2014 NACDS Total Store Expo to feature two-part educational program on cybersecurity

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Cybersecurity experts will bring their experiences and best practices to the upcoming 2014 NACDS Total Store Expo in a two-part educational program designed to help attendees mitigate cybersecurity risks.



This year’s NACDS Total Store Expo will be held in Boston from Aug. 23 to 26.



The first of two Insight Sessions on cybersecurity — “Risk without rewards – what every executive should know about cybersecurity” — will take place on Sunday, Aug. 24 from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.



During this introductory session, two cybersecurity experts will provide an overview of cyber-crime and best practices to prevent it.  Steven P. Bucci, director of the Allison Center for Foreign and National Security Policy Studies, brings more than 30 years of expertise and leadership at the highest levels of government.  He led security efforts as Military Assistant under Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld following the 9/11 attacks and the war on terrorism.

He was later appointed Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense, Homeland Defense and Defense Support to Civil Authorities, acting as the primary civilian oversight of U.S. Northern Command.



Jim Schwarz, cyber security law specialist for Squire Patton Boggs, specializes in helping businesses identify and monitor the impact of cybersecurity risks. Along with his security expertise, he also brings an understanding of the retail and health industries to this Insight Session, having formerly served as an executive and legal counsel for both Fantles Drug Stores and Peoples Drug Stores.



The second of the two-part program on cybersecurity will take place on Monday, Aug. 25 from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m., with the Insight Session “What best in class companies are doing to mitigate cybersecurity risk.”



Mark Tanner, president of global security firm Arixmar East; Paul Calatayud, chief information security officer of Surescripts; and Tom Malatesta, CEO of Ziklag Systems, will lead the discussion highlighting ways that companies can strengthen their defense against a possible cybersecurity breach, including the importance of proactively building contingency and communications plans.



Retiring from the Federal Bureau of Investigation as the director of the Foreign Terrorist Tracking Task Force, Tanner has held director and executive level positions with a number of technology companies.  He currently serves as co-chairman of the FBI’s Infragard Cyber Security Special Interest Group for the Infragard National Capital Region Member Alliance.



Prior to Calatayud’s current role in managing the information security, audit and enterprise risk management with SureScripts, he served as director of information security for United Health Group. He previously served as an information security cryptographer in the Army, and held roles in information security with a number of government and private sector companies, including the Department of Defense, Medtronic and BAE Systems.



Malatesta brings private sector security and cybersecurity experience to this cybersecurity panel, serving in various leadership and advisory capacities for a number of private sector security and financial firms.  His current company, Ziklag Systems, provides security for mobile platforms globally.



“The best protection against cyber crime is preparation,” said NACDS president and CEO Steve Anderson. “NACDS is pleased to offer these two Insight Sessions in its continuing efforts to offer real-time, real-solutions-oriented programming for NACDS Total Store Expo attendees. With extensive background in government, intelligence, security and health, these cybersecurity experts will not only highlight the increasing challenges that come with cyber-crimes, but offer solutions and best practices to help retailers and suppliers protect their businesses from potential breaches.”