You don’t need to be an expert in IT or have a huge consulting budget to champion your utility’s cybersecurity program. First and foremost, you must recognize that every city employee, utility employee, and governing official plays a key role in maintaining a cyber defense that protects business operations.
Hometown Connections
Industry Veteran Marc Gerken Brings Expertise in Public Power Business Operations to Hometown Connections Staff
Following a distinguished career that saw him rise from a city engineer in Ohio to helm the nation’s largest public power joint action agency (JAA), Marc Gerken has joined the staff of Hometown Connections, Inc. He retired recently after serving for twenty years as president and chief executive officer of American Municipal Power, Inc. (AMP), one of the six joint action agencies that co-own Hometown Connections. Prior to his retirement from AMP, Mr. Gerken served as AMP’s representative on the Hometown Connections Board of Directors. His position on the Hometown staff is Executive Advisor/Strategy and JAA Relations.
Mark Ennis Brings Expertise in Distribution System Management to Hometown Connections Board
A public power industry leader with expertise in regulatory compliance and distribution system management, Mark Ennis of the Alabama Municipal Electric Authority (AMEA) has joined the Board of Directors of Hometown Connections, Inc. AMEA is one of six joint action agencies that co-own Hometown Connections. Mr. Ennis is AMEA’s Manager of Compliance and Distribution Services and AMEA’s representative on the Hometown Board.
Assess the State of Your Cybersecurity
Cyber-crime is on the rise. Your first line of defense is to know your vulnerabilities. Turn to the Cybersecurity Assessment Solution from Hometown Connections, Inc. It’s the affordable, preliminary step in effective cybersecurity management
Hometown Connections Launches Public Power Cybersecurity Management Program
To meet public power’s need for cybersecurity solutions that are comprehensive and cost effective, Hometown Connections, Inc. has launched a Cybersecurity Management Program for public power electric, gas, water, and wastewater utilities and other city departments. Hometown Connections is helping community-owned organizations across the United States evaluate their cybersecurity requirements, develop plans for cyber risk management, and deploy effective cybersecurity defenses that include ongoing monitoring, training, remediation, and maintenance services.
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Webinar Series on The True Costs of Cyber Crime: Cyber Risk Management for Public Power
Understand the cyber threat landscape, learn how to estimate the true financial costs of a cyber crime, and get tips on building your budget and risk management strategies. Register for this two-part webinar series to be held in June 2020 by the American Public Power Association Academy. Speakers include representatives from Acumen and Marsh Wortham Power Gen Insurance, marketing partners of Hometown Connections Inc.
Branndon Kelley Brings Utility Technology Management Expertise To Hometown Connections Board of Directors
A visionary leader of public power technology management, Branndon Kelley of American Municipal Power, Inc. (AMP) has joined the Board of Directors of Hometown Connections, Inc. AMP is one of six joint action agencies that co-own Hometown Connections. Mr. Kelley is AMP’s Senior Vice President of Technology & Chief Information Officer and AMP’s representative on the Hometown Board.
How Can We Help?
We know this a stressful and critical time for all Public Utilities and their customers. This pandemic hits home for every one of us, and we are dedicated to working together to help public utility communities recover and move forward.
While we have all been focused on managing during COVID-19 developments, assessing future business scenarios is essential. When will normal operations return? What are the implications of this uncertainty to customers, staff, operations and future projects/initiatives?
Strategic Plans Unite Utility Staff and Leadership Through Shared Roadmap for Change
Formed in 1889, ALP Utilities in Alexandria, Minnesota is among the oldest electric utilities in the nation and well known today for delivering excellent electric, water, and business communications services. Yet, the organization faces many of the same infrastructure, financial, customer engagement, energy resources, and workforce issues as utilities across the U.S. As a new general manager determined to unify his board and staff on the future direction of ALP Utilities, Ted Cash launched in 2019 a five-year strategic planning process. He and his public power peers at Provo Power and the Kentucky Municipal Energy Agency chose as their strategic plan facilitator Hometown Connections, Inc., the non-profit utility services organization specializing in the unique challenges facing community-owned utilities.
Charise Swanson Brings Expertise in Utility Leadership & Strategy to Hometown Connections
A highly-recognized specialist in utility change management, Charise M. Swanson has joined the staff of Hometown Connections, Inc., as Vice President of Client Services.