TiER1 wins Small Business Innovative Research grant from Department of Homeland Security

Covington's TiER1, a custom software management solutions company, has recently received a Small Business Innovation Research grant from the Department of Homeland Security.

This grant will allow TiER1 to help the DHS improve its training programs and the usability of its airport screening systems. TiER1 has received nearly $2 million in funding for similar types of work with grants from NASA, Air Force Research Laboratories, and the National Science Foundation.

"In this kind of high-end research we are looking at adaptive learning environments, reducing the time of training for individuals and making (training) more effective and accessible when they need it," said Normand Desmarais, TiER1 founding partner and chairman of the board.

TiER1, founded in 2002, is a provider of end-to-end online learning and knowledge management solutions. The company works to drive efficiencies and performance in five key areas: People, Process, Sales, Leadership and Structure.

"This win continues to expand TiER1's research capability and the results from this research is used to benefit our commercial and government clients," said Dr. Kevin Moore, TiER1 Co-Founder and Chief Learning Officer.  "This is a big win for TiER1 and the DHS."

Clients include commercial, non-profit and government entities including Dell, FedEx, Fidelity Investments, Kraft, Wendy's and Procter & Gamble. Last year the company won a $750,000 research contract from Wright-Patterson Air Force Base to develop a training system to detect and prevent insider cyber security threats.

The company's Performance1 software platform provides a single, integrated resource for user assessment, training delivery, usability evaluation, reporting, and tracking. The research and products that come from TiER1's government work also has applications in the private sector, which the company has used to spur growth and competitiveness.

"What this has done for our company in Kentucky puts us on the radar for think tanks and prominent organizations," Desmarais said. "It's given us a lot of credibility and the ability to grow our business."

TiER1 employs 60 people. The bulk of their web-based software development work takes place in Covington, but the company does have a few workers in Dayton and Colorado Springs. TiER1 has a highly specialized workforce, and has hired workers from across the country, but also right here in Northern Kentucky.

Northern Kentucky University's new Informatics program is providing the type of workers the company seeks out, Desmarais said.

Writer: Feoshia Henderson
Source: Desmarais, TiER1 founding partner and chairman of the board

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