Integrators '20 under 40' 2016—Kim Tran

Kim Tran, 40

GSOC operations manager, Northland Controls

Fremont, Calif.

Kim Tran is global security operations center (GSOC) operations manager for Northland Controls, based in Fremont, Calif., which specializes in security program management and installation of security devices for large corporate customers.

Tran, who has been with Northland for almost four years, got her first exposure to the security industry working at Adobe, where she started as front desk security. “At Adobe, I got myself into the GSOC and really liked what I was doing and it just grew from there,” she explained. “I was with them for two years and then went to Apple for about three years where I worked my way up to the GSOC manager there.”

Today, Tran manages Northland's GSOC operations; Northland operates its own GSOC at its headquarters in Fremont.

“We started our managed services program three years ago, and the idea came about because we are building all of these GSOCs for big companies like eBay, Facebook and Apple, and realized that there are smaller companies that may not have the same budget but need a similar solution—the technology to secure the company and the employees and assets,” she explained. “So with this program and new operations center now we are their GSOC—sort of like a GSOC in a box.”

In addition to cybersecurity and cloud-hosting services, Northland also focuses on risk analysis and travel security, she said.

One aspect of the industry that keeps Tran motivated is new technology. “I really love the advances in technology—there's always something new that awes you,” she said. “I am exposed to new technology and we get to test out the latest and greatest products, which is exciting and helps us to stay at the forefront and give our clients the best solutions.”

The technology is also attracting young people to the industry, including “a lot more women in the field and in management, which is nice to see,” she said.