Issue 6 2019

94 Acquisition International - Issue 6 2019 Oct18436 All Fired Up! As technology marches firmly forward the risk of cyber-attacks becomes ever greater. Industry leader, Coalfire, has the solutions and technology to ensure that your firm can stay protected. oalfire started with a simple idea back in 2001 to help companies navigate the increasingly complex world of cybersecurity and has since grown to become the successful, thriving firm that it is today. Cyber threats are increasing, compliance mandates are getting more complicated, and a well-designed cybersecurity programme can help fuel a company’s overall success. This is where cybersecurity advisor, Coalfire, comes into play as it helps private and public sector organisations avert cyber threats, close gaps, and effectively manage risk. By providing independent, tailored advice and services that span the cybersecurity lifecycle, Coalfire helps clients develop scalable programmes that improve their security posture, achieve their business objectives, and fuel their continued success. The increased need for cyber security has become a common enterprise priority across the globe. However, industry requirements for effective cyber risk management are as distinct as the individual entities under fire. Enterprises and government organisations need more than an off-the-shelf audit to provide an effective threat assessment. They need industry and organisation-specific insights, tools and processes to protect digital assets and ensure compliance. Using a combination of advisory, compliance, technical testing, and engineering services, Coalfire looks at all aspects of its clients’ environments. With a complete picture of possible vulnerabilities and threats, clients can make informed decisions and take appropriate steps to reduce their organisations’ cyber risk and achieve greater success. As a technology and vendor-agnostic partner, Coalfire provides unbiased, actionable advice that specifically addresses its clients’ situations and objectives. Coalfire has more than 17 years’ experience in IT security and compliance, serving thousands of client organisations across the United States and Europe. It’s executive leadership team comprises some of the most knowledgeable professionals in cybersecurity, representing many decades of experience leading and developing teams to outperform in meeting the security challenges of commercial and government clients. With diverse backgrounds in IT systems security, governmental security, compliance, and reducing risk while implementing the latest enabling technologies (such as the Cloud and IoT), the firm’s leaders understand the challenges customers face. Former chief executive officer, Rick Dakin, co-founded Coalfire alongside president Kennet Westby and executive vice president Alan Ferguson. Rick’s passion, vision and dedication for creating a lasting company redefined cybersecurity. Prior to founding Coalfire, Dakin was president of Centera Information Systems, an e-commerce and systems integration firm. He also served C “Coalfire has more than 17 years’ experience in IT security and compliance, serving thousands of client organisations across the United States and Europe.” as a past president of the Denver chapter of the FBI’s InfraGard program. His professional commitment was only overshadowed by his compassion, friendship and good will. Sadly, Rick passed away suddenly in 2015 whilst out hiking, leaving the board’s chairman, Larry Jones, to be elected as chief executive officer. Later that year, Coalfire set up the Richard E Dakin Fund in 2015 to offer college scholarships at several universities for promising college students studying cybersecurity and related fields. By supporting today’s emerging thinkers, the Dakin Fund is hoping to ensure that cybersecurity and related fields will remain robust and consequential areas of study. The fund is managed by the Denver Foundation, which works directly with Coalfire each year on planning and awarding. Each university administers their own scholarship application process, and to date several promising graduate students have received awards in Rick Dakin’s honour.