Kenneth G. Hartman bio photo

Kenneth G. Hartman

Security Consultant & 
Certified SANS Instructor

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“The secret to life is to have a task… Something you bring everything to… And the most important thing is–It must be something you cannot possibly do.” —Henry Moore

This website is dedicated to those who make things happen…to  those who relish achievement and find fulfillment wrestling tough business challenges through to successful outcomes. This site contains a collection of Kenneth G. Hartman’s insights as a  business leader and perspectives on a variety of topics from Information Security Management and Project Management to Business Development & Branding.

Ken is known for his vivid metaphors that illustrate the  points he conveys to his listeners. He is also very relational  and is passionate about everything he does. As someone who views life as a big ski hill full of moguls, Ken takes great enjoyment from navigating the challenges with finesse. “If you don’t fall sometimes, you are not pushing the limits hard  enough.”

The Presentations page contains a selection of Ken’s writings, webcasts, and conference presentations. We hope that you will find actionable advice as well as encouragement.

The Quotations page contains the concise sayings and wisdom of others that have influenced his management style. Ken is a fan of the late Coach John Wooden.  Wooden often invoked quotations to cement fundamental principles.  The quotes selected are some of Ken’s favorites from a variety of leaders and thinkers that inspire him.

A Reading List page contains highly recommended books. Because Ken gets excited about the books that inspire him, he created this list to share with others.  Also, check out his security philosophy.

About Ken

Kenneth G. Hartman is an independent security consultant based in Traverse City, Michigan. Ken’s motto is “I help my clients earn and maintain the trust of their customers in its products and services.” Toward this end, he consults on a comprehensive program portfolio of technical security initiatives focused on securing client data in the public cloud. Ken has worked for a variety of Cloud Service Providers in Architecture, Engineering, Compliance, and Security Product Management roles.

As a SANS Certified Instructor for SEC488: Cloud Security Essentials and SEC510: Public Cloud Security: AWS, Azure, & GCP, Ken has also been the co-chair of the 2019 SANS Cloud Security Operations Solutions Forum, the 2019 and 2020 SANS Cloud & DevOps Security Summits.

For the previous decade, up until July 2011, he helped to build a start-up company called Visonex into a profitable, nation-wide dialysis-specific electronic medical record using a software-as-a-service (SaaS) business model. In addition to managing the inception and delivery of multiple product innovations, Ken was responsible for all aspects of assuring the security and privacy of both the internal IT systems and the company’s SaaS offerings. Prior to helping launch Visonex, Ken worked as a corporate Electrical Systems Manager for Kraft Foods where he helped to secure the plant floor automation systems.

Ken holds a BS Electrical Engineering from Michigan Technological University and a Masters Degree in Information Security Engineering from SANS Technology Institute. Ken has earned the CISSP, as well as multiple GIAC security certifications, including the GIAC Security Expert.

View Kenneth G. Hartman’s Linkedin profile

Certification Details