Aberdeen, MD--The Battelle Eastern Science and Technology (BEST) Center was recently named a winner of the James S. Cogswell Outstanding Industrial Security Achievement Award.

The Cogswell award, bestowed by the U.S. Defense Security Service, is presented annually to a select group of defense contractors for outstanding achievement in matters related to a facility's security program. It is the most prestigious honor the Defense Security Service (DSS) can award to cleared industry. Only 80, out of more than 11,000 cleared contractors, were nominated this year by their DSS representatives and 30 received the Cogswell Award.

Established in 1966, the award is named in honor of the late Air Force Col. James S. Cogswell, who was the first chief of the unified office of Industrial Security. He was responsible for developing the basic principles of the Industrial Security Program, which includes an emphasis on the partnership between industry and government to protect classified information.

The criteria for the award include establishing and maintaining a security program that goes well beyond the basic National Industrial Security Program requirements and providing leadership to other cleared facilities in setting high standards for security.

Facilities can only be nominated by an Industrial Security representative if they have at least two consecutive superior industrial security review ratings and they show a sustained degree of excellence and innovation in overall security program management, implementation, and oversight.

"Properly safeguarding our customers' information and consistently providing excellence in security are critical components of our success as a government contractor," said Steve Kelly, President, Battelle National Security Global Business. "Many security teams and their facilities go through their entire careers without ever receiving this honor, so we're tremendously proud of our staff at the BEST Center."

Battelle serves the national interest by applying broad scientific and technological expertise to challenges facing the Department of Defense and its joint programs offices. For more than 75 years, Battelle has provided solutions and expertise in critical fields--from missile defense to WMD defense to biomedical defense--combining laboratory skills with field application and support services.

Battelle is the world's largest non-profit independent research and development organization, with 20,000 employees in more than 120 locations worldwide, including five national laboratories Battelle manages or co-manages for the U.S. Department of Energy. Headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, Battelle conducts $3.8 billion in R&D annually through contract research, laboratory management, and technology commercialization. As a non-profit charitable trust with an eye toward the future, Battelle actively supports and promotes science and math education.

For more information, visit www.battelle.org or contact National Media Relations Manager Katy Delaney at (410) 306-8638 or at delaneyk@battelle.org.