2026 OhioCISO ORBIE Awards Recognize Top Security Executives

Leading CISOs honored for leadership, enterprise security, and business impact

Published on Feb. 25, 2026

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The 2026 OhioCISO ORBIE Awards ceremony in Columbus, Ohio recognized chief information security officers (CISOs) from organizations like Cleveland Clinic, The Ohio State University, University of Cincinnati, altafiber, Miami University, and United Airlines for their exceptional leadership and contributions to cybersecurity.

Why it matters

The ORBIE Awards are the preeminent executive recognition program for CISOs, celebrating leadership excellence, business protection, and industry engagement. As cybersecurity becomes increasingly critical, these awards highlight the vital role CISOs play in driving digital transformation and safeguarding organizations.

The details

The award ceremony honored CISOs across six categories, including Leadership, Global, Large Enterprise, Enterprise, Large Corporate, and Corporate. Winners were selected through an independent peer-review process based on criteria such as leadership, business impact, and community involvement.

  • The 2026 OhioCISO ORBIE Awards ceremony was held on February 19, 2026 in Columbus, Ohio.

The players

Deneen DeFiore

VP & CISO, United Airlines, received the Leadership ORBIE.

Rakesh Sharma

VP & CISO, Cleveland Clinic, received the Global ORBIE for organizations over $1 billion annual revenue & multi-national operations.

Richard Nagle

AVP & CISO, The Ohio State University, received the Large Enterprise ORBIE for organizations over $8 billion annual revenue.

Katrina Biscay

CISO, University of Cincinnati, received the Enterprise ORBIE for organizations over $3 billion annual revenue.

Shawn McMillian

Chief Security Officer, altafiber, received the Large Corporate ORBIE for organizations over $1 billion annual revenue.

John Virden

AVP, CISO, Miami University, received the Corporate ORBIE for organizations up to $1 billion annual revenue.

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What they’re saying

“Behind every successful cybersecurity strategy is a CISO leading the vision. The ORBIE Awards are the ultimate recognition program for the leaders behind the work.”

— Mark Tomallo, OhioCISO Chair (GlobeNewswire)

The takeaway

The OhioCISO ORBIE Awards highlight the critical role CISOs play in protecting organizations and driving digital transformation. By recognizing exceptional leadership, the awards inspire the next generation of security executives and underscore the growing importance of cybersecurity in the business landscape.