BEDFORD, Mass., Nov. 12, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Aware, Inc., (NASDAQ: AWRE), a leading global provider of biometrics software products, solutions and services, today announced the appointment of its CEO and President, Robert (Bob) A. Eckel, to the Board of Directors of International Biometrics + Identity Association (IBIA). Mr. Eckel has over three decades of experience and significant expertise in biometrics, secure identity, air traffic control and defense systems, and as a member of IBIA’s Board of Directors will help advance the transparent and secure use of biometric technologies to confirm human identity in our physical and digital worlds.

IBIA is the leading voice for the biometrics and identity technology industry and advances the transparent and secure use of these technologies to confirm human identity in both our physical and digital worlds. As Aware’s CEO and newly appointed member of IBIA’s Board of Directors, Mr. Eckel will help support the enhancement of security, privacy, productivity and convenience for individuals, organizations, and governments through the use of biometrics solutions and services.

“My passion has always been to build and lead companies that enable individuals to experience the life we deserve through technology, which includes the ability to Own your identity™,” said Bob Eckel, Aware's chief executive officer and president. “This aligns directly with the mission of IBIA, and I am honored to be elected to their Board of Directors to help drive forward the adoption and responsible use of biometric technologies for managing human identity in a way that remains frictionless for the user.”

As a member of the Board of Directors for IBIA, Mr. Eckel will have a far reaching and unified view across the biometrics and identify management industry, enabling him to stay up-to-date on the latest trends, regulations and policies impacting Aware and its customers. His responsibilities will include supporting association initiatives to aid in the adoption of biometrics for the greater good, correct misconceptions about the technology, and demonstrate how the transparent use of biometrics can add value.

“With Mr. Eckel’s years of experience and passion for the biometrics and identity management industry, he was the clear choice to join our Board of Directors,” said John Mears, IBIA’s chairman of the board and Tech Fellow, VP, at Leidos. “We are thrilled to have him on board and know he will make a great addition to the team, helping us to continue providing valuable insights and expertise to our members when it comes to the adoption and responsible use of technologies for managing human identity.”

Bob Eckel has served as Aware’s CEO and president since September 2019. He is responsible for strategic transformation, growth and operations for Aware’s biometric solutions and services for government and commercial customers and industry partners. Mr. Eckel also serves as a strategic advisory board member of Evolv Technology, and as a consultant for Digimarc Corporation. Over his distinguished career, he has held many positions of note within the biometric and identity space, including: Regional President and CEO of IDEMIA’s NORAM Identity & Security division; President and CEO of MorphoTrust USA, LLC; Executive Vice President and President of the Secure Credentialing Division of L-1 Identity Solutions Company; and President of the Identity Systems division of Digimarc Corporation. Mr. Eckel received his master’s degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of California Los Angeles, and his bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Connecticut.

About Aware
Aware, a global leader in productized biometrics software products, solutions and services, provides critical biometric functionality to collect, manage, process, and match biometric images and data for identification and authentication. With their decades-long experience, Aware leads the market in liveness detection and multi-modal fusion to protect client and business processes through fingerprint, face, iris, and voice matching algorithms, mobile biometric capture and authentication software, a biometric workflow and middleware platform, and a fully-scalable ABIS. Their device-agnostic, integration-ready, and customer-managed products enable ease-of-use for enterprises to empower individuals to own their identities. Aware serves customers across a multitude of industries, including financial services, enterprise security, healthcare, human resources, citizen ID, border management, law enforcement, defense, and intelligence. Aware is a publicly held company (Nasdaq: AWRE) based in Bedford, Massachusetts. To learn more, visit https://www.aware.com or follow Aware on Twitter @AwareBiometrics.