James Kennedy, head of the Security Services Department and chief security officer at MIT Lincoln Laboratory, has won WashingtonExec’s 2023 Chief Officer Award for Chief Security Officer in the Public & Private Company category.
WashingtonExec on May 10 unveiled the winners of the Chief Officer Awards, an annual program that celebrates influential and innovative executives in government and industry in the C-suite. The event took place at McLean’s luxurious Ritz Carlton, where 535 attendees came together for a memorable in-person luncheon.
Along with the government and industry winners, Sudhakar Kesavan, chairman of the board of directors at ABM Industries, Inc. and board member of Cadmus Group and Dexis Consulting Group, was honored with the 2023 Chief Officer Awards Lifetime Achievement Award. This award recognizes the career of a longtime, influential and impactful CEO, as Kesavan served as ICF CEO for an impressive 21 years, making him a true industry stalwart. Maximus CEO Bruce Caswell served as the emcee for this year’s awards ceremony.
Kennedy noted in his finalist Q+A with WashingtonExec that the past year and a half has been one of the most impactful times of his professional career.
“After spending nearly 40 years in the U.S. Department of Defense and Intelligence Community Industrial security programs, I made the decision to come to MIT Lincoln Laboratory,” he said. “When I came to the Laboratory, I brought a fresh perspective ⏤ my own. After several months of observing and learning about the Department, I brought to light a challenge they were experiencing, but not recognizing, which is that people are the business we are in. It was necessary to shift our focus to reflect that.”
