Category: News

WASHINGTON, D.C. — WaterISAC continues to expand its list of Champions with Luminary Automation, Cybersecurity and Engineering, LLC. Luminary A.C.E. is a certified minority-owned and veteran-owned cybersecurity consulting, technology, and engineering firm. They act as a vendor-neutral strategic partner for water and wastewater utilities by assessing, implementing, and managing OT infrastructure to increase operational resilience and cybersecurity readiness.

WaterISAC kicked off the Champion program in 2022 and is looking forward to the expansion of the program with new Champions like Luminary A.C.E. “There is no question that water and wastewater utilities are one of the most critical infrastructures that Americans rely on every day. Expanding our resources and benefits for our members through this program will continue to make us – Stronger Together”, says WaterISAC Executive Director, Tom Dobbins.

“Providing basic human needs, the water and wastewater industries reside in a highly segmented sector of our nation’s critical infrastructure.  WaterISAC provides these industries with the necessary assets to keep the sector safe and maximize productivity, allowing utilities to continue their vigilance of assessments and implementations to ward off vulnerabilities”, states Don Wells, CEO of Luminary A.C.E.  “We look forward to this new chapter for Luminary A.C.E. as a WaterISAC Champion”.

Luminary A.C.E. brings a combined 100+ years of experience in automation, cybersecurity, engineering, and operational management. They will support the sector and WaterISAC throughout the year with best practices and informational resources for utilities across the nation.

For more information about WaterISAC and the Champion program, please contact Kaitlyn Palatucci or visit www.waterisac.org.

Information on Luminary and its services can be found at www.luminaryace.com.

Baltimore, MD – Luminary ACE is pleased to announce Managing Principal Engineer Dean Ford’s abstract, Unleashing the Power of Convergence in IT – OT – ET – ST, has been accepted for the SWAN 2023 Conference in Glasgow, Scotland from May 9-11, 2023.

The presentation will challenge the way IT – OT – ET – ST departments work together and the role technology plays in solving problems. This discussion will provide a different vision of the future, where these four groups are partners, leveraging each other’s skills and capabilities to make everyone’s job more effective and efficient. The convergence of these groups drives costs out of the business, increases reliability, and improves the cybersecurity posture of the business.  

SWAN is the leading, global voice for the smart water sector. A membership-based non-profit, they bring together water utilities, solution providers, and proactive industry experts to advance the adoption of “smart,” data-driven solutions for drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater networks worldwide.

SWAN’s mission is in alignment with Ford’s vision for the future of water. This is a high honor, as the SWAN abstract review process is very rigorous with each abstract being reviewed blindly multiple times by different members of the SWAN Senior Utility Advisory Group.

About Dean Ford: Dean’s entire 25+ year career has involved automation systems engineering and consulting. Initially stumbling into the profession via a CoOp opportunity at Anheuser-Busch in 1994, he fell in love with automation. The ability to see how things are made and learn the science and process behind it really energize him.

He currently serves as the Managing Principal Engineer at Luminary Automation, Cybersecurity, and Engineering, LLC, a firm he co-founded in 2021. He develops and leads a dedicated and passionate staff of automation professionals. He is a licensed Control Systems Engineer in 24 states and a Certified Automation Professional® (CAP).

Dean is a Senior Member of the International Society of Automation (ISA) and participates in many industry standards committees. He is an active member of many industry groups including AWWA, WEF, SWAN. He is passionate about educating the public and policymakers about the critical role. automation plays in the future.

Dean’s current mission is to build a diverse and revolutionary automation, cybersecurity, and engineering firm that treats people as assets and enables them to succeed. He educates Utilities and Manufacturing clients to take advantage of their investments in technology and evolve their thinking to Automation being a long-term investment. Applying lessons and experience from private industry to the public sector, Dean brings a unique perspective to Utility Operations and automation users.

He holds an Electrical Engineering BS Degree from Missouri University of Science and Technology and an Executive MBA from the University of Maryland RH Smith School of Business. He is a passionate and lifelong learner, always looking to learn something new and apply it to the real world.

Baltimore, MD – Luminary Automation, Cybersecurity and Engineering, a provider of professional control system engineering, automation, and cybersecurity services, is pleased to announce an expansion of its leadership team. Geoff Guss has been named the Vice President of Business Development.

Geoff has over 20 years of experience in the water, wastewater, powergen, process, and petroleum industries. He specializes in building and managing teams. He’s committed to improving the customer experience by developing thoughtful relationships.

“Geoff has considerable industry knowledge and many long-term relationships. He is motivated by customer satisfaction, which aligns well with Luminary’s mission. His experience will make him instrumental in implementing our strategic vision,” stated Luminary CEO, Don Wells. 

Geoff has an undergraduate degree in business from Bowling Green State University. He has a master’s degree in Engineering, with a specialty in Industrial Distribution, from Texas A&M University. Geoff continues his education by taking cybersecurity training courses to stay up-to-date on industry trends.

“I’m excited to join such a dedicated team of engineers at Luminary. They have created a reputation for applying the appropriate level of technology for their clients while allowing their engineers to develop solutions that fit their client’s needs. I look forward to helping to expand Luminary’s footprint so more companies can benefit from their services.” stated Geoff

 

About Luminary Automation, Cybersecurity and Engineering:  Luminary is a provider of professional control system engineering, automation and cybersecurity services. As a premier engineering and consulting firm, Luminary helps develop reliable solutions for industries including wastewater management, food & beverage, public works, manufacturing, energy, construction, and the military. 

Baltimore, MD – Luminary Automation, Cybersecurity and Engineering, a provider of professional control system engineering, automation, and cybersecurity services, is pleased to announce an expansion of its leadership team. Nick Stabile has been named the Director Of Client Services.

Nick brings over 35 years of experience working with water, wastewater, gas, and electric utilities. He specializes in identifying and implementing organizational and operational performance improvement solutions.

Nick got his start with electrical and control systems in the U.S. Navy as an Aviation Electrician’s Mate. After receiving an honorable discharge, he worked for a control system manufacturer building and testing process control systems and then worked for a manufacturer’s representative delivering instrumentation and control system solutions. Most recently, Stabile joins Luminary from Westin Engineering where he was responsible for a variety of client-facing activities for over 25 years.

“Nick has been instrumental in creating efficient and effective systems designed to enhance client satisfaction. His expertise in cybersecurity and SCADA makes him a key asset to our leadership team. Nick’s experience with operational technology master planning brings the ability to significantly impact our organization,” stated Luminary CEO, Don Wells.

“I’m excited to join such a dedicated team of engineers at Luminary. The organization’s commitment to creating custom solutions at the highest level of risk planning and mitigation creates an environment tailored to customer success. I’m eager to help enhance the client experience and assist in automating systems alongside Luminary’s talented leadership team,” stated Nick.

About Luminary Automation, Cybersecurity and Engineering:  Luminary, a certified minority business enterprise (MBE), is a provider of professional control system engineering, automation and cybersecurity services. As a premier engineering and consulting firm, Luminary helps develop reliable solutions for industries including water/wastewater management, food & beverage, public works, manufacturing, energy, construction, and the military.

February 1, 2022 – The leaders of Luminary Automation and Engineering and Wells Mason Cyber Group announced today that they have formed a partnership to bring their offerings together. The newly formed Luminary Automation, Cybersecurity and Engineering will focus on providing a full scope of services to deliver secure, innovative ICS / SCADA solutions.

“The increasing incidents of cyber attacks are putting our nation’s economy  at risk, as ransomware and malware attacks against critical infrastructure, and supply chain have  the potential to disrupt millions of Americans. By creating this new partnership, we aim to help companies operate efficiently, and securely,” stated Wells Mason President, Don Wells.

“Providing our clients with innovative solutions that incorporate risk planning and mitigation sets Luminary apart from others.  We want to ensure our client’s success through the appropriate application of technology while ensuring the people have the processes they need to be successful,” says Dean Ford, CAP PE, COO and Managing Principal Engineer.

Luminary will maintain headquarters in Baltimore, with satellite locations in Pennsylvania, Alabama, and California.

 

About Luminary Automation, Cybersecurity and Engineering:  Luminary is a provider of professional control system engineering, automation and cybersecurity services. As a premier engineering and consulting firm, Luminary helps develop reliable solutions for industries including water and wastewater, food & beverage, manufacturing, energy, construction, and the military.