D James Bidzos

Bidzos is founder of VeriSign, which operates a diverse array of network infrastructure, including two of the Internet’s thirteen root nameservers, the authoritative registry for the .com, .net, and .name generic top-level domains and the .cc and .tv country-code top-level domains, and the back-end systems for the .jobs, and .edu top-level domains. Verisign also offers a range of security services, including managed DNS, Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) mitigation and cyber-threat reporting. Bidzos served as its first CEO from 1995 to 2001. In 2010 the company’s authentication services were purchased by Symantec for $1.28 billion. Bidzos returned to the CEO job in 2011. The following year, he was named Fortune’s 2012 Businessperson of the year for reviving Verisign’s income, growth, and stock performance, which previously had flagged. Born in Greece, he came to the United States as a boy. His father worked as a barber, and his mother managed a restaurant. A former computer programmer, he is credited with foreseeing the need for online security in the early 1990’s. Mr. Bidzos is an Internet and security industry pioneer whose accomplishments include building RSA Security, an Internet identity and access management solution provider, into the early standard-bearer for authentication and encryption, and launching VeriSign as a spin-off in 1995 to develop the digital certificate infrastructure for Internet commerce. VeriSign operates infrastructure services that enable and protect billions of interactions every day across the world’s voice, video and data networks. Since 2007, the company has been focusing on its core business and whittling away less profitable side efforts. In 2009 it sold its security service business to SecureWorks and its security consulting business to AT&T. Verisign focuses now on its Internet infrastructure services. Mr. Bidzos served as VeriSign’s first president and chief executive officer. He also served as chairman of its board of directors from April 1995 until December 2001, and as vice chairman from December 2001 to July 2007. He served as president and CEO of RSA Security from 1988 to February 1999, and then served as RSA’s vice chairman from 1999 to May 2002. He has been named one of TIME magazine’s “Digital 50,” and is in CRN’s “Computer Industry Hall of Fame.”