Michael Echols from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security will
address cyber security
PHILADELPHIA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
The Travelers
Institute, the public policy division of The Travelers Companies,
Inc. (NYSE: TRV),
today will bring its Small Business – Big Opportunity symposium
to the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, in partnership
with the Wharton Small Business Development Center and the Wharton Risk
Management and Decision Processes Center. The event, “Managing Risk:
Thriving After Cyber Threats, Natural Disasters, and More,” will convene
local entrepreneurs and leaders from government, academia, and the
private sector to discuss risk management.
The symposium will feature remarks from Michael Echols of the U.S.
Department of Homeland Security on cyber security and what small
businesses can do to protect themselves. Roch Parayre, Fellow, Wharton
Executive Education, The Wharton School and Managing Director, Decision
Strategies International, Inc., will deliver the keynote address,
“Leadership Decision-Making Under Conditions of Risk.”
“A computer virus or data breach could devastate a small business that
does not have the resources or controls to manage such a crisis,” said
Joan Woodward, President of the Travelers Institute and Executive Vice
President of Public Policy at Travelers. “Together with Wharton, we are
pleased to provide thoughtful guidance on how small businesses can
address cyber issues and other risks, so that they can survive and
thrive after interruptions.”
Woodward noted that cyber security is among the top concerns for small
businesses. In the 2015 Travelers
Business Risk Index, which was released today, nearly half of the
small business leaders surveyed report concerns about cyber threats.
While cyber security is a leading concern, only 17 percent of the small
businesses surveyed have a cyber/data breach response plan.
Woodward will moderate a panel discussion offering insight on how small
businesses can minimize cyber and other threats, and how to develop a
business continuity plan. Panelists will include:
- Ben Collier, Research Fellow, Risk Management and Decision Processes
Center, Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania;
- Michael Echols, Director, Joint Program Management Office, National
Protection and Program Directorate, U.S. Department of Homeland
Security; and
- Matthew Gardner, Regional President, AssuredPartners, Inc.
“Small business owners can no longer afford to be complacent about risk
from sources that range from cyber attacks to natural disasters,” said
M. Therese Flaherty, PhD, Director, Wharton Small Business Development
Center. “Smart preparations and risk mitigation can reduce the impact
from a survival threat to a small disruption.”
The Travelers Institute launched Small Business – Big Opportunity
in 2011 to raise awareness about a variety of concerns and solutions for
the country’s more than 28 million small businesses. Visit www.travelersinstitute.org/smallbusiness
for more information.
About the Wharton Small Business Development Center
The Wharton
Small Business Development Center (Wharton SBDC) was founded in 1980
at The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. Wharton SBDC is
now part of the Sol
C. Snider Entrepreneurial Research Center, Wharton Entrepreneurship,
widely acknowledged as one of the most influential entrepreneurial
centers in a business school. As part of the Pennsylvania SBDC network,
our mission is to aid small businesses in the Greater Philadelphia
region to start, grow and prosper and to enhance the education of
Wharton students.
About the Wharton Risk Management and Decision Processes Center
For three decades, the Risk
Management and Decision Processes Center at the Wharton School of
the University of Pennsylvania has been at the forefront of basic and
applied research to promote effective corporate and public policies for
improving risk communication, financing catastrophe losses, building
public-private partnerships and developing long-term strategies for
managing risks such as natural and man-made disasters. Providing
expertise and a neutral environment for discussion, the Center team is
also concerned with training decision makers and promoting a dialogue
among industry, government, interest groups and academics.
About Wharton School
Founded in 1881 as the first collegiate business school, the Wharton
School of the University of Pennsylvania is recognized globally for
intellectual leadership and ongoing innovation across every major
discipline of business education. With a broad global community and one
of the most published business school faculties, Wharton creates
economic and social value around the world. The School has 5,000 undergraduate, MBA, executive
MBA, and doctoral
students; more than 9,000 participants in executive
education programs annually and a powerful alumni
network of 93,000 graduates.
About the Travelers Institute
The Travelers
Institute, the public policy division of The Travelers Companies,
Inc., engages in discussion and analysis of public policy topics of
importance to the insurance marketplace and the financial services
industry more broadly. The Travelers Institute draws upon the industry
expertise of Travelers’ senior management, as well as the technical
expertise of many of Travelers’ underwriters, risk managers, and other
experts to provide information, analysis, and solutions to public
policymakers and regulators. Travelers is a leading provider of property
casualty insurance for auto,
home,
and business.
For more information, visit www.Travelers.com.
View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20150520005889/en/
Media Contact:
The Travelers Companies, Inc.
Judy
Senechal, 860-277-2366
C: 860-338-1384
jlsenech@travelers.com
Source: The Travelers Companies, Inc.