VRP GROUP SERVICES - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Advisory Board
- Senior Counsel to Raytheon Company
Mr. Jon Spaeth has been a practicing attorney for more than 26 years. A graduate of the University of Michigan and the University of Virginia School of Law, Spaeth has a wealth of business and legal experience and knowledge gained at both prominent law firms and defense companies.
Spaeth spent most of his career as a partner at the global law firm of Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP, where he managed high-profile litigation on behalf of Fortune 500 and other corporate clients.
In 2006, Spaeth became Senior Counsel to Raytheon Company, where he advised leadership on dealings with the U.S. and foreign governments, compliance with regulatory requirements, and business with domestic and international competitors, partners, and consultants. Most recently, Spaeth has been Vice President and General Counsel of ENSCO, Inc., a provider of technology and services solutions to the defense, transportation, aerospace, and security sectors. In that role, Spaeth advises the executive team on a full range of business and legal issues including risk management, government and commercial contracts, litigation, labor and employment issues, and the protection of intellectual property.
Spaeth has a Top Secret security clearance and resides in the Washington, DC area.
Mr. Enrique "Ric" Prado is a twenty five year veteran of the Central Intelligence Agency where he served in six overseas posts, including as Chief of Station in a Muslim country. Domestically, he served as Chief of Operations for the DCI's Counterterrorist Center under Ambassador Cofer Black during the 11 September, 2001 attacks and the subsequent war on terrorism. He also served as the Deputy on the original bin Laden Task Force. Highly decorated, he received the CIA's Distinguished Career Intelligence Medal (highest award given to Senior Officers), as well as CTC's George Bush H. W. Bush Award for Excellence in Counterterrorism, among others. He is a native Spanish speaker and a graduate of George Mason University.
As C/OPS at CTC, then a Senior Intelligence Service (SIS) officer, Mr. Prado oversaw CIA's counterterrorist efforts post 9/11 and coordinated SPECOPS activities with the NSC and FBI, as well as elite U.S. Military representatives from DELTA, and SEAL-Team Six then detailed to the CIA. Mr. Prado was also Deputy Chief East Asia Division, running CIA's Korean Operations and previously, as Chief of CIA Liaison in Seoul, Korea. He spend his first ten years in CIA as a Paramilitary Officer serving in dangerous areas, to include 18-months in the jungles of Central America as the first CIA officer living in the anti-Sandinista "Contra" camps, and running CT operations in Peru and the Philippines. He is a former member of the elite USAF Pararescue. Upon retirement he worked as a Special Advisor to MITRE Corporation and subsequently as Vice President for Special Government Programs at Blackwater U.S.A.
Job Titles:
- Advisory Board
- Senior Management Executive With Intelligence Community, Homeland
Mr. Joseph Augustyn is a senior management executive with Intelligence Community, homeland security and counterterrorism expertise, and is a former member of the CIA's Senior Intelligence Service. He has over 30 years of combined experience in the federal government and private sector. He has comprehensive knowledge of, and extensive experience working with, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Intelligence and Law Enforcement Communities, and the private sector.
Mr. Augustyn began his career working in government, where he enjoyed a successful 28-year tenure at the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), culminating in his appointment in May 2002 as the Deputy Associate Director of Central Intelligence for Homeland Security. In this position, he spoke for and represented the Director of Central Intelligence (DCI) within the Intelligence Community and throughout the U.S. Government on matters related to homeland security. He also participated as an ad hoc member of the Homeland Security Council; attended White House Principals and Deputies Committee meetings on homeland security and terrorist-related subjects at the discretion of the DCI; and interacted with senior officials of DHS, FBI, major city police commissioners, and State and local officials to improve, facilitate and coordinate the sharing of terrorist and homeland security intelligence.
Prior to this position, Mr. Augustyn served in several other roles within the CIA, including Director of the National Resettlement Operations Center, Chief of Staff for the Deputy Director for Operations (DDO), and Deputy Division Chief of the East Asia Division within the Directorate of Operations. From 1976 to 1994 he also served as Case Officer, Deputy Chief of Station, and Chief of Station for multiple locations within the Near East and National Resources Divisions.
Mr. Augustyn worked from June through December 2003 as the Senior Advisor to the Director of the National Counterterrorism Center (formerly known as the Terrorist Threat Integration Center) based in Washington, DC. In his position he served as the senior advisor and counsel to John Brennan, then Director of NCTC, on matters related to NCTC's association with CIA, FBI, DHS and the Intelligence Community, to include strategic planning, information sharing and coordination of intelligence analysis.
After leaving the government in February 2004, Mr. Augustyn was a Principal at Booz Allen Hamilton, located in McLean, Virginia, until March 2010. There, he served as a senior member of Booz Allen's Security Market management team, with specific responsibility for clients, business development, and portfolio management of multi-million dollar contracts. This included work at CIA, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), multiple law enforcement agencies, and DHS. He also represented Booz Allen at public and private forums, think tanks and conferences on matters related to the IC, homeland security and terrorism. Over the past six years, Mr. Augustyn successfully developed and expanded the Booz Allen market share throughout the Intelligence Community, and participated in market strategy development utilizing Booz Allen cross-team capabilities as well as industry partners. Mr. Augustyn is a sought-out advisor to think tanks, universities and professional associations in the Washington, D.C. area. He has served as senior advisor to the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) and was a member of 2008 CSIS panel of experts which produced "Homeland Security 3.0." Additionally, he is a frequent national lecturer and guest speaker on homeland security, CIA and Intelligence Community-related topics.
Mr. Augustyn has a Bachelor's degree in History from the University of Massachusetts, a Master's degree in Russian History from Brown University, and spent three years in the PhD program in Russian Studies at Indiana University.
He has received numerous awards over his career, including the Distinguished Career Intelligence Medal, the Intelligence Commendation Medal, the National Collector of the Year Award, and the Donovan Award for Excellence.
Mr. Ralph J. Blincoe joined the Vertus Board of Advisors in July 2010 after having completed a distinguished 28 year career as a special agent with the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS). Through sustained results-oriented leadership he rose through the ranks and ultimately served as the agency's Deputy Director. In this capacity he oversaw all major program areas including counterintelligence, counterterrorism, criminal investigations, training and administration. He was directly responsible for the extensive global protective service mission which included protecting the Secretary of the Navy, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Chief of Naval Operations, and the Commandant of the Marine Corps. He also increased the agency's investment in training, particularly in the areas of contingency response and tactics, resulting in NCIS' Training Academy and Protective Service curriculums receiving coveted Federal Accreditation status in 2008. Mr. Blincoe is a featured lecturer at numerous leadership forums and seminars, and was selected by the International Association of Chiefs of Police to deliver the keynote address at its 2009 Annual Conference International Luncheon.
A native of Charlottesville, Virginia, Mr. Blincoe attended Guilford College in Greensboro, North Carolina where he earned a bachelor's degree in Administration of Justice. He has received several achievement awards from the Department of the Navy, Department of Defense and the Department of Justice, including the Navy's Superior Civilian Service Award for his role in leading a missing persons' task force that was credited with saving the lives of two Navy officers. Mr. Blincoe is currently serving as a consultant for several government contractors and non-profit organizations in the national security arena.
Mr. Vince Cannatella brings an extensive background in Labor Relations to any platform he engages. Mr. Cannatella began his career with the NYPD and then moved on to the Suffolk County Sheriff's Office.
After serving in multiple different venues of Law Enforcement for the Sheriff and rising to the rank of Lieutenant, Mr. Cannatella was elected to the position of President of the Officer's Union. Fulfilling his duties to serve his Union Members included multi-level negotiating with the County, maintaining respectable relationships with multiple agencies and lobbying at the state level. His efforts allowed his Officers to receive some of the most foremost salaries and benefits in the country.
After his retirement, Mr. Cannatella continued his efforts with the Fraternal Order of Police where he successfully lobbied to improve working conditions for multiple Law Enforcement agencies. Considered an expert in Labor Relations, Mr. Cannatella is still regularly called upon to consult with Labor and Governmental Officials regarding matters related to fair and proper treatment of workforce parties.
Job Titles:
- Advisory Board
- Director of the Colorado Emergency Preparedness Partners
- President of Manor Ridge Group, Inc
Ms. C. Suzanne Mencer is the Director of the Colorado Emergency Preparedness Partnership. The Colorado Emergency Preparedness Partnership (CEPP) is a broad coalition of Colorado leaders that is building a voluntary partnership between the public, private and non-profit sectors. CEPP has already enlisted a number of Colorado's civic leaders and organizations, representing government, business, the philanthropic community, academia, and the US Northern Command. The mission of CEPP is to strengthen the region's collective capacity to prevent, respond to and recover from natural and human-caused disasters through effective public-private collaboration.
Ms. Mencer is also the President of Manor Ridge Group, Inc., a company that provides subject matter expertise on public safety and homeland security issues.
Ms. Mencer was a Senior Policy Director at the law firm of Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, assisting clients navigate the complex entity of the Department of Homeland Security.
Prior to joining Brownstein's Government Relations Practice, Ms. Mencer was the Director of the Office for Domestic Preparedness in the Department of Homeland Security. Appointed by President Bush and confirmed by the United States Senate, she managed a $4 billion budget and directed federal initiatives to help states, local jurisdictions, regional authorities and tribal governments plan, prepare, prevent and respond to acts of terrorism.
Additionally, Ms. Mencer served as the Executive Director of the Colorado Department of Public Safety, overseeing the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, the Colorado State Patrol, the Division of Criminal Justice and the Office Preparedness Security and Fire Safety. She also served as the Governor's Homeland Security Advisor and served on the Governor's Columbine Review Commission, reviewing law enforcement's response to Columbine High School.
Ms. Mencer is a 20 year veteran of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, having worked and supervised investigations in Foreign Counterintelligence and Counterterrorism. She initiated the Denver Joint Terrorism Task Force and supervised several high profile domestic terrorism cases.
Mr. Bailey has briefed diplomats, senior military officers and senior members of other governmental agencies both U.S. and foreign, proving his versatility from battleground to boardroom. His experience in hostile environments, on the battlefield and in close quarters combat has provided him with unparalleled practical knowledge which Mr. Bailey now implements into his teaching and training in the private sector as a Security Consultant.
He has been courted for speaking engagements, for training and protecting the leadership and management teams of sizeable global organizations and he continues to train Special Forces and USG personnel as the need arises.
Mr. Tim Holden has over 30 years experience in a broad range of security solutions. As a career U.S. Navy SEAL, Tim served at all levels of command of Naval Special Warfare (SEAL) Teams, and was selected to establish the U. S. Navy's Antiterrorism Force Protection and Information Operations and Information Warfare programs. He led the Navy's efforts to create a new career field for the Force Protection Professionals who protect and defend the U.S. Navy's ships, aircraft and bases from terrorist threats.
Since his retirement from the Navy, Tim has held senior executive positions with several Fortune 500 companies focused on developing and implementing security technology solutions. He was the Founder and CEO of Advanced Integrated Systems, a security technology company in the United Arab Emirates. He is currently focused on Command and Control Systems and Cyber Security.
Tim was awarded a Bronze Star with "V" for Operation DESERT STORM. He holds the following degrees: Engineers Degree in Ocean Engineering and Masters of Management Science, Sloan School, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA; Bachelor of Science Degree in Electrical Engineering, U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD.