Chris Cleary
Vice President, Global Cyber Practice, MANTECH
MANTECH recently won a prime position on a 7-year, $875 million contract with a key intelligence agency to provide full-spectrum cyber solutions to support computer network operations work that helps keep Americans safe.
And while Chris Cleary said he can’t take credit for this win as it was an all-of-MANTECH effort, the win is a testament to the company’s elite qualifications and reputation in cybersecurity within the intelligence community.
Plus, it exemplifies why he chose to continue his career at MANTECH following his service as principal cyber advisor to the U.S. Navy.
“Chris and his team are actively engaged in advancing the cyber capabilities that matter most to U.S. national security,” said MANTECH Chief Growth Officer Joe Cubba. “From critical infrastructure protection, to training the next generation of CNO developers, MANTECH is proud to be the premier provider of full-spectrum cybersecurity to the defense and intelligence communities.”
In terms of aligning with the current administration’s cybersecurity priorities, MANTECH recently won a $200 million cyber contract with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to provide it with a new cell-based model for its security operations centers. The model has driven a 90% reduction in false positive alerts, cut median incident resolution time by 75% and resolved over 95% of cybersecurity incidents in under 15 minutes.
Why Watch
Cleary’s team is heavily focused on working with USCYBERCOM to bolster the nation’s cybersecurity posture to better protect operational technology and critical infrastructure. In addition, MANTECH’s Advanced Cyber Training Program continues to provide cutting-edge training in applied offensive cyber techniques, preparing the next generation of computer network operations developers who support the nation’s defense and intelligence community missions.
“We’re seeing a shift in how wars are fought, where non-kinetic capabilities like cyber are increasingly important – less expensive, quicker to market and unconstrained by range relative to traditional weapons,” Cleary said. “Industry plays a key role in supporting the U.S. government’s cyber capability, with our ability to provide mission augmentation via a corps of cleared, qualified cyber talent that can scale up quickly as needs arise. We need to have confidence that cyber effects can be delivered at a time and place of our choosing to support other kinetic actions.”
Fun fact: A two-time All-American rugby player at the U.S. Naval Academy, Cleary credits the sport with shaping his approach to leadership—teaching him the teamwork, resilience and fortitude to tackle hard problems that translated directly into his military service and cyber career. He was inducted into the Naval Academy Rugby Hall of Fame.