Walter Lefmann

Walter Lefmann is currently Director of Security at CTC Trading Group LLC, a capital markets trading firm. That role has included Information Security, Physical Security and Life Safety, Privacy, and BCP/DR.

He has been practicing cybersecurity with varying focus for his entire professional career. The balance has shifted back and forth over time between technology engineering/operations and security over the years, which has led to a well-balanced business-focused approach to security.

The professional journey to CTC came by way Goldman Sachs, Hull Trading Company, and Motorola; from an early career as an experimental physicist at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory. Walter holds a PhD, MPhil, and MA in Physics from Columbia University, and a BS in Physics from Stevens Institute of Technology.

While at Columbia University, Walter also served for five years as a volunteer NYC Auxiliary Police Officer and Sergeant. The experience of working closely with the public sector to serve and improve the community was tremendously rewarding, and has shaped a lifelong respect for the dedicated people who face the challenges of that service!

Walter participates in many professional and public/private outreach organizations, including FBI InfraGard (currently serving as a Chicago Chapter board member), US Secret Service Cyber Fraud Task Force, Chicago FIRST, FS-ISAC, the National Technology Security Coalition, and ASIS, and is one of the founders of the ChiBrrCon security conference.