Bitcoin Exchange itBit Adds NSA Codebreaker and Technology Veteran to its Board of Directors
itBit, a bitcoin exchange that leverages blockchain technology with traditional capital infrastructure, named two financial technology veterans to its board of directors: Jim Manzi and Ed Giorgio. Manzi is the former chairman and CEO at Lotus Development Corp., while Giorgio is a National Security Agency (NSA) veteran and co-founder of Ponte Technologies.
“Jim and Ed are important additions for itBit, which will benefit from their extensive expertise developing products and growing companies in the technology sector,” said Chad Cascarilla, itBit’s CEO and co-founder.
Jim brings over 20 years of investment experience developing and advising technology companies, and Ed’s expertise in cryptography and cybersecurity will help ensure that itBit’s bitcoin exchange and our next generation of block chain based products remain the safest and most secure in the industry.
Leveraging Bitcoin And Traditional Capital Infrastructure
itBit operates a global bitcoin exchange and has services leveraging traditional capital markets infrastructure and blockchain technology. The company has taken a rigorous approach to regulatory issues by establishing itBit Trust Co., overseen by the New York State Department of Financial Services.
Manzi and Giorgio are the newest additions to the leadership team. Sheila C. Bair, former FDIC chairperson, Bill Bradley, former U.S. senator, and Robert H. Herz, former FASB chairman all joined the board of directors in May.
Veterans Bring Major Financial Technology Heft
Manzi created Lotus Notes in his time at Lotus Development Corp. IBM acquired the software program in 1995 for $3.5 billion. Manzi’s investment company, Stonegate Capital, develops technology startups. He is a director at Cargometrics, a quantitative investment management fund, and chairman of Skyword, a content marketing company. He is also chairman of Thermo Fisher, a manufacturer of scientific equipment.
Giorgio co-founded Ponte Technologies, a cybersecurity firm that KEYW recently acquired. Giorgio worked as an NSA mathematician and worked in cryptanalysis, communications security, and public-key cryptography. He also is the only person to have served as both the U.S. chief code maker and chief codebreaker.
Featured image from Shutterstock.
