Disaster Recovery Journal Winter 2022

We did not have a robust plan in place. We didn’t really have a plan in place at all. Our BC plans were dated, stored in OneNote and were minimal. We were starting from scratch but were able to move all staff remote (except for our branch staff) and continued to remain up and running throughout the entirety of the pandemic. “

position but did not have a clue about the BC world. Little did I know, I was about to embark on an uphill battle when I lost my supervisor a month after starting the position. Amonth after that, the pandemic began. I was now facing so many of my fears. How was I supposed to lead an organi zation through the pandemic when I just started my role? I had no guidance, and the pandemic had so many unknowns. I took it day-by-day, learned a whole lot about BCP, myself, and the organization in its entirety. We made it through the pandemic successfully, knowing many companies were not as fortunate. It felt like a huge win. Our leadership team was strong, and we were willing and able to take on any thing that came our way. In January of 2021, a new role was created for me; I was promoted to AVP of business resiliency. Never did I think I would be here, but am so grateful I am! Tell us about some of the challenges you have encountered in your career? The most difficult challenge was navigating our organization through the COVID-19 pandemic when BC was brand new to me. Being in a role where I interacted with senior management and the executive leadership team, as well as being expected to voice my opinions, concerns, and suggestions to them, was a challenge. We did not have a robust plan in place. We didn’t really have a plan in place at all. Our BC plans were dated, stored in OneNote and were minimal. We were starting from scratch but were able to move all staff remote (except for our branch staff) and continued to remain up and running throughout the entirety of the pandemic. During this time there were many growing pains, but it is a constant reminder we (and I), can get through any thing as long as we keep showing up each day and give it our best. Have you had any mentors? Describe the effect they have had on your career. I have had an incredible mentor. I would not be where I am today without her. She has always been someone who has supported my dreams, pushed me to be

my best, and has served as the best role model. Not many supervisors/ mentors truly care and are willing to stand by their employees no matter what, but she has always done that for me. Most recently, I have embarked on the DRJ Mentor Program and have been working with Peter Laz. He has been able to utilize his years of experience within the BC world to help me improve upon our cur rent program. He is also always willing to pro vide guidance, tips, and tricks. What are some lessons Throughout the pan demic, I was reminded how planning for a crisis is helpful. It can really lessen the stress and cause learned you still leverage today?

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? I have both ABCP and CUERME (Credit Union Enterprise Risk Management Expert) cer tifications. I am looking to obtain the CBCP certi fication in the near future. This is an industry where learning and growing are constant, which I love! I have and will continue to attend conferences, webi nars, listen to podcasts, and read BC-related books to ensure I do not enter a stage of stagnancy. I am open to all opportunities to learn and network! What gets you excited about your career? What excites me most

about my career is there are limitless oppor tunities. There is never a program that is perfect or complete. The process is cycli cal and allows for interaction with all areas of an organization. It is our job to help the organization continue to do their job! What advice would you give to those embarking on a career in this industry? This is by no means an easy industry to enter. If you love a good challenge, a career that may push you to your break ing point but is also very rewarding, you have found the right industry! Remember, no matter how much you plan, crisis/inci dents will never go exactly as you had imagined. Always be ready to pivot and react quickly. You are one who many will keep their eyes on and go to for guidance, but you can do it! v “

recovery to occur more quickly, but noth ing can beat a strong leadership team who supports the program and the mission. If you have your c-suite on board and stake holders ready to take on any challenge, it makes a world of difference. What aspects of working in this industry would you like to see change or evolve? In my opinion, the industry is already changing and evolving at great speed. Where huge plans used to be created and shoved into a corner for BC, the industry has really begun to focus on business resil iency. A state of the organization being resilient enough to be able to recover from and handle any sort of disruption without having exact step-by-step plans to do so. It is more work and takes an all-hands on deck approach, but businesses today are able to recover from almost anything because of it.

Peter Laz, MBCP, MBCI, is a principal of integrated risk management solutions for NAVEX Global.

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