Brigadier-General Kevin O’Keefe retired from the Canadian Armed Forces in August 2004 after 33 years of distinguished service. His last appointment was as Director General Information Management Operations (DGIMO) and the CAF J6. In this assignment, he led an organization of over 3,700 personnel and held responsibility for the operation and maintenance of the DND/CAF Information Technology Infrastructure, the Canadian Forces Information Operation Group (CFIOG), network operations, and the Communication Reserve. As CAF J6, he was the principal strategic communications adviser to the Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff (DCDS).
During his career, he served in a variety of staff and field assignments in Canada and overseas. He served as the last Commander of Canadian Forces Europe Communication Group in Lahr, Germany where he was responsible for the close-out of strategic military communications installed to support the Canadian Armed Forces in both Lahr and Baden-Solingen, Germany. He served as the Chief, Communications and Information Systems, NATO Stabilization Force (SFOR), Sarajevo, Bosnia, and Herzegovina during the NATO Campaign in Kosovo.
At National Defence Headquarters, he served as the Director Intelligence Security and Operations Automation and the Director General Information Management Strategic Direction. His military experience included the development of the Joint Command and Control and Intelligence System (JC2IS), a system designed to provide the Canadian Armed Forces with a strategic command and control capability. He led the development team that produced and published the first DND IM Strategy. Internationally, he served as the Canadian Principal to the Combined Communications Electronics Board (CCEB); a group established to ensure communication and information systems interoperability among the military forces of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, United Kingdom, and United States. He was one of the principal authors of the CCEB Strategic Plan and contributed to the initial requirements identification for the CCEB Coalition Wide Area Network.
From 2004-2015 as a Partner / Senior Partner at CFN Consultants, he worked extensively in the field of Unmanned Systems supporting domestic and international clients and serving on the Board of Directors of both AUVSI Canada and Unmanned Systems Canada. His focus areas include strategic advice and projects related to military command and control and IM/IT. He has also participated in major security related studies for the Departments of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Canadian Commercial Corporation (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia), and National Defence.
He has recently formed his own consulting company focusing on command and control and cyber within the defence and security sector.
Brigadier-General O’Keefe is a graduate of St. Francis Xavier University (Bachelor of Science (Mathematics), the University of Ottawa (Master of Business Administration), the Canadian Land Forces Command and Staff College (Kingston), the Canadian Forces Command and Staff College (Toronto), and the NATO Defence College (Rome). He served a two-year term as the Chairman of the Communications and Electronics Museum Foundation and is currently President of the Military Communications and Electronics Association. He holds the rank of Officer in the Order of Military Merit.
He and his wife Lorraine reside in Orleans, Ontario.