grow
December 2017 March 2018
a greensboro chamber of commerce publication
Vol. 1, Issue #3
BUSINESS IS BLOOMING WHAT’S IN STORE FOR 2018
One Network. Many Choices. All working together to improve the health and wellness of our communities.
With its extensive network of doctors, urgent care and emergency centers, leading specialists, top-ranked hospitals and the convenience of e-visits and 24/7 video visits, Cone Health offers you more choice and more control than ever – no matter how you prefer your health care or whenever you need it. Cone Health. Exceptional Care. Every Day.™ From just about everywhere.
Visit us at conehealth.com to learn more about our network for exceptional care. 2
The Greensboro Chamber of Commerce is the largest business organization in the community serving more than 1,000 member businesses through programming designed to help them succeed and grow. A partner in the Guilford County Economic Development Alliance, the Chamber also serves as Greensboro primary economic development organization, with special emphasis placed on community and entrepreneurial advancement through Action Greensboro and Launch Greensboro.
grow
IN THIS ISSUE march 2018
a greensboro chamber of commerce publication
Publisher Brent Christensen bchristensen@greensboro.org
greensboro fights back against cyber threats
Editor/Graphic Designer Megan Mabry mmabry@greensboro.org
The City of Greensboro, the Chamber, and several local cybersecurity companies come together to help small and midsize businesses protech themselves.
Table of Contents Photography by VanderVeen Photographers
Healthcare comes to Renaissance plaza
Advertising Kathi Lester klester@greensboro.org
An update from the September issue of grow Magazine - the Minority Business Accelerator provides the conenction to bring a clinic to an under-served area of Greensboro.
coming up in 2018
grow is published quarterly by the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce for the distribution to its investors, members, and other interested parties. The publication is written and edited by the Chamber and editorial decisions are made by its staff. The views expressed in grow should not be interpreted as the official policy of the Chamber. The publisher reserves the right to decline advertising considered unsuitable for publication.
What is your Chamber doing for you this year? Mark your calendars, because we have so much for your business this year!
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Greensboro fights back against cyber threats by Eddie Huffman
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Cybersecurity has been big news in North Carolina in recent months, with ransomware attacks hitting the governments of Davidson and Mecklenburg counties. Tech experts in Guilford County are addressing such threats in diverse ways, including advanced prevention efforts by the City of Greensboro, training for the next generation of cybersecurity experts, and a Cybersecurity Summit presented by the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce, coming up April 10. Training and prevention isn’t just a matter for IT professionals. The Davidson and Mecklenberg cyber attacks are believed to have started when county employees clicked on phishing links, allowing hackers to knock out data servers and take public services offline. Greensboro is working with city employees across the board to educate them about how to avoid opening a door to such attacks, according to Jane Nickles, CIO of the city’s Information Technology Department. “Each year, every employee goes through some sort of cybersecurity training, whether it’s online or our team goes out to departments in person,” she said. “Just knowing how to identify a phishing email and not to click on links – that’s your front line of defense.”
Beyond those training efforts, Greensboro continuously scans and monitors activity on its networks, watching for suspicious activity and patching vulnerabilities. IT pros also look for signs that data from city servers has shown up on the internet in places where it doesn’t belong. “If the city is ever breached, I want to be able to tell the city manager, the city council, and our residents that we have done everything we could do to protect our systems and data,” Nickles said.
helped us really tighten up the program,” she said. “Also, it validates the security measures that we’re putting in place.” The demand for cybersecurity experts has outpaced the supply in recent years, according to Steve Hunt, a 25-year veteran of the cybersecurity field. He is a consultant working on the second phase of the Union Square Campus, the building on East Gate City Boulevard that pools the resources of Cone Health and three local schools: N.C. A&T State University, the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and Guilford
“...small and medium-sized businesses are at risk because they’re soft targets ...they don’t think it will happen to them.”
Greensboro has taken its cybersecurity efforts to a higher level over the past year or so, working to receive ISO 27001 accreditation from Schellman and Company. The certification verifies a high level of protection for data and assets, with Greensboro one of the only cities in the United States to earn it, according to Nickles. “We had a good program already, but I think it
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Technical Community College. Union Square Campus opened in 2016 and currently provides training for nurses. The second phase of the project will expand the campus into education for cybersecurity and product design. “I hope to see soon that dozens, hundreds, even thousands of people will have training resources
right here in Greensboro for learning about cybersecurity,” Hunt said. He will speak at the Chamber’s Cybersecurity Summit next month. It will take place from 3 to 6 p.m. April 10 at the Proximity Hotel. Hunt and others will address what a cyber attack looks like, as well as ways to minimize risk and respond to an attack. The next phase of the Union Square Campus has the support of Secure Designs, a national cybersecurity firm founded in Greensboro in 2001. The company is the largest supplier of managed
security to small and medium-sized businesses in the United States, according to Erich Berger, manager of marketing and communications for Secure Designs and a member of the planning committee for speakers at the Cybersecurity Summit. “More and more people are talking about how small and mediumsized businesses are at risk because they’re soft targets,” he said. “They still get hit because they don’t think it will happen to them.” Secure Designs is working with the city and the Union Square Campus on
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community-wide initiatives to make Greensboro “a city that’s safer than most” in terms of cybersecurity, Berger said. City IT experts have talked with their counterparts in other municipalities to gain a better understanding of recent cyber attacks. “It’s disturbing to hear about, especially from our friends in Mecklenberg and Davidson counties,” Nickles said. “As bad as it is for a breach to happen,you can learn a lot from what they’ve experienced.” you can learn a lot from what they’ve experienced.”
Healthcare comes to Renaissance Plaza in northeast greensboro
by Destiny McElroy “We are only asking for opportunity” says CC Lamberth, owner of C2Contractors, a leading communications and construction solutions provider, and unlimited licensed contractor in Greensboro. In the September issue of grow, we wrote about the Chamber’s Minority Business Accelerator. On February 13, 2018, the Cone Health Renaissance Family Medicine Center opened on Phillips Avenue to serve the families of Northeast Greensboro. “C2 Contractors was the first African-American company to
ever work with Cone Health, in a general contractor capacity”. Lamberth continues “Without Kathi Lester and Chamber, we could not celebrate.” Companies, on both-sides, will have further job opportunities as the contracts will create work for individuals and, also, increase business for smaller contractors. “…this program is a win-win!” replies Lamberth. Cone Health, C2 Contractors and their partners are strong examples that these relationships impact more than just the portfolio companies participating in the Minority Business Accelerator, but also the under-served population within Greensboro. 8
Renaissance Family Medicine Center will be the first health clinic in an area that was sorely lacking in timely access to medical care. “Fortunate enough, we did work in my community. I grew up a few blocks from the location and the relationship I have with the people that we are potentially providing service for is deep. Giving us an opportunity for us to be a part of the community is huge.”
McElroy is the Publicity Intern for the Greensboro Chamber. She will graduate from NC A&T State University in May 2018.
For us, people have always come before profit. Putting members and community first is the only way we know. And, doing the right thing is the right way to do business. We’ve been navigating change for 50 years, all the while holding true to who we are and helping our members stay on course. We’re here for you and we’re here to stay.
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UPCOMING EVENTS Idea Launch!
Co//ab | 299 N Greene Street, Greensboro March 14 | 8:00am-9:00am April 18 | 8:00am-9:00am Come check out the latest and greatest ideas coming out of our Entrepreneur Community! Hear 4-minute pitches from startups about their latest idea, new product, or expansion. Great for those who always want to be in the know, thrive on networking, and love supporting other business owners.
COFFEE AND CONVERSATION
MOrehead Foundry | 433 Spring Garden Street, Greensboro A Networking and Educational program designed to bring leaders together to learn about important issues facing our business community.
March 15 | 7:30am-8:30am
This month we will feature a look at Early Childhood Education, specifically Ready for School/Ready for Life!
April 19 | 7:30am-8:30am This month we will explore the impact of the Craft Brew industry on our community! Sponsored by Allegacy
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CELEBRATING 25 YEARS! Throughout 2018, Other Voices will be celebrating the 25th year of connecting our community through partnering with organizations across Greensboro to bring you a diverse set of 25 events.
eensboro chamber of commerce publication
CLASS 25 GRADUATION | May 3 - 6:00-8:30pm
Click here for the latest other voices events!
New events added often 11