Ward is VP for Strategic Alliances, Government Markets at Forcepoint™. Prior to joining Ward worked at Raytheon as a Director, Cyber Defense Solutions for Cyber and Special Missions, Intelligence, Information and Services. He was responsible for cyber products and programs business development and strategy for Intelligence Community, Department of Defense, Federal Civilian, Commercial and International customers. Mr. Heinke is also a Certified Information Systems Security Professional.

A retired Air Force colonel, Heinke joined Raytheon after serving as the commander of the 608th Air Force Network Operations Center. He executed daily command and control responsibilities over Air Force classified and unclassified networks worldwide by directing the delivery of applications and services, as well as the security and defense of the Air Force enterprise. He was also a member of the Air Force Scientific Advisory Board analyzing USAF capabilities to defend and operate in a contested Cyber Domain providing an operational perspective to the study team with results presented to the Secretary and Chief of Staff of the Air Force.

Colonel Heinke directed operational support and executed combatant commander requests for USAF computer network operations forces and effects and developed strategy and options to support evolving USSTRATCOM missions. Colonel Heinke’s previous post was as deputy commander and chief of staff for the White House Communications Agency. As the President’s senior communications officer, he ensured the President, Vice President, Cabinet members, National Security Council, Secret Service and White House Military Office could securely communicate under any conditions, from any location or platform worldwide.

Colonel Heinke has a B.S. in electrical engineering from Ohio State University and an M.S. in general administration from Central Michigan University. He entered the Air Force in 1983 after graduating from Officer Training School as a distinguished graduate. He spent most of his military career in communications assignments in a variety of positions at squadron, numbered Air Force, acquisition center, major command, Air Staff and Joint levels. In those assignments, his responsibilities spanned a broad spectrum including combat operations, policy and guidance formulation, program management, budgeting, training, and systems acquisition. Before his Air Force career, he worked in private industry as a test and development engineer.