Statement from Tom Ridge on the Passing of Howard A. Schmidt, Former White House Cybersecurity Advisor

(March 2, 2017) – It is with great sorrow that Gov. Tom Ridge today confirmed the death of his business partner and friend, Howard A. Schmidt. Mr. Schmidt, 67, passed away at home this morning outside Milwaukee.

“Our nation has lost a rare gem. Howard Schmidt was a leader on digital security before most people even knew what a cyber attack was. His expertise was sought by U.S. presidents on both sides of the aisle as well as presidents and CEOs of some of the most influential brands in the world.

“During his service in Washington, Howard stood out, not only for his deep knowledge and experience, but also for the kindness and respect he showed to all with whom he worked. And while he held many important titles and roles in the public and private sectors, the one Howard cherished most was being a Grandpa. I cannot begin to express the profound loss we feel. Our hearts go out to Raemarie and the entire Schmidt family. We all have been blessed to have Howard as our colleague and friend.”

Recognized as a global leader on cybersecurity, Howard A. Schmidt was the former White House Cybersecurity Advisor to Presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush. He was a co-founder and partner of Ridge-Schmidt Cyber. He also served as Executive Director of the Software Assurance Forum for Excellence in Code (SAFECode) and served as Chairman of the US Chamber of Commerce Cyber Leadership Council.

Deeply experienced in both public and private sector cybersecurity, Mr. Schmidt served in previous roles to include President and CEO of the Information Security Forum (ISF), Chief Security Officer at Microsoft Corp. and Chief Information Security Officer at eBay Inc. He also served as Chief Security Strategist for the US-CERT Partners Program for the Department of Homeland Security. Additionally, Mr. Schmidt brought to bear decades of military and law enforcement service.