Ex-Pentagon ranking officer joins Samsung

By Kang Seung-woo

Terry Halvorsen

Samsung Electronics has hired a former Pentagon officer in its efforts to improve mobile security and related services, according to the company, Friday.

“Samsung Electronics America recruited Terry Halvorsen, a former chief information officer (CIO) at the U.S. Department of Defense, as executive vice president of its mobile division on April 1,” a Samsung official said.

“He will serve as adviser to Shin Jong-kyun, who heads Samsung’s info-tech and mobile communications division.”

The info-tech industry expects that Halvorsen will help Samsung tap into the corporate security communication network industry in North America and Europe.

Halvorsen, who assumed the CIO duties in March 2015, stepped down in February after a 37-year government career, including his role as the CIO at the Department of the Navy. He was also involved in Operation Desert Storm.

He is known for leading a move to have the Department of Defense upgrade its computer operating system to Windows 10.

Samsung has made efforts to supply its mobile products to the Pentagon.

Since 2014, the tech giant has supplied the Pentagon with its Galaxy smartphones loaded with Samsung KNOX. Nineteen models have been offered. KNOX is Samsung’s enterprise mobile security system.

“As a company must pass a myriad of tests before getting its products used by the U.S. military, the new executive vice president’s experience and personal connections are expected to help Samsung carve out new markets,” an industry official said.