Ron Gula to receive Pioneer Award at ICIT 2025 Gala for a legacy of cybersecurity innovation

The Institute for Critical Infrastructure Technology (ICIT) will present the Pioneer Award -- ICIT’s top honor -- to Ron Gula, President of Gula Tech Adventures (GTA), during the 2025 ICIT Gala & Benefit next month. This award recognizes a globally respected leader whose career-long commitment to public service and innovation has helped fortify critical infrastructure and shape modern national security.

Investing in the next generation of cyber innovation

Since 2017, Ron has served as President of Gula Tech Adventures, investing in dozens of cybersecurity start-ups while also supporting multiple cyber nonprofits and mission-focused initiatives. Beyond capital, he remains deeply engaged in company-building, serving on the boards of several GTA portfolio companies and acting as a trusted mentor and advisor to founders navigating the challenges of scaling security technologies. His support for cyber nonprofits and think tanks—through both hands-on expertise and philanthropic funding—has further strengthened an ecosystem dedicated to resilience through research, education, and collaboration.

Scaling Tenable into a market leader

From 2002 to 2016, Ron was the co-founder and CEO of Tenable Network Security. Under his leadership, Tenable grew to more than 20,000 customers, raised $300 million in venture capital, and reached $100 million in annual revenue—momentum that positioned the company for a successful IPO in 2018 at a valuation of $3 billion.

A true pioneer from the earliest era of cyber defense

Before Tenable, Ron’s work helped define the foundations of modern cybersecurity. He developed Dragon, one of the first commercial network intrusion detection systems, and led risk mitigation efforts for one of the earliest cloud companies—experience that anticipated today’s reality that cloud security and national resilience are inseparable.

Ron’s service also includes formative contributions to U.S. cyber operations. As a U.S. Air Force officer, he deployed network honeypots in the mid-1990s for the U.S. Department of Defense, and later served as a penetration tester at the National Security Agency (NSA), participating in some of the nation’s earliest cyber exercises.

Recognition for a lifetime of impact

Ron’s influence has been widely recognized across the cybersecurity community. In 2023, he was inducted into the Cybersecurity Hall of Fame, received a Lifetime Achievement Award from SANS, and was awarded the Gold Medal Order of Thor by the Military Cyber Professionals Association. In 2025, he was honored with a Visionary Cybersecurity Investor Global Infosec Award, reflecting the enduring impact of his work as both a builder and an enabler of the next generation of cybersecurity leaders.

ICIT Gala & Benefit

The 2025 ICIT Gala & Benefit is an invitation-only, black-tie event convening senior legislative leaders, federal officials, and private-sector executives dedicated to national security, digital transformation, and critical infrastructure resilience. Held in January 2026 in Washington, D.C., the gala celebrates influential cybersecurity leaders while raising essential funds to support ICIT’s non-partisan research and educational initiatives. Proceeds from the event directly sustain ICIT programs, including its Digital Library, public briefings, and educational resources, all provided at no cost to policymakers, practitioners, and the public.

About ICIT

The Institute for Critical Infrastructure Technology (ICIT) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, 501(c)(3) think tank dedicated to modernizing, securing, and strengthening the resilience of critical infrastructure that supports society’s foundational needs. ICIT does not take institutional positions on policy matters. Instead, it serves as an objective resource for organizations and communities working to advance national resilience.