Information Security Specialist Dan Ferguson
Thousands of dedicated Pantex citizens like Dan Ferguson work every day to support the Pantex mission. Take three minutes to learn about who he is, what he does, and why he is proud to be a Pantexan.
They call him Dangerous Dan — but the only thing he poses a threat to is the release of sensitive information.
Information Security Specialist Dan Ferguson stands proud with 32 years of dedicated service to Pantex, where he embodies a profound commitment to national security and the well-being of his colleagues. His journey at Pantex began as a production technician, and from there he found an opportunity as an explosives operations leader. After some time, he took his expertise to Weapons Training where he spent over 20 years. About four years ago, he transitioned to Information Security.
In his current role, Ferguson is a crucial guardian of sensitive information. He conducts self-assessments to ensure Operations Security (OPSEC) requirements are met, and he reviews information releases and construction plans through an OPSEC lens. He contributes to the development of OPSEC News Briefs and diligently spot-checks waste streams, preventing any accidental leaks of sensitive unclassified information that could benefit adversaries.
“We are not building car engines here,” Ferguson said. “Our products keep our nation and our families safe and not everyone gets to be a part of it.”
Ferguson was a recipient of the Secretary's Achievement Award in 2011 for the B53 Weapon System Dismantlement. The B53 was a Cold War-era bomb that was retired in 1997. Even beyond his direct contributions, Ferguson believes Pantex's uniqueness lies in the attention to detail required of our workers and communication across multi-disciplined support organizations.
When asked what his favorite thing about working at Pantex is, Ferguson emphasized “Pantexans,” highlighting the strong “esprit de corps” that reflects pride in their work and the plant's vital mission.
“I am blessed to work with a great team and get to work with many of our Pantexans from gate to gate.”
How do you and your team contribute to mission success?
We provide the means to educate the workforce on established security requirements. We maintain a program of awareness and countermeasures to deny adversaries of the United States the opportunity to exploit the assets entrusted to us.
Why is being open to learn from others critical for mission success?
We cannot grow if we accept “that is the way we have always done it.” There are times when a fresh set of eyes or someone with a different skill set can provide a positive impact.
Why is teamwork important?
To accomplish a mission as a team, we need to encourage and applaud people when they’re successful. We need to also know our team members and recognize if they are struggling. The analogy of geese flying in a V formation is a great example. The goose at the front bears all the burden and the other geese call out to it with encouragement. When the lead goose gets fatigued, another one replaces it, and it falls in formation to recuperate. This helps the flock maintain a productive pace.
Why is it important we hold ourselves accountable in our daily tasks?
If you’re not doing the little things correctly, odds are you’re not doing some of the big things correctly either.