THRIVE! The official publication of DRI International
Issue #2 is now available! 

As 2012 slowly fades from our memory, the disasters of the year behind us remain clear in the minds of BCP folks like us.  Forgetting and moving on isn't in our business continuity genetic make-up. Moving forward with fresh approaches and more data to justify the time, money, and energy expended to make us more resilient is part of our make-up.  This past year presented a host of major challenges for BC planners and IT DR staff.  We'd like to believe that the lessons learned are lessons really learned.  

As I write this column, lower Manhattan still has pockets with no power, no telecom, and no internet as a result of Sandy. Homes and businesses in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut still work to rebuild and recover.  All across this fine land, we recognize how costly and time-consuming it is to rebuild and start over.  We recognize that we are parents, children, siblings, family members, and friends to all those who need us when they need us.  Whether it's our home or business, rebuilding and restarting is an arduous task.

This was a year that saw less costly outages across the globe vs. 2011, but the outages that occurred were devastating nonetheless.  If you were to take a look at the World Economic Forum's Global Risks report in 2012 (it usually comes out in February each year) the types of risks are so numerous.  We don't necessarily plan for each, but we are ever mindful of the types of outages that could impact our staffs and business activities across the globe.  The reality is that floods, hurricanes, wild fires, tornados, geopolitical risks, famine, economic disparity, civil war, political conflict, etc. are here to stay.  

I was recently reminded by a former colleague that several years ago when I was the leader of a BCM program, I wrote a song to the tune of Bob Dylan's "The Times they are a Changin'".  I titled my song "The Risks They are a Rising" and had my wife play the guitar and sing the song via the polycom for one of my strategic planning sessions with my staff.  It was a moment of levity, and we all sang along, but it also highlighted the importance of planning for so many different outage types that seemed to be changing and rising all the time. When you see me at the DRI2013 conference in Philadelphia, ask me to sing a few lines. None of you need to be reminded that our business is a difficult one and the outcomes of our rigorous planning are not always the intended (or predicted) outcome.  That is the nature of this business.  Flexibility must always be our middle name.  

I usually end my conference presentations by playing John Lennon's "Imagine" while I read these words:  

Imagine a management team that is completely supportive and engaged. Imagine a company with a completed and tested series of continuity of operations plans for all critical aspects of the business. Imagine all corporate colleagues prepared and ready for anything.  Imagine an emergency response model that includes all the appropriate levels of leadership and corporate support teams to support the response and recovery.  Imagine a crisis management program that includes all appropriate local authorities and internal resources. Imagine an IT department with fully-redundant and recoverable critical applications and data. Imagine a program that ensures critical resources are fully-trained. Imagine a program that has the appropriate emergency notification systems in place. Imagine the response, recovery, and return to normal all working as scripted and tested.  Imagine a plan/program that has been fully tested and passes the most rigorous of audits. Imagine a management team that praises your work and stands behind you to deliver the viable program that protects your revenue stream, reputation, legal and regulatory concerns, and safeguards your staff.

Imagine that! Happy New Year one and all! May this year be all that you hope for both personally and professionally.

All the best,
Clyde    cberger@driif.org

P.S.  Please feel free to e-mail me with your additions to my "Imagine" list above.  I would really like that.

brojas@drii.org

(610) 792-4802

Ong Ai Lin, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) Malaysia senior executive director, has been awarded the inaugural "Outstanding Certified Business Continuity Professional (CBCP)" award for her contribution to the field of business continuity management (BCM) in Malaysia, according to Digital News Asia.

The award was presented by DRI President Al Berman at the recent DRI KL2012 conference in Putrajaya Marriott Hotel. The award recognizes BCM achievements, professional excellence and contributions to the industry and the community.

"We are proud to have worked with a diverse group of clients on BCM to ensure their business continuity in an increasingly unpredictable business environment," Ong said when receiving her award.

 Ong leads the Business Continuity Management (BCM) practice in PwC Malaysia and has supported many major organizations and growing companies in implementing BCM.

"[Ong] Ai Lin has demonstrated the highest level of professionalism in her efforts to make her clients more prepared.  Her knowledge and dedication epitomizes the ideals of Certified Business Continuity Professionals (CBCPs) around the world," said Berman.

You are invited to participate in DRI International's Awards of Excellence Program and Awards Gala Dinner to honor individuals and corporations who are leaders and innovators within our profession. This event will recognize those who have achieved a level of excellence in the fields of continuity management, technology recovery (DR), and crisis management. The challenges associated with building a successful business continuity management program are many and we strongly believe that as a global continuity management training and certification organization, it is our duty to recognize and celebrate excellence. For a list of awards categories, click here. To nominate, click here.  And here is a list of FAQs.

The awards will be presented as the culmination of the DRI International Conference at the Awards of Excellence Gala Dinner to be held at the Downtown Philadelphia Marriott Hotel in Philadelphia, on Thursday, June 6, 2013. Nominations are due by February 15, 2013.

To assure a fair and unbiased assessment of all applicants, we have established a process that allows for blind judging by senior industry professionals drawn from amongst the most highly respected organizations, to independently judge the nominees in each category.

For more information, contact the Awards Team by calling (866) 542-3744 or via email at info@drii.org.

You know you want to go to our second annual conference, to be held June 4-7 in Philadelphia, PA.  So, why not register for DRI2013 right now? Start the New Year right by making plans to attend a truly outstanding industry event, featuring a truly international conference program, superior networking, meaningful volunteer opportunities, and innovative interaction with the provider community. Register today at www.DRIconference.com!