Leading IT Solutions Provider Continues Support of Secure Identity Management Initiatives

December 5, 2007 – Chantilly, VA – AMERICAN SYSTEMS, an employee-owned government and commercial IT solutions provider, today announced it has joined the Federation for Identity and Cross-Credentialing Systems, Inc. (FiXs™) as a full-voting member with a position on the Board of Directors. AMERICAN SYSTEMS will collaborate with key industry partners to support the FiXs Network, a scalable, interoperable global system dedicated to providing secure identity management and cross-credentialing for network users. The FiXs Network is currently the only network authorized to interoperate with the Department of Defense’s own cross-credentialing information system.

“AMERICAN SYSTEMS’ membership in FiXs is a demonstration of our overarching commitment to secure authentication as a part of a suite of identity management services,” said Charles Scruggs, vice president/director, Identity Management & Information Assurance for AMERICAN SYSTEMS. “Developing a worldwide, interoperable network available globally to public as well as private sector users is the first step to standardizing the IT industry’s secure identity management processes. By providing solutions that authenticate identities in a secure and trusted manner, customers can control sensitive data and secure physical assets, which can boost overall productivity and greatly enhance their security profiles.”

AMERICAN SYSTEMS will contribute to the advancement of the FiXs Network’s capabilities as well as its certified applications. The purpose of the FiXs Network is to provide interoperable cross-credentialing services that permit verification and authentication of the identity of personnel wanting to enter U.S. government-controlled areas as well as any commercial sites linked to the FiXs Network. The network operating rules involve strict credential issuance, verification and revocation standards and practices, allowing it to meet all federally-mandated requirements and integrate with existing personnel systems. The federated architecture provides the utmost protection and limited use of an individual’s personally identifiable information allowing for the highest levels of protection of individual privacy. 

The FiXs organization has more than 20 members ranging from systems integrators like AMERICAN SYSTEMS to private companies concerned with protecting national and commercial assets. Government agencies, including the General Services Administration (GSA), the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), and several state governments are also advisors sitting on the FiXs Board of Directors.