South Florida's Cybersecurity Leaders Shine as TIME Launches Inaugural CISO of the Year Awards

Cybersecurity has long been measured by the attacks organizations prevent. Today, it is increasingly measured by how quickly businesses can recover, continue operating, and maintain trust when disruption inevitably occurs.

Recognizing this evolution, TIME and Commvault have launched the inaugural TIME + Commvault CISO of the Year Award, a new global recognition honoring Chief Information Security Officers who are redefining what modern cybersecurity leadership looks like. Rather than celebrating technical achievements alone, the award recognizes executives who are transforming cyber resilience into a strategic business advantage.

Among the inaugural Top 20 finalists are two familiar names from South Florida's cybersecurity community: Patrick Doliny and Eduardo Ortiz-Romeu.

Their inclusion sends a powerful message: South Florida isn't just producing cybersecurity talent, it is producing globally recognized cybersecurity leadership.

Why TIME Is Recognizing Cybersecurity Leaders Now

For decades, TIME has recognized the people shaping business, politics, technology, and culture. The launch of the inaugural TIME + Commvault CISO of the Year Award signals that cybersecurity leadership has become just as critical to the success of modern organizations.

As cyberattacks become more frequent, sophisticated, and disruptive, boards of directors and executive teams increasingly view cybersecurity as a business priority rather than simply an IT function. Today's Chief Information Security Officers are expected to help organizations manage enterprise risk, protect customer trust, enable digital innovation, advise executive leadership, and ensure business continuity when disruptions occur.

"CISOs are among the most consequential leaders in enterprise today," said Mark Howard, Chief Operating Officer of TIME. "This partnership with Commvault is an opportunity to shine a light on the security leaders who are protecting their organizations and building a more resilient future."

The new award reflects that evolution.

Rather than recognizing security leaders solely for preventing cyberattacks, TIME and Commvault are honoring executives who have elevated cybersecurity into a strategic business discipline. Finalists are recognized for their ability to unite security, technology, and business operations while building organizations that can anticipate, withstand, and rapidly recover from cyber incidents.

The award is built around the concept of Resilience Operations (ResOps)—an emerging approach that integrates cybersecurity, IT operations, infrastructure, and executive leadership to ensure organizations remain operational before, during, and after a cyber event. In doing so, the award acknowledges that resilience has become one of the defining leadership challenges of the digital economy.

By creating this recognition, TIME is sending a clear message: the CISO has evolved from a technical expert into one of the most influential executives in the boardroom, with responsibilities that extend far beyond protecting networks to safeguarding business strategy, reputation, and long-term organizational success.

The winner will be announced on September 22, alongside TIME's inaugural Executives of the Year: Tech & Data recognition.

Why Commvault?

While TIME brings global recognition and editorial credibility to the award, Commvault provides the cybersecurity expertise behind its vision.

Founded in 1996, Commvault has evolved into one of the world's leading cyber resilience companies, helping organizations protect, recover, and manage critical data across cloud, hybrid, on-premises, and SaaS environments. Its platform combines data protection, cyber recovery, ransomware preparedness, identity resilience, and AI-powered security capabilities to help businesses remain operational in the face of increasingly sophisticated cyber threats.

That mission is what led Commvault to partner with TIME in launching the inaugural CISO of the Year Award.

"As cyber threats grow in frequency and sophistication in today's AI-enabled, cloud-first world, the role of the CISO has evolved into one of the most consequential leadership positions in the enterprise," said Bill O'Connell, Chief Security Officer at Commvault. "Through this award with TIME, we are proud to recognize the CISOs who are embracing a modern ResOps framework and shaping the future of cyber resilience."

O'Connell's comments reinforce the central theme of the award: modern cybersecurity leadership is no longer defined solely by preventing attacks, but by preparing organizations to anticipate, withstand, recover from, and adapt to disruption. That philosophy, known as Resilience Operations (ResOps), has become a defining framework for today's enterprise security leaders.

Together, TIME and Commvault are shining a spotlight on a new generation of executives whose impact extends far beyond the security operations center, recognizing leaders who are helping organizations build resilience in an increasingly complex digital world.

The award also extended beyond recognition. TIME and Commvault brought the inaugural class of finalists together in Miami for an exclusive two-day executive summit focused on cyber resilience and leadership, followed by a shared FIFA World Cup™ experience. By convening many of the world's top CISOs in one place, the organizations reinforced that the future of cybersecurity will be shaped not only by technology, but by collaboration, shared learning, and executive leadership. 

Patrick Doliny: A Leader Focused on People, Purpose, and Resilience

Patrick Doliny has become one of South Florida's most respected cybersecurity executives through a career spanning military service, government, higher education, technology, and media.

A retired U.S. Marine Corps Lieutenant Colonel, Doliny has held executive technology and cybersecurity leadership positions with organizations including the Broward Sheriff's Office, Microsoft, Florida Memorial University, and recently served as Chief Information Security Officer for Newsmax Media. 

Equally important is his commitment to developing the next generation of cybersecurity professionals. Patrick currently supports cybersecurity consulting initiatives through his company Dologiic such as his recent acceptance of a new role as Strategic Advisor to the President for the Florida Memorial University's Innovation Center. 

While his technical accomplishments are impressive, Doliny has become equally recognized for investing in the next generation of cybersecurity professionals. Whether mentoring emerging leaders, speaking at industry conferences, participating in workforce development initiatives, or collaborating with organizations like ISACA South Florida, he has consistently emphasized that cybersecurity is ultimately about leadership, communication, and people, not simply technology.

Most recently, Doliny has expanded that commitment through authorship. His book, Clinical Cybersecurity Framework: Volume 1, draws on nearly three decades of experience to share practical insights, leadership lessons, and a structured approach to building resilient cybersecurity programs. The book reflects his belief that one of the greatest responsibilities of today's leaders is preparing those who will lead tomorrow. 

Reflecting on his recognition as one of TIME's inaugural finalists, Doliny focused less on the honor itself and more on the people who helped shape his journey.

"To be recognized alongside so many exceptional cybersecurity leaders from around the world is both humbling and inspiring,” he shared. 

“While awards acknowledge individual achievement, they are ultimately a reflection of the extraordinary people I've had the privilege to serve and work alongside throughout my career: teammates, mentors, executive leaders, military colleagues, faculty, students, partners, and friends who have continually challenged me to grow.”

He continued, “This recognition also reinforces something I've come to believe deeply over the past four decades: 

Technology advances the mission. 

Security protects the purpose. 

Leadership enables both."

Those three principles encapsulate the leadership philosophy that has defined Doliny's career. They also echo the purpose behind the inaugural TIME + Commvault CISO of the Year Award: recognizing leaders whose impact extends beyond technology to the people, organizations, and missions they serve.

Eduardo Ortiz-Romeu: Securing a Global Manufacturing Enter

While Patrick Doliny's career has focused heavily on public service and leadership development, Eduardo Ortiz-Romeu represents another increasingly important dimension of cybersecurity.

As Vice President and Global Head of Cybersecurity for TTI Group, the parent company behind brands including Milwaukee Tool, Ryobi, Hoover, and Empire, Ortiz-Romeu leads cybersecurity strategy across a global manufacturing enterprise operating in dozens of countries.

Reflecting on his selection as one of TIME's inaugural finalists, Ortiz-Romeu remained focused not on personal recognition, but on the people behind the achievement.

"Twenty-eight years in this profession, and today my name sits next to TTI Group on a TIME Magazine and Commvault CISO of the Year finalist card. I need to pause and let that land,” he shared in a social media post. 

“I do not share this as a victory lap. This recognition belongs to my team across four regions who do the real work every day: the late nights, the 2 AM calls, the thousand decisions that keep the business running."

His comments capture a defining characteristic of today's cybersecurity leaders. While CISOs are increasingly recognized as strategic executives, their success depends on building resilient teams, fostering collaboration, and creating a culture that protects the organization around the clock.

Protecting modern manufacturing extends far beyond traditional IT systems.

Today's cybersecurity leaders must safeguard supply chains, operational technology (OT), cloud environments, connected products, global logistics, and manufacturing operations that directly affect production and customer delivery.

Successfully securing that environment requires balancing innovation, operational efficiency, and cyber resilience at an international scale.

Ortiz-Romeu's selection as a finalist highlights the growing importance of manufacturing cybersecurity as geopolitical tensions, AI adoption, and increasingly sophisticated cyber threats reshape global business.

South Florida's Growing Cybersecurity Influence

The recognition of two South Florida executives among just twenty global finalists is more than a point of regional pride; it is a reflection of the region's emergence as a nationally recognized center for cybersecurity leadership.

While South Florida has long been known for tourism, finance, and international business, it has quietly become one of the country's fastest-growing cybersecurity ecosystems. Organizations such as ISACA South Florida, leading universities, healthcare systems, financial institutions, technology companies, and multinational corporations have helped cultivate a collaborative community where innovation, executive leadership, and workforce development continue to thrive.

That growth is now earning global recognition.

The selection of Patrick Doliny and Eduardo Ortiz-Romeu as finalists for the inaugural TIME + Commvault CISO of the Year Award demonstrates that South Florida is no longer simply participating in the cybersecurity industry, but helping lead it.

As TIME Chief Operating Officer Mark Howard noted, "CISOs are among the most consequential leaders in enterprise today." The recognition of Doliny and Ortiz-Romeu affirms that two of those leaders are helping drive the future of cyber resilience from right here in South Florida.

As the global cybersecurity community awaits the announcement of the inaugural TIME + Commvault CISO of the Year this September, one thing is already clear:

South Florida isn't just producing exceptional cybersecurity professionals, it is producing globally recognized leaders who are helping define the future of cyber resilience.

Looking Ahead

The inaugural TIME + Commvault CISO of the Year Award represents more than another industry accolade. It signals a broader transformation in how organizations define successful cybersecurity leadership.

Tomorrow's CISOs will be measured not only by their ability to defend networks, but by their ability to enable innovation, manage enterprise risk, advise executive leadership, and build organizations capable of thriving through disruption.

For South Florida, the recognition of Patrick Doliny and Eduardo Ortiz-Romeu demonstrates that the region has become home to cybersecurity leaders whose influence extends well beyond Florida.

As the global cybersecurity community awaits the announcement of the inaugural TIME CISO of the Year this September, one thing is already clear: South Florida isn't just producing exceptional cybersecurity professionals. It is producing executives helping define the future of cyber resilience on the world stage.

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