Northrop's engineering strategy chief moves into cybersecurity

Northrop Grumman Corp. has named Mike Papay vice president for cyber initiatives in the company’s Information Systems unit.

He also becomes the company’s lead executive on cybersecurity, reporting to Linda Mills, corporate vice president and president of Northrop Grumman Information Systems.

In this new role, Papay will lead the company's cross-sector cyber strategy development and associated activities to further establish the corporation's position and advance its role as a thought leader and trusted provider of cybersecurity solutions, according to a company statement.

He also will work closely with leaders across the corporation to build and grow its cybersecurity business both in the United States and internationally.

Papay most recently served as the Information Systems sector’s director of engineering strategy. He also led some of the sector's premier technical talent acquisition and retention programs, including the Future Technical Leaders program, the Systems Engineering Associates program and the Technical Fellows program.

Before joining the sector's engineering organization, Papay was the director of engineering on the Joint National Integration Center Research and Development contract, now named the Missile Defense Integration and Operations Center contract in Colorado Springs, Colo.

He also served as program manager for the Air Force Distributed Mission Training program.

Papay has a bachelor's degree and a doctorate in aerospace engineering from Virginia Tech.

Northrop Grumman Corp., of Los Angeles, ranks No. 2 on Washington Technology’s 2010 Top 100 list of the largest federal government contractors.