Former NSA Deputy Director Major General Mark W. Perrin Joins Torch.AI Board

Washington, D.C. – February 12, 2021 – Torch.AI, a leading artificial intelligence (AI) platform, today announced that retired U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Mark W. Perrin has joined its Advisory Board. Perrin brings decades of experience to Torch.AI, having served and supported U.S. military intelligence missions from the Pentagon to active combat theaters. His perspective will help Torch.AI continue developing technology with an absolute focus on the support and success of our warfighters.

"I am honored to join the Torch.AI family to pursue advanced data and analytics solutions to complex challenges threatening our National Security today.  I am privileged to have been a career Soldier, and to lead the magnificent men and women of our Armed Forces in defense of our values and cherished way of life.  I am excited to continue that commitment with Torch.AI and their AI-based, data enrichment technology that uniquely enables mission partners, from the tactical tip of the spear to the most senior levels of strategic decision-making."

Perrin is currently the senior retired officer for intelligence for Crisis Management and Combined Command Post Training United States Forces Korea. An all-source intelligence and aerial reconnaissance professional, Perrin retired from the U.S. Army in July 2014. He served his final active-duty assignment as deputy director, Signals Intelligence Directorate at the National Security Agency, responsible for signals intelligence support of globally deployed combat forces, theater combatant commands, military services and interagency partners.  

“We are honored to have worked for the last few years with such a decorated senior intelligence officer and now to welcome General Perrin to our board,” said Brian Weaver, founder, chairman and CEO at Torch.AI. “He understands the arduous processes by which intelligence is gathered, mining seas of data to identify relationships, patterns, trends and exceptions. Data must have context to become information that incites action, and the learning systems need to be faster, more efficient and agile. At Torch, we are committed to deploying AI in new and powerful ways to process complex data from disparate systems in real time so people can solve problems, not grapple with technology. His guidance will help us hone solutions to challenges within the combatant commands, intelligence community and beyond. On top of that, he’s just a great man.”

Perrin served as senior intelligence officer (J-2) for U.S. Forces Iraq for the end of Operational Iraqi Freedom and for the duration of Operation New Dawn. During this 17-month deployment, Perrin provided all-source intelligence support to combined U.S.-Iraqi operations. He also planned, coordinated, rehearsed and executed intelligence support to the full-spectrum operational maneuver of all U.S. combat forces out of Iraq by the end of December 2011.  

During his career, Perrin also served as J-2 and deputy C-2 for U.S. Forces Korea and Combined Forces Command; G-2 for U.S. Army Pacific; J-2 for Joint Task Force Homeland Defense, Fort Shafter, HI; commander of the Army Pacific Theater Intelligence Brigade based at Camp Zama, Japan; director of the Army’s Quadrennial Defense Review; and director of the Joint Reconnaissance Center for U.S. Southern Command. Perrin also served as commander of the Army Central and South America focused Aerial Reconnaissance Battalion, personally flying signals intelligence and imagery aerial reconnaissance missions in support of counterinsurgency and counterdrug operations. He is also a survivor of the 9/11 terrorist attack on the Pentagon.

Perrin’s career accolades are numerous including the National Intelligence Superior Service Medal from the Director of National Intelligence, The Order of National Security Merit Chenosu Medal from the President of the Republic of Korea and the Distinguished Alumni Award from Old Dominion University. Perrin earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering technology from Old Dominion University, a master’s degree in administration from Central Michigan University and a master’s degree in national security strategy from the National War College.