Disaster Recovery Journal Fall 2023

CAREER SPOTLIGHT

often than not, lead to less than desirable results. Likewise, having multiple courses of action when engaging in any project enables stakeholders to remain flexible and stay on track for providing deliver ables as scheduled. The military has taught me that no project will ever go according to plan, but methodical planning for vari ous scenarios which may occur throughout the project will enhance organizational readiness. Third, giving clear intent to junior employees is essential toward pro ducing deliverables effectively. If there is a shared understanding throughout all levels of an organization for what needs to be done, there will be less ambiguity involved and throughput will be enhanced. Having a shared understanding of succes sive tasks and the “why” for such tasks will enable junior employees to exercise disciplined initiative and complete implied tasks within the scope of a project, thereby enhancing organizational throughput.

I have acquired a master’s degree in disaster management and a bachelor’s degree in political science. I have recently obtained my Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt certification and am currently pursuing my Project Management Professional (PMP) certificate. As I continue working in the emergency management field, I intend on pursuing my Associate Emergency Manager (AEM) and Certified Emergency Manager (CEM) certificates. While intern ing at VDEM, I had the opportunity to attend multiple symposiums, ranging from cybersecurity to critical infrastructure. What gets you excited about your career? As I enter into the emergency manage ment field, I am looking forward to seeing how my planning efforts have a direct impact on local communities. I recently moved to Virginia from Kansas and see how my efforts may help safeguard my neighborhood. This gives me a sense of fulfillment, and I am obliged to act as a liaison to public safety. What advice would you give to those embarking on a career in this industry? Always remain a student to the profes sion. There is always something new to be learned, and it is a unique opportunity to be in a room with those who know more than you. Networking is an integral tech nique which needs to be exercised on a daily basis. In both business continuity and emergency management, there are people who know people who perform certain functions. In order to be either an effective public servant or continuity pro fessional, you need to put your name out there and let people know you are an asset who can provide services if needed. It is important to consider the functions you perform, wherever that may be, are done to help provide a safeguard to an organiza tion or surrounding communities. v Cary Jasgur, FBCI, MBCP, PMP, has more than 29 years of experience in enterprise, organizational and operational resilience, business continuity, disaster recovery, and related fields. Jasgur serves as chairperson of the DRJ Editorial Advisory Board, as well as The BCI U.S. Chapter Board of Directors.

What aspects of working in this industry would you like to see change or evolve? I’d like to ensure the right people are attending meetings, conferences, and sym posiums. The notion of “trimming fat” comes to mind. Stakeholders who do not have a role in an event should not attend, enabling them to have more time to com plete tasks which support the mission of the organization. Having representation is important, but limiting representation to those who can disseminate information to less integral stakeholders is an effective method of “trimming fat” with regard to the facilitation of events relevant to orga nizational objectives. What types of formal training and certifications have you pursued, and what kinds of learning and networking opportunities are you seeking to continue your professional development?

42 DISASTER RECOVERY JOURNAL | FALL 2023