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DIRECTOR BIOS

• Gerry Deneault
  ISS DIRECTOR GENERAL

Gerry has been in the security field since 1977. He began his federal government career in 1982, with the Industrial Security Program of the Department of Supply and Services Canada (DSS). Gerry has held several security management positions over the years, each with increasing responsibility, leading to his current position effective April 13, 2004, as Director General, Industrial Security Sector, Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC).

His experience covers all aspects of security at both the operational and policy levels. He has managed security programs in various government departments and central agencies including PWGSC, the Privy Council Office (PCO), Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS) and Justice Canada (DoJ). Among his many achievements, Gerry was responsible for leading the 2000-2001 revision to the Government Security Policy (GSP). As Director of Operations for Security at PCO, he oversaw security arrangements for the Prime Minister of Canada, Cabinet, and the Clerk of the Pricy Council during one of the government's most challenging and difficult periods, during and following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States of America.

Gerry is a graduate of the Law and Security Administration Program of Algonquin College, past President of the Federal Association of Security Officials (FASO), a member of several security associations, a recipient of the Governor General's Commemorative Medal for the 125th Anniversary of the Confederation of Canada, a recipient of the Head of the Public Service Award (1998), and a leader in the Government of Canada security community.

Mr. Deneault is located at 2745 Iris St., Ottawa, Canada, K1A OS5. He may be reached at (613) 948-1777, by facsimile at (613) 948-4144 or by email at: Gerard.Deneault@pwgsc.gc.ca

• Peter Hull
  CGD DIRECTOR

Mr. Peter Hull’s career began in 1973 as a member of the Canadian Forces Regular Officer Training program at The University of King’s College in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Following graduation in 1976 with a Bachelor’s degree in Russian and German, he spent the next nine years as a commissioned Military Police officer at various locations including Canadian Forces Base Gagetown in New Brunswick; 4MP Platoon with the Canadian Forces Mechanized Brigade Group in Lahr Germany; the United Nations Military Police company in Nicosia, Cypress; and National Defence Headquarters in Ottawa. Having occupied a number of progressively responsible positions involving the direction and oversight of local, regional and national criminal, security and personnel clearance investigations, Mr. Hull left the Canadian Forces in 1985 and became the Department of National Defence’s first privacy officer responsible for the review and disclosure of military police, security and intelligence records requested under the federal Privacy Act.

Returning to the Canadian Forces Security Branch as a civilian in 1986, Mr. Hull held a series of progressively responsible security positions as an export control officer; manager of DND’s national and international Visit Clearance program, and finally as a deputy director equivalent, responsible for security of information policy and operations. Invited in 1991 to accept a position in National Defence’s Chief of Review Services Branch, Mr. Hull spent the next 4 years as a comprehensive audit officer and served on various national level audit teams responsible for the review and assessment of infrastructure downsizing actions, including the closure of Canadian Forces Headquarters Europe, Canadian Forces Bases Baden and Lahr, the downsizing of Canadian Forces Base London, as well as related military and civilian personnel reduction programs.

As events involving the Canadian Airborne Regiment’s deployment to Somalia occurred, Mr. Hull was asked to join the Department of National Defence’s ATIP office to assist in managing responses to related requests for information and records made under the Access to Information Act. Remaining with DND’s ATIP office for the next several years, Mr. Hull was responsible for managing various operational, policy, and training teams, until 2001 when he left as Deputy ATIP Director to assume the duties of ATIP Director at the former Canada Customs and Revenue Agency (CCRA). While at CCRA, Mr. Hull improved that institution’s compliance with legislated ATIP response times, oversaw the Agency’s implementation of federal Privacy Impact Assessment policy, and managed the separation of CCRA ATIP resources during the stand-up of the Canada Border Services Agency.

Mr. Hull joined PWGSC and returned to security duties in June of 2004 as Director of the Canadian and International Industrial Security Directorate – a position he held until appointment in May of 2005 to Director of Canada’s Controlled Goods Program. In May 2007 Peter took on the role of Director, Special Projects.

• Albert Bissonnette
  CIISD A/DIRECTOR

Mr. Albert Bissonnette is the acting Director of the Canadian Industrial Security Directorate. He is responsible for: Personnel Security Screening, Industrial Security Operations (contract security and registration) and Inspections and Investigations.

Mr. Bissonnette is a 27-year veteran of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). His police career included general policing duties, extensive experience as a physical security analyst and senior security consultant and, as an intelligence analyst on organized crime. He was also responsible for managing the Federal Government’s Physical Security Program on behalf of the RCMP. It is in this latter role that Mr. Bissonnette participated in the development of the first nation-wide Government Security Policy and Business Resumption Planning Policy with the Treasury Board Secretariat.

After retirement from the RCMP, Mr. Bissonnette served as Manager, Emergency Management and infrastructure Security at the Privy Council Office and the Prime Minister’s Office. In that role, he was responsible for security at Cabinet meetings, providing security briefings to Ministers and providing security-related advice and guidance to the most senior public servants in government including the Prime Minister’s office. Mr. Bissonnette is active in the security community and is a Board Member of the Canadian Society for Industrial Security (CSIS), a member of the Federal Association of Security Officials (FASO) and the American Society for Industrial Security (ASIS). He also lectures at the two colleges in Ottawa that offer a two-year security program.

• Cynthia Armstrong
  PHSD DIRECTOR

Cynthia Armstrong has over twenty-five years of experience in supply organizations with particular emphasis on operational and strategic planning, operational performance measurement development, analysis and reporting, and senior management staff support.

Before assuming her current position as Director, Program Harmonization and Services Directorate, Ms. Armstrong was the Manager of Planning and Analysis (Supply Operations Service Branch) where she was responsible for the overall management of the planning cycle and performance measurement activities for the Branch as well as a variety of supply-management related support activities. Day-to-day management activities also involved: provision of contracting information related to vendors, statistics, etc.; overseeing the Procurement Review Committee and Secretariat; analysis and coordination of Branch position papers and briefing material; and organization of senior management-level conferences and other fora. These activities were managed to ensure efficient support to the Assistant Deputy Minister SOSB and the Director General, Supply Program Management Sector, and to contribute to the smooth functioning of these organizations.

Previous to this, Ms. Armstrong was responsible for planning, performance measurement, coordination and senior management support for the Supply Management Directorate within the Department of Supply and Services. She was formerly responsible for briefing material, implementation of a performance measurement system and senior staff support to the ADM/Regional Operations.

Ms. Armstrong holds a Bachelor of Arts (Political Science) from Carleton University.

• Tita Cochrane
  IISD A/DIRECTOR

Throughout a 35 year career with the Canadian Federal Government, she has undertaken progressively challenging positions starting with the Department of Industry Trade and Commerce, Supply and Services Canada (currently Public Works and Government Services Canada) and the Competition Tribunal.

Following the amalgamation of four Federal Departments in the early 1990s, Ms. Cochrane sought the challenges of working as a member of the Corporate and Industrial Security Branch, which is known today as the Industrial Security Sector (ISS). The last 10 years have been dedicated to managing the administration of the current International Industrial Security Division of the Industrial Security Sector.

Ms. Cochrane has vast experience and expertise in strategic planning, negotiating, financial and budget preparation, development and implementation of multi year operational plans and is an active participant in the development of national security policies, as well as in the NATO community.

In her current function she is responsible for the negotiation of Industrial Security MOU’s/Arrangements with foreign countries and she also represents Canada in the international arena as one of the primary experts on international industrial security matters and as the NATO representative for policy development on industrial security.

Ms. Cochrane has a teaching degree from Chile, South America, and has attended numerous courses in Management, International Business, Security and Human Resources.

Ms. Cochrane is currently the A/Director of the International Industrial Security Directorate of the Industrial Security Sector.

Mrs. Cochrane’s office is located at 2745 Iris St., Ottawa, Canada, K1A OS5. She may be reached at (613) 948-1661, by facsimile at (613) 948-1712 or by email at: Tita.Cochrane@pwgsc.gc.ca.