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NAID 2013 demonstrated that non-traditional content works

April 9, 2013

By Bob Johnson, NAID CEO

There were so many sessions at NAID 2013, it would be impossible to say one was more valuable than another. I am sure any session may have been viewed as particularly valuable to attendees, depending on what they were looking for or their particular interest at the time.

There were two sessions in particular that NAID was considering for many years but never quite made the cut in the past, namely Small Business Security Awareness and How to Get Along with Family and Partners in a Business. It was, therefore, particularly gratifying to see that both sessions were so well received at this year’s event.

Angie Singer Keating of Reclamere, Inc., did an amazing job describing the electronic and Internet-related risks that small businesses are exposed to in today’s world. While there is no silver bullet, she gave some great advice on how to mitigate those risks. Keeping in mind, of course, that data security firms, such as NAID members, have an elevated standard for data protection. The audience hung on every word and furious notes were taken throughout the standing-room-only auditorium. It is obvious that Angie deserves every one of the credentials that follow her name.

Similarly, the panel discussion between Bob Dornich (Reclamere, Inc.), Tim Oberst (Ohio Mobile Shredding), and Chris Ockenfels (Data Destruction and Recycling Services) describing how to get along with family members and business partners was a great success. Most NAID member companies have these issues and the audience was riveted by the discussion.

For many years, conference planning committees passed on these ideas because they were not directly related to data destruction services. Turns out they were wrong. The subject matter absolutely relates to data destruction services, which the attendees demonstrated with a large presence at both sessions. It is great lesson for future NAID conference planners. As it turns out, these two sessions probably yielded information that could prove to be the most valuable insights of all.