Homeland Security & Defense Business Council Honors Outgoing DHS Secretary Chertoff and its Chairman Gregory Pellegrino

WASHINGTON, Dec. 11 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — Last night, the Homeland Security & Defense Business Council honored outgoing Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff with their prestigious Distinguished Service Award for his leadership and implementation of the nation’s homeland security infrastructure for the last four years.

“Secretary Chertoff has established incredible working relationships with all sectors involved in homeland security and our nation is the better for it,” said President & CEO of the Council Marc Pearl. “From the integration of the Federal Emergency Management Agency into DHS, to stopping up our porous borders, to improving tracking of the people and products entering the country, he has done a tremendous job to assure that the nation can go about its business safely and securely.”

The event, attended by some 150 leaders in homeland security from both the public and private sector, focused on the private sector’s efforts to secure the homeland and their contributions to that mission. The Council honored the Evan Scott Group International as the 2008 Small Business Award winner for their tireless efforts to involve and engage small businesses in the homeland security mission. BearingPoint received the Council’s 2008 Corporate Leadership Award for its vision and commitment to raising awareness and preparedness among their private sector peers. And the Council’s 2008 Strategic Partnership award was bestowed upon the American Red Cross of the National Capital Area for their work with the Council to educate, engage and assure that communities discuss, plan and prepare for emergencies by involving both the public and private sectors by co-hosting with the Council the annual “Partners In Preparedness Symposium.”

The Council also honored outgoing chairman Greg Pellegrino, Public Sector Industry leader, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu. Pellegrino’s four-year tenure oversaw the transition of the Council from a more insular group to the leading voice for the private sector in homeland security. His guidance and vision helped found the Council and through his leadership the organization has grown to represent the foremost corporations in America that engage in the homeland security mission.

SOURCE Homeland Security & Defense Business Council