Christopher J Furlow

Chris Furlow is Chief Operating Officer at Ridge Global, the international security and business consulting firm founded by Tom Ridge, the first U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security and 43rd Governor of Pennsylvania. In this role, Mr. Furlow manages Ridge Global’s business operations, including management and budget, human resources and business development services. Additionally, Mr. Furlow leads the company’s strategic consulting practice, helping clients strengthen business-to-government and business-to-business relationships, with a particular emphasis on emergency preparedness and response. A veteran of the White House and Capitol Hill, he has held Senior Executive positions in two cabinet agencies. Following the 9/11 attacks, Mr. Furlow was named Director for State Affairs in the White House Office of Homeland Security where he coordinated development of the network of state homeland security advisors, supported new information sharing and threat/warning protocols, and served as homeland security liaison to governors and state officials. During the historic stand-up of the Department of Homeland Security in 2003, he was appointed Executive Director of the Homeland Security Advisory Council where he led operations of the department’s principal advisory board and its committees for state & local government, first responders, the private sector and academia. During his tenure, the HSAC addressed issues from operational lexicon and training issues to funding challenges. Mr. Furlow is a former U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs and previously served as Communications Director to U.S. Rep. Jim McCrery. He holds a B.A. from Louisiana State University and is a former Senior Fellow of the Homeland Security Policy Institute of The George Washington University. Mr. Furlow is a member of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce National Security Task Force, the Royal Institute of International Affairs (Chatham House, London), and serves as private sector liaison on the National Emergency Management Association legislative committee.