August 5, 2020 — Chantilly, VA — AMERICAN SYSTEMS’ Albuquerque, NM, facility was honored recently with the prestigious 2020 James S. Cogswell Award for security excellence. The award, presented by the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA), focuses on principles of industrial security excellence, including establishing and maintaining a security program that far exceeds the basic National Industrial Security Program requirements; and providing leadership to other cleared facilities in establishing best practices while maintaining the highest standards for security. The company’s Albuquerque facility was one of 61 chosen from approximately 12,500 cleared facilities.
“As a federal contractor supporting national priority programs, the importance of safeguarding our country’s classified information is paramount to the safety of our warfighters and citizens. Our security department, top to bottom, is second to none,” said Peter Smith, President and CEO of AMERICAN SYSTEMS. “We are proud to be recognized with this prestigious award that acknowledges their dedication to their craft—we know what’s at stake.”
The James S. Cogswell Award is the most prestigious honor the DCSA can bestow to cleared industry. Of the more than 12,000 cleared contractors in the National Industrial Security Program, less than 1% are annually selected to receive this award. The award was established in 1966 in honor of the late Air Force Col. James S. Cogswell, the first chief of industrial security within the Department of Defense. Cogswell was responsible for developing the basic principles of the Industrial Security Program which includes an emphasis on the partnership between industry and government to protect classified information. This partnership ultimately ensures the greatest protection for the U.S. warfighter and our Nation’s classified information.
