SIGNAL Editors Named Editor in Chief, Director of Digital News Media
Longtime journalist George I. Seffers has been promoted from executive editor and director of content management for SIGNAL Media and in May was named SIGNAL Magazine’s new editor in chief. Seffers replaced Robert K. Ackerman, who after 23 years at the helm of AFCEA International’s flagship magazine—and 35 years at the association—retired April 30.
Seffers has been with AFCEA for 12 years and will lead the editorial team in producing and delivering the award-winning and distinctive SIGNAL Magazine, considered a leading benefit by the association’s membership. “George is a steely writer and editor who has covered the full spectrum of technology issues for SIGNAL during his tenure,” said Sandra Jontz, vice president of Marketing and Communications and the magazine’s associate publisher. “He will maintain the course of giving our readers the much-praised news content of SIGNAL Media and will continue to produce leading news, analysis and perspectives important to our readers—those of today and our future SIGNAL readers we plan to draw in.”
Before joining SIGNAL in 2010, Seffers was a media relations representative with Northrop Grumman and an internal communications specialist with Raytheon Technical Services Company. He has also been a reporter for Defense News and Federal Computer Week, where he covered a broad range of military and intelligence communications and electronics topics. Seffers also served in the U.S. Army as a tactical communications specialist for seven years.
“I thank the AFCEA leadership for this opportunity,” Seffers says. “It is a great honor to lead SIGNAL Media. We have an excellent team, all of whom strive for perfection in all that they do, and I look forward to working with the team in this new role and continuing to build on Bob Ackerman’s legacy of publishing top-quality content for our readers.”
Additionally, Jontz is pleased to share that Kimberly Underwood was named director of digital news media. She has been with AFCEA for five years, providing industry-leading and relevant coverage to keep association members and government and industry stakeholders in-the-know.
“Kim has been a powerhouse for online coverage, and in this new role, will lead SIGNAL Media’s online content creation and digital news coverage, including new media content such as innovative news video production,” Seffers offers. Underwood has 26 years of experience as a freelance and full-time writer, and a researcher and analyst with expertise blending creativity and artistry with more tangible factors, such as research, data analysis and industry trends.
Defense Events Team Promotions
AFCEA also has strengthened its Defense events teams with two strategic promotions.
Tammy Goehring was promoted to a newly created position: vice president, Operations for National Security and Defense Events. Goehring, who has been with AFCEA for more than 15 years, is a certified meeting professional (CMP) specializing in meeting, event and program management. She has a proven proficiency in directing projects to achieve organizational goals and maximize value and her areas of expertise include event design and execution, financial management, contract negotiation and strategic planning. In her role, effective January 1, Goehring provides overall operational guidance of conference and event activities for AFCEA’s high-profile events that offer an ethical forum for information sharing among military, government, industry and academia in the national security and defense C5I community.
Gina McGovern was named vice president of Industry Programs and Sponsorships for National Security and Defense Events. In her new role, effective April 4, she continues to lead the strategic direction of all industry programs across the department and will work to increase engagement with industry. McGovern has been with AFCEA for more than 17 years, working her way up the ranks and has been instrumental in creating robust programs to meet the needs of corporate members and sponsors that provide market visibility and thought leadership within AFCEA events. She has established and maintained long-term relationships with many of the association’s member companies and sponsors and is a strong advocate for the voice of industry at events.
“The promotion of these two leaders is so important to our mission and recognizes the tremendous potential and value that they bring to the AFCEA team,” says Brig. Gen. Paul Fredenburgh, USA (Ret.), executive vice president for AFCEA’s Defense and National Security. “They have been instrumental in the outreach and coordination with our government, military, academia and industry partners, providing exposure opportunities and bringing their voice into critical national security discussions. One hidden strength of our country has been the ability for our public and private sectors to partner and innovate rapidly to overcome challenges. This is as true today as it was in WWII, and Tammy and Gina are so talented at putting together the secret sauce that helps incubate the information exchange and networking required to foster this strength."
