Retail & Hospitality ISAC Announces New Board Members and Officers

VIENNA, VA (11 December 2025) — The Retail & Hospitality Information Sharing and Analysis Center (RH-ISAC) today announced the results of the 2025 Board of Directors elections. Chris McFarland (Abercrombie & Fitch), Michael South (Dick’s Sporting Goods), and Lena Taylor (Crocs) were elected as new members of the board. Steve Bonilla (Wynn Las Vegas) and Brett Cumming (Skechers) were both re-elected for three-year terms on the board.

Additionally, several members were newly appointed as officers. Jason Stead (Choice Hotels International) will serve as Board Chair, Paul Suarez (Casey’s General Stores) will serve as Vice Chair, Americas Region, and John Scrimsher (Kontoor Brands) will serve as Treasurer.

“As the cyber threat landscape continues to increase in complexity, the guidance of a strong, experienced Board of Directors is more critical than ever,” said Suzie Squier, president of RH-ISAC. “We welcome these distinguished leaders, who bring a wealth of diverse experience and strategic vision, to the board. With their support, RH-ISAC is well-positioned to navigate the future of cybersecurity and continue setting the standard for industry collaboration.”

Chris McFarland has provided leadership in information security at Abercrombie & Fitch since 2011. Beyond his work at Abercrombie & Fitch, he serves on several influential boards, including the Reliaquest Advisory Board, the NRF IT Security Council Executive Committee, the Evanta Global CISO governing body, the BlackCloak Advisory Board, and the Miami University Cybersecurity Executive Advisory Board. Over the years, Chris has also contributed his expertise to more than ten nonprofit and advisory boards for cybersecurity and infrastructure organizations, demonstrating his dedication to advancing the field both professionally and personally. 

John Scrimsher is Kontoor Brands’ Global CISO, where he oversees the security and compliance of iconic brands such as Wrangler, Lee, and Rock & Republic jeans. John has nearly 30 years of experience in cybersecurity leadership and a background across multiple industries. His previous roles include CISO positions at GM Defense and Fuel Cells Systems Manufacturing. John holds an MBA and bachelor of science, plus certifications from ISC2 and NACD.

Michael South oversees cybersecurity, business resilience, and privacy initiatives at Dick’s Sporting Goods. Previously, he served as corporate CISO at IBM, where he also led global infrastructure efforts, building internal AI platforms and governance solutions for CIO product teams. His career spans leadership roles at AWS Public Sector Security, as deputy CISO for Washington, DC, and 25 years in the U.S. Navy, including positions as Operations Officer for Navy networks in Europe, director of cybersecurity for naval forces in Asia, and CIO in Japan. Michael also holds advisory roles with the National Retail Federation, Palo Alto Retail Industry Council, and Rubrick CXO Visionaries.

Jason Stead is the CISO for Choice Hotels International. Jason has more than 20 years of experience in IT risk management and information security. Previously, he served as VP of information security for First National Bank of Arizona, now known as CIT Bank. Earlier in his career, he held senior information security roles with Nationwide Insurance, as well as management consultant and risk management roles with Ernst & Young. He received his MBA from Arizona State University and his BS from Iowa State University. Currently, he serves on industry advisory boards for Boise State University and Grand Canyon University. Jason holds CISSP, CISM, and CISA security certifications.

Paul Suarez is the CISO at Casey’s where he leads a dynamic team committed to protecting the organization’s IT infrastructure and aligning security strategies with the company’s long-term goals. Paul’s journey, which began at the US Air Force Academy and continued through a distinguished 27-year career in the Air Force, has been driven by a passion for innovation, collaboration, and excellence in cybersecurity. He also serves on the Executive Advisory Board of Tenable, was a member of the Louisiana Tech University Industry Advisory Board, and chaired the AFCEA Education Committee, supporting cybersecurity education through scholarships and awards.

Lena Taylor leads cybersecurity for Crocs, the globally recognized footwear and accessories brand. With more than 25 years of experience in IT and cybersecurity, Lena previously headed security teams at Vertafore and Lumen, gaining expertise across network, enterprise, application security, 24×7 SOC operations, GRC, and vulnerability management. During her 23 years at Lumen, she advanced from hands-on IT roles to security leadership, serving both customer and internal needs. Lena is the chair for Lumen’s Pacific Asian Ancestry Network, and she is also involved with the Women of Vertafore group, Dress for Success Denver, and P-TECH Pathway.

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