William McCormick
Jim Onusko, director of Strategic Solutions at LexisNexis Special Services, recently spoke with ExecutiveBiz regarding the company’s recent growth goals through its Digital Identity Network and other initiatives to drive business into new markets, acquisitions and contract award wins.
In addition, Onusko also addressed the influence that emerging technologies are having on the company’s efforts to stay ahead of the current set of innovation challenges as well as the work that LexisNexis is doing in the greater community to make a difference for those who need it during the latest Executive Spotlight interview.
You can read the full interview with Jim Onusko below:
ExecutiveBiz: What can you tell us about the recent growth initiatives at LexisNexis and how you’re driving value for your customers through contract awards, acquisitions, and other aspects across the federal sector?
Jim Onusko: “We continue to vigorously support Government agencies at all levels, including federal, state, and local, to stop the fraudulent theft of taxpayer dollars stolen by U.S. domestic and organized international fraudsters.
By using our innovative LexisNexis® Digital Identity Network® that banks and e-retailers have relied upon to protect themselves for years, we provide government agencies with the ability to detect digital identity risk right up front.
This includes situations where an imposter attempts to log-in and fill out an application for Government benefits, as opposed to the inefficient process of paying out the claim and placing reliance on a law enforcement agency to later chase them across the globe.
Consequently, the fraudster has likely converted that money into cryptocurrency which devotes a significant degree of law enforcement resources. This provides exceptional value to Government agencies and has already proven its worth in the private sector, and is benefiting many federal, state, and local agencies who are using it today. It’s also available by using GSA’s Login.gov solution.”
ExecutiveBiz: What are your strategic goals for the coming year? What do you hope to accomplish and any new markets that you’re keeping an eye on in the federal sector?
Jim Onusko: “We continue to place a high degree of emphasis on being a top place to work, while attracting and retaining a highly talented workforce. We have a tremendous blend of expertise consisting of very talented private sector employees, combined with highly skilled individuals with experience in the state, local, and federal government spaces who know how to deliver highly responsive solutions, plus a dynamic internship program that includes a diversity component.
In 2021 and 2022, we are proud to have been recognized as one of the Washington Post’s Top Places to Work. Our senior leadership ensures that a positive environment exists that promotes health, well-being, growth, mentoring, diversity, and a work/life balance, while at the same time driving continuous improvement in our products and services that benefits customers.
As far as new markets, a vitally important focus is solving the significant problem in today’s digital society associated with the need for identity validation and delivering new data sources that illuminate real risks presented in many forms, predominantly from counterfeiting and synthetic, or false, identities.
Anytime that a person shows an identification card to exercise a right or receive a benefit, including access to a network, a facility, receiving medical care, purchasing regulated items, undergoing the hiring and background investigations process, or assessing an employee’s risk for access to classified information, plus more, there’s an opportunity to quickly and accurately validate the identity of an individual to neutralize a key vulnerability.”
ExecutiveBiz: With the influence of emerging technologies impacting every aspect of business, how has LexisNexis been able to drive digital transformation efforts to stay ahead of innovation in the federal landscape for yourself and your customers?
Jim Onusko: “We are an experienced leader in this area and our advanced capabilities are enabling Government customers to transition to what is referred to as “digital government”. That means no more paper, digitizing the government’s system of records, and leveraging automation that drives significant momentum toward incorporating machine learning and artificial intelligence.
This leads to greater efficiency, identifies risks sooner, and can also acquire a target faster. For law enforcement agencies, our data and analytics identify suspects, co-conspirators, and anti-trust relationships that fight corruption with speed and accuracy.
Our innovative products validate digital and biographic identities, include international data, provide accurate form fill options, analytics, and deliver continuous data cleaning to update name, aliases, address changes, etc., so official records stay accurate.
With today’s growing frequency of fraud, counterfeiting, ‘fat fingering’ mistakes, and growing use of handheld digital devices logging into networks, there is a critical demand to help protect the Government from fraud and the public from becoming victims of identity theft.
In fact, we are proud to say that our solutions provide equitable access for the public to government benefits and services. To understand equity in this context, the most important thing to remember in identity verification is to ‘Put People First.’
Each identity or case study is an individual in need, a family struggling to provide for their children, and a life that is negatively impacted by circumstances often beyond their control. The goal is to provide legitimate claimants access to their critically needed benefits without subjecting them to cumbersome and potentially biased technologies when almost 99 percent of people can be identified in milliseconds.
Technology should not be a firewall between people and their benefits. Our most recent acquisition of BehavioSec®, an advanced behavioral biometrics technology company, is a game changer for our customers.
Using information on how citizens interact with their computers and mobile devices, BehavioSec seamlessly and continuously identifies users and adds an exciting new layer of security to LexisNexis® ThreatMetrix® robust protections.
At LexisNexis® Risk Solutions, we are deeply committed to innovation by constantly evolving and providing the most user-friendly and equitable solutions for government agencies.”
ExecutiveBiz: Can you speak to the various charities and work with other organizations that LexisNexis does to make a difference and give back to the greater community?
Jim Onusko: “Since 2000, LexisNexis employees volunteered their time and developed the ADAM program to help the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children find missing children. ADAM distributes missing child alert posters to law enforcement, hospitals, libraries, and businesses within specific geographic search areas in hopes that someone will recognize a missing child.
In an average year, the ADAM program distributes over 1.7 million alerts to a growing network of digital phones, news media outlets, and U.S. fuel retailers involving about 1,800 missing children. In 2021, five missing children were recovered through ADAM and, since 2000, over 190 missing children have been located through the program. Today, this volunteer effort continues stronger than ever.
We also passionately support the Washington DC Police Foundation. Prior to Thanksgiving, our employees form an assembly line and pack holiday dinner meals that are transported by the Washington DC Metropolitan police to citizens in Washington, DC.
In the same light, we pack backpacks with school supplies that help children across the nation prepare for the school year. During COVID-19 and teleworking, our employees have donated their time to virtually perform charity work with organizations who help design children’s activity books, recording storybooks for children with cancer, and much more, plus efforts that support national recognition events throughout the year.
We also consistently support law enforcement agency causes across the nation. We have a great team, a meaningful mission, and truly help our customers make a true difference.”
