New Tulsa e-security firm True Digital targets rapid growth

Journal Record, The (Oklahoma City), Oct 18, 2007 by Kirby Lee Davis

Jerry Dawkins speculates his new firm True Digital Security Inc. could reach a $15 million-plus revenue plateau within five years.

Gavin W. Manes thinks it could be more like $30 million to $40 million.

Jeff Harris appreciates the goals, but puts more focus on reaching $1.5 million in 2008.

Manes actually doesn't mind that.

"You know what his goal is, don't you?" said Manes, the president and director of research for Digital Forensics Professionals Inc. of Tulsa. "His goal is to put me out of business."

Dawkins doesn't disagree with the tongue-in-cheek assessment, although he doesn't think it will happen.

"It's kind of like, we're the prevention, they're the cure," said Amy Serrata, True Digital's Oklahoma City-based director of public relations. "We're proactive, trying to prevent things from happening. They're kind of reactive, trying to find things."

After three years of research and development, Dawkins' e- company DESA Research launched True Digital Security to serve information-technology clients with regulatory oversight.

"We position ourselves to be their security experts," he said, explaining the services. "You hire us, kind of like a retainer."

The True Digital difference, said Chief Executive Harris, is that competitors usually supply reams of good data and go overboard on their recommendations, often with boxed solutions. Harris said the five service reps in the seven-member True Digital staff take the time to investigate a client's needs. They supply a summary of recommendations that target specific areas.

"Everybody we have on staff have at least two years with the Department of Defense," he said, illustrating how their workers have earned experience beyond the certified information security services professional title. "We've taken that designation and magnified it many times over."

Dawkins - chief executive of DESA, director of research for the new firm - said True Digital now serves about 20 clients, providing annual assessments, quarterly scanning, annual penetration tests and around-the-clock monitoring.

"We supplement an organization's internal IT staff, as opposed to replacing it," he said.

By starting www.truedigitalsecurity.com, Dawkins said DESA created an arm that can actually generate revenue beyond research dollars.

DESA made less than $500,000 last year. Harris expects True Digital to realize just under $1 million this year, $1.5 million in 2008. After that, it depends on how well their new marketing efforts work.

"I'm being very, very conservative," he said of next year's projections. "That's with very little sales support. Just with the five people we've got, we could support $2 million in services alone."

With about 80 percent of their clients outside the Sooner State, Dawkins said their initial focus will be to grow business in Oklahoma City and Tulsa. Their primary office is near the TU campus at 12th and Harvard, with Perimeter Technology housing their support systems.

Dawkins said True Digital also is seeking investors to help jumpstart its growth.

"There's several formidable competitors out there," said Harris, "and there's a growing space. But at the same time, it's kind of a 'wild west,' for not only is the technology changing every day, but threats are changing every day. It's not an industry that's going to get stagnant anytime soon. From what our customers tell us, we've got some unique deliverables."

Both DESA and Digital Forensics represent a growing Tulsa business sector - bids to commercialize University of Tulsa computer science research efforts. Both Dawkins and Manes continue to serve as professors there while running their firms.

"We're both bringing jobs into this city," said Manes. "He's got some of my favorite students that I want to hire."