industries. Mr. Wright established Confluence to perform due diligence, provide high-level strategy and consulting services, and acquire an operating platform company in the security and government sector.
From 1990 to 2006, Mr. Wright was the Chairman /President & CEO of Pacific Aerospace & Electronics, Inc. (PA&E) which he founded and grew into a multi-national public corporation with manufacturing facilities in several companies. Under Mr. Wright’s leadership the PA&E developed a large patent portfolio and intellectual property platform to produce strategic components for the Defense, Aerospace and Security industries.
Prior to 1990, Mr. Wright was the founder, President and CEO of Component Concepts, a Washington-based technology corporation. Founded in 1976, the company engaged in the testing of various electronic components for manufacturers and end users, primarily in the defense, aerospace and security industries. During his career, Mr. Wright has supervised, managed, and served on numerous OGA (Other Government Agencies) contracts, operating in the Middle East, Europe, Asia and Africa in the protection of U.S. national interests.
LUIS VEGA, Vice President | Business Development
With an MBA in International Business, Luis Vega has successfully obtained and managed billions of dollars worth of government and corporate security contracts, domestically and abroad. Prior to joining ISIS, Mr. Vega was Executive Vice President of Business Development for SOC, a private security company specializing in international force protection and low profile, high-end security operations in high-threat environments. As an operator and executive for the company, he developed all of the procedures pertaining to risk/threat and vulnerability assessments. Mr. Vega has served as the Senior Inspector for South Florida’s Criminal Justice Standards and Training's Internal Affairs Division. Currently, he is a consultant for the U.S. Government on the Counter-Narcotics and Drug Interdiction Task Force, and has served as an agent for Legacy U.S. Customs Service, under the High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Program. Mr. Vega has active duty military and Special Operation’s experience, and has served overseas as a team leader and operator in Iraq, Afghanistan, Lebanon, Panama, and Haiti; performing various security assessments for multi-national corporations and sovereign governments in the regions.
MARK BENEDICT, Senior Director & Site Manager | Operations
Mark Benedict is a mission-focused, performance-oriented professional with extensive training and experience in a variety of security disciplines and programs in hostile environments. Mr. Benedict is familiar with and capable of effectively managing complex security operations; comprehensive knowledge of physical security, personal security, and force protection issues. Experienced in combat zone security operations and activities requiring a high level of human relationship skills, Mr. Benedict is an accomplished instructor with experience conducting basic, intermediate, and advanced individual classroom and field training for more than 5,000 military personnel each year. Average class size ranged from 80 to 100 students, where he provided leadership, direction, and technical expertise to all students.
STEVE WALTERS, ISIS Intel Program Manager
Steve Walters was in the Army for 21 years, having served his final duty assignment as an instructor for the Human Intelligence Collector Course at Fort Huachuca. Joining ISIS in 2004, Mr. Walters has continued in the same instructor capacity, while simultaneously developing ISIS’ Intelligence Support and Training program. Mr. Walters now serves as a Program Manager in the Operations Department. He brings a wealth of experience in Human Intelligence, training, and management.
ALICIA BURDICK, ISIS Controller, CPA, MBA
Alicia Burdick is the Controller for ISIS. She is responsible for management and oversight of Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, Payroll, Financial Accounting and Human Resources. Prior to joining ISIS, Alicia was a Tax Accountant with the University of Alaska. Prior to University of Alaska, she worked as a Corporate Tax Analyst and Financial Analyst in Worldwide Consolidations with NCR Corporation, a FORTUNE 500 global technology company. Alicia holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Alaska Fairbanks and a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Wright State University. She is also a licensed CPA in the state of South Carolina.
MARTIN KESNER, Recruiting Manager
Marty Kesner brings more than 30 years’ experience of human resources, talent acquisition, public relations, business development, and marketing expertise to ISIS. Prior to his arrival, he came from BAE Systems where he supported law enforcement and forensic professionals fighting the war on terror in the Middle East. Mr. Kesner also served as Military Manager and Special Advisor to the Vice President of Military Affairs at GEICO corporate headquarters in Washington DC. Here he supported enlisted programs and recognized military personnel worldwide. In this capacity, he journeyed to all US military and reserve installations in all 50 states supporting our troops in uniform. Mr. Kesner served 24 years in the US Navy holding the highest positions in Human Resources to include Amphibious Group TWO, Little Creek, VA, Senior Enlisted Advisor at Air Test and Evaluation Squadron ONE, Patuxent River, MD, Senior Command Career Counselor onboard the aircraft carrier USS AMERICA CV-66 and destroyer USS LAWRENCE DDG-4 in Norfolk, VA. He also served as a Navy recruiter in Pittsburgh, PA and Washington DC and aboard the USS SAN JOSE (AFS-7) in San Francisco, CA. He was selected by his peers to be the National Vice President for the Navy Counselor Association (NCA), helping to formulate human resource policy and procedures for all enlisted personnel in the US Navy affecting more than 230,000 sailors. His overseas service included campaigns to Southeast Asia, Southwest Asia, the Mediterranean, South America, and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans theatres of operations. He holds a Master’s of Science Degree in Criminal Justice/Homeland Security from Saint Joseph’s University and has a graduate certificate in Human Resource Management from Villanova University.
BERT LORD, Quality Control Officer & FSO
With a doctorate in international business, Bert Lord has extensive expertise as an internationally practiced manager. Lord sets the focus on mission completion seasoned with global experience with specific emphasis on the Middle East, Northern Africa, and the Pacific Rim working with dispersed management teams and developing an expertise in understanding international laws, rules, requirements, treaties, agreements, cultural impacts, and security considerations, with regards to working across borders and with various cultures. Well versed in leading organizations around the world through transitions in conflict and post-conflict areas or areas of severe poverty to allow those organizations to safely complete mission requirements. Uniquely experienced in the US Military as a Naval Nuclear Submarine Engineer where he was leading petty officer in charge of foreign relations and shipboard security, expertise as an enterprise level Program Director, within small and medium sized companies working in a myriad of roles, as well as universities and NGOs within the US and in the international community.
JOSE HAW ZAMORA – ISIS Training Center
Jose Haw Zamora has had 20 years of military experience and has held various operational, commissions and management duties of human and material resources. He served as a training instructor in courses and units of Mexicans Special Forces for nearly 16 years and received training in leadership, organization and operation of special operations detachments in any geographical area, rappelling, first aid, basic climbing, mountaineering, offensive and defensive driving vehicles, communications, hand to hand combat, regular shooting competition shooting and reaction with handguns and rifles, and sniper shooting. Also well versed with Close Combat Training, VIP protection, and held noteworthy commissions such as security officer with Marisela Morales Ibañez former head of the PGR and various officials of the Mexican Department Of Defense. His last unit before retirement was the Special Forces High Command (GAFE del Alto Mando).
JORGE MAR GONZALEZ – ISIS Training Center
Jorge Mar has had 20 years of military experience and has held various operational, commissions and management duties of human and material resources. He served as a training instructor in courses and units of Mexicans Special Forces for nearly 16 years and received training in leadership, organization and operation of special operations detachments in any geographical area, rappelling, first aid, basic climbing, mountaineering, offensive and defensive driving vehicles, communications, hand to hand combat, regular shooting competition shooting and reaction with handguns and rifles, and sniper shooting. Also well versed with Close Combat Training, VIP protection, and held noteworthy commissions such as security officer with Marisela Morales Ibañez former head of the PGR and various officials of the Mexican Department Of Defense. His last unit before retirement was the Special Forces High Command (GAFE del Alto Mando). He also has certification by the STPS (Mexican Department of labor) as an external trainer.
