On October 24, 2018, Smartmatic issued a Business Wire release, carried on the AP press-release wire, titled “Security and Election Experts Form Smartmatic US Board.” The release says the newly formed U.S. board consisted of Neffenger, Robert Cook, Gracia Hillman, and Paul DeGregorio. “Mr. Neffenger Chairs the board, and Robert Cook acts as Executive Director.”
“The Department of Homeland Security has designated U.S. elections systems as part of the nation’s critical infrastructure. The growing threat of cyberattacks on U.S. elections has put election infrastructure and the need for security and technology improvements front and center.” Peter Neffenger, quoted as chairman in Smartmatic’s Oct. 24, 2018 Business Wire release
The release identifies him as a retired vice admiral, former 29th Vice Commandant, and former Assistant Secretary / TSA Administrator until January 2017. It says Smartmatic was working with Los Angeles County on a new elections system for 2020 and that the company had U.S. headquarters in Boca Raton.
Whether he remains Smartmatic U.S. chair in 2026 is unresolved in the primary sources checked for this draft. CNA’s trustee page, fetched 2026-08-22, still called him “Chairman of the US Board of Directors for Smartmatic.” Secondary encyclopedic pages say he left. This site does not invent a current 2026 title.