Tell us a little bit about yourself.

Michael: I have 20-plus years of experience in IT and cybersecurity, leading large organizations and consulting practices. I’ve worked in various industries, but primarily in financial services, which is where we now focus most of our attention at Richey May. 

Brent: I’ve had 12 years of working within associations. I’ve always been fascinated by small, intricate communities, such as those found in associations. You can make an incredible impact within these communities with focus, hard work and being intentional. 

What makes your company unique?

Michael: We have an unlimited training budget. Our team is capable of taking any training that they want that bolsters the team’s knowledge and skill sets. We attend all the major industry conferences, including Black Hat, DEF CON and local security conferences, to ensure that we stay up-to-date with local trends. 

We have mapped out and follow the industry standard for cyberattacks, which is the MITRE ATT&CK framework. That framework has documented the DNA of cyberattacks and each aspect of a cyberattack. There are over 600 different things that can happen during a cyberattack, but not many new ones are being added. It’s just a matter of understanding the unique ways that cybercriminals are employing these tools, tactics and techniques. 

Many people think cybersecurity is a mix of good and bad actors behind keyboards, typing simultaneously, whoever types faster wins, but that’s not what it is. Cybersecurity is not necessarily about preventing every hack that comes in. It’s a matter of building resilience so that when an attack happens, you’re prepared to take it on and prevent it from causing true damage. We want you to thrive securely. 

Brent: The majority of community banks don’t have the ability to go out and hire a full team of cybersecurity specialists. They might have an IT person or small team that has some cybersecurity background and knowledge, but to be able to protect an entire bank from a cyberattack is challenging. Community banks should, if not already, be looking for vendors with whom they can work, similar to Richey May. We understand the compliance side of the banking industry. We also understand where bad actors are most likely going to try to break into your company. We can then come up with a strategy to help make sure that not only do you have the right tools in place, but also a plan for handling any incidents that may occur.

There’s so much creativity in how to solve problems when it comes to cybersecurity and there are so many different devices, applications, physical hardware, software and on and on that companies have to plan for and consider in their strategy. I think leveraging a Cyber Advisory Firm like Richey May helps cut through all the noise and can streamline the process for thriving securely. That’s the real value in working with us. 

What do you love about your job? Why is being a member of ICBC important to you? 

Michael: I love the challenge that each new day brings. Every customer is different. Every network is different. Being able to strategize and help drive proactive measures or respond to an incident is thrilling.

Brent: I love that I get to be creative and have the autonomy to focus on making an impact within communities. I truly enjoy building relationships and finding different ways to bring value to the people around me, especially within associations. Being a member of ICBC is important to me, because I see an opportunity for Richey May to be a valuable resource to this community. I think we can bring a lot of education and awareness to the group and help provide guidance and support when needed. We are grateful for the opportunity.