OhioCISO ORBIE Awards Spotlight Growing Cybersecurity Leadership Needs
Event summary
- The 2026 OhioCISO ORBIE Awards recognized six CISOs from organizations including United Airlines, Cleveland Clinic, and The Ohio State University.
- The awards, hosted by OhioCISO (a chapter of Inspire Leadership Network), honor leaders driving business transformation and industry impact in cybersecurity.
- Deneen DeFiore (United Airlines) received the Leadership ORBIE, while Rakesh Sharma (Cleveland Clinic) won the Global ORBIE for an organization exceeding $1 billion in annual revenue.
- The event, held February 19, 2026, drew over 165 attendees representing Ohio organizations and their technology partners.
The big picture
The OhioCISO ORBIE Awards reflect a broader trend of recognizing the critical role of cybersecurity leadership in driving business resilience and innovation. As organizations face increasingly sophisticated threats and regulatory scrutiny, the demand for experienced CISOs continues to outstrip supply, creating a premium on leadership and expertise. The awards also highlight the growing importance of peer networks like Inspire Leadership Network in facilitating knowledge sharing and professional development within the cybersecurity community.
What we're watching
- Talent Scarcity
- The consistent recognition of CISOs across diverse sectors highlights the ongoing and intensifying competition for cybersecurity leadership talent, potentially driving up compensation and impacting retention rates.
- Network Influence
- The prominence of Inspire Leadership Network and its chapters suggests a growing reliance on peer networks for executive development and information sharing, which could accelerate the adoption of best practices.
- Vendor Ecosystem
- The extensive list of Silver and Bronze partners underscores the significant investment required to support cybersecurity leadership programs and the evolving vendor landscape serving these organizations.
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