PSA-TEC tackles cybersecurity with education, spotlight sessions, new certification at annual event

WESTMINSTER, Colo.—“Think, explore, connect” is the theme of PSA-TEC, PSA Security Network's annual education and training event that will take place here May 3-8.

“The cybersecurity phenomenon is really influencing a lot of the strategy,” Barbara Shaw, PSA Security's director of education, told Security Systems News.

For the first time, PSA-TEC will have a Cybersecurity educational track. In January, PSA hosted a "Cybersecurity Congress" conference where it focused on strategy. At PSA-TEC, the cybersecurity focus will be “more tactical � solutions, both offense and defense,” Shaw said.

Photo: Barbara Shaw

The track will include some of the policy and programming courses for management and senior leaders, but it will also include more information for technical and operations professionals.

Another new feature at PSA-TEC this year will be Cybersolutions Spotlights. Integrators “want to become risk-responsible solution providers and they want to know how do I go about this?” Shaw said. These 30-minute vendor-delivered spotlight sessions are designed to inform integrators about options. �
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In partnership with CompTIA, PSA-TEC is offering an executive certificate in IT security, another new offering. The certificate can be earned in one day by attending three separate modules.

John Sileo will deliver the keynote address titled Taking Control of Your Cybersecurity Footprint. “John experienced a cybersecurity breach in his own organization and it was kind of a disaster. He'll take the audience on a� journey [describing his experience] and the recovery. Now he's become an evangelist [on this topic] and he has fun with the audience,” Shaw said.

Three special educational sessions will take place on Tuesday, May 3. Northland Controls CEO Pierre Trapanese will lead a session on executive financial metrics featuring private equity professionals as well as integrators� who will “talk about value [of companies] from both sides of the table."

Moderated by Sandy Jones, the annual State of the Industry panel discussion will feature industry organizations SIA, ASIS, CompTIA, and NSCA. “They'll talk about trends, leadership roles, new industry developments, standards, certifications, and what to look for in the next five years,” Shaw said.

The State of the Integrator panel discussion this year is titled: “Adapt or Die.” Speakers, whom Shaw calls “high energy Young Turks” include IST's Christine Lanning, Ron Oetjen of Securadyne; Unlimited Technologies' Brent Franklin and Jorge Lonzano of Condertech.

The group will address “challenges faced by entrepreneurial businesses in security, how they maintain their edge against bigger companies � challenges and growth strategies.”
For more information and to register for PSA-TEC 2015, visit www.buypsa.com/