Fred Rankin, director of cybersecurity, infrastructure and end user services at Lane Community College, has received a national leadership award from the Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center (MS-ISAC) in recognition of his contributions to cybersecurity in higher education.
The award honors Rankin’s leadership in launching and supporting the Higher Ed Community of Practice, one of the first collaborative groups established on MS-ISAC’s Member Connect platform. Nearly two years ago, Rankin helped lay the foundation for the community. Since then, it has become an essential resource for professionals across the country to share information, ask questions and support one another on cybersecurity topics.
“Cybersecurity is vitally important and should be at the forefront of people’s thoughts,” Rankin said. “I’m proud to be part of the national conversation, especially in higher education, whether that’s around funding, information sharing, incident response or remediation.”
Rankin has served at Lane Community College since 2019 and brings decades of experience in information technology. He is known for his collaborative approach, his commitment to mentorship and his steady presence in the cybersecurity field. His peers describe him as a trusted voice who consistently creates opportunities for others to contribute and grow.
“Personally, I feel honored and humbled,” Rankin said. “Professionally, it makes me feel valued and reminds me that my contributions help other institutions better protect and communicate.”
MS-ISAC’s recognition of Rankin highlights the growing importance of cybersecurity leadership in higher education. As digital threats continue to evolve, collaboration and knowledge sharing remain key to institutional readiness and response.
Lane Community College educates over 15,000 students annually at six locations across Lane County and online. Students and alumni from all 50 states and 79 countries create more than an $675 million dollar impact on the local economy, helping to support more than 8,900 local jobs. Lane provides affordable, quality, professional technical and college transfer programs; business development and employee training; academic, language and life skills development; and lifelong personal development and enrichment courses.