Hector V. Barreto, Chairman of The Latino Coalition and former
Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration, to deliver the
keynote address at event marking National Small Business Week
IRVINE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
The Travelers
Institute, the public policy division of The Travelers Companies,
Inc. (NYSE: TRV),
today will host its Small Business – Big Opportunity symposium to
discuss potential solutions to the threats currently facing small
businesses, including cyber breaches and predatory lending.
Reports show that while small businesses are regularly targeted by cyber
criminals, they may not be prepared to protect themselves against an
attack. For instance, Verizon’s 2018 Data Breach Investigations Report
found that 58 percent of small businesses reported being a victim of a
data breach in 2017. Yet, the 2017 Travelers
Risk Index found only 11 percent of the small business leaders who
were surveyed had created a cyber/data breach incident response plan.
“Small businesses are critically important contributors to the U.S.
economy, but they often need help tackling cyber incidents and other
unexpected events that can disrupt their operations,” said Behram
Dinshaw, Executive Vice President and President, Small Commercial at
Travelers. “We’re proud to hold this event during National Small
Business Week to arm small business owners with proven tips and tools to
overcome their challenges.”
The U.S. Small Business Administration Orange County/Inland Empire
District Office, the Orange County Inland Empire Small Business
Development Center (SBDC) Network and Small Business California will
join the Travelers Institute in hosting the event.
Hector V. Barreto, Chairman of The Latino Coalition and former
Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration, will deliver
the keynote address, which will focus on how small business owners can
engage their local government officials to help address obstacles.
“In business, it’s not as much about what you make — it’s about what you
get to keep,” said Barreto. “The greatest goal of a small business owner
is to keep more of what they make, and the ability to do that is
directly impacted by taxes and regulations, as well as the cost of
health care and energy. That’s why I encourage business owners of all
sizes to engage with the elected officials who are making the policies
impacting their business. The small business community’s voice matters,
and I believe we are being heard.”
The event will also feature a panel discussion on finding solutions to
small business challenges. Joan Woodward, President of the Travelers
Institute and Executive Vice President of Public Policy at Travelers,
will moderate and be joined by:
- Mike Daniel, Regional Director, Orange County Inland Empire SBDC
Network
- Ellen Lansden, Assistant United States Attorney, Cyber and
Intellectual Property Crimes Section, United States Attorney’s Office,
Central District of California
- Arturo Pedroza, Senior Risk Control Consultant, Risk Control, Travelers
- Stacy Procter, Attorney, Western Region – Los Angeles Office, Federal
Trade Commission
Visit the Travelers
Institute website for more information on the Small Business –
Big Opportunity series.
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 to 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
and casualty insurance for auto,
home
and business.
For more information, visit travelers.com.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180430005685/en/
Media:
The Travelers Companies, Inc.
Judy Senechal,
860-277-2366
jlsenech@travelers.com
Source: The Travelers Companies, Inc.