Identix Incorporated, the world's leading multi-biometrics technology company, announced today that former Assistant Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Northrop Grumman Information Technology Homeland Security Vice President Charles (''Chuck'') W. Archer, 59, has joined the Company as Vice President, Federal Sector, effective October 18, 2004. Archer will report to Identix COO Jim Moar, and will be responsible for leading and growing Identix' Federal sector customer relations and business.
``The addition of an executive of Chuck Archer's caliber, with such direct and extensive leadership experience and contacts in the state and local, federal and international markets and the systems integrator arena, is truly a coup for Identix,'' said Identix President & CEO Dr. Joseph J. Atick. ``Chuck is an ideal leader for our fast-expanding position as the Federal marketplace's leading supplier of multi-biometric technologies and solutions. He has a reputation in Federal circles and within the Department of Justice for getting things done, and has proven himself to be both operationally effective and 100% committed to helping the Government perform better at every level. Among the roles we expect him to play are those of creating additional inroads for Identix into various government agencies, as well as further strengthening the excellent relationships that already exist and identifying and capitalizing on opportunities for inter-agency cooperation.
"Today, more than ever,'' Atick continued, "Identix' hard work, dedication and focus on providing biometrics technology that will help improve security across the Federal sector is paying dividends. We have recently secured two of the highest-profile Federal contracts for biometrics ever awarded -- the five-year Blank Purchase Agreement from the Department of Homeland Security for our fingerprint live scan systems, and the world's largest facial recognition program, for integration into the U.S. Department of State's travel document application processes. We welcome Chuck on board at this very exciting time of growth for Identix, and we expect his personal contribution to further accelerate our momentum in every one of our markets.''
From 2002 until joining Identix, as Vice President Homeland Security for Northrop Grumman Information Technology, Archer was responsible for senior marketing contacts with the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security, and for managing domestic and international strategic planning issues involving homeland security and criminal justice. He regularly presented to senior State and Federal government officials on Northrop's homeland security capabilities, and was an active representative on numerous industry and government committees dealing with the use and integration of biometrics and the importance of interagency cooperation.
In 1996, rounding out a highly successful 28 years of Bureau service, Archer was appointed by the U.S. Attorney General and the Director of the FBI as Assistant Director In Charge of the Criminal Justice Information Services Division, with oversight of all criminal justice services, including IAFIS and Uniform Crime Reporting systems. As Assistant Director, Archer managed a $300 million annual budget, and launched the $1 billion expansion, development and automation of the agency's activities that culminated in the new National Crime Information Center (NCIC) and National Instant Check System for handguns. He led a workforce of more than 3,000 FBI employees and 600 outside contractors, and established and maintained strong relationships with other Federal agencies and Congress.
In addition to ever-increasing responsibilities during his FBI tenure, from 1993 to 1996 Archer served as Legal Attache at the U.S. Embassy in Ottawa, Canada. As the senior US law enforcement official in Canada, he had absolute jurisdiction to render advice on laws, regulation, procedures and practices in the U.S.
Before joining Northrop Grumman, from 1998 to 1999, Archer was President & CEO of publicly-traded STRATESEC, Inc., a single-source provider of comprehensive, technology-based security solutions for commercial, government and international facilities, where he spearheaded a period of rapid expansion, while broadening STRATESEC's offerings to a full suite of integrated services including engineering and design, systems integration, maintenance and technical support. In 1999, Litton PRC appointed Archer Vice President, Strategic Business Development for Criminal Justice, subsequently promoting him to Vice President and General Manager, Office of Integrated Public Safety Programs. Serving in this position through 2002, he oversaw all PRC domestic and international public safety business units, and was a member of the PRC executive Quality Management Board, reporting directly to the company's President.
Archer received a BS in Accounting from Minnesota State College, and has attended a number of graduate programs, including post-graduate courses in statistics and government accounting at the USDA Graduate School; the Litton Executive Education Program in Finance at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School; the University of Maryland School of Business's program on international marketing strategies, and business development and execution at the University of Virginia's Darden Graduate School of Business Administration. Archer resides in Reston, Virginia with his wife, Helen.
