Cincinnati InfoSec Leaders Dive into Business-Centric Strategies at CDO Magazine Dinner

CDO Magazine’s Cincinnati Executive Boardroom Dinner brought together the region’s InfoSec executives to explore "Building Business-centric Cybersecurity with Measurable ROI for the C-Suite/Board" September 5. The discussion focused on bridging the gap between cybersecurity investments and business outcomes. Industry experts shared insights on how to align cybersecurity strategies with business goals, enabling  C-suites and boards to understand and appreciate the return on these vital investments.

“It was a great evening of catching up with friends and forming relationships with new members of our community,” says Brian Minick, Fifth Third Bank Chief Technology and Information Security Officer. “We discussed the importance of resilience and how it is taking on more priority within our programs. Protecting our companies and preventing successful cyber attacks is still crucial. However, as we rely more and more on third-party products and services that run outside the scope of our security programs, we also need to ensure our businesses can function when those third parties have issues.”

Jake Lorz, Cintas VP, Information Technology and Chief Information Security Officer, describes the event as a “wonderful opportunity” to connect with regional IT and cyber leaders. “Our delightful dinner was preceded by candid and stimulating discussions on business continuity and cyber resiliency that offered fresh perspectives and actionable insights. As cyber leaders, our focus must be on ensuring secure operational capabilities for our organizations. I always look forward to CDO Magazine events, and I'm grateful to the sponsors for making this enriching evening possible."

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Drew Perry, Serta Simmons Bedding VP and Chief Information Security Officer, finds it “refreshing to get together with such a talented group of security leaders” in the Cincinnati area. “Joe Karpenko from Stratascale led us in a great conversation around cyber resilience and its role in business continuity. Hearing Jake Lorz from Cintas and Lisa Heckler from CareSource give their thoughts on the true cost of cyber events and how to use that to justify investment was eye opening.”

Lisa Heckler, CareSource VP and Chief Information Security Officer, agrees. “CDO Magazine put on another awesome event! What a wonderful opportunity to network with esteemed colleagues and explore the importance of shifting our mindset from cybersecurity to cyber resilience, and adapting to threats that challenge traditional approaches to disaster recovery.”

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Reflecting on the success of the event, Steve Wanamaker, CDO Magazine Founder & Publisher, says, “Hosting the Cincinnati Executive Boardroom Dinner allowed us to bring together InfoSec leaders who are passionate about not only defending their organizations but also demonstrating the tangible business value of their efforts. We wanted to create a space where these conversations can inspire actionable strategies that resonate with the C-suite and board, turning cybersecurity investments into drivers of growth and transformation."

Joe Karpenko, Stratascale CISO - Executive Advisory, highlights from the discussion that to be a successful CIO, CISO, or CTO, one must align with the business. “It is crucial to understand how the company generates revenue, delivers services, manufactures products, etc. What those essential key business processes and assets and their interdependencies are to ensure you positively impact and enable the business and can secure, protect, and defend it.”

Karpenko sums up the event saying, “Community is crucial. Being able to listen, share, learn, advise, and adopt best practices is invaluable.”

Special thanks goes to Stratascale, Tanium, Critical Start, and Sumo Logic for their partnership in making the event a success.

*Brian Minick, Jake Lorz, and Drew Perry are members of CDO Magazine Global Security Board.

Executives attending the Cincinnati Executive Boardroom Dinner included:

Michael Carr, Kroger Business Information Security Officer; Shannon Culp, Archer Daniels Midland Director, Global Information & Cyber Security Governance & Awareness; Lisa Heckler, CareSource VP & Chief Information Security Officer; Matt King, Belcan Chief Security & Data Officer; Jacob Lorz, Cintas Vice President Information Technology & CISO; Brian Minick, Fifth Third Bank Chief Technology & Information Security Officer; Drew Perry, Serta Simmons Bedding VP, Chief Information Security Officer; Bharath Prabhakaran, University of Cincinnati VP & Chief Digital Officer; Daniel Rathbun, IPG Photonics Chief Information Security Officer; Greg Peebles, UofL Health Chief Information Security Officer; Tim Bandos, Critical Start Field Chief Information Security Officer; Will Dehner, Stratascale VP, US Named Account Sales; Brian Hamad, Stratascale Advisory Sales Executive; Joe Karpenko, Stratascale CISO - Executive Advisory; Tim Morris, Tanium Chief Security Advisor; Seth Williams, Sumo Logic Field CTO - Partners; Steve Wanamaker, CDO Magazine Founder & Publisher; Lisa Runkle, CDO Magazine Global Event Manager.