Mel Holstrom, CEO
Mel founded GBprotect in 2002 and leads the company’s vision to be the best managed security services provider available. This vision is backed by Mel’s 25-plus years of experience in senior management in the technological industry. Mel co-founded Integrated Consulting Solutions, a global systems integrator, and held various engineering positions focused on the architecture and deployment of global IT managed infrastructures. These positions included lead architect for Microsoft’s World Wide Business Partner Network and lead product architect for Genuity’s managed services platforms. Mel currently holds active CGEIT, CRISC, CISM certifications. He attended the University of California, Berkeley, where he earned a degree in telecommunications engineering.
Ed Bassett, President
Ed joined GBprotect by way of the 2011 acquisition of Metis Security, where he designed and delivered next-generation risk management programs for mission-critical software applications. At GBprotect, Ed leads the company’s overall growth strategy in application security and risk management, providing greater value and comprehensive services to GBprotect clients. Ed’s 20-year expertise is in state-of-the-art techniques for IT security, including application security, risk management, security operations management, and system security architecture. He built and led a global security consulting practice specializing in security strategy, assessment and testing, and managed security services. He has been the principal advisor to many Fortune 500 and government clients on information systems security, responsible for securing their critical information assets for e-commerce transactions, sensitive health records, and classified military communication. Ed attended Clarkson University in Potsdam, New York, where he earned a degree in computer science.
Larry Pakieser, Vice President, Product Research and Development
Larry guides GBprotect’s clients through the difficult process of building information security management systems that are aligned with their established business operations. The clients he has worked have all successfully engaged and passed information security audits for PCI, Visa, MasterCard, SAS70, GLBA, HIPAA, and the FDIC. Larry has more than 40 years’ experience in managing operations, delivering services, and improving information security implementation and audits. His processes and workflows leverage clients’ existing processes and procedures, allowing for rapid development and implementation. His approach incorporates the needs of every service, rapid response, consistent performance, and solutions that work.
Eric Reddel, Executive Vice President, Global Security Operations
At GBprotect, Eric is responsible for combining GBprotect’s 24-7 analysts, operators, and engineers and our leading technologies and mature processes to best execute security service delivery. Eric is an information security executive with 19 years of specialized experience in the financial services and government domains, with a focus on security best practices, operations, engineering, architecture, governance, risk management, and compliance. Eric came to GBprotect from First Data Corporation, where he was Vice President of Global Security Operations. In prior roles, he served in security leadership positions with Bank of America and CIBER, delivering and managing large-scale, mission-critical security systems, programs, and operations functions. Eric holds a Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) certification and attended the University of Texas and Trinity University, where he earned degrees in public affairs, international studies, and French literature.
Andy Riley, Director, West Region
Andy is responsible for providing technical account management, solution architecture, and strategic consulting services to GBprotect’s enterprise clients. As an IT security leader, technical architect, and healthcare IT security subject matter expert, Andy has been delivering information security results and building lasting customer relationships for over 20 years. He holds CISSP, C/EH, and ITIL v3 Foundation certifications and has direct experience designing and deploying security solutions for Fortune 500 firms and large state government agencies. Andy joins GBprotect from Public Consulting Group, where he served as Director of Consulting Services for the Pacific Northwest.
Lori Hanson, Business Development Manager
With over 22 years of experience in large-scale global enterprise information technology, Lori joined GBprotect in 2011 to support clients and help them meet their current and future security needs. Lori also maximizes GBprotect’s relationships with our technological partners to provide even greater value to GBprotect’s clients. Lori’s skills in sales, marketing, consulting, and customer service make her a trusted resource and strategic advisor for both GBprotect’s clients and technological partners. Prior to joining GBprotect, Lori led sales, marketing, and business development initiatives with CIBER, Greenbrier & Russel, IQNavigator, Born, Interlink Group, and Business Information Technology. Lori attended Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan, and has a degree in business management.
