Smiths Interconnect Inc. proudly announces receipt of the James S. Cogswell Outstanding Industrial Security Achievement Award for 2019—the most prestigious honor the Defense Security Service (DSS) may bestow upon the top cleared facilities.

The award was established in 1966 in honor of the late Air Force Col. James S. Cogswell, the first chief of industrial security within the Department of Defense. Cogswell was responsible for developing the basic principles of the Industrial Security Program, which includes an emphasis on the partnership between industry and government to protect classified information.

The criteria for the award focus on the principles of industrial security excellence, which includes establishing and maintaining a security program that goes well beyond the basic National Industrial Security Program requirements and providing leadership to other cleared facilities to set high standards for security.

Of the more than 13,000 cleared contractors, less than one percent are annually selected to receive the award. This year Smiths Interconnect Inc. was among the fifty-one facilities who were awarded at the annual NCMS training seminar, in St. Louis, Mo. Dave Moorehouse, president of Smiths Interconnect Inc., and Dawn Santiago, the Tampa Facility Security Officer accepted the award on behalf of the company.

“It is a great honor to receive the Cogswell award from DSS. It acknowledges the superior program held by Smiths Interconnect, Inc. to contribute to the security of our Nation,” said Moorehouse.

“Huge kudos to our Security team and all in Tampa who were involved in this fantastic achievement,” added Karen Bomba, president of Smiths Interconnect. “This award proves how seriously we take the protection of the classified information of the U.S. government.”

"Smiths Interconnect, Inc. considers our national security and the protection of our sensitive information to be its main priority. Congratulations to the Tampa team for receiving the Cogswell Award. It is a great achievement,” said Admiral Charles Abbot, Government Security Committee Chair.