May 2020 Member Exchange

A #SUPPORTSMALLBUSINESSCHALLENGE Nepwort Summer

AFTER HOURS ZOOM EVENT

SUMMER KICK-OFF Join the Emerging Leaders of Newport for their Virtual Summer Kick Off After Hours on Zoom! We will kick off the event with a summer cocktail demo courtesy of Saltwater.Discussion to be led by Adam Thayer, of Sayer Regan & Thayer, LLP, Ella Gonzalez, Director of Sales & Marketing, Newport Harbor Hotel & Marina, and Britt Riley, The Coggeshall Club.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3RD

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6:00 - 7:00 PM

Britt Riley Adam Thayer Ella Gonzalez Register at www.NewportChamber.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 3.24.20 CONTACT: Ashley Medeiros Connect Greater Newport Phone: 401.855.2214 ashley.medeiros@connectgreaternewport.com Connect Greater Newport Provides a Local Point of Contact for Businesses Newport, RI: Business owners in Newport and Bristol Counties who have been impacted by COVID-19 can access support through Connect Greater Newport’s Business Retention & Expansion program. This free resource, created through the Greater Newport Chamber of Commerce in partnership with municipal leaders, business owners, resources organizations and education institutions, is available to offer assistance, guidance and resources to help businesses overcome the challenges resulting from the Coronavirus.

“Although there are other resource organizations available to support the business community, we felt that it was important to have a dedicated local point of contact. COVID-19 is impacting every resident and stretching our local government to the limit. Connect Greater Newport is able to coordinate resources and convey information to ensure the needs of the business community are top of mind.” Shawn Brown, Town Administrator, Town of Middletown Connect Greater Newport’s goal is to ensure every business owner or leader is able to easily find information and access available resources. Through an up to date and comprehensive website businesses can find government mandates, resources, free offers, best practices and industry information. With a number of websites and publications providing COVID-19 information, Connect Greater Newport is differentiating this resource by developing a comprehensive site solely dedicated to the needs of local businesses.

“Our goal is to make accessing information as easy as possible. Small business owners are far too busy to dedicate hours searching multiple websites to find the information and resources they need. We want to alleviate some of the burden by streamlining this process and providing specific information.” Ashley Medeiros, Director Connect Greater Newport In addition to the information on the website, business owners can access free individualized one to one virtual, phone or email support. Connect Greater Newport Director Ashley Medeiris is available to provide guidance, answer questions and develop a customized list of resources. For more information or to schedule a virtual consultation go to www.connectgreaternewport.com/coronavirus-updates

About Connect Greater Newport: Connect Greater Newport is a regional economic development initiative launched by the Greater Newport Chamber of Commerce to serve the region’s business community. Connect Greater Newport’s mission is to support the growth of the region’s existing businesses and serve as a resource to attract new companies to the region. For more information about Connect Greater Newport visit www.connectgreaternewport.com.

About Greater Newport Chamber of Commerce: The Greater Newport Chamber of Commerce is one of the state’s largest business advocacy organizations, whose mission is to connect, innovate, enhance and advocate for the businesses of Greater Newport. As a trusted and reliable institution for nearly 100 years, the Greater Newport Chamber is a vibrant collective body of the greater Newport business community with nearly 1,100 members representing over 50,000 employees. We work to create valuable strategic partnerships, promote strong economic growth, diversity and prosperity to serve its members and the Greater Newport region. For more information about the Greater Newport Chamber of Commerce visit www.newportchamber.com

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 7, 2020 Contact: Bari Freeman (401) 924-3222 representing Paths to Progress Coalition Survey at: www.surveymonkey.com/r/BikingRI_coronavirus

Biking in the Time of Coronavirus: A STATEWIDE SURVEY OF PEOPLE ON BICYCLES Survey location: www.surveymonkey.com/r/BikingRI_coronavirus Are you seeing more people on bikes recently? Are you yourself riding more? The member organizations of ‘Paths to Progress’, Rhode Island’s statewide coalition for recreational and transportation paths are interested in your reasons for riding these days. Your input will help inform decisions about road use and what resources are most valuable to riders in your area and across the State.

With stay-at-home restrictions and social-distancing policies in place, people are staying closer to home, roads have fewer cars, and there is a need for safe and healthy outdoor activities - and it appears that bicycling is on the rise.

In a 2019 survey conducted by Bike Newport, bicyclists revealed that the number one thing that prevented them from biking more was “fear or concern riding with traffic”; and that the most requested improvements that would influence biking more were “more bike lanes” and “more off street bike paths”.

These findings have been on the minds of statewide advocates as we all bear witness to more biking during the stay-at-home restrictions. Is the current absence of traffic the reason more people are biking now? Is it cabin fever? Need to exercise? Or all of the above? This new survey hopes to find out.

“Biking in the Time of Coronavirus” poses relevant questions: Will you keep biking when restrictions are lifted? Will you continue on the same roads when more cars return? Where do you prefer to ride?

The coalition partners at Paths to Progress will use your responses to make the case to the decision makers for improved biking locally and statewide. Understanding what’s getting you out there will help to capture an accurate picture of why and where people ride when, for example, roads become safer.

No matter where, why, or how often you ride, you can help by filling out the survey. It is expected to take about 7 minutes to complete, and can be found at: www.surveymonkey.com/r/BikingRI_coronavirus Readers are encouraged to share the link widely. Questions may be addressed to: pathstoprogress@ ribike.org

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Step up to the MIC

Hackers Prey On Coronavirus Fears

The FBI warned of an unprecedented wave of coronavirus scams. The targets are remote workers and older Americans, but how to avoid COVID-19 scams.

Even during a global pandemic, the cybercriminals are not taking any breaks from attempting to steal your personal information and company data. They are working even harder to prey on COVID-19 fears.

The cybercriminals go for the weakest link in the cybersecurity chain, and that is the human element.

The hackers are using social engineering for the scams. They are phishing or sending emails claiming to be from legitimate organizations and sharing vital information about the coronavirus preying on people’s need for information during this uncertain time.

How does phishing work?

The pandemic makes phishing easy for the bad guys. Everyone wants more information, and these emails promise that to the reader if they say open an attachment or click an embedded link to see the latest statistics or fill out a form. When opening the attachment or the embedded link, it is most likely just downloaded malicious software onto your device. That allows cybercriminals to take control of your computer, log your keystrokes (helpful in getting passwords), or access your personal information. It could lead to identity theft.

How to Avoid COVID-19 Scams.

There are three easy ways to protect yourself when COVID-19 emails and texts show up in your inboxes: • Don’t Open Attachments or click the embedded link. That seems common sense, but verify who is sending by checking the email address carefully.

• Install security software. Reputable paid virus/malware protection software can lessen the threat.

•

Keep your devices and software updated. Most of the updates are security patches.

Just like keeping healthy by using proper hand-washing hygiene, with good cyber hygiene, you can do the same for cyber safety.

Mind The Gap Cyber Ann Marie van den Hurk is the founder of Mind The Gap Cyber. She brings twenty-five years of management experience, having led IT, operations, and communications departments.

Ann Marie was a nationally distributed business columnist for Lexington (KY) Herald-Leader and was part of the Tribune Content Agency. Her award-winning column focused on public relations, crisis, marketing, cybersecurity, and social media for businesses by bringing new media to her readers before it becomes mainstream and breaks it down into digestible terms. In 2013, Ann Marie published her first book, Social Media Crisis Communications: Preparing for, Preventing, and Surviving a Public Relations #FAIL through Que. Born in the Republic of Ireland, raised and educated in the United States, and lived in Europe, Ann Marie blends American and European sensibilities into her practice allowing for a unique global perceptive. She holds a B.A. in International Relations from the University of Delaware.

Learn more: www.mindthegapcyber.com ###