The Center for Internet Security, Inc. (CIS®) makes the connected world a safer place for people, businesses, and governments through our core competencies of collaboration and innovation. We are a community-driven nonprofit, responsible for the CIS Critical Security Controls® and CIS Benchmarks™, globally recognized best practices for securing IT systems and data. We lead a global community of IT professionals to continuously evolve these standards and provide products and services to proactively safeguard against emerging threats. Our CIS Hardened Images® provide secure, on-demand, scalable computing environments in the cloud. CIS is home to the Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center® (MS-ISAC®), the trusted resource for cyber threat prevention, protection, response, and recovery for U.S. State, Local, Tribal, and Territorial government entities, and the Elections Infrastructure Information Sharing and Analysis Center® (EI-ISAC®), which supports the rapidly changing cybersecurity needs of U.S. election offices. To learn more, visit cisecurity.org or follow us on Twitter: @CISecurity.

CIS Annual President's Award

Description of Award:
The CIS Annual President’s Award is presented annually to one CIS staff member who, in the past year, has made a significant impact on or contribution to CIS, and who exhibits exemplary leadership in their role and across CIS.

This award is intended to honor those who:
 

Exhibit exemplary job performance

  • Have made outstanding contributions and commitment to advancement of the CIS Mission and/or Strategic Goals
  • Contribute time and energy to improving CIS’s corporate culture, and encourage others to do the same
  • Are committed to providing the highest standard of customer service to internal and/or external customers, members and partners
  • Are dedicated to continual professional development, and actively engage and enable others to realize their full leadership potential
  • Provide a positive influence on and encouragement to their colleagues

CIS recognizes that the efforts that each member of the CIS Team contribute on a daily basis are what help make our workplace culture and mission a success. While the President’s Award honors one outstanding candidate annually, one or more nominees may also be named as Star Performers for their contributions and dedication to the CIS Leadership Principles. Additionally, CIS remains committed to recognizing individual staff contributions throughout the year through our Spot Bonus program.

Criteria for the CIS Annual President’s Award:
Staff who are nominated must:

  • Have been employed at CIS for at least one year;
  • Demonstrate the CIS Leadership Principles and lead by example;
  • Contribute to the CIS culture and mission on a daily basis through service and example;
  • Be nominated by a fellow CIS employee (there are no limits on the number of nominations a staff member may make for individual candidates, but each nomination must be submitted on a separate form);
  • Be in good standing (employees experiencing performance issues are not eligible)

Examples of activities or contributions that would be appropriate for the nomination may include the following:

  • Significant contributions to the CIS mission through their efforts in support of internal or external stakeholders
  • Individual or team awards or recognition; including recognition through the Spot Bonus program
  • Volunteer activities, for example service with CIS Cares, the IDEA Alliance, other volunteer efforts within CIS and/or Volunteerism in the community

Nomination Restrictions:

  • Members of the CIS Annual President’s Award Review Committee are not eligible to submit a nomination
  • Staff who are Senior Directors and above are not eligible to receive the CIS Annual President’s Award or a Star Performer Award
  • Previous CIS Annual President’s Award recipients are ineligible for future CIS Annual President’s or Star Performer Awards
  • Previous Star Performer awardees are ineligible for a future Star Performer Award, but are eligible to be named a CIS Annual President’s Award recipient

Prize Award:
The CIS Annual President’s Award and Star Performer Awardee(s) will be announced at the end of the calendar year. The President’s Award honoree will receive $5,000 and a personalized gift of recognition. The Star Performer awardee(s) will receive $2,000 and a personalized gift of recognition.

Questions? cis_corporate_communications@cisecurity.org

Mike Assante was a pioneer and internationally-recognized expert in the field of Industrial Control System cybersecurity. His contributions to the advancement of critical infrastructure, system design, threat intelligence, detection, mitigation, and incident response capabilities within the Industrial Control System community were extraordinary. Unfortunately, his life was cut short by cancer in 2019. In addition to serving as a member of the Center for Internet Security (CIS) Board of Directors, Michael was an advocate, an ally, and, most importantly, a friend to CIS.


In his memory, CIS has created the Michael Assante Memorial Scholarship. The scholarship is designed to support high-potential employees to further pursue their education, specifically, to pursue relevant undergraduate or graduate degrees. The Michael Assante Memorial Scholarship will also encourage recipients to broaden their impact both at work and in the world, following the example set by Michael.


The Michael Assante Memorial Scholarship program will award scholarships to up to two CIS employees per year to pursue an undergraduate or graduate degree at an accredited college and/or university. The award will cover 100% of the recipients’ tuition and fees. The scholarship award shall not exceed $25,000 per calendar year; awards in excess of this amount may be approved on an exception basis. Incidental costs such as transportation and housing are not covered. 


Scholarship Schedule:

  • Application Period Announced: July
  • Application Period: 8/1 - 8/31
  • Application Deadline: 8/31
  • Review Committee Processes Applications: 9/1 - 9/30
  • Scholarship Award Recipient(s) Announced: November
  • Scholarship Award Distributed: Upon receipt of invoice from accredited college/university 

Questions? 

  • Scholarships@cisecurity.org


Center for Internet Security