Nick Lippis is an authority on corporate computer networking. He has designed some for the largest computer networks in the world. He has advised many Global 2000 firms on network strategy, architecture, equipment, services and implementation including Hughes Aerospace, Barclays Bank, Kaiser Permanente, Eastman Kodak Company, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), Liberty Mutual, Schering-Plough, Sprint, WorldCom, Cisco Systems, Nortel Networks and a wide range of other equipment suppliers and service providers.

Mr. Lippis is uniquely positioned to comment, analyze and observe computer networking industry trends and developments.

Kevin is the senior vice president of Networking at NVIDIA, joining from Mellanox Technologies where he was senior vice president of Marketing. He has been a founder or senior executive at five startups that have achieved positive outcomes. Combining both technical and business expertise, Deierling has variously served as the chief officer of technology, architecture, and marketing at these companies, where he led the development of strategy and products across a broad range of disciplines including networking, security, cloud, big data, virtualization, storage, smart energy, and DNA sequencing. Deierling has contributed to multiple technology standards and has over 25 patents in areas including wireless communications, error correction, security, video compression, and DNA sequencing. He is a contributing author of a text on BiCmos design. Kevin holds a BA in Solid State Physics from UC Berkeley.

Tom Gillis is the Senior Vice President and General Manager of Infrastructure & Security, at Cisco. A respected industry leader with strong executive management skills and in-depth knowledge of the challenges surrounding secure integrated networking, Tom is responsible for leading the company’s efforts to build secure infrastructure and extend it to the campus and branch. These efforts enable customers to reduce risks, streamline management, and adapt more effectively to modern threats. He previously led Cisco’s Security Business Group (SBG).

Prior to Cisco, Tom was the SVP/GM of the Network and Advanced Security Business Group at VMware, where he led the endpoint, networking, load balancing and network security businesses. He was also the CEO/co-founder of Bracket Computing which was acquired by VMware.

Before Bracket Computing, Tom was the GM of the Security Technology Group at Cisco where he led the company’s businesses for security management, appliances, applications, and endpoint services. Tom was also part of the founding team at IronPort Systems and served as senior vice president of marketing when the company was acquired by Cisco. Under his guidance, IronPort grew an average of 100 percent year-on-year for seven years. During his tenure, IronPort rose to become the leading provider of antispam, antivirus, and antimalware appliances for organizations ranging from small businesses to Global 2000.

Tom has also worked at iBEAM Broadcasting, Silicon Graphics, and Boston Consulting Group in various technical and leadership roles. He is also a noted advisor to startups and venture capital companies and is a member of several boards of directors.

Tom holds an M.B.A. degree from Harvard University, and graduated Magna Cum Laude with an M.S.E.E. degree from Northwestern University and a B.S.E.E. from Tufts University.