Technology executive Gary Steele is recipient of the Washington State University Alumni Achievement Award, the association’s highest honor.
Steele (’84, computer science) will receive the award when he is on campus Sept. 19. He will lecture in the Honors Lounge that day at 2:10 p.m.
He is being recognized for his exceptional career, service to the Voiland College of Engineering and Architecture community, and his commitment to mentoring WSU students.
Steele also is joining several other Cougs who have been singled out this year with the prestigious honor, including Varinder Bhalla, Dr. Gerry Ebalaroza-Tunnell, Dr. Loren Koller, Gina Meyers, Michael Bair, Rosie Rimando-Chareunsap, and Dan Castles.
He has more than 30 years of years of experience in the enterprise software, cybersecurity, and cloud-based software industries. He was recently appointed CEO of Shield AI, a company that is building autonomy software and intelligent aircraft for the protection of military service members and civilians.
Gary has exemplified excellence, leadership, and service to both his alma mater and to the broader technology industry.
Partha Pande, dean
Voiland College of Engineering and Architecture
Washington State University
Steele also served as president of Cisco’s Go-to-Market, where he oversaw Cisco’s global go-to-market strategies, and led Splunk, an AI-driven security solutions company. He co-founded the cybersecurity firm, Proofpoint. Under Steele’s leadership for 20 years, Proofpoint became one of the world’s top cybersecurity providers.
While he’s had a busy career in technology, Steele has also been active in supporting WSU. He served on the advisory boards of the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science as well as the Harold Frank Engineering Entrepreneurship Institute.
He has presented to WSU students as a commencement speaker as well as through the Voiland College’s Lunch and Learn with Industry program. He hosted Harold Frank Scholars during that program’s annual summer program, sharing his knowledge about cybersecurity start-ups and the entrepreneurial landscape. He also served on a task force to update WSU’s computer science curriculum.
“Gary has exemplified excellence, leadership, and service to both his alma mater and to the broader technology industry,” said Partha Pande, dean of the Voiland College. “His thought leadership and commitment to advancing the security landscape have had a profound impact on both the public and private sectors, and his contributions to WSU and his exceptional career achievements make him a highly deserving candidate for this prestigious honor.”
WSU’s Alumni Association Alumni Achievement Award was created in 1970 by the association’s board of directors to recognize alumni who have given outstanding service to WSU and made contributions to their professions and communities.
