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Lawmakers Launch Inquiry Over Revolving Door Between Financial Regulators, Crypto Firms
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Lawmakers Launch Inquiry Over Revolving Door Between Financial Regulators, Crypto Firms

A group of Senate and House lawmakers wrote a letter to several financial regulatory agencies to seek information about the efforts of their institutions to stop the movement of officials between government agencies and the cryptocurrency industry.

“According to the Tech Transparency Project, over 200 government officials have moved between public service and crypto firms, serving as advisers, board members, investors, lobbyists, legal counsel, or in-house executives,” the legislators wrote in the letter dated Monday.

The letter was addressed to the heads of the Securities and Exchange Commission, Commodity Futures Trading Commission, the Department of the Treasury, Federal Reserve, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

The lawmakers asked each financial regulator about their agency’s ethics guidelines and transparency rules to ensure the integrity of the rulemaking process and agency officials and challenges facing their organization when it comes to enforcing and strengthening ethics requirements around revolving door hires.

Regulators should submit their responses by Nov. 7.

The letter was signed by Sens. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., and Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., Jesus “Chuy” Garcia, D-Ill., and Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich.

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Air Force Unveils New Schedule for Small Business Research Open Topic Solicitations
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Air Force Unveils New Schedule for Small Business Research Open Topic Solicitations

The Air Force Research Laboratory’s technology directorate AFWERX is introducing a repeatable annual cycle for Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer open topic solicitations in fiscal year 2023 to further encourage small companies to participate in the service’s research and development efforts.

“This change allows AFWERX to execute contracts with rapid timelines to award, while providing industry and government a consistent, repeatable and predictable annual schedule,” said Maj. Amanda Rebhi, AFVentures division chief.

Under the new annual cycle, AFWERX AFVentures will provide small businesses two Phase I opportunities with follow-on Phase II and two D2P2 or Direct to Phase II opportunities, AFRL said Tuesday.

The first D2P2 open topic solicitation kicked off Tuesday, Oct. 25, and will run through Nov. 22. Solicitations for Phase I will be conducted every January and August and D2P2 solicitations will occur every March and October.

“The DAF Open Topic Program is targeting a 90-day timeline from proposal submission to award, while creating a more robust program that aims to better deliver cutting-edge technologies and capabilities to our Airmen and Guardians,” added Rebhi.

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Leidos Secures $55M TSA Hazmat Services Contract; Eric Freeman Quoted
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Leidos Secures $55M TSA Hazmat Services Contract; Eric Freeman Quoted

Science and technology company Leidos has been granted a potential five-year, $55 million contract from the Transportation Security Administration to conduct waste facilitation services.

The follow-on contract tasks Leidos with providing hazardous materials management and disposal services at over 430 federal airports across the U.S. and its territories, the Reston, Virginia-based organization announced on Tuesday.

“We are proud to continue performing this important work while protecting our nation’s transportation systems and the traveling public,” Leidos Senior Vice President and Integrated Missions Operations Manager Eric Freeman remarked.

Freeman additionally emphasized the longstanding relationship between the company and the TSA.

The contracted work will entail the company maintaining federal, state and local standards to impact management, movement and disposal of these materials. The Leidos team will provide compliance assistance visits of airport operations, develop standardized operating methods, and will execute regular audits of treatment, storage and disposal facilities.

Leidos will also guide TSA in the use of the company’s online recording system, HazOUT, and assist with the creation and implementation of their training plan.

This agreement follows a previous five-year contract that was granted in 2017. The terms of the previous contract are similar to the newly offered edition.

The new TSA award comes on the heels of Leidos’ Department of Defense award in early October. Valued at $1.5 billion, the task order calls for Leidos to assist with developing and implementing new command, control, computers, communications, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance tools.

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FAA Releases Updated Guidance for Recreational Drone Flying
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FAA Releases Updated Guidance for Recreational Drone Flying

The Federal Aviation Administration has released updated guidance intended for the recognition of community-based organizations authorized to provide safety guidelines for the recreational operation of unmanned aircraft.

FAA said Monday recreational drone operators are required under law to follow comprehensive safety guidelines set by CBOs recognized by the agency.

The safety standard must be developed in coordination with FAA and can be customized to a particular drone type.

The advisory circular listed recommended recreational drone flying safety requirements that CBO applicants may consider when requesting FAA recognition.

The guidance defines a CBO as a membership-based association entity that “provides a comprehensive set of safety guidelines for all aspects of model aviation addressing the assembly and operation of model aircraft and that emphasize safe aeromodelling operations within the national airspace system.”

The updated document also provides information on drone operations for certain educational and research purposes and applications for recreational flying fixed sites.

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DARPA Seeks Proposals for New AI Program to Strengthen Network Security
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DARPA Seeks Proposals for New AI Program to Strengthen Network Security

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency has issued a broad agency announcement seeking technical proposals for a new program that aims to develop automated approaches to conducting cybersecurity assessments on computer networks.

The Cyber Agents for Security Testing and Learning Environments program focuses on developing an artificial intelligence toolkit designed to create realistic environments and train AI agents in mitigating advanced persistent cyberthreats, DARPA said Monday.

CASTLE will use reinforcement learning to train defensive AI agents in adversarial environments that replicate actual networks and simulate defensive actions of cyber threat actors against counter-APT tools.

The program will run for four years and will be divided into three technical areas that seek to automate the creation of realistic network environments, learn cyber defensive operations for maintaining operations and enumerate potential attack paths.

“Reinforcement learning may enable the creation and training of cyber agents that are much more effective than current manual approaches for addressing APTs in networks,” said Tejas Patel, CASTLE program manager in DARPA’s Information Innovation Office.

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DOE to Develop Research Center to Advance Stable Isotopes Production; Jennifer Granholm Quoted
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DOE to Develop Research Center to Advance Stable Isotopes Production; Jennifer Granholm Quoted

The Department of Energy and Oak Ridge National Laboratory held a groundbreaking ceremony to commence the construction of a new facility for the large-scale production of stable isotopes for industrial, medical and research applications.

DOE said Monday the Stable Isotope Production and Research Center will receive $75 million in funding from the Inflation Reduction Act to ensure a sufficient supply of stable isotopes in the U.S.

Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said isotopes are essential to keeping the health and safety of Americans as they could help diagnose and treat life-threatening diseases like cancer and could be used for identifying nuclear threats.

“With support from the President’s Inflation Reduction Act, the world-class Stable Isotope Production and Research Center will help establish a reliable domestic supply of isotopes critical to the health and safety of Americans in every corner of the nation,” Granholm said.

SIPRC will be part of the department’s Isotope Program, which oversees the production and distribution of radioactive and stable isotopes that are in short supply.

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Think Tank Veteran Laura Baldwin Accepts VP Role at Institute for Defense Analyses
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Think Tank Veteran Laura Baldwin Accepts VP Role at Institute for Defense Analyses

The Institute of Defense Analyses, an operator of three federally funded research and development centers,  has appointed RAND veteran Laura Baldwin to a vice president position, effective Nov. 14.

She will be responsible for driving research initiatives for the Systems and Analyses Center and the Science and Technology Policy Institute in her new role, IDA said Monday. 

The Duke University alumnus has spent more than 20 years at Santa Monica, California-based policy think tank RAND.

Baldwin most recently served as associate director of the nonprofit organization’s national security research division, where she conducted research into the convergence of economics and national security with supply chain analyses.

While at RAND, she took part in an analysis of alternatives for the U.S. Air Force’s KC-135 tanker recapitalization program.

Kiewit Corporation Leaders, Founders, and Executives: Who Are They?
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Kiewit Corporation Leaders, Founders, and Executives: Who Are They?

Kiewit Corporation is one of North America’s prime construction and engineering organizations. The company has done some of the most complex projects through its wide network of services including procurement, foundations, and development.

Find out more about the Kiewit Corporation leaders, founders, and executives and the company’s range of engineering services.

About Kiewit Corporation

Kiewit Corporation has been a construction and engineering leader for over 135 years. The company focuses on safe engineering practices, earning a safety performance ten times more than the industry average. It is one of the most respected constructions and engineering organizations with its commitment to safety, quality, and environmental stewardship.

Throughout the years, Kiewit Corporation has built construction capabilities for industrial, building, mining, oil, gas & chemical, power, transportation, and water projects. It’s an award-winning company, earning recognitions, such as:

  • Rank in the Top 50 Best Workplaces – Great Place to Work® Institute Canada (2011-2022)
  • No. 3 in the Top 400 Contractors – Engineering News-Record (2022)
  • No. 5 in the Top 40 Canadian Contractors – On-Site Magazine (2022)
  • No. 1 in Engineering News-Record Rankings 11 times (2020)
  • Rank in the top 5 in ENR Rankings 37 times (2021)

Founder of Kiewit Corporation

Kiewit Corporation was founded in 1884 as Kiewit Brothers Masonry Contractors, by Andrew and Peter Kiewit based in Omaha, Nebraska. In 1889, they were awarded a masonry contract for the 7-story Lincoln Hotel. In 1900, the company had its first project as a general contractor with the Bekins Warehouse.

History of Kiewit Corporation

In 1904, the partnership between the Kiewit brothers broke apart, and only Peter Kiewit pursued the business. His sons, Ralph and George, renamed the company Peter Kiewit Sons. Eventually, his youngest son, also named Peter Kiewit, took over the business in 1931 and reorganized the business as Peter Kiewit Sons, Co.

The successor Peter Kiewit assembled the company’s core group and board of directors —Walter Scott, Homer Scott, George Holling, and Ted Armstrong — and took on several highway construction projects during the Great Depression. The company elevated itself from a local to a national contractor of the era.

Peter Kiewit

Since then, the company has grown to be one of the most trusted engineering organizations through the leadership of six presidents, namely:

  • Peter Kiewit, President (1931 – 1969)
  • Bob Wilson, President (1969 – 1979)
  • Walter Scott, Jr., President (1979 – 1998)
  • Ken Stinson, Chairman and CEO (1998 – 2005)
  • Bruce Grewcock, CEO (2005-2019)
  • Rick Lanoha, President and CEO (2020 – present)

Headquarters of Kiewit Corporation

The headquarters of Kiewit Corporation is located, from where it started, in Omaha, Nebraska. The company has regional locations across 30 states, five provinces across Canada, and offices in Mexico City and Querétaro, Mexico.

Notable projects of Kiewit Corporation

Kiewit Corporation has built an extensive portfolio over the years. Its network of engineering organizations is built on the core values of Peter Kiewit’s leadership — People, Integrity, Excellence, and Stewardship. The company delivered quality results within budget and schedule in their notable projects, such as:

  • Livestock Exchange Building in Omaha, Nebraska (1924)
  • Barracks and facilities at Fort Lewis in Tacoma, Washington (1939)
  • Big Horn Mine near Sheridan, Wyoming (1943)
  • Friant-Kern Canal in San Joaquin Valley, California (1946)
  • High Arctic Air Base in Thule, Greenland (1951)
  • Transbay Tube between San Francisco and Oakland, California (1966)
  • Fort McHenry Tunnel in Baltimore, Maryland (1980)
  • San Joaquin Hills Transportation Corridor in Central Valley, California (1991)
  • Hibernia Gravity Structure in St. John’s. Newfoundland (1993)
  • Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium in Omaha, Nebraska (1999)
  • Transportation Expansion Project in Denver, Colorado (2001)
  • Sea-to-Sky Highway Improvement Project between Vancouver and Whistler, British Columbia (2005)
  • Port Mann Bridge/ Highway I Improvement in Coquitlam, British Columbia (2006)
  • Lower Mattagami River Project in Kapuskasing, Ontario (2010)

Kiewit Corporation Executive team

The leadership team of Kiewit Corporation heads over 28,000 employees worldwide. In 2021, the company brought in more than $12 billion in revenues. Get to know the current line of the Kiewit Corporation executive team.

Rick Lanoha, President and Chief Executive Officer

Rick Lanoha, President and CEO of Kiewit Corporation

Rick Lanoha has served as the President and CEO of Kiewit since 2020. He is responsible for the overall management of the company and its subsidiaries. He started his career at Kiewit as a part-time employee in 1986 and has held several managerial roles over the years.

Before becoming Kiewit Corporation’s CEO, Lanoha first joined the Kiewit Corporation Board of Directors in 2009. He also served as a Senior Vice President, Executive Vice President of Kiewit Industrial Group, and President of Kiewit Energy Group.

Trent Demulling, Chief Financial Officer and Senior Vice President

Trent Demulling, Kiewit Corporation CFO and Senior Vice President

Trent Demulling is responsible for finance, accounting, internal audit, and employee benefits as the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) at Kiewit Corporation. He also serves as the company’s Senior Vice President, and a board member for several associations and organizations, including Kiewit Luminarium, where he serves as the Chairman and Director.

Before assuming office as Kiewit Corporation CFO, Demulling served as the company’s District Business Manager and Corporate Senior Manager. Previously, he worked for KPMG LLP and PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP.

Justin Rauner, Chief Technology Officer

Justin Rauner, CTO of Kiewit Corporation

Justin Rauner is the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of Kiewit Corporation. He oversees the engineering department, including the innovation, advancement, adoption, and other strategic assets of engineering technology tools.

Before joining the Kiewit Corporation executive team in 2013, Rauner had over 25 years of experience in information technology, engineering construction and operations, consumer packaged goods, and retail industries. Previously, he worked as an IT Director of Applications at Gordmans and as an IT Business Development Manager at Hallmark Cards.

Chris Dill, Chief Information Officer and Vice President

Chris Dill, CIO and Vice President of Kiewit Corporation

Chris Dill has served as Kiewit Corporation’s Chief Information Officer (CIO) and Vice President since October 2016. He oversees, strategizes, and implements information technology processes and delivery for more efficient business operations.

Dill served as Kiewit’s CTO from 2013 before assuming office as CIO. In his over 20 years in the business, he served in different managerial and senior leadership positions, including Senior Vice President of Global Technology and West Corporation’s VP of Enterprise Telecom and Network Engineering and VP of Corporate Application Development and Support.

Matt Pappas, Chief Data Officer

Matt Pappas, Chief Data Officer of Kiewit Corporation

As Kiewit Corporation’s Chief Data Officer, Matt Pappas is responsible for data management, integration, and automation. He leads the company’s data services teams and has held the position since his return to the company in April 2020.

In his tenure at Kiewit, Pappas held positions such as Business Director, Business Controller, Senior Business Manager, Project Controller, District Compliance Manager, and Project Business Manager in the company’s various regional locations. Before returning to Kiewit, he served as the Chief Financial Officer at Harder Mechanical Contractors from January 2018 to April 2020.

Megan Armstrong, Executive Vice President of Industrial Engineering

Megan Armstrong, Kiewit Corporation's EVP of Industrial Engineering

Megan Armstrong leads the engineering team focusing on design for the industrial market as the Executive Vice President of Industrial Engineering. She is the first woman to join Kiewit’s executive leadership development program — the highest training program within the company.

Armstrong began her career at Kiewit as a structural engineer and lead structural engineer, where she was part of simple-cycle and combined-cycle gas-fired power plant projects. As an executive, one of her most recognizable contributions is getting recognition from Central Exchange for notable women in STEM industries.

Robin O’Callaghan, Senior Vice President of Industrial Project Development and Estimating

Robin O'Callaghan, SVP of Industrial Project Development and Estimating of Kiewit Corporation

Robin O’Callaghan serves as the Senior Vice President of Industrial Project Development and Estimating. She is experienced in conceptual estimating, estimation analysis, contractor bidding, award discussions, and change order negotiation.

O’Callaghan has been with Kiewit Corporation since 2001 and has assumed different leadership positions for various projects dealing with energy, hydropower, power delivery, and more. Her senior leadership roles include Director of Project Development and Vice President for Industrial Markets and Strategies.

Kiewit Corporation Delivers Construction-Focused Engineering

Kiewit Corporation leaders, founders, and executives are dedicated to construction-focused engineering. From blueprints to reality, the company takes less risk but delivers more certainty. This makes the company a top choice partner for engineer-procure-construct (EPC) and design-build for different markets worldwide.

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Commerce Department Names Internet of Things Advisory Board Members
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Commerce Department Names Internet of Things Advisory Board Members

The Department of Commerce has named 16 non-federal stakeholders to a body that will advise the Internet of Things Federal Working Group.

Members of the newly formed IoT Advisory Board will help the committee identify challenges and opportunities in terms of federal policy, socioeconomic impact and small to international businesses, the National Institute of Standards and Technology said Monday.

They will receive administrative support from NIST.

Benson Chan, chief operating officer of Strategy of Things, will serve as board chairman and Providence Group co-founder Daniel Caprio will serve as vice chair.

The other IoTAB members are:

  • Michael Bergman, vice president of technology and standards at the Consumer Technology Association
  • Ranveer Chandra, managing director of research for industry and chief technology officer of agri-food at Microsoft
  • Nicholas Emanuel, product manager at CropX
  • Steven Griffith, senior industry director at the National Electrical Manufacturers Association
  • Tom Katsioulas, chair of the Global Semiconductor Alliance
  • Kevin Kornegay, professor and IoT security endowed chair at Morgan State University
  • Debra Lam, managing director of smart cities and inclusive innovation at Georgia Institute of Technology
  • Ann Mehra, adviser to Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University
  • Robby Moss, president and principal consultant of TGL Enterprises
  • Nicole Raimundo, chief information officer, for the Town of Cary, North Carolina
  • Maria Rerecich, senior director of product testing at Consumer Reports
  • Debbie Reynolds, founder, CEO and chief data privacy officer of Debbie Reynolds Consulting
  • Arman Shehabi, staff scientist at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
  • Peter Tseronis, founder and CEO of Dots and Bridges
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TSA to Host Surface Transportation Security Public Meeting
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TSA to Host Surface Transportation Security Public Meeting

A Transportation Security Administration advisory panel will discuss focus areas for fiscal year 2023 and solicit public comments at a meeting scheduled for Nov. 17.

The Surface Transportation Security Advisory Committee meeting will be open to the public via WebEx video conferencing platform and will take place in person for its members at the TSA headquarters in Fairfax County, Virginia, according to a notice posted Monday in the Federal Register.

Part of the STSAC’s agenda is to highlight initiatives related to cybersecurity information sharing, risk and intelligence. The group will also look into insider threats and emergency management and resiliency.

Interested participants have until Nov. 14 to register via e-mail.

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