Austin, Texas, October 15, 2020 – Ontic, the protective intelligence software innovator digitally transforming how companies actively identify, investigate, assess, monitor and manage physical security threats, today announced the appointment of Scott Shepherd as Chief Legal Officer, leading all corporate legal affairs, including regulatory compliance and legal counsel for Ontic leadership and Board of Directors. Shepherd reports to Ontic CEO Lukas Quanstrom. In addition, former Walmart General Counsel Tom Mars joins the Ontic Advisory Board.
“We are pleased to welcome Scott to Ontic, whose proven legal expertise and leadership will serve our company and Fortune 1000 clients well as we continue our growth trajectory and transforming this vital security sector,” says Quanstrom. “Likewise, we are honored to have Tom Mars as an Ontic advisor. He brings an invaluable breadth and depth of experience, from helming legal affairs at multinational retail corporations and state law enforcement roles to representing individuals and corporate clients in complex litigation proceedings.”
”Ontic is blazing a new trail for corporations to strengthen their proactive security programs with technology-driven protective intelligence that can protect employees, detail audit trails, and reduce liability,” says Scott Shepherd, chief legal officer, Ontic. “These are serious and potentially harmful situations that corporations face, with responsibility often falling onto the shoulders of legal and the general counsel. I am pleased to be a member of Ontic leadership as we look to foster greater safety for companies and the world.”
“The pandemic, racial justice activism and political unrest have spurred a pileup of lawsuits against employers in state and federal courts,” says Tom Mars, head of Mars Law Firm. ”This increase in litigation, combined with a dramatic increase in threat-related data, only compounds the number of ongoing threats and potential lawsuits corporations face on a more consistent basis from employees. The demand for a physical threat management solution like Ontic has never been greater.”
Scott Shepherd joins Ontic after managing global legal operations and compliance for two fast-growing startups. Before going in-house, Shepherd spent over 15 years at law firms, primarily as a litigator. After undergraduate school, he was commissioned as a 2nd Lt. in the USMC, eventually achieving the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the Reserves. He received an M.A. in Public Policy from the LBJ School of Public Affairs and a J.D. from the University of Texas School of Law.
Tom Mars is an accomplished trial lawyer, a nationally recognized advocate in collegiate sports, and an experienced crisis consultant for companies, executives, and public officials. Mars served as Director of the Arkansas State Police from 1998 to 2001, following more than 10 years as a trial lawyer and a previous career as a Virginia police officer. Recruited to manage its vast litigation portfolio, Mars served as Walmart’s General Counsel, responsible for all of the company’s legal matters both in the U.S. and internationally, and then as Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) of Walmart U.S. As CAO, he was responsible for a number of Walmart’s U.S. business units, including real estate, financial services, human resources, labor relations, external relations, and U.S. compliance. During his tenure as Walmart’s General Counsel, Tom led an ambitious diversity initiative and became a nationally known champion for advancing diversity in the legal profession. He received numerous awards for his leadership in this area, including the American Bar Association’s prestigious “Spirit of Excellence Award.”
