Sourcefire Chief Takes Medical Leave

Sourcefire CEO John Burris Takes Medical Leave of Absence

Cybersecurity solutions provider Sourcefire, Inc. today said that its Chief Executive Officer, John Burris, has taken a medical leave of absence to undergo a series of treatments for colon cancer.

Company founder Martin Roesch will serve as interim Chief Executive Officer while Burris is on leave. Roesch founded Sourcefire in 2001 and is the Company’s Chief Technology Officer and a member of the Board of Directors. He will retain his current responsibilities while serving as interim Chief Executive Officer, the company said in a statement. Roesch is also the author and lead developer of Snort, the open source Intrusion Prevention and Detection System that the Sourcefire IPS is based on.

“It is in my best interest and that of the Company that I take this time to focus on my health, while [Roesch] and the rest of our proven and highly experienced executive team continue to execute the strategy we have developed together,” said John Burris, CEO of Sourcefire. “I am committed to actively reengaging in the business as soon as my health permits.”

The company said Burris will continue to serve on its board and will also be available when possible to the executive team for strategic input during his leave.

“We commend John and support his request to take leave and we wish him the best as he focuses on his health. In order to provide John and his family the privacy they have requested, we do not intend to comment further on his medical condition,” said Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Steven R. Polk, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Sourcefire.

“The Board has complete confidence in Marty and the rest of the management team to run the day-to-day operations and continue the Company’s strong growth. As founder, Board member, and CTO, Marty has been intimately involved in all of Sourcefire’s strategic initiatives and is well positioned to lead the Company during this time,” Polk added. 

The company has seen its stock price more than double since October 2011, from roughly $25 per share to almost $60 per share in May 2012. Shares of Sourcefire closed at $52.40 per share in trading on Monday, with a market cap that tops $1.5 billion.

Sourcefire also announced preliminary unaudited financial results for the quarter ended June 30, 2012, saying it expects revenue and adjusted net income per share to be at the high end to slightly above the guidance range given on April 30, 2012.