Association of Continuity Professionals ACP Blog

Do you have an emergency plan for your pets?

Thu, 10 Apr 2025 11:38:27 GMT

Our pets are important members of our family, so they need to be included in your family’s emergency plan. At ACP, we have valuable resources and community connections within our chapters to support you. Check out our ACP Pet Photos here – they happily belong to owners who are committed to ACP for support in their careers and personal lives. 

Here are some helpful tips from www.ready.gov to get you started or serve as a reminder as you refresh your plans.

Make a plan.

Have an evacuation plan for your pet. Many public shelters and hotels do not allow pets inside. Know a safe place where you can take your pets before disasters and emergencies happen.

Develop a buddy system. Plan with neighbors, friends or relatives to make sure that someone is available to care for or evacuate your pets if you are unable to do so.

Have your pet microchipped. Make sure to keep your address and phone number up-to-date and include contact information for an emergency contact outside of your immediate area.

Contact your local emergency management office, animal shelter or animal control office to get additional advice and information if you’re unsure how to care for your pet in case of an emergency.

Build an emergency kit.

Food. Keep several days’ supply of food in an airtight, waterproof container.

Water. Store a water bowl and several days’ supply of water.

Medicine. Keep an extra supply of the medicine your pet takes on a regular basis in a waterproof container.

First aid kit. Talk to your veterinarian about what is most appropriate for your pet’s emergency medical needs.

Collar with ID tag and a harness or leash. Include a backup leash, collar and ID tag. Have copies of your pet’s registration information and other relevant documents in a waterproof container and available electronically.

Traveling bag, crate or sturdy carrier, ideally one for each pet.

Grooming items. Pet shampoo, conditioner and other items, in case your pet needs some cleaning up.

Sanitation needs. Include pet litter and litter box (if appropriate), newspapers, paper towels, plastic trash bags and household chlorine bleach to provide for your pet’s sanitation needs.

A picture of you and your pet together. If you become separated from your pet during an emergency, a picture of you and your pet together will help you document ownership and allow others to assist you in identifying your pet.

Familiar items. Put favorite toys, treats or bedding in your kit. Familiar items can help reduce stress for your pet.

Stay informed.

Being prepared and staying informed of current conditions. Here are some ways you can stay informed:

Pay attention to wireless emergency alerts for local alerts and warnings sent by state and local public safety officials.

Listen to local officials when told to evacuate or shelter in place.

Download the FEMA app and get weather alerts from the National Weather Service, for up to five different locations anywhere in the United States.

Always bring pets indoors at the first sign or warning of a storm or disaster.

Winter Ready, Are You? Ensuring Safety and Resilience During Winter Weather

Wed, 26 Feb 2025 19:32:39 GMT

Winter Ready, Are You? Ensuring Safety and Resilience During Winter Weather

For unlimited access to best practice resources and some of the most talented resiliency professionals in our industry, consider a membership with the Association for Continuity Professionals (ACP). We’ve seen tremendous growth in the risk and resiliency professions and ACP is the perfect partner to accelerate your career. Annual membership fees are highly competitive and provide access to initiatives at both the national and local levels, with 25 chapters (and growing!) throughout the country. Check out www.acp-international.com for more exciting benefits and member recognition opportunities, and contact us at staff@acp-international.com to join today!

As we navigate the tail end of winter, it's still important to keep our business, our employees and our homes safe and ready for any harsh weather that might come our way. From freezing temperatures to snowstorms, winter can throw a lot at us. Here are two handy checklists to help you stay safe and warm.

Winter Weather Checklist for Families

Home Preparation:

Inspect Heating System:
- Schedule a professional inspection for your furnace or heat pump.
- Replace or clean filters if it has been more than 6 months.
Check Insulation:
- Ensure proper insulation around water pipes.
- Seal any gaps and cracks in windows and doors.
Prepare Chimney and Fireplace:
- Have your chimney cleaned and inspected.
- Stock up on firewood or alternative heating supplies.
Inspect Roof and Gutters:
- Clean gutters to prevent ice dams.
Test Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors:
- Replace batteries and test all detectors.
Stock Emergency Supplies:
- Flashlights and extra batteries.
- Non-perishable food and bottled water (enough for at least 3 days).
- First aid kit and necessary medications.
- Warm clothing, blankets, and sleeping bags.
- Battery-powered or hand-crank radio.
- Extra pet food and supplies, if applicable.
Prepare a Winter Car Kit:
- Ice scraper and snow brush.
- Jumper cables and tire chains.
- Blankets, warm clothes, and snacks.
- Small shovel and kitty litter or sand for traction.
- Emergency flares or reflectors.

Safety Measures:

Create a Family Emergency Plan:
- Establish a meeting place and communication plan.
Know How to Shut Off Utilities:
- Learn how to shut off water, gas, and electricity in case of an emergency.
Protect Pipes from Freezing:
- Insulate exposed pipes.
- Allow faucets to drip during extreme cold.
- Open cabinet doors under sinks to allow warm air to circulate.
Plan for Power Outages:
- Have a backup heating source like a generator or portable heater (ensure proper ventilation).
- Charge all electronic devices and have backup power banks.

Winter Weather Checklist for Businesses

Business Preparation:

Inspect Heating System:
- Schedule a professional inspection for your HVAC system.
- Replace or clean filters.
Check Insulation:
- Ensure proper insulation in the building, especially around pipes.
- Seal any gaps and cracks in windows and doors.
Maintain Roof and Gutters:
- Inspect and repair any damage to the roof.
- Clean gutters to prevent ice dams.
Test Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors:
- Replace batteries and test all detectors.
Stock Emergency Supplies:
- Flashlights and extra batteries.
- Non-perishable food and bottled water.
- First aid kit and necessary medications.
- Warm clothing and blankets.
- Battery-powered or hand-crank radio.
- Snow and ice removal supplies (shovels, salt, sand).

Business Continuity:

Create an Emergency Response Plan:
- Develop and communicate a plan for employees in case of severe weather.
- Establish a communication tree for updates and instructions.
Backup Important Data:
- Ensure all critical business data is backed up and accessible remotely.
- Test remote access systems for employees to work from home if needed.
Review Insurance Coverage:
- Confirm that your business insurance covers winter weather-related damages.
Prepare for Power Outages:
- Have a backup power source like a generator (ensure proper installation and ventilation).
- Keep electronic devices charged and have backup power banks.

2024 Chairman's Report

Tue, 07 Jan 2025 13:04:13 GMT

2024 ACP Chairman's Report.pdf

Member Spotlight: Senorajoy "Joy" Weddington

Fri, 02 Aug 2024 19:11:50 GMT

Weddington joined the ACP in October 2023. Her career aspirations and passions are in the field of resilience and continuity planning. Weddington strongly believes resilience and continuity planning is necessary to strengthen communities and increase their ability to recover from hazards. Her home chapter is ACP DC. Weddington was appointed to the ACP Board of Directors in February 2024 as the Director of Leadership Engagement. In this position Weddington mentors emerging leaders, develops and encourages the implementation of programs and initiatives to attract new people to the field of resilience, as well as collaborate with board members to ensure the success of the ACP DC chapter.

Additionally, Weddington is also involved in the development team of a new ACP Special Interest Group (SIG) for young careerists. The goal of the new Young Careerist SIG is to mentor early career resilience professionals, connect them to resources within the organization, and provide opportunities for networking. Weddington’s membership in ACP has been extremely valuable. As an active member of ACP she has made strong industry connections within our field through the in person meeting at the DRJ Spring conference, joint chapter meetings, and through the online LinkedIn community. There are also many opportunities for continuous learning through webinars, workshops, and special chapter presentations. The ACP also offers scholarship opportunities for active members. Weddington was honored to be selected as one of the DRJ-ACP Spring 2024 scholarship winners.

Currently, Senorajoy “Joy” Weddington is a Resilience Planner for the Maryland Office of Resilience (MOR) within the Maryland Department of Emergency Management (MDEM). Weddington has a Bachelor’s of Science in Emergency Management with a minor in Sociology from Millersville University. She is also an Associate Business Continuity Professional (ABCP) certified by the DRII.

Wait, It Gets Worse: Early Lessons from the CrowdStrike Crisis

Thu, 01 Aug 2024 13:02:41 GMT

Wait, It Gets Worse Early Lessons from the Crowdstrike Crisis.pdf

11th Edition Crisis Management Assessment

Mon, 03 Jun 2024 12:12:18 GMT

Our 11th Edition Crisis Management Study is Live!

Participate Today to Receive Your Complimentary Report (aggregate report on all study participants) & a Customized Crisis Management Dashboard - Both Coming in September 2024!

(Customized Dashboards are Available by Industry or Organizational Annual Revenues)

Participate in Study

Please share - a better response enhances our assessment for the profession.

Completely confidential. At a minimum, we will need an email address (may be personal) to send the complimentary report and customized dashboard. We do not need your company name.

Please ensure that 1 person from your organization who manages Resiliency planning (Business Continuity, Disaster Recovery, or Crisis Management) participates unless multiple individuals manage different programs by business units, processes, or program scope.

BC Management (powered by Witt O'Brien's) is pleased to announce that our 11th Edition Crisis Management Study is live for participation. This study is globally recognized and will be used to assess how organizations prepare for and respond to different crises in addition to program enhancements coming in the new year. The survey will take approximately 30 minutes to complete.

As a study participant you'll receive data findings on the following:

- Impacts to the business operations and personnel

- Downtime and financial loss by event

- Lessons learned - what was successful and not successful

- Executive involvement and oversight

- Program enhancements to advance resilience management

Who should participate?

- Participants must work in Resiliency planning (Business Continuity, Disaster Recovery, Crisis Management, or Crisis Communications).

- Contract/ Fixed term consultants are discouraged from participating unless they are responding exclusively on behalf of one client. If so, the entire study must be completed on behalf of one client.

Why participate?

- Study participants will receive a complimentary report of the study findings and a customized Crisis Management dashboard (a peer assessment based on industry or organizational revenues).

- BC Management has been conducting BCM data metrics research/ assessments since 2001.

- The response is immense, driven by the value the results provide.

- The scope is world-wide, due to our extensive contacts and partnerships.

- Completely confidential - We will not retain your email address unless you opt-in. Your contact information is never shared with external parties.

Please direct any questions to info@bcmanagememt.com. If you participated in a previous study, but didn't receive your corresponding complimentary report, please contact info@bcmanagememt.com.

Thank you in advance for participating. We look forward to sharing the results.

Thank you,

~ Your BC Management & Witt O'Brien's Team

Member Spotlight: Dr. Bernard Jones

Mon, 03 Jun 2024 12:10:32 GMT

"Hello, fellow members of the ACP! I’m humbled and honored to be part of the ACP Member Spotlight! I serve on our national board as the chair of our newly created Special Interest Group (SIG) initiative. Our SIGs will focus on three industries during 2024: Early Careerists, Healthcare, and Finance/Banking. Forming SIGs facilitates focused collaboration and engagement around areas critical to our industry and the ACP. Please join me on this vital mission, and don’t hesitate to contact me directly if you want to learn more about this initiative and participate in some exciting work! I am also a card-carrying “pracademic” (academic, practitioner, and researcher), constantly diving into topics of interest, including emotional intelligence, business continuity metrics, and racial and ethnic disparities in emergency management. Reach out anytime, and let’s chat!

There is so much to say when asked what the ACP has meant to me over the years. No other professional organization devoted to business continuity demonstrates a true passion for networking, promotes professional development, and actively encourages member engagement. We have no rivals in these areas! For nearly 25 years, I have had the pleasure to serve as a member, chapter leader, and national board member, and I am just as excited today as I was when I joined in 2005. The ACP continues to promote a community of like-minded practitioners, educators, and researchers eager to share knowledge and push us forward as an industry. The ACP has significantly impacted my professional and personal life through all the evolved connections and friendships I have built and nurtured. I take pride in serving as a national board member and am excited about our trajectory as we continue to promote resilience and business continuity best practices in 2024 and beyond!"

Announcement: The 22nd Edition Global Compensation Report for Resiliency Professionals is Published!

Mon, 20 May 2024 17:09:34 GMT

The 22^nd Edition Global Compensation Report for Resiliency Professionals highlights how different factors may impact a professional’s earning potential in the Resiliency profession and related disciplines (Business Continuity, Disaster Recovery, Emergency Management, and Crisis Management). The annual study assesses not only years of experience, job titles, degree, and certifications, but also real-world experience and leadership skills. This complimentary report details key findings and trends for both permanently employed professionals as well as contract/temporary/self-employed consultants within the Resilience Management profession on a global basis. This year’s report highlights several trends and insights that remained consistent with 2023, albeit with a slight downturn in the market. While the report unveils nuances in earning potential and career trajectories, it also serves as a compass navigating through the currents of the job market for Resiliency professionals.

TOP FINDINGS

Wage Growth: -2.5% Globally (+2.4% USA, +8.1% UK, and +8.4% Canada)
Global Distribution of Annual Base Compensations: $10,000 - $380,000 USD
Professionals with an Advanced Degree: 84%
Respondents who are Certified: 81%
Changed Jobs in Last Year: 27% (12% New Company)
Unemployment Rate for BCM Profession: 2%

A complimentary copy of this report is available at https://www.wittobriens.com/resources/22nd-edition-global-compensation-report. Please feel free to download and share with others.

Seeking data tailored to your peer group (by job title or years of expertise)? Confidentially participate in this study (by November 30^th) to unlock your customized dataset.

Tap into this data to benchmark your earning potential and elevate your marketability.

ACP & DRJ Scholarship

Fri, 05 May 2023 18:14:44 GMT

ACP and DRJ are pleased to announce a joint Scholarship opportunity exclusively for ACP Members. This collaboration is open to any ACP Member who could benefit from attending a DRJ Conference but currently may be too much of a financial burden. The Scholarship itself is a “needs based” complimentary DRJ Conference Pass. All you need do to qualify is to apply and tell us why attending DRJ is important to you and, in general, why you qualify as “needs based.” Your application will be held in strict confidence and will not be made public without your express permission.

Who is eligible to apply?

Any ACP Member in good standing. This includes an individual Corporate Member, Student Member and Retiree Member.

When is the application deadline?

June 1, 2023.

When will I be notified if my application has been approved?

June 8, 2023.

What are the details of the Scholarship?

One complimentary DRJ Conference pass for DRJ Fall 2023. It does not include transportation, hotel, or other expenses.

Where should I send the application?

Staff@ACP-International.com

What should be included in the application?

A few paragraphs on why attending DRJ is important to you. This might include good networking opportunities for your career, making connections to people who can help you with your career challenges or Sessions that could enhance your professional resume. As this is a “needs based” Scholarship, please also include a brief explanation of why you should be eligible as well as two references from colleagues or fellow ACP members who support your desire to attend.

Finally, ACP will ask the winner(s) to write a brief trip report on their DRJ conference experience and permission for ACP and DRJ to publish it post conference.

2022 Annual Report From ACP Chairman

Mon, 03 Apr 2023 19:18:19 GMT

Dear ACP Members:

It gives me great pleasure to share with you this report detailing the activities, accomplishments, and challenges during 2022 as well as the strategic direction of your Association as we enter our 40th year in 2023. This also gives me an opportunity to express my sincere appreciation to your national board of directors, our committee members, and most importantly our chapter leaders all of whom played a major role towards ensuring our organization will continue to serve as the preeminent voice of the continuity profession for many years to come.

Like most non-profit associations, ACP faced a variety of unprecedented challenges during 2020 and 2021 both on a national as well as a chapter level. The pandemic initially resulted in a nearly complete halt to the value-added benefits our members depend on and which form the basis of our Vision and Mission, namely, networking and professional development. As we entered 2022 your national leadership recognized that strategic changes were needed to assist in our recovery and long term sustainability.

The Road to Recovery, Viability, and Relevance

The first step in this recognition process was the creation of a short-term action plan late in the first quarter of 2022. This call to action included:

• Re-establishing ACP’s operational structure.

• Developing a one-year strategic plan.

• Restoration of the Association’s financial viability.

• Creation of a membership growth and retention program.

• A renewed focus on establishing non-dues revenue sources.

• Expansion of value-added services with priorities on professional development and networking.

• Providing increased support and enhanced communications to our network of 30 chapters.

Internal Operations

Following several months of needs assessment, ACP contracted with Raleigh, NC-based First Point Management Resources on May 1, 2022. FPMR is one of the most admired association management companies in North America and is accredited by the AMC Institute. Fewer than 90 association management companies in the world have achieved this accreditation. A revised scope of work was completed which resulted in a significant reduction in the cost associated with this service. A transition committee comprised of national and chapter leadership and FPMR representatives completed this changeover in what can only be described as unprecedented from the standpoint of the length of time it took to successfully accomplish.

Your Voice Was Heard

In April the association forwarded a series of surveys to our current members, past members, chapter leaders, and the national board of directors. The findings from these surveys created a foundation for a two-day strategic planning session in June which included ACP’s board of directors, an external association management consultant, and three of our chapter leaders. These meetings resulted in the creation of the following Key Results Areas (KRA’s):

• Ensure that ACP has the appropriate technology to increase efficiency and usability to enable us to meet our mission.

• From a finance and operational perspective, the national leadership shall ensure transparent, accurate, and professional governance of its internal and external operations.

• Create meaningful, sustainable, and measurable connections through engagement across the membership of ACP.

• Reinvent the professional relationship between chapters and the national organization to ensure membership value and the long-term success across all of ACP.

• Design and implement a diverse professional development program as a way for our members to expand their knowledge base.

The strategic plan also included a revised Mission Statement:

ACP connects and supports a diverse community of continuity and resilience professionals.

Your leadership is pleased to report that significant progress on the achievement of these KRA’s was made as 2022 came to an end and that the 2023 Key Results Areas are being finalized and will be shared with the membership shortly.

Communications

Recognizing the importance of transparency as these new objectives were launched I took the opportunity, along with several national board members, to deliver monthly reports to the Chapter Presidents Council. In addition ACP updates were given during the DRJ Spring and DRJ Fall Conferences as well as individual meetings with nine chapter leadership teams. These sessions were overwhelming positive and, in the case of the chapter presentations, resulted in a significant increase in the relationship between the national organization and our chapters which, as we all know, are the lifeblood of our organization.

Committees

This report also provides an opportunity to express my sincere gratitude and that of the membership for the incredible progress made by our committees during the year. Without their dedication and focus on the future we certainly could not have accomplished what we did in 2022 and what we will accomplish in 2023.

Those committees include:

• Professional Development

• Technology

• Chapter Relations

• Chapter Development

• Marketing

• Strategic Partnerships

• Finance

Financial

While the financial results for the year ending December 31, 2022 resulted in a small net loss for the Association this loss was primarily related to non-recurring expenditures associated with the transition in association management companies which was fully anticipated and planned for. As we entered 2023 overall cash flow was strong and the Finance Committee submitted a fiscal year budget to the board of directors which reflected a positive bottom line. The Committee will be meeting on at least a quarterly basis this year to ensure that attention is given to any and all variances to our financial projections.

On the one year anniversary of our contract with FPMR we anticipate that our positive financial projections will allow us to expand upon the scope of work which will result in both increased and enhanced services from our association management company. As always, our focus will be on utilizing our financial resources to best serve you, our members, and to provide the value added benefits you have come to expect from ACP.

2023 Focus

As previously referenced, your national leadership team is finalizing our objectives for 2023 and we look forward to sharing those with you shortly. I’ve detailed below a short overview of what you might expect to see this year:

• Continued improvements in the utilization of technology to best serve our members and the business continuity community.

• Structured efforts to attract new members and retain those we currently have.

• Enhanced communications both internally and externally with an increased focus on social media.

• Ongoing support of our chapter network including regular training opportunities for their leadership teams.

• Identification of geographic areas which would support the development of new chapters and recruiting volunteers to lead these efforts.

• A return to live events on a regional basis.

• Diversification of revenue sources with increased emphasis on non-dues revenue generation.

• Creation of programs such as internships and mentoring to support the future of our profession.

In closing, it has been an incredible honor to serve as ACP’s chairman over the past year and somewhat humbling that your national board of directors chose me to serve a second term in 2023. You have my commitment that my focus, and that of the board members, is on continuing our progress towards enhanced relevancy and future success. As always, please feel more than free to reach out to me and your leadership both nationally and locally with your thoughts, concerns, and valued input. And finally, thank you for being champions of individual and community resiliency.

Sincerely,

Michael “Giff” Gifford

Chairman of the Board

ACP Garden State 2023 Speaker Series

Sat, 01 Apr 2023 19:42:28 GMT

Be Nice!

Avery Church — Wed, 29 Mar 2023 13:31:33 GMT

If you are new to the world of continuity, you may eventually begin seeking advice on how to be the best planner you can be. The gathering and use of advice is the secret sauce the creates many successful people.

In this case, starting a new profession can be both exciting and overwhelming. You are trying to learn the ins and outs of your job, impress your colleagues and superiors, and establish yourself in your new workplace. While it may be tempting to focus solely on your job responsibilities, it is important to remember the value of being a nice person when you are new to a profession.

Being a nice person can make a significant impact on your success in continuity. Here are some reasons why:

Building relationships: When you are new to a profession, it is important to build relationships with your colleagues. Being friendly and approachable can make it easier for your colleagues to connect with you, and it can help you build a strong network within your workplace. This principle applies to others that you may interact with. Building relationships can also help you learn about your job, as your colleagues can offer you advice and guidance as you navigate your new position.
Improving teamwork: Please believe me when I tell you this: continuity requires teamwork. Being a nice person can improve your ability to collaborate effectively with your colleagues. When you are friendly and supportive, your colleagues are more likely to want to work with you, which can help you achieve your goals more quickly and efficiently.
Enhancing your reputation: Your reputation is important, especially when you are new to a profession. Being nice can help you establish a positive reputation in your workplace. Your reputation is what gets you into places you need to be. Your colleagues and superiors are more likely to view you as a collaborator and someone who is easy to work with if you are friendly, kind, and respectful.
Increasing job satisfaction: When you are new to a profession, it can be challenging to adjust to your new job and workplace. Being a nice person can help you feel more comfortable and confident in your new position. When you have positive relationships with your colleagues, it can make your work environment more enjoyable, and it can increase your overall job satisfaction.

In summary, being a nice person when you are new to a profession can have a significant impact on your success. It can help you build relationships, improve teamwork, enhance your reputation, and increase your job satisfaction. So, as you embark on your new job, remember the importance of being friendly, approachable, and respectful. Your kindness can go a long way in helping you succeed and will give a good name to continuity planners and managers around the world.

Margin Call - The Movie That Keeps On Giving

Avery Church — Tue, 14 Mar 2023 20:13:31 GMT

Many headlines for the past few days have been focused on the happenings at Silicon Valley Bank and the resulting contagion within the financial industry. I believe this to be a fitting time to bring my career and one of my favorite movies onto the same plane. The career is business continuity, and the movie is “Margin Call”.

For those of you they have suffered the indignities of not watching this work of art, "Margin Call" is a 2011 movie that tells the story of a group of employees at a Wall Street investment bank who discover that the firm's holdings of mortgage-backed securities are on the verge of causing a catastrophic financial collapse.

As it relates to what we all do as professionals, there are several takeaways in this movie. In general, the movie highlights the importance of crisis management, a key component to a continuity capability, in several ways:

Identifying the crisis: The first step in crisis management is to identify that a crisis exists. In "Margin Call," the crisis is identified by one of the risk management employees who discovers that the firm's mortgage-backed securities portfolio is much riskier than previously thought. A key aspect here is that the identifying employee was not one of the highly compensated employees. No, they were simply doing their boring job in risk management and deemed it necessary to take a risk by telling their boss that there was a big problem.

Assessing the risks: Once the crisis has been identified, the next step is to assess the risks associated with it. In the movie, the risk management team calculates that the firm will face losses of over $8 billion if it doesn't take immediate action. The movie also illustrated the need to see the larger picture because the identified risk was not just with their firm but, like in today's, news the contagion could spread to other financial institutions. This information needed to be considered in order to make a good decision.

Communicating with stakeholders: Crisis management involves communicating with stakeholders, such as clients, shareholders, and employees, to keep them informed about the situation and any actions being taken by the organization. In the movie, the firm's executives hold a series of meetings with key stakeholders to explain the crisis and what they are doing to manage it.

Taking action: The most critical, and sometime scary, aspect of crisis management is taking action to mitigate the crisis. In "Margin Call," the firm's executives decide to sell off the toxic mortgage-backed securities portfolio to minimize the losses and stabilize the company's financial position. This was a fateful decision because it supercharged the contagion while offering the possibility of the saving the firm.

Learning from the crisis: Crisis management also involves learning from the crisis to prevent similar situations from occurring in the future. In this case, the risk management team discovers that the firm's risk models were flawed and did not adequately account for the risks associated with mortgage-backed securities.

Overall, "Margin Call" underscores the importance of crisis management in preventing catastrophic financial losses and maintaining the trust of stakeholders. It highlights the need for quick and decisive action, effective communication, and ongoing efforts to improve risk management processes to prevent future crises.

Participate in the BCM Compensation Study before March 31

Wed, 01 Mar 2023 19:08:51 GMT

Our 21st Edition BCM Compensation Study is Live
Confidentially Participate by March 31st!

Participate today to receive your complimentary trending report (aggregate report on all study participants) & a Customized BCM Compensation Dashboard! (customized dashboards are available by job title or years of BCM experience.) Learn more about our BCM Compensation Report & BCM Peer Compensation Dashboards (video from 2022).

Two Study Links Available:

Permanently Employed, Unemployed, or Retired Professionals

Participate in Study
Independent Consultants or Fixed Term Contractors

Participate in Study

Watch the informational video below highlighting helpful tips when completing the study and the value behind the data.

Please share with your colleagues - a better response enhances our assessment for the profession.

BC Management is pleased to announce that we are partnering with The BCI for our 21st BCM Compensation Study. This study is globally recognized as the premier compensation assessment for Business Continuity/Resiliency professionals. Our thorough study assesses your earning potential by years of experience, degree, years of management and leadership expertise, geography, certification and much more. The survey will take approximately 20-30 minutes to complete.

Participation in the survey is complimentary and confidential.

Who should participate?

- Participants must be responsible for contingency/ resiliency planning/ crisis management/ crisis communications.

- Study accommodates planners to global managers as well as consultants employed on a full-time/ permanent basis and contract/ fixed term.

Why participate?

- Study participants will receive a complimentary copy of the study findings.

- BC Management has been conducting BCM data metrics research/ assessments since 2001.

- The response is immense, driven by the value the results provide.

- The scope is world-wide, due to our extensive contacts and partnerships.

- The company is independent, as we are a neutral party on the results.

- Completely confidential - Only your email address will be kept on file for report distribution & future study notifications.

Thank you in advance for participating. We look forward to sharing the results.

February 15th: Understanding Business Continuity on a Systemic level – what is ISO 22301?

Wed, 15 Feb 2023 18:10:28 GMT

Panel Discussion:

Understanding Business Continuity on a Systemic level – what is ISO 22301?

ISO 22301 is a worldwide recognized standard used to help organizations understand risks and manage business continuity within their operations. Thousands of companies around the world have implemented and became independently certified to the standard, adding to its recognition as the de facto framework adopted by business continuity experts.
The standard defines business continuity management as part of an overall risk management approach to be taken by an organization. Implementing and certifying to the standard can be useful to show your company’s compliance to your clients or other stakeholders. ISO 22301 can leverage your business to acquire new customers by positioning your organization as a dependable supplier which will provide services and products with little risk to disruption.
This moderated panel Webinar will discuss the following topics:
• What is a Business Continuity Management System
• Understanding the ISO 22301 standard and its clauses
• Pitfalls, lessons learned and challenges of ISO 22301
• Advantages and disadvantages of adopting the standard

Featuring:

Fiona Raymond Cox

Fiona is founder of Raymond-Cox Consulting, a San Francisco-based boutique business continuity & emergency planning firm. She is a Fellow of the Business Continuity Institute (FBCI), serves as an Expert on ISO/TC 292 and an accredited ISO 22301 Lead Auditor. She received the 2020 BRMA Award of Excellence.

Kevin Cunningham

Kevin Cunningham is an internationally recognized speaker, and expert in business continuity, crisis management and disaster recovery.

Kevin is current the Head of Business Continuity and Crisis Management at Equinix, Inc, a California-based technology firm. Previously, Kevin was Vice President and Head of Global Business Continuity, Disaster Recovery, Crisis Management and Emergency Services at NBCUniversal. Until May of 2013, he was Americas Regional Head of Business Continuity, Crisis Management and Disaster Recovery for UBS AG, one of the world’s largest financial institutions, headquartered in Stamford, CT and Zurich, Switzerland.  Prior to his tenure at UBS, Mr. Cunningham worked for the City of New York as a Preparedness Specialist for the New York City Office of Emergency Management (OEM) creating BCM plans for City agencies and as Regional Preparedness Specialist for the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOH) in their Bureau of Emergency Management creating BCM plans for the Health Department. 

Kevin holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Journalism from Boston University and a Master of Science Degree in Emergency Management and Business Continuity also from Boston University.  He is a graduate of the Basic and Advanced Resiliency programs at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He is a Certified Business Continuity Professional (DRI CBCP), Certified Emergency Manager (IAEM CEM), is a fellow in Emergency Management from the Emergency Management Academy and is a member of several local and national Emergency Management and Business Continuity professional associations.  He holds certificates in FEMA Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP) as well as Incident Command System (ICS) at the 100, 200, 300 and 400 levels.

Mr. Cunningham has been a paramedic and EMS instructor in New York and Connecticut for three decades.

Gary Hull

Gary Hull is a Certified Lead Auditor for Business Continuity Management Systems (ISO 22301) and Information Security (ISO 27001). He works as a Project Manager for a member company of IAAR, the Independent Association of Accredited Registrars. In his role, Gary manages large, complex global accounts by overseeing, auditing, calibrating auditors worldwide, and ensuring their Business Continuity Management Systems follow requirements of global standards. Gary is well respected in the certification industry and often trains and speaks in conferences and other events.

February 15, 2023 1pm-2pm

February 9th: Business Continuity Professionals Support FEMA's Whole Community Response

Thu, 09 Feb 2023 18:08:07 GMT

Erika Andresen, CBCP, JD, MPA, is a recovering lawyer after nearly two decades of experience in both the corporate finance world and the military. Erika became a subject matter expert on national security and disaster preparedness and response while advising different commands on their authorities and during high-risk situations in Afghanistan. She also has extensive experience writing injects and acting as an observer/trainer/coach for large-scale military exercises. Her work with actual disasters led her to attain a Master of Public Affairs.

Erika left active duty in 2020 and has since started EaaS Consulting, LLC, with the goal of keeping businesses in business. To that end, she authored How to Not Kill Your Business: Grow Your Business in Any Environment, Navigate Volatility, and Successfully Recover When Things Go Wrong, a conversational introduction to business continuity enjoyed by CBCP practitioners and business owners alike. Erika is also a professor of emergency management for the MPA program at the University of Texas at El Paso. She has been quoted in articles for Forbes, Dark Reading, and MoneyGeek on the issues of business continuity and disaster preparedness.

My social media handles are on LI (personal and business)

https://www.linkedin.com/in/erika-andresen/ [linkedin.com]

https://www.linkedin.com/company/eaas-consulting-llc/ [linkedin.com]

February 9th, 2023 1pm-2pm

Register Here

Cyber Security And The Little Things

Avery Church — Tue, 10 Jan 2023 20:05:17 GMT

I think no one group of professionals is more sensitive to the tacit agreement society has made with technology than ours. Tech plays a significant role in modern society and has had a profound impact on how people live, work, and communicate.

Another of those impacts is how, or if, we become educated.

The Des Moines Public Schools canceled classes for Tuesday, January 10th due to a cyber security incident. Earlier on Monday, the district experienced an internet outage across its campuses due to unusual activity on the network and took the network offline as a preemptive measure.

The impact: Many of the technology tools needed for both classroom learning and the management and operation of the school district are not available at this time.

In our profession, these things are nightmare fuel, and we feel for the good folks of Des Moines.

On any day, small problems can become big problems causing systemic failure. This occurs when a small problem is part of a larger system, and the failure of that small part leads to the failure of the entire system, highlighting the need for us to be involved in a number of projects and business areas.

And systemic failures, though unavoidable at times, are the reason we continue to work diligently to craft plans and workarounds of the continued operation of our organizations.

Early Alert 2022-2023 Winter Season Outlook

Fri, 18 Nov 2022 14:42:28 GMT

Early Alert is a “team” of Emergency Managers, Meteorologist, Military Veterans and retired Fire Rescue and Law Enforcement, all boots on the ground supporting the private and public sectors who provide “Actionable” weather and all hazard threat intelligence alerting, driven by a “team” of subject matter experts (SME’s) and the Early Alert Global Watch Office, 24/7/365

Early Alert’s meteorologist is a professional with more than 40 years of comprehensive experience in meteorology and oceanography, physical and life sciences, weather management and operations, emergency management, research, education and technical training. He retired from the U.S. Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command in 2010 as a naval officer following a distinguished 30-year military career. During his tenure he served in a variety of positions of increased responsibility and complexity throughout the world both ashore and afloat.

Lessons From the Twitter Experience

Avery Church — Thu, 10 Nov 2022 18:54:47 GMT

Recently Elon Musk completed the contentious purchase of the popular website Twitter. As with all corporate movements, this acquisition came with several issues and challenges. One such challenge was the firing of an estimated 50% of staff.

This is prime case study for the continuity world.

During this transition Twitter realized it needed to "unfire" several staff that managed and executed important projects. This was a much-discussed issue in the news was preventable.

A quick consultation with the company's continuity planners and the associated plans would have been helpful assisting in this downsizing. One of the many items that we do and continuity professionals is identifying critical functions and the staff needed to perform them.

This event is a helpful reminder of the important work you all do. Each of the highly visible missteps that we read in the news is a reminder of how we play a part in the economy.

iluminr Sponsored Article: Three Microsimulations to help "recession-proof" your resilience budget

Thu, 10 Nov 2022 16:20:40 GMT

Author: Marcus Vaughan

The world isn’t in a recession just yet. Well…actually it depends on who you ask. There are a lot of different definitions floating around right now. But ask any economist for their take on the current financial climate and they’ll pretty much all tell you the same thing: the economy is slowing down worldwide.

And as they begin to sound the alarm bells, CFOs everywhere are starting to reevaluate their budgets and scale down spending.

While a budget reduction is obviously less than ideal for any organization, it doesn’t have to spell disaster for your resilience program. However, as a potential recession looms, it’s important to safeguard your budget in anticipation of belt-tightening.

For many businesses, resilience is an established and emphasized cornerstone of the organization’s risk management. For others, the critical role resilience plays in crisis mitigation isn’t fully embraced.

In either scenario, however, the resilience budget will come under scrutiny and potentially be cut down. As a resilience professional, ensuring that your executive team understands just how valuable a well-funded resilience program is to your organization, becomes mission critical.

So how do you go about “recession-proofing” your resilience budget and saving it from corporate cutbacks?

You show your executive team the importance of resilience through simulation.

This is much easier said than done, however. With time becoming an increasingly valuable currency for your already overbooked executives, you might not have the time or budget to run your C-Suite through a traditional tabletop exercise. That’s why iluminr has curated three Microsimulations you can run to bring attention to the organizational levers deemed critical in a recession. These 20-minute scenarios are a quick and efficient way to demonstrate the efficacy and necessity of your resilience program to your executive staff. Let’s break them down, one by one.

Microsimulation #1: Loss of a critical application – Customer Service

Strategic Objectives

· Mitigate unacceptable levels of customer churn

· Mitigate unacceptable levels of revenue loss

· Protect brand and reputation

Resilience Program Objectives

· Build awareness of critical system failures

· Validate impacts on customer

· Validate roles for response and recovery

When times turn bad, every customer counts. In a recession, customers are the lifeblood of survival, with churn being treated as public enemy #1. This is a fitting Microsimulation to start off with because it tangibly shows how a sufficiently funded resilience program can prevent financial losses in the case of an unforeseen disruption.

In this scenario, the problem is the loss of a critical application that directly impacts customer service. For an insurance company, this could be a claims system. For a bank or credit union, this could be the online banking or transaction service platforms. And for many organizations, it could be as simple as losing the CRM for an extended period.

This Microsimulation will touch not only on the threat to an organization’s brand and reputation when a critical application fails but also outline the deep and lasting impact on the bottom line. Outlining the potential financial impacts of this scenario empowers Resilience Managers to build a highly credible business case for the criticality of building in resilience at both an operational and strategic level. This includes the need for crisis communication, recovery and contingency planning.

Microsimulation #2: Life Safety

Strategic Objective

· Minimize harm to life in the workforce

Resilience Program Objectives

· Build awareness of life safety threats

· Build capability in immediate response

· Validate roles and responsibility

Above revenue goals, profits and business growth is employee well-being. Without employees, there is no business. And no employee will work in an environment where they don’t feel safe. They need to know inherently that their physical, emotional, and mental security is looked after. And in the case of an office emergency (fire, flood, active shooter event, etc), preparedness is everything to ensure the safety of all employees.

That’s what makes a life safety microsimulation so compelling. Financial officers can nitpick aspects of the budget, and try to justify that certain expenditures aren’t necessary. However, that conversation ceases when it comes to the safety of their employees. There are no corners that can be cut or pennies that can be pinched when it comes to preserving life.

By engaging your executive team in a Microsimulation about a life safety event, you’re guaranteed to get attention, participation, and ultimately, budgetary consideration.

Microsimulation #3: Competitor Brand Impact

Strategic Objective

· Create a strategic market competitive advantage

Resilience Program objectives

· Build awareness of the upside of resilience

· Build capability for proactive market response

· Validate roles and resources

A common misconception about resilience is that it is used solely as a tool for crisis mitigation and response. Far too few people see a well-funded and managed resilience program as a means of gaining a competitive advantage. This Microsimulation explores the scenario of a major market competitor experiencing customer and employee churn through their own poorly executed crisis response.

Instead of managing an internal crisis, the aim of this simulation is to take advantage of the failed resilience program of a competitor. When they falter and lose customers as a result, it’s an opportunity to capture their lost share of the market. To do so, you need to have a plan in place for this unique scenario. Money talks, and demonstrating to your executive team the potential of a financial boon as a result of a well-funded resilience program is an easy way to ensure funding.

In Closing…

With an economic downturn inevitable, executives everywhere will be looking for ways to trim the budget. The microsimulations listed above, as well as many others, are a cost-effective, and time-efficient way to demonstrate to your C-Suite that the resilience budget is a necessary expenditure. In fact, a well-funded resilience program can actively counter the recession and drive business growth. To learn more about microsimulations and include them in your resilience program, check out Resilience Fundamentals – a set of six Microsimulations designed to help leadership and response teams meet key program objectives such as validating roles, response protocols and plans.

Coming in January 2023! Deep Dive: Governance... The Next Chapter

Fri, 04 Nov 2022 19:49:45 GMT

Coming in January! This session covers the topic of governance in a way that can be easily applied to ACP chapter management. Governance is mostly about understanding organizational rules and requirements and acting in accordance with those rules at the appropriate time. Feedback from ACP chapter leaders identified governance training as a priority. All chapter leaders are encouraged to attend or review the recording of this session. After this session attendees will have reviewed:

· The key governance documents of associations and how they are used in decision making
· The primary duties of boards and why these types of rules are needed
· Annual planning cycles and how the board can address
· How to engage new volunteers in the governance process
· Questions and discussions of how to handle governance challenges

This session will be presented by Jim Booth, MSM, CAE. Jim is the former interim executive director of ACP and has served associations and nonprofits for 40 years. He is a Certified Association Executive and a strategic planning facilitator.

Webinar: "Where is the Next Generation of Resilience Professionals?"

Thu, 03 Nov 2022 20:17:27 GMT

November Webinar:
"Where is the Next Generation of Resilience Professionals?"

Presented by Lisa Jones and Milena Mavena

COVID-19 placed a spotlight on our industry and has grown a demand for resiliency professionals across all industries. Yet as organizations compete to find and retain qualified and experienced professionals, what are we doing within the industry to succession plan for the future? Have we become our own single point of failure? Lisa Jones and Milena Maneva, co-founders and managing partners of the Resilience Think Tank will share insights into the widening generation gaps in our profession and ways to find our leaders of tomorrow.

November 9th at 12pm EDT

Register Here:
https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_y4V1H34dTNeQohX4A_4I3A

Garden State Chapter Webinar- November 16

Fri, 28 Oct 2022 13:25:15 GMT

Hampton Roads Meeting October 26

Wed, 19 Oct 2022 15:18:17 GMT

Cheyene Marling Deep Dive - Register Now!

Mon, 10 Oct 2022 17:14:24 GMT

Deep Dive: Evolution in Resilience Management:
A Review on Key Trends

Resilience Management continues to evolve and this year our most recent report, the 13th Edition BCM Trends Report, highlights several program advancements. Not only has there been a continued shift in increasing the scope of Resilience Management capabilities and driving executive engagement. Now more than ever before, a majority of organizations have consolidated ownership of the Business Continuity program, along with other risk and resilience related disciplines, under Risk Management. Additionally, the data also indicates an increase in program investment strategies along with increasing personnel and outside support to assist in meeting program resiliency goals

Join Cheyene Marling as she reviews the most noteworthy trends from the 2022 BCM Trends Report and how you can utilize the data findings to assess your own program strategies and goals.

Cheyene is a global leader with over 20 years dedicated expertise specializing in the business continuity profession. She founded BC Management, Inc. in 2000, and she is responsible for overseeing staffing strategies and data research analytics for clients globally in addition to providing career assessments and coaching expertise. She previously served on the board for the Association of Continuity Professionals (ACP) of Los Angeles and Orange County in addition to the National Board for the ACP. Currently, she is an active professional on the Editorial Advisory Board for Continuity Insights and the DRJ Mentor Advisory Board. Cheyene was also the recipient of the inaugural ACP Hall of Fame award in 2006 and in 2010 she was awarded an Honorary MBCI by the Business Continuity Institute (BCI).

Thursday, October 13th
12pm EDT

Register now! [acp-international.us12.list-manage.com]

Central Arizona Chapter Meeting After DRJ Fall

Mon, 29 Aug 2022 15:46:29 GMT

Many members of ACP enjoy attending DRJ Spring and Fall. This year we are excited to work with the Central Arizona Chapter who is hosting a post-DRJ event in Phoenix on September 14, 12:30-2:30 pm. See the flyer below for details and email Joanne Storbeck joannestorbeck@fermwoodinc.com or Beth Bendos bbendos@qualcomm.com to register. The event is open to all members of ACP.

Welcome to the ACP Blog!

Thu, 18 Aug 2022 15:50:35 GMT

The ACP blog is a new tool to share information among members of ACP. We hope to have many, many guest bloggers and we're looking forward to sharing lots of information using this channel.

For those who may be less familiar with blogs, (weblogs,) think of something like a diary entry posted on the web and dealing with some experience or subject of interest. Blog posts tend to be fairly short - not more than a few paragraphs - and are often referenced through social media, as well.

If you feel like you'd like to try your hand at blogging, please reach out to the ACP staff. We'll be glad to post for you or to teach you how to access and post on the new ACP blog.

Jim