Travelers Institute® & the Wharton School Hold Next Small Bus. – Big Opportunity℠ Symposium in Philadelphia, Focusing on...
May 20 2015 - 9:55AM
Business Wire
Michael Echols from the U.S. Department of
Homeland Security will address cyber security
The Travelers Institute, the public policy division of The
Travelers Companies, Inc. (NYSE: TRV), today will bring its Small
Business – Big Opportunity symposium to the Wharton School of the
University of Pennsylvania, in partnership with the Wharton Small
Business Development Center and the Wharton Risk Management and
Decision Processes Center. The event, “Managing Risk: Thriving
After Cyber Threats, Natural Disasters, and More,” will convene
local entrepreneurs and leaders from government, academia, and the
private sector to discuss risk management.
The symposium will feature remarks from Michael Echols of the
U.S. Department of Homeland Security on cyber security and what
small businesses can do to protect themselves. Roch Parayre,
Fellow, Wharton Executive Education, The Wharton School and
Managing Director, Decision Strategies International, Inc., will
deliver the keynote address, “Leadership Decision-Making Under
Conditions of Risk.”
“A computer virus or data breach could devastate a small
business that does not have the resources or controls to manage
such a crisis,” said Joan Woodward, President of the Travelers
Institute and Executive Vice President of Public Policy at
Travelers. “Together with Wharton, we are pleased to provide
thoughtful guidance on how small businesses can address cyber
issues and other risks, so that they can survive and thrive after
interruptions.”
Woodward noted that cyber security is among the top concerns for
small businesses. In the 2015 Travelers Business Risk Index, which
was released today, nearly half of the small business leaders
surveyed report concerns about cyber threats. While cyber security
is a leading concern, only 17 percent of the small businesses
surveyed have a cyber/data breach response plan.
Woodward will moderate a panel discussion offering insight on
how small businesses can minimize cyber and other threats, and how
to develop a business continuity plan. Panelists will include:
- Ben Collier, Research Fellow, Risk
Management and Decision Processes Center, Wharton School,
University of Pennsylvania;
- Michael Echols, Director, Joint Program
Management Office, National Protection and Program Directorate,
U.S. Department of Homeland Security; and
- Matthew Gardner, Regional President,
AssuredPartners, Inc.
“Small business owners can no longer afford to be complacent
about risk from sources that range from cyber attacks to natural
disasters,” said M. Therese Flaherty, PhD, Director, Wharton Small
Business Development Center. “Smart preparations and risk
mitigation can reduce the impact from a survival threat to a small
disruption.”
The Travelers Institute launched Small Business – Big
Opportunity in 2011 to raise awareness about a variety of concerns
and solutions for the country’s more than 28 million small
businesses. Visit www.travelersinstitute.org/smallbusiness for more
information.
About the Wharton Small Business Development Center
The Wharton Small Business Development Center (Wharton SBDC) was
founded in 1980 at The Wharton School at the University of
Pennsylvania. Wharton SBDC is now part of the Sol C. Snider
Entrepreneurial Research Center, Wharton Entrepreneurship, widely
acknowledged as one of the most influential entrepreneurial centers
in a business school. As part of the Pennsylvania SBDC network, our
mission is to aid small businesses in the Greater Philadelphia
region to start, grow and prosper and to enhance the education of
Wharton students.
About the Wharton Risk Management and Decision Processes
Center
For three decades, the Risk Management and Decision Processes
Center at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania has
been at the forefront of basic and applied research to promote
effective corporate and public policies for improving risk
communication, financing catastrophe losses, building
public-private partnerships and developing long-term strategies for
managing risks such as natural and man-made disasters. Providing
expertise and a neutral environment for discussion, the Center team
is also concerned with training decision makers and promoting a
dialogue among industry, government, interest groups and
academics.
About Wharton School
Founded in 1881 as the first collegiate business school,
the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania is
recognized globally for intellectual leadership and ongoing
innovation across every major discipline of business education.
With a broad global community and one of the most published
business school faculties, Wharton creates economic and social
value around the world. The School has
5,000 undergraduate, MBA, executive MBA,
and doctoral students; more than 9,000 participants
in executive education programs annually and a
powerful alumni network of 93,000 graduates.
About the Travelers Institute
The Travelers Institute, the public policy division of The
Travelers Companies, Inc., engages in discussion and analysis of
public policy topics of importance to the insurance marketplace and
the financial services industry more broadly. The Travelers
Institute draws upon the industry expertise of Travelers’ senior
management, as well as the technical expertise of many of
Travelers’ underwriters, risk managers, and other experts to
provide information, analysis, and solutions to public policymakers
and regulators. Travelers is a leading provider of property
casualty insurance for auto, home, and business. For more
information, visit www.Travelers.com.
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Media Contact:The Travelers Companies, Inc.Judy Senechal,
860-277-2366C: 860-338-1384jlsenech@travelers.com
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