Rick Friend
Director, Solutions Engineering | Leading New Initiatives | Specializing in Zero Trust Frameworks for Federal Security | Cisco Certified | TS-SCI | Public Speaker
- Role
- Director, Federal Solutions Engineering at Blackwood
- Location
- Washington, DC, US
- LinkedIn followers
- 500 followers
About Rick Friend
With over two decade of experience in the cybersecurity domain, I’ve dedicated my career to safeguarding digital infrastructures against emerging threats. My journey from a Section Sergeant in the U.S. Army to my current role as Director of Federal Engineering at Blackwood Technologies has been driven by a relentless pursuit of excellence, innovative problem-solving, and a deep commitment to building resilient, future-ready security systems.In this role, I lead and mentor high-performing security engineering teams, fostering a culture of innovation, accountability, and technical mastery. Together, we design and deploy scalable, Zero Trust-based solutions that empower federal agencies to outpace evolving threats and strengthen national cyber resilience.At Blackwood Technologies, I guide strategic initiatives that align advanced engineering capabilities with mission-critical objectives—bridging the gap between emerging technology and operational effectiveness. My leadership philosophy centers on developing people as much as systems, ensuring that our teams remain agile, empowered, and driven to deliver excellence in every aspect of cybersecurity operations.
Experience
Director, Federal Solutions Engineering
Nov 2025 — Present · Annapolis, MD, US
Blackwood | Integrity and InnovationAs Director of Federal Solutions Engineering, I lead a world-class team focused on delivering mission-critical technology solutions that empower and protect our nation’s federal customers. Guided by our core values of Integrity and Innovation, I’m dedicated to driving accelerated growth and building the most capable and inspired federal engineering organization on the planet.In this role, I partner closely with customers, sales leadership, and cross-functional teams to architect and deliver secure, scalable, and transformative solutions that advance agency missions. I’m passionate about fostering a culture of technical excellence, collaboration, and continuous learning — ensuring our engineers not only solve today’s complex challenges but also innovate for tomorrow’s.
Skills
- Customer Facing Roles
- Cloud Computing
- Routers
- Pre-Sales
- Product Demonstration
- Network Administration
- Military
- Active Directory
- Information Security
- Solution Selling
- Ccna
- Technical Demonstrations
- Information Technology
- Security Clearance
- Networking
- Cisco Systems Products
- Switches
- Federal Government
- Solution Implementation
- Data Center
- Solution Architecture
- IT Solutions
- Information Assurance
- Tcp/Ip
- Cisco Technologies
- Computer Security
- Network Architecture
- Systems Engineering
- Government
- Security
- Cisco Ios
- Ccnp Certified
- Management
- Security+
- Cissp
- Network Security
Find verified contacts for anyone on LinkedIn
Unifers gives sales teams verified emails and direct dials, enriched profiles, and outreach that lands in the inbox.
Free plan included · No credit card required
This profile is compiled from publicly available professional sources. Unifers is not affiliated with or endorsed by LinkedIn. Request removal of this profile.