Steering Committee
October 21st – 22nd, 2026 // Chicago, Illinois
#ManuSec USA is curated by and for a senior audience of experienced IT and OT security professionals. Each year, our in-house producers partner up with an advisory committee of accomplished industry experts and manufacturing leaders to guarantee that the most up-to-date and relevant topics are addressed on the programme.
The Steering Committee campaign for 2026 is now underway, to apply to be part of the line-up submit a proposal online here. Last edition’s Steering Committee members are listed below:

Ingredion Incorporated
Kenneth Townsend is a proven Information Technology and Cyber Security leader with a successful track record spanning over 20 years in delivering business value by developing and executing IT and cyber security strategies.

Armis
Carlos Buenano is the CTO for OT at Armis, a leader in asset intelligence cybersecurity. With over 30 years of experience in control systems and telecommunications, Carlos has held diverse roles such as solutions architect, principal engineer, and ICS cybersecurity consultant. Over the past few years, he has focused on implementing cybersecurity solutions within industrial networks.

Frenos
Brian’s entire career has been focused on securing electric utility systems, networks, and assets. He spent the majority of his career as an ICS/SCADA cybersecurity engineer and cybersecurity team lead. More recently, he founded Frenos, the first AI-native OT security posture management platform for all 16 critical infrastructure sectors.

Bob Evans Farms
Michael Spaulding is the Senior Director of IT Operations, Infrastructure and Security at Bob Evans Farms, part of Post Holdings, Inc., where he currently chairs the OT Security Council across the group’s companies. He brings extensive expertise in enterprise architecture, digital infrastructure strategy, and cybersecurity. Michael combines strategic vision with practical execution to drive innovation, strengthen resilience, and deliver lasting organizational impact.

PwC
Scott is a Director at PwC’s Cybersecurity and Privacy practice, specializing in securing IoT and OT systems across industries like healthcare, manufacturing, and tech. With experience at Deloitte and PwC, he’s led identity and authentication programs and served as interim CISO for a global pharmaceutical firm, helping clients build resilient cybersecurity programs.

1898 & Co
Tim Gale is Director of Industrial Cybersecurity at 1898 & Co., with more than 30 years’ experience implementing ICS across diverse industries. A certified ISA/IEC 62443 Cybersecurity Expert and Instructor, he has contributed to major publications like the DOE’s “Cyber Informed Engineering Implementation Guide” and “ICS Security Top 20 Practices”. He leads a team devising robust OT security strategies using ISA/IEC 62443 and CIE principles.

Mauser Packaging Solutions
Ed Harris is the Global Director Information Security (CISO Equivalent) at Mauser Packaging Solutions, a global leader in solutions and services across the packaging lifecycle. He has dedicated the past 20+ years to spearheading cybersecurity initiatives across a range of manufacturing companies.

Avery Dennison Corporation
Brian Jones currently serves as a Senior Manager, Industrial Control System Cybersecurity for Avery Dennison, a global materials science and digital identifications solution company. He leads a global team responsible for OT/IoT cybersecurity governance, maturity, and developing effective risk mitigation strategies across all business units, enhancing operational resilience.

Rogers Corporation
Ismail is a seasoned cybersecurity leader with over 12 years of experience in consulting, engineering, and offensive security. As OT Security Program Lead, he brings deep expertise in securing critical infrastructure. A CISSP, hacker, and aviation enthusiast, Ismail excels at delivering intelligent, actionable solutions to both common and complex cybersecurity challenges across global environments.

Bayer
Michael is an established ICS/OT/IT cybersecurity expert with over 20 years of experience securing critical infrastructure globally for 150+ Manufacturing and R&D facilities. Specializing in the convergence of OT/IT security frameworks, strategy, risk mitigation and remediation, he’s led numerous initiatives to enhance the maturity posture and effectiveness of industrial security in the Biotechnology, Pharmaceutical, and Consumer Health industries.

INL
Dr. Greg Shannon is an Idaho National Laboratory Fellow and INL’s Chief Cybersecurity Scientist – leading strategic approaches to advance scientific methods, cultivate research in emerging technologies, mentor researchers, and advance national and international solutions, all to protect our nation’s critical infrastructures from serious cyber-physical threats.