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Conference to address security, crisis management
By Supplements Editor
Holly Fisher
The Lowcountry is home to a major port, military installations, training facilities and several high-tech businesses, so it is a likely location for a homeland security conference.
ThinkTEC, an initiative of the Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce, is hosting its second Homeland Security Innovation Conference in December on the USS Yorktown.
Several regional and national speakers will take the stage Dec. 1-2 to discuss homeland security, business continuity and crisis management.
“Last year we identified this as a market that had benefits we wanted to promote,” said Pennie Bingham, ThinkTEC director. “We want to showcase Charleston as a model community for homeland security initiatives.”
Bingham said the conference is also a way to encourage economic development in the homeland security industry and to foster the public/private partnerships needed to advance the industry.
Based on the success of last year’s conference, advanced security was added to the list of “clusters” as outlined in the AngelouEconomics report released earlier this year. The Texas-based consulting firm studied current and emerging industries and recommended ways to improve the economic development landscape of the region. The report recommended continuing the homeland security conference.
Last year homeland security generated $24 billion in new industry nationwide; this year the figure tops $40 billion, Bingham explained. “There is huge economic potential, and we want to capture at least a portion of that for the Charleston market.”
While last’s year sold-out conference focused primarily on homeland security issues, this year’s event is adding a new element: business continuity planning and crisis management.
Even though terrorist attacks are a real threat, Bingham said it is more likely a natural disaster would hit Charleston. So a third of the conference is dedicated to discussing how businesses can deal with hurricanes, floods, fires and other unexpected natural disasters.
Larger companies normally have a crisis management plan in place, but it is often something small businesses don’t have the manpower, expertise, money or time to address. This conference, Bingham said, will provide businesses with the tools and resources to guard themselves against a crippling disaster.
“How do you recover from a natural disaster? There are tools that can get you up and running,” she said. “The purpose (of the conference) is not only to showcase Charleston but to provide solutions for people. Let’s talk about what will work.”
The conference features 23 speakers, including former U.S. Sen. Fritz Hollings who will offer a historical and future perspective on homeland security initiatives in the state.
Richard Gordon, vice president of the Civitas Group, will give an overview of private sector business opportunities in port/maritime security and chemical/bio/
nuclear terrorism.
Also on the schedule are former CIA director Jim Woolsey, now vice president of Booz Allen Hamilton, as well as Ambassador Henry Cooper who will talk about protecting the U.S. coastline from weapons of mass destruction.
Crisis management is the main topic for Dec. 2, which is a half-day of sessions. Capt. John E. Cameron, commander of the U.S. Coast Guard in Charleston, was with the Coast Guard in New York during 9-11. He will discuss his experiences and lessons learned during that time.
Also, Charles Van Rysselberge, Charleston chamber president and chief executive officer, is the former CEO of the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce. He was leading the chamber during the Oklahoma City bombing and will discuss crisis management from a business perspective.
Innovative companies will also showcase their products at the conference. The OCTOGON Group LLC will demonstrate the prototype for its plastic house. The company has developed plastic composites technology, allowing it to pre-build the components of a house from plastic. The pieces are available when needed, and a basic house can be built in one day, making it ideal for areas hit by natural disasters.
The houses can withstand extreme heat and cold, Bingham explained. She said the company said the houses are not more expensive to build.
The events kicks off Nov. 30 with pre-conference tours and briefings.
Cost for the conference is $495 for chamber members, $395 for military/government officials and $675 for non-members. For more information, visit http://HSC.ThinkTEC.org .
Holly Fisher is the supplements editor for the Business Journal. E-mail her at hfisher@charlestonbusiness.com.
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