Speaker Bio
COL(R) Bill Edwards retired from the military in 2017 and led Thornton Tomasetti’s security consulting group as a Principal from 2017 – 2022. He recently joined Building Intelligence as President of the Federal and Public Safety Business Group. He offers over 35 years of expertise in operational/technical security, counterterrorism, counterintelligence, surveillance, and counter-surveillance. He served as the Director of Intelligence for Theater Special Operations Command-North, a position that required extensive collaboration and partnering across the U.S. whole of government security enterprise. He specifically designed a cohesive and collaborative counter-terrorism network with Department of Defense, Law Enforcement, and Inter-Agency partners while simultaneously bridging strong relationships with coalition partners to further extend his security reach in an effort to protect the homeland.
Bill also brings extensive experience in operational/technical security from his combat deployments to Iraq, where he commanded large bases in Al Anbar, Dhi Qar, and Basra Provinces, focusing primarily on operations and security. During this period, he oversaw the planning and execution of all base infrastructure including the implementation and operation of
U.S. base security. He also planned and designed multiple levels of security improvements to combat threats. Bill recently published a book titled Inside Abu Ghraib: Memoirs of Two U.S. Military Intelligence Officers. The book
is about leading through adversity and the military family during combat operations. Bill also teaches leadership, strategic communications, and negotiations to senior Air Force officers through the Air Force War College.
Bill is known for his creativity and agility and often makes complex problems look simple. He has proven to be immensely successful in austere and complicated landscapes. Additionally, he has a long history of strategic planning, intelligence gathering and analytics, policy development, technical transformations, contract negotiations, budgetary oversight, team leadership, staff training, and decision support. Bill has been recognized throughout his prestigious career as an influential leader of change, fully adept in building and motivating teams, earning consensus, aligning operational objectives, and delivering results through the employment of an empowering leadership style that inspires a culture of accomplishment, accountability, and good stewardship.
Bill has extensive experience in private-sector security design and consulting. His work spans a myriad of market sectors, including professional sports, transportation, commercial, healthcare, cultural institutions, religious institutions, and city, county, state, and federal government projects.
Bill is an ASIS International board-certified CPP, PSP, and PCI. He is also certified as a CPTED Professional (CPD), Identity Management Professional (CIMP), a FEMA Level 1 Continuity Planner, and a licensed FAA Part 107 Drone Operator. Bill has over 65 published articles on security topics.