Cyber Security Forum: 5 Security Controls – December 4

Take part in our final Cyber Security Forum of 2018! During this forum, we will be hosting a discussion about security controls that can enhance your company’s security.

Is your company struggling to keep up with the latest security threats? Does your company spend more on the coffee budget than the security budget? Come to our next meeting where we discuss 5 free things you can do to enhance your company’s security posture. In this session, local security leaders will analyze and break down standard recommendations and talk about ways to implement these security controls in any size organization or budget.

Topics of discussion

  1. Blocking all free domains at your web filter, huge wins against drive-by malware and phishing
  2. Setting password required length to 15 characters, helps defend against password cracking
  3. Account segregation, moving away from multiple domain admins
  4. Inventory Hardware and Software and be able to align to vulnerabilities.
  5. Secure configurations and system patching

Panelists

Jimmy Carter | IT Director, Discovery Education, Formerly at Rackspace and Microsoft

Jimmy Carter is the IT Director for Discovery Education, a Software-as-a-Service company headquartered in Charlotte.  In this role, Jimmy is responsible for all aspects of IT, inclusive of security, but also the everyday ins-and-outs of service monitoring, computer management, software updates, purchasing and more.   In almost 20 years in the industry, Jimmy has served Norfolk Southern, Virginia Tech, Babcock and Wilcox, Areva (now Orano), Microsoft and until October of this year, led an Infrastructure and Security team at Rackspace.   Jimmy attended Virginia Tech and resides in the beautiful Ellett Valley near Blacksburg.

 

Robert Garbee | Information Security Engineer, Carilion Clinic Technology Services Group

Robert Garbee is an Information Security professional working for a large medical services provider that is headquartered in the Roanoke Valley.  In this role, Robert is responsible for performing threat analysis and network assessments for enterprise network systems located in various locations across Virginia.   He has more than 20 years of experience in information technology and during that time has held positions in information security, information technology and industrial security.   His certifications have included Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE), Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) and most recently Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP).  Robert is also a graduate of Liberty University and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management Information Security.

 

Nathaniel Sykes | Executive Vice President for IT and Operations at R&K Solutions

Nate Sykes is the Executive Vice President for IT and Operations at R&K Solutions, and one of the founding members of RISE. Nate has worked in all areas of system and network administration. He has been involved in different aspects of security for the last 6 years, mostly involving prevention and detection. He holds GSEC, GMON, and GSLC certifications.

 

Moderated by Tweeks Director, Technology Futures and Community Advocacy Division of Information Technology, Virginia Tech

 

Event Details

When: Tuesday, December 4 from 5:30 to 7:30 pm

Where: Gill Memorial Building – 2nd Floor Classroom |
709 S Jefferson Street Roanoke, VA 24016

Cost: Members $15.00 |  Future Members $25.00 | Students $5.00

Biz Dev Forum: Net Partnering – March 8

Join us for the next Business Development Forum on Thursday, March 8, sponsored by UPS. This Biz Dev Forum will feature Steve Martin, Registered Representative of Valley Financial Solutions. His talk is titled: Net Partnering… Take the “Work” out of Networking.

Many people dislike, stress, or even fear networking! Let us share how to have fun, bring value to others, and enjoy the opportunities that these events can convey to you personally and professionally.

About Steve:

Steve grew up locally in Giles County, attended Bridgewater College, and lived and worked his first job(s) in Roanoke. He was later relocated to Raleigh, NC where he resided for over 26 years.  Shortly after the company that relocated him to Raleigh was purchased, and he was not retained, he began his current career. Being in a new city, with a new career, and another new child, forced Steve to find a way to meet new prospects…and fast! He worked hard to gather new clients any way that he could; resorting to cold calling, personal observation, and purchasing leads. Considering himself to be a socially outgoing person, he felt more comfortable seeking out business events and networking opportunities. After years of developing a love and skill-set for meeting new people, Steve moved back to the region. He now wants to share his journey and life lessons and utilize his skills to make a difference in the RBTC community.

EVENT DETAILS:

When – Thursday, March 8, 2018 (7:45 – 9:00 AM)

Where: VTCRC – Concept Conference Room | 1880 Pratt Drive, Suite 2018 Blacksburg, VA 24060

Cost: RBTC members can attend this peer forum at no charge.
Future members are welcome to join at the cost of $10 per person.

Tech & Toast: Tech Showcase – February 22

Join us for a new kind of Tech & Toast where we meet after work and raise a glass to toast our region’s technology sector! Our first evening Tech & Toast will be a Tech Showcase featuring 10 RBTC member presenting in a PechaKucha format. This event is designed to allow you the opportunity to get to know more about your technology peers throughout the region. You will not want to miss our first evening Tech & Toast! Our presenters will be:

  • Aeroprobe
  • ACI
  • Card Isle
  • FluxTeq
  • Inorganic Ventures
  • MOVA
  • Pervida
  • Polymer Solutions
  • Qualtrax
  • Rackspace

Date: Thursday, February 22, 2018

Time: 5:30- 8:00pm

Event Schedule:

  • 5:30 pm – Registration, Happy Hour, Dinner
  • 6:15 pm – Program Begins
  • 7:15 pm – Program Concludes – Networking Resumes
  • 8:00 pm – Event Ends

Location: Holiday Inn Valley View – Grand Ballroom | 3315 Ordway Drive NW, Roanoke, VA 24017

Fee*: $35.00 Member before 2/17/2018 | $45.00 after 2/17/2018
$55.00 Future Member before 2/17/2018 | $65.00 after 2/17/2018
$15 Students

*Dinner is included with your registration.

Tech & Toast: Talent Development Panel – January 25

Join us for our 2018 Annual Membership Meeting and a conversation with our area resources for Talent Development, Acquisition.

Our panelists include:

Mary Ann Gilmer, Vice President of Workforce Development, Goodwill Industries of the Valleys

Marty Holiday, Executive Director, New River/Mount Rogers Workforce Development Board 

Jake Gilmer, Director of Virginia’s Blue Ridge Works

Facilitated by – Erin Burcham, Director of Talent Solutions, Roanoke Regional Partnership

Our panelists will share information on various programs for training your workforce, paid internships and locating new talent. We look forward to seeing you at Tech & Toast!

Date: Thursday, January 25, 2018

Time: 7:15- 9:00am

Location: Hotel Roanoke – Crystal Ballroom | 110 Shenandoah Ave NW, Roanoke, VA 24016

Fee: $25.00 Member before 1/20/2018 | $35.00 between 1/21 – 1/24

$50.00 Future Member before 1/20/2018 | $60.00 between 1/21 – 1/24

$10.00 Student

Registration Now Open! – 2017 Fall Gala: November 2

The annual RBTC Fall Gala is one of the largest business and technology events of the Roanoke-Blacksburg region – with more than 400 attendees, this is a unique opportunity for strengthening and expanding your professional network. It is held annually in the Fall in Blacksburg at the Inn at Virginia Tech. Join us as we celebrate the work of the RBTC to connect, grow, and lead the technology community in the Roanoke and New River valleys.

This year we will be featuring Ross Baird of Village Capital. Visit our Fall Gala page for more event info: https://www.rbtc.tech/rbtc-events/fall-gala/

Mark your calendars for November 2, 2017 – and watch the RBTC website in the coming weeks as we release more event details!

18th Annual RBTC TechNite Awards Ceremony Recipients Announced

The Roanoke-Blacksburg Technology Council was pleased to honor a talented group of companies and individuals at its annual TechNite awards banquet, which was held at the Hotel Roanoke & Conference Center on April 21, 2017.

Nominations were accepted for five awards: STEM-H Educator, Entrepreneur, Innovator, Regional Leadership, and Rising Star. Nominees were narrowed down to a subset of contenders in each category, from which award recipients were selected. This year the awards committee chose to recognize a recipient of the Ruby Award, an occasional award that recognizes a brilliant and valuable asset to the Roanoke-Blacksburg region. The committee also added a new award, the Regional Go To Geek, which recognizes a person that is working to connect technology practitioners across our region.

The RBTC was honored to present the following awards:

  • Regional Go to Geek: Thomas “Tweeks” Weeks, Virginia Tech Cyber Range
  • STEM Educator: Nick Cornwell, Montgomery County Public Schools & Hannah Weiss, Science Museum of Western Virginia
  • Entrepreneur: Baraka Kasongo, Volatia Language Network Inc.
  • Innovator: Josep Bassaganya-Riera, BioTherapeutics
  • Regional Leadership: Greg Feldmann, Skyline Capital Strategies
  • Rising Star: Qualtrax
  • Ruby Award: Sam English, Attention Point

TechNite is an annual celebration of the Roanoke – Blacksburg region’s technology community. The event featured Caitlyn Scaggs, Founder of Blue Mobius Marketing, as the Master of Ceremonies and special guest speaker Bonz Hart, founder of Meridium, local entrepreneur, and former president of the RBTC board of directors.

After the awards were presented, attendees were invited to attend the 5th annual TechNite after party held at the Science Museum of Western Virginia located inside the Center in the Square.

More information from TechNite 2017 can be found at https://www.rbtc.tech/technite.

ABOUT THE ROANOKE – BLACKSBURG TECHNOLOGY COUNCIL (RBTC)
The Roanoke – Blacksburg Technology Council is a non-profit, member-driven association of businesses and organizations in the greater Roanoke – Blacksburg region, working together to promote the growth and success of the region’s technology sector. Its membership includes more than 250 organizations. The RBTC is the leading resource for the region’s growth and success. It exists to connect and unite the region’s technology community, develop and educate thought-leaders, mentors, and the technology workforce, and improve access to talent. To learn more, please visit http://www.rbtc.tech.

Contact: Robert McAden, RBTC President and CEO, (540) 293-3230 or robert.mcaden@rbtc.tech.

TechNite 2017: Award Nominees Announced

The Roanoke-Blacksburg Technology Council is pleased to announce the Top Finalists in each TechNite 2017 award category. Congratulations to all the outstanding nominees! Winners will be announced at the TechNite awards ceremony on Friday, April 21 – get your tickets now!

 

EDUCATOR

Sponsored by: Common Wealth Growth Group & Providence Properties
Montgomery County Public Schools
Courtney Buck
Nick Cornwell
Stephanie Parker
Holly Pauley
Rebecca Rainey
Terri Vangelos
Susie Weaver
Roanoke City Public Schools
April Hill
Roanoke County Public Schools
Travis Anderson
Andy Clapper
Susheela Shanta
Roanoke Valley Governor’s School
Dr. Brent Holt
Science Museum of Western Virginia
Hannah Weiss
Salem Public Schools

Mark Madden


RISING STAR

Sponsored by: Montgomery County
1901 Group
Bonumose Biochem LLC
Click & Pledge
FluxTeq LLC
Game Changineer LLC
GoJourni
Landos Biopharma
Qualtrax
Volatia Language Network Inc.

INNOVATOR

Sponsored by: Kollmorgen
Bonumose Biochem LLC
Excella Consulting – The Extension Center @ VTCRC
Dr. Paul Gaines, Inorganic Ventures
Shockoe
Josep Bassaganya-Riera
Keltech
SyCom Technologies

ENTREPRENEUR

Sponsored by: Virginia Tech
Amy Ankrum, Qualtrax
Dr. Adam Donato, Card Isle
Jay Foster, Flex Metrics
Dr. James D. Rancourt, Polymer Solutions
Caitlyn Scaggs, Blue Mobius Marketing

Baraka Kasongo, Volatia Language Network Inc.

 


REGIONAL LEADERSHIP

Sponsored by: Roanoke County
Kevin Bloomfield
Greg Feldmann
Charlie Jewell
Sue Magliaro
Annette Patterson
Cynthia Rancourt
Jeff Terry
Thomas “Tweeks” Weeks


People’s Choice

GameTracker
L2Ork
FluxTeq

 


Download this list of TechNite 2017 Award Finalists as a PDF

TechNite 2017: Registration and Nominations

TechNite is an annual celebration of the Roanoke-Blacksburg region’s growing technology community and is one of the largest networking events of the year with hundreds of influential leaders in business and innovation. Join us as we honor the amazing achievements in technology-focused entrepreneurship, innovation, and leadership from across the region!

TechNite 2017 will be held Friday, April 21 at The Hotel Roanoke & Conference Center (with after party at The Center in the Square – Science Museum of Western Virginia). This is the biggest technology event of the region and we are excited to have you be a part. Stay tuned and watch for more details in the coming weeks.

Registration Now Open (Early-bird Discounts End March 31 Friday, April 7!)

Registration for TechNite 2017 is open! Take advantage of early-bird registration discounts for both members and non-members (early-bird prices have been extended to Friday, April 7!). Individual and Table registrations are available – get all pricing and details by following the link below:

Register

 

Award Nominations

The evening is highlighted with an awards ceremony, where leaders will be recognized in six categories: Rising Star, Regional Leadership, STEM-H Educator, Entrepreneur, Innovator and People’s Choice. Now is the time to make your nominations (nominations close at 5pm Tuesday, March 28 – see below)! Please note: to nominate in separate categories you will need to refresh the page each time.

Rising Star Award
This award recognizes a local technology company whose “star is rising.” It may not be a household name yet, but it could soon be another local success story in the Roanoke-Blacksburg region.

Regional Leadership Award
This award recognizes one of our own who not only succeeds in the workplace, but also leads by example by contributing significantly to the Roanoke – Blacksburg community in which we live.

STEM-H Educator Award
This award recognizes a K-12 educator in the Roanoke – Blacksburg region that promotes math, science, and/or use of technology in creative ways to transfer knowledge and help develop future technology leaders.

Entrepreneur Award
Entrepreneurs are a different breed. Sometimes it takes nerves of steel to blaze a new path. This award recognizes someone in our community who exemplifies what it means to be a risk-taker in the technology field.

Innovator Award
This award recognizes Innovation in developing or Innovation in applying technology by an individual, a group of individuals, company, or other organization that sets the standard for thought leadership and innovation in their respective field. By definition, they are doing something new or different, and they are doing it well. Their innovation represents a significant technological breakthrough or addresses a great market opportunity or both.

People’s Choice Award
The People’s Choice Award gives the TechNite audience the opportunity to learn more about up and coming companies in the Roanoke – Blacksburg region and vote for their favorite. The highest votes receives the People’s Choice Award.

 


As of March 28 (5pm) Nominations are Now Closed.

Take Five with Steve Critchfield, President of MOVA Technologies

Take Five is an ongoing RBTC question and answer series where we glean insights from local CEOs and technology leaders in the Roanoke-Blacksburg area.


In 1984 Steve Critchfield started a small tele-communication company that grew into what was to become Tele-Works in 1986. When it was sold in 2014, it provided electronic payments, such as utility payments and parking tickets, to local governments in 38 states, and three Canadian provinces. In addition, Steve started a small real estate development company and established over 50 rental properties at Rocky Acres, 10 miles from Virginia Tech in Ellett Valley. He has also helped young entrepreneurs start over 5 other companies – 4 of which have been successfully sold to larger companies. Steve’s philanthropic partnership with Virginia Tech has established the Steger Poetry Prize, the largest creative writing/poetry award of any university in both the US and Europe and
the Aaron Slack Memorial Diversity and Social Justice Fund which provides scholarships to deserving students in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and funding to support programs and activities in the college which promote diversity and social justice.

Through his own contributions and other funds raised, he established the City Manager and Finance Program within the Virginia Tech Center for Public Administration and Policy. Partnering with the Virginia Local Government Management Association, the program offers graduate-level training in local government management that both prepares pre-career students for capable public service at the local level and enhances the capacities of existing local government employees who aspire to be town, city, or county managers or assistant/deputy managers, or finance officers.
The program has now graduated over 200 students, and was recently awarded the top program by the International City Managers Association.

Steve’s lastest venture is Mova Technologies, an emerging technology company whose purpose is to “commercialize the patented method and apparatus for capturing particulate matter while utilizing panel-bed filtration technology… [resulting in reduced] maintenance and operating filtration costs associated with burning coal at coal-fired power plants while improving overall emission quality.”


 

RBTC: What are some of the regional resources that have contributed to your success?

Steve Critchfield: There were no true resources when I started my first company, Tele-Works, Inc., in October 1986. I began my own advisory board made up of business people, various Virginia Tech people, banks, and members of the telecommunications community around the country. Throughout the years of business, I continued to use an advisory board, which included other CEO’s.  I hope the RBTC will make it much easier to begin my new company, Mova Technologies, INC, through the many resources that they have made available to local technology startups.

RBTC: What makes the Roanoke-Blacksburg region such a good fit for your company?

Steve Critchfield: Personally, it is a good fit because I prefer to live in this area. This region has so much natural beauty and is less crowded than other areas in the state. It is also great to have access to like-minded individuals to bounce ideas off of and glean experience from. Though it is often referred to as the Roanoke-Blacksburg region, it really extends from Botetourt County to Pulaski County. The New River and Roanoke Valleys offer enough space for a new company to grow and flourish. There is a lot of great energy here, which also stems directly from the universities. Business owners should utilize these sources for potential employees from the idea generation to actual deployment and human resources.

RBTC: If you could give one piece of advice to a fellow entrepreneur, what would in be?

Steve Critchfield: Network! There are people that can help you with problems because they’ve already handled the same issues before. Utilize specific networking. If you have banking issues, speak with a banker. Many people starting new businesses seek me out, and I tell them to get plugged in with the RBTC, and start reaching out to folks who have gone before them, seek guidance.

RBTC: What is one lesson you have learned over time that has made an impact on your business’ day-to-day operations?

Steve Critchfield: Do not make decisions too quickly. Learn to gather information, listen to people, and if possible, take a few days to make a decision. Creating a good Board of Directors is also important. Build it out of smart people who are willing to challenge you. Don’t take offense to their changes; they are challenging your business idea, not you personally. Lastly, do not let your ego get in the way.  If you are not ready for a Board, set up an advisory board always seek input from others then make your decision.

RBTC: How would you like to see the Roanoke-Blacksburg region develop over the next 5 years?

Steve Critchfield: I would consider myself to be a “regionalist”. I grew up in Northern Virginia, which was/is a region, but I love this area. I hope to see the region become one unit working together instead of cities and towns. I know that the jurisdictions will stay the same, but I don’t want to feel the separation. I want to see the cities, towns, and counties keeping their individualities but working as one. I have jokingly, but with some seriousness, told people that I would like to re-name or nickname I-81 (from 581 to the Blacksburg bypass) the “Roanoke-Blacksburg Connector. ?I hope to see this region continue to pull together to bring higher paying jobs to this area. I want the Roanoke-Blacksburg region to become louder, stronger, and to attract more businesses, and people to our region, so that graduates who want to stay are able to.

RBTC Featured On Cox Connections TV

Roanoke-Blacksburg Technology Council president and CEO Jonathan Whitt was recently interviewed on Cox Connections TV. Check out the video and summary from the Cox 9 website:

“The Roanoke-Blacksburg Technology Council is a non-profit member-driven association of businesses and organizations in the greater Roanoke-Blacksburg region, working together to promote the growth and success of the region’s technology sector. Each year, the RBTC holds the TechNite Awards Banquet to celebrate the amazing achievements in technology-focused-entrepreneurship, innovation, and leadership from across the region! The RBTC President and CEO, Jonathan Whitt, talks more about it and which individuals were honored this year in this segment from Cox Connections.”