Steering Committee

The Toronto Area Security Klatch is presently managed by a Steering Committee that was formed in October 2004.

All members of the steering committee have volunteered their time and may join or resign at any time.

The responsibilities of the committee are:

• To inaugurate and drive the Toronto Area Security Klatch until such time as an elected Executive Committee can be elected
• To work with the membership to develop appropriate by-laws governing the activities of TASK
• To make arrangements for all group meetings, including meeting location, speakers, room reservations, equipment, refreshments, door prizes, and handouts
• To regularly communicate with members via meeting notices and e-mails using the group's e-mail address

The Steering Committee is made up of:

Robert Beggs, CISSP CISA

Brian Bourne,  CISSP, MCSE:Security

President, CMS Consulting Inc.

Brian Bourne brings to TASK over 15 years of IT experience. His expertise is grounded in systems integration work with large, complex, multi-platform networks. A regular attendee of events such as Defcon and a with a long standing interest in security, Brian particularily enjoys speaking about both attack and defense techniques.

Brian's current focus is building the strongest team of Microsoft Infrastructure and Security Experts in Canada. Beyond managing all day to day operations at CMS, Brian maintains his technical edge through consulting and participation on with numerous Microsoft technology related events. He maintains the latest technical certifications (such as MCSE2003) and leverages his past experiences to provide leadership to the growing team of CMS Consultants.

Robert Buren, MA

VP, CMS Consulting Inc.

Robert Buren brings to TASK a diversity of technology, process improvement, business development and marketing consulting experience. A Vice President at CMS Consulting Inc., Robert spends the majority of his time educating clients, prospects and partners on the business value of secure infrastructure.

Prior to CMS, Robert created ebusiness marketing strategies and provided leadership in web design, research, writing and content editing for new ventures and renowned businesses across Canada.

Robert holds a Master's degree from the University of Victoria, an undergraduate degree from the University of Western Ontario and is qualified as a Six Sigma Black Belt.

Bruce Cowper

IT Pro Advisor, Microsoft

As an IT Pro Advisor for Microsoft Canada, Bruce is an integral part of the Microsoft team that drives awareness, education and training through events and directly engaging with Canada’s professional communities, including IT managers, infrastructure specialists and architects as well as systems integrators, independent software vendors (ISVs) and community leaders.

Before moving to Toronto and joining Microsoft, Bruce was based in United Kingdom, where he had his own consultancy firm, specialising in Infrastructure Design, Project Management and Security Consultancy, working with companies large and small. During this time he worked extensively with various police forces and global companies providing forensic analysis, auditing and system design.

Prior to working for Microsoft, Bruce also held positions on the board of directors of several IT companies across the UK. He has also put his knowledge to good use for private and public sector projects on behalf of several world-wide organisations.

Bruce holds a degree in Computer Systems Engineering as well as a number of industry standard qualifications. He has over 10 years of experience in the IT industry most of those in security related areas.

Eldon Sprickerhoff

Co-Founder, eSentire

Eldon Sprickerhoff has over 15 years of experience in the GTA and NYC IT communities working on security vulnerability analysis, architecture, and countermeasures. In 2001 he co-founded eSentire, Inc., which has grown to be the leading Managed Security Services Provider for alternative investment firms (including hedge funds) with sensors deployed across North America, the UK, and Asia. He holds a B.Math. in Computer Science from the University of Waterloo and is both CISSP and CISA certified.

Currently, his free-time activities revolve around family, epicurean adventures, and aikido.