For more than twenty-five years, Kermit Johnson has built an accomplished career helping organizations transform cybersecurity from a technical function into a strategic business advantage. Throughout his professional journey, he has consistently demonstrated the ability to bridge executive leadership, information technology, enterprise risk management, and cybersecurity governance while guiding organizations through increasingly complex regulatory, operational, and digital transformation challenges. His career reflects a rare combination of Chief Information Officer, Chief Information Security Officer, and enterprise governance experience, making him a trusted executive advisor capable of aligning technology investments with business objectives while protecting critical organizational assets.
Kermit’s leadership philosophy centers on the belief that cybersecurity is ultimately about enabling business success rather than restricting it. Throughout his career, he has worked alongside executive leadership teams, boards of directors, regulators, and business stakeholders to translate technical security concerns into meaningful business discussions focused on risk, resilience, compliance, and long-term organizational growth. His ability to communicate complex issues in practical business terms has earned him a reputation as a collaborative leader who builds consensus while strengthening organizational maturity.
Most recently, Kermit served as Chief Information Officer, Chief Information Security Officer, and Senior Vice President of IT, Cybersecurity & Infrastructure for The Wound Pros, a physician-owned healthcare organization specializing in advanced wound care management. Reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer, he led every aspect of enterprise technology operations, including cybersecurity, infrastructure, enterprise resource planning, telecommunications, production systems, development platforms, technology budgeting, risk management, resource allocation, and strategic program execution. His leadership helped establish secure, scalable technology environments that supported business growth while safeguarding patient information and ensuring compliance with increasingly demanding healthcare regulations.
Prior to joining The Wound Pros, Kermit founded Strategic Point Cybersecurity, where he served as a Cybersecurity Consultant and Virtual Chief Information Security Officer supporting healthcare organizations, technology startups, and advisory firms. Working closely with executive teams, legal counsel, and enterprise risk leaders, he designed comprehensive cybersecurity programs, developed governance frameworks, implemented regulatory compliance initiatives, and established enterprise risk management practices aligned with standards including HIPAA, GDPR, CCPA, NIST Cybersecurity Framework, NIST 800-53, and CIS Controls. His consulting experience provided organizations with executive-level security leadership while helping them build mature, sustainable cybersecurity programs capable of supporting future growth.
Kermit’s experience within highly regulated financial institutions further distinguishes his executive profile. As Director of Cyber Security Governance at BMO Financial Group, he directed enterprise governance initiatives that strengthened cybersecurity oversight across one of North America’s leading financial institutions. He led strategic initiatives involving Digital Crown Jewels protection, cyber merger and acquisition integration, executive reporting, vulnerability governance, regulatory communications, financial crimes support, and cybersecurity standards development. His ability to work directly with executive leadership, regulators, and board stakeholders reinforced his expertise in operational resilience, governance, and enterprise-wide cyber risk management within one of the world’s most demanding regulatory environments.
Earlier leadership roles at Tenneco, HSBC, PwC, the Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago, and federal government consulting engagements further expanded his expertise across information risk management, security assessments, audit readiness, IT governance, regulatory compliance, third-party risk, and operational leadership. During his tenure at the Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago, he participated on the Information Technology Senior Management Team responsible for reviewing enterprise technology initiatives that ultimately supported executive leadership and board-level decision-making. These experiences established a strong foundation in governance, budgeting, strategic planning, internal controls, and enterprise technology operations that continues to define his executive leadership style today.
Kermit’s educational background reflects his commitment to lifelong learning and executive excellence. He earned an MBA from the Gies College of Business at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and a Master of Science in Information Technology and Management from the Illinois Institute of Technology, complementing his Bachelor of Science degree. He has further strengthened his expertise through an exceptional portfolio of globally recognized certifications, including CISSP, CISA, CRISC, CCISO, CDPSE, and Certified Ethical Hacker credentials, while recently completing executive programs in Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare through MIT Sloan School of Management and Artificial Intelligence and Data Science for Leaders through the University of Chicago. These accomplishments demonstrate his dedication to remaining at the forefront of emerging technologies and evolving cybersecurity challenges.
Beyond technical accomplishments, Kermit is recognized as an executive who builds high-performing teams, develops future leaders, and fosters collaboration across organizations. His experience spans healthcare, banking, cybersecurity consulting, manufacturing, financial services, government contracting, and technology, giving him an unusually broad perspective on organizational governance and enterprise risk. Having worked extensively with global organizations and teams across Canada, Europe, Asia, the United Kingdom, Belgium, China, Kenya, and South America, he brings an international mindset that allows him to navigate diverse regulatory environments, multicultural business relationships, and globally distributed operations with confidence.
Today, Kermit is actively pursuing opportunities to serve on corporate and advisory boards where his decades of executive leadership, governance expertise, and cybersecurity experience can help organizations strengthen oversight while accelerating innovation. He is particularly passionate about helping companies mature their governance practices, improve operational resilience, and position cybersecurity as a strategic business enabler rather than simply a compliance requirement. His unique combination of CIO and CISO leadership, enterprise risk management, healthcare technology expertise, financial services governance, and executive communication makes him exceptionally well positioned to contribute meaningful insight at the board level as organizations navigate an increasingly digital and interconnected future.
Character:
Kermit leads with integrity, accountability, and a genuine commitment to helping organizations succeed through responsible leadership. He is respected for building trust across executive teams by balancing business objectives with thoughtful governance and ethical decision-making.
Knowledge:
His extensive experience across cybersecurity, enterprise technology, healthcare, financial services, and risk management provides him with a comprehensive understanding of today’s most complex business challenges. His advanced education and numerous professional certifications demonstrate an unwavering commitment to continuous learning and executive excellence.
Strategic:
Kermit consistently views technology and cybersecurity through a business lens, aligning governance, innovation, and operational resilience with long-term organizational objectives. He has repeatedly helped executive teams transform security programs into strategic assets that enable growth, improve resilience, and strengthen stakeholder confidence.
Communication:
An exceptional ability to translate highly technical concepts into clear, actionable business insights for executives, regulators, and boards of directors. His collaborative leadership style fosters productive dialogue, informed decision-making, and strong alignment across diverse stakeholder groups.
