Staff

Paul J. Richardson, BS., BA., MBA
President, SafetyNets Inc.
Certified MCSE (security 219), MCSA, MCP, Cisco CCNA, Network+, Security+, Certified Hacking Countermeasures Professional (CHCP)

Paul J. Richardson is the founder and chief engineer of SafetyNets Inc, an IT security and network services consulting firm based in North Carolina. He is responsible for strategic planning, and project management of all new engagements of SafetyNets Inc. Recently, Mr. Richardson worked in a small high-level team as a network infrastructure consultant contracted with GlaxoSmithKline in the research triangle park, where he provided engineering and implementation support for an LDAPv3 (X.500) global directory service. Mr. Richardson has an expansive understanding of multiple academic areas, from classical epistemology, to organizational behavior science, quantum physics, and neuroendocrine biochemistry. This broad academic background enables a unique insight into the peculiar security liabilities that IT must protect and be tailored to within unique and diverse industries, coupled with the need for an unobtrusive facilitation of the business objectives by those same IT systems.

In 1988 Mr. Richardson became a US Naval Nuclear Engineering student with US Federal Secret clearance. He went on to graduate with his license as reactor operator and worked numerous electronics and reactor operations positions. As an electronics technician 2nd class Petty Officer he designed and implemented a station wide 26 division Electrical Safety Training and Inspection Program. Mr. Richardson has 3 years experience as a hotel accounting auditor, 5 years experience as a license security officer supervisor and Federal Bureau of Prisons monitor, 2 years experience running a major private website, 2 years experience supporting a Federal secure network with Sensitive level clearance, and has taught over 15 college courses in advanced IT topics including Linux OS, Windows 2000 Server, Wireless Networking, Security+, Apache Web Server, CGI VBscript and Javascripting, and Internetworking. Mr. Richardson’s technology and security related achievements include the following:

• For one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world, Mr. Richardson was responsible for support and implementation of a secure enterprise authentication directory, to which there were 24,346,200 connections in June 2003, drawing in account information, and providing security services to 95 different software applications or OSs, for 120,000 user accounts. Through a single world-wide repository of account or password administration, IT costs of ownership have been dramatically decreased.

• Managed a security project involving installation of a RAID web server based digital camera surveillance system utilizing existing CAT-5 network infrastructure, which completely eliminated a prior pattern of capital loss for a major technology education institution.

• Directed a capital assets management program which resulted in recovery of unaccounted for software and hardware in numerous departments, via an organization wide IT audit. Redesigned database tracking system and updated all tables to include most recent inventory audit. As a result of new information brought to light through the metrics reporting of this activity, the assets management program has now become a top management priority.

• Reconfigured routing of a Panasonic super hybrid digital PBX telephone and digital voice mail system. When critical business systems were interrupted, Mr. Richardson was able to quickly respond and restore functionality thus providing for capability to continue core business processes.

• Designed and implemented a complete Windows 2000 network for a startup aircraft services business, including a distributed database accounting and inventory system, enabling their ability to focus their core competencies, and to see immediate rewards in save time, efficiency, and a decrease in accounting and ordering errors.

• Upgraded a peer to peer network to Windows 2000 with AD, secure DNS, authenticated DHCP, and WINS for a general contracting corporation, including design, configuration and implementation of a secure VPN solution with Extranet access to a Project Management DB application thus enabling on-site update of project status, ordering, and strategic planning. This has since vastly improved operational efficiency and time to delivery for major clients of the agency, and prepared them for an aggressive plan of growth.

• Provided rollout support for a Public Key Infrastructure cryptographic project involving numerous Federal agencies requiring secure encrypted transport over public media (the internet). This project offered both peer to peer and S/MIME certificate services to at least 200,000 users, with authentication to a CA with encryption using private keys on Smart Card and OS key storage. Provided valuable metrics and engineering insight to the development and testing teams during the design phase. This LDAPv3 type of directory service is currently the leading technology for the provision of certificate services in environments requiring elevated security.

• As SME for tech ordering at the national headquarters for a level two Federal helpdesk supporting the largest NT 4.0 network in the world. Mr. Richardson was a critical liaison between management, engineering, and tech support, tasked with the responsibility for decisions to reroute requests for on-site tech support where further troubleshooting was required, thus saving this branch of government large overhead in the form of contracted services.

• As primary data center operator for a national sports organization, Mr. Richardson was able to decrease by a significant margin the loss of service to internet clients, television, and radio media communications organization. Service provided was in the form of live data feed to computer systems of media partners and to the live scoring website.

• As Post Commander for several high profile corporate clients, Mr. Richardson designed procedures for criminal and injury investigations and emergency response, including documentation and reporting. After 5 years of service at over 30 high security stations, and having obtained licensure in 2 states, he has been instrumental in company profits that allowed for growth into new markets, and relationship development of new and important engagements.

Through his education in the US Navy at numerous schools (accred. by both Excelsior College and Thomas Edison State College), Mr. Richardson has attained the equivalent of a BS in Nuclear Engineering Technology. Paul Richardson attended UNC Pembroke, where he made Deans List or the Chancellor’s list every semester, and was offered a scholarship to participate in the NC Chancellor’s Scholar’s program which he declined and transferred to UNF in Jacksonville Fl. While at UNF, Mr. Richardson obtained hundreds of hours of laboratory time in nuclear spectroscopy, quantitative, organic, and biochemistry, genetics, molecular cellular biology and numerous other areas. He presented his senior seminar research on neuromolecular endocrinology of mammalian sexual behavior to the faculty and senior students of the biology and psychology departments. He was an active participant in the UNF Premed society, and is a member of the National Golden Key Honor Society and Psi Chi Honor Society. He achieved a BS in Biology as well as a BA in Psychology from UNF. He is currently a student in the NCSU MBA program, with special concentration in IT management, completing his last remaining single course and expected to graduate in December 2004.

More information including about Paul can be found at his personal website, www.PaulJRichardson.com