Eddie McElyea named Director of Partnership Development
Key Facts
Forge Institute announces first director of partnership development, Eddie McElyea, retired Arkansas Air National Guard State Command Chief.
Eddie brings a vast knowledge and expertise in talent acquisitions, human resource management and building partnerships between the public and private sector.
LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS (April 14, 2020) - Today the American Cyber Alliance (a program of Forge Institute) announces the hiring of Eddie McElyea as Director of Partnership Development.
Eddie retired from the Arkansas Air National Guard last fall. Previously, he served in the United States Air Force and was deployed during Desert Shield and Desert Storm. He also supported Hurricane Andrew relief efforts. In addition, Eddie has served in positions of Talent Acquisitions, Training Instructor (aka Drill Sergeant), Honor Guard, and Human Resources management. Upon retirement from the Arkansas Air National Guard, Eddie was awarded the Legion of Merit for “exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance as State Command Chief”.
“Eddie is a great addition to our growing team. His unique background, incredible people skills and operations expertise is just what we need as we continue to expand our training programs and increase corporate and government relationships. We’re excited to have Eddie onboard and look forward to introducing him to our many partners and stakeholders in the coming weeks.” Lee Watson, CEO of Forge Institute.
“I grew up in a small town in southern Missouri and joined the Air Force in 1989 when I was nineteen. After multiple relocations, I landed in Jacksonville, AR as a headhunter for military healthcare professionals. It was there that I decided it was time to take up roots and so I joined the Arkansas Air National Guard. It was a great career with amazing experiences that prepared me for this new exciting chapter in my life. I am blessed to be afforded this opportunity to serve our community yet again and I look forward to building lasting relationships that enhance cybersecurity for our partners.” Eddie McElyea
The American Cyber Alliance (ACA) is a program of Forge Institute formed to reduce cyber risks by furthering trust and increasing collaborations, to develop innovative new solutions and provide for advancements in workforce education. The ACA’s Advanced Cyber Threat Analysis Platform enables our partners to identify and mitigate unknown cyber risks, leveraging open source and government-derived information. Learn more at: https://www.AmericanCyberAlliance.com.
