Chapter Meeting - July 2018 

The Chapter 179 Leadership Team is pleased to present Todd Bensman, Manager of the TXDPS Homeland Security Unit.  

Todd manages a team of intelligence analysts dedicated to the detection and study of terrorism threats for the State of Texas. He and his team work with federal law enforcement and agencies that have anti-terrorism missions to target specific threats, to generate new intelligence that cause or advance terrorism investigations and build Intelligence Community knowledge.

He transitioned to this role in 2009 after a 23-year career as a newspaper, television, magazine, and combat correspondent. A two-time National Press Club award winner for foreign reporting, he worked in 25 countries. He last served as an investigative reporter for Hearst Newspapers focused on Islamic extremism, border security and Mexico's drug war. Bensman received numerous other awards for his domestic stories, some leading to public corruption convictions of a Texas state legislator, a former Dallas Cowboys player, and a county official. 

Bensman earned a master's degree in homeland security studies, with distinction (Outstanding Thesis), in September 2015 from the US Naval Postgraduate School. He also holds a master's degree from the University of Missouri, School of Journalism and a bachelors degree in journalism from Northern Arizona University. In 2012, NAU presented him with its AP Robert R. Eunson Distinguished Alumni Achievement Award in Journalism. He has taught journalism as an adjunct instructor for Texas State University.

From 2003 to 2006 he served as an investigative producer for CBS in Dallas. 

From 1993 to 2003, Bensman worked for The Dallas Morning News, covering the FBI and terrorism after 9/11.

In 1992 and 1993, he spent a year covering combat in Bosnia, including the siege of Sarajevo. He reported on on the 1992 war in Moldova, and the breakup of Czechoslovakia. In 1991, he covered the Gulf War, including scud missile attacks on Tel Aviv, violent anti-U.S. protests in Jordan, and a refugee flotilla from Jordan to Egypt. 

Chapter 179 Members who have paid their $50 dues for 2018 should register with the discount registration promo code ATXC142. 

ASIS National Members and Guests:  Using the Register Now link below you may Pre-Register until midnight on Wednesday, July 18th so we can better prepare the seating and our menu choices. For this month's meeting we will be ordering off of our house menu at Maggiano's.  

Prepaid Members: Members who have prepaid meals for the entire year are automatically registered for every Monthly Chapter Meeting.  If you are unable to attend one of the monthly meetings - you can pass along your prepaid spot to a potential guest or colleague as long as they have paid their annual ASIS dues.