ATLANTA, April 25, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- T.E.N., a technology and information security executive networking and relationship-marketing firm, announced that nominations have closed for the ISE(R) Central Awards 2011. Finalists and winners of the Information Security Executive(R) Awards for both Executive and Project categories will be announced at the ISE Central Executive Forum and Awards Gala to be held on June 7, 2011 at the Westin Galleria Hotel, Dallas, Texas.

Executives nominated for the ISE(R) Central Award in the Executive category are defined as leaders who improve their organization's risk management, data asset protection, privacy and network security efforts while proactively implementing security technology and processes. Judges evaluated these leading nominees based on the following criteria: responsibilities, aligning security with the business, leadership, vision of the future, applying innovation, and building technology partnerships. Nominees include:

-- Zulfi Ahmed, CISO, Pepsi -- Joe Bernik, CISO, Fifth Third Bank -- Bill Davis, Data Security Officer, Amarillo National Bank -- Keith Fricke, ISO, Catholic Health Partners -- Doug Jacoby, CISO, Baker Hughes -- Chad Mead, VP & Global Leader: Technology Governance Risk and Control and CISO, Cargill, Inc -- John Petrie, VP & CISO, Harland Clarke Holdings Corporation -- John South, CISO, Heartland -- Kevin Swailes, Director Global IP Protection, COE (Center of Excellence), GE Energy -- Scott Sysol, CISM, CISO and VP of Information Technology, Service Management & Security, CUNA Mutual Group -- Amy Wang, Director, Information Services and Information Security Officer, Henry Ford West Bloomfield Hospital

The ISE(R) Central Award in the Project category garnered an outstanding range of information security projects that were deployed and completed in the last 12-18 months and have had the greatest positive impact within their organization. Judges evaluate projects based on scope, defined goals, ability to execute and overall results achieved for the organization. Nominees and their project titles include:

-- Allstate Insurance: Information Security Risk Management Program -- AT&T: End to End Data Protection, Risk Mitigation & PCI Compliance -- CUNA Mutual: SailPoint Identity IQ Full Suite Implementation -- Electronic Arts: BSOC - Business Security Operation Center -- GE Energy: DLP for IP Protection -- Henry Ford West Bloomfield Hospital: Create a Collaborative Security Culture -- Medical Mutual of Ohio: Symantec DLP (Vontu) Implementation -- Michigan State University Residential & Hospitality Services: Kellogg Center PCI-DSS -- Nationwide: Effective Risk Management = Effective Business Management Enabling the Business Through Effective Risk Management -- Southern Union Company: Network Access Control Project

"We're pleased to announce that the ISE(R) Programs were chosen as the third most attended programs for IT Security Executives in 2011. They function as an idea incubator, provide a channel for research, education and information sharing, speed knowledge transfer and promote best practices," said Marci McCarthy, CEO and President of T.E.N. Eligible nominees were selected from the U.S. central region including Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas and Wisconsin.

Nominations are sent to T.E.N.'s distinguished panel of ISE(R) judges for review and scoring. Judges have the final approval in determining whether an executive or project team is qualified to participate as a nominee at either the regional or national level. Finalists and winners are not announced publicly until the evening of the awards.

The ISE(R) Central Distinguished Panel of Judges for this year's awards include:

-- Mark Chamberlain, Executive Director, IT Security Management, USAA -- Chris Leach, SVP and Chief Information Security Officer, ACS, a Xerox Company -- Vickie Miller, Director of Information Security, FICO -- Robert Myles, Assistant Vice President, Information Security, CISO, University of Texas Southwestern -- Gene Scriven, Chief Information Security Officer and Vice President, Sabre-Holdings Inc. -- Tim Stanley, Director, Information and Infrastructure Security, Waste Management -- Julie Talbot-Hubbard, Director of IT Risk and Security Management, Cardinal Health -- Brian Wrozek, IT Security Director, Texas Instruments Incorporated