New position to focus on security business

Byres Security, now part of of Belden, has strengthened its organisation with the appointment of Frank Williams as Senior Product Manager. Williams has 30 years of senior management experience in bringing new technologies to market in the process automation industries. In his new role, Williams will focus on strategy, platforms and sales channels for growing the Byres’ Tofino Security line of business.

During his career, Williams has been a key player in taking new technologies like industrial computers, industrial-grade human machine interface (HMI), fieldbus devices and industrial wireless from early to mainstream adoption in the automation industries. His most recent positions were chief executive officer of ELPRO Technologies Pty Ltd., a world leader in industrial wireless products (ELPRO is now part of Cooper Bussmann Wireless) and president and chief executive officer of Action Instruments, a global supplier of single conditioners, measurement and data acquisition solutions for industrial and process businesses (Action Instruments is now part of Eurotherm, a division of Invensys). Williams also brings his extensive industry network to Byres Security.

“Industrial cyber security is the next major impactful technology to hit the automation and process control industries,” he said. “Realising this, I reviewed and searched the security landscape and decided to put my energy behind the Tofino Security suite of solutions. I believe it has the best technology available for protecting industrial networks from the rapidly growing threat of industrially-focused malware.”

“We are very excited to have Frank join our team,” commented Joann Byres, vice president and general manager of Byres Security. “He adds a wealth of automation industry business and management experience into our group, and he will be invaluable as we ramp up development and sales channels as part of Belden.”

• See Frank Williams first contribution on the Tofino Blog Site: Industrial Data Compromise – the New Business Risk (11/1/2012)