Travelers Institute Launches Major Small Business & Cybersecurity Symposia Series

Travelers Institute Announces Winter Schedule for Small Business and Cybersecurity Symposia Series

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02/06/2025 - 09:00 AM

Government officials and business leaders join Travelers’ public policy experts for two in-person educational sessions on small business and cybersecurity trends

HARTFORD, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- The Travelers Institute, the public policy division of The Travelers Companies, Inc. (NYSE: TRV), today announced the continuation of its Small Business – Big Opportunity^® and Cyber: Prepare, Prevent, Mitigate, Restore^® series with two in-person symposia in February. These events provide practical tips and resources to help business leaders adapt to the evolving business environment and cybersecurity landscape.

“As the challenges facing businesses continue to shift, it is critical for leaders to stay informed and prepared,” said Joan Woodward, President of the Travelers Institute and Executive Vice President of Public Policy at Travelers. “We look forward to these educational sessions and providing attendees the knowledge and tools they need to protect their organizations from today’s most pressing risks.”

In-person sessions will feature keynote addresses, panel discussions and opportunities to engage with experts from Travelers, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), the law firm Mullen Coughlin and other organizations. Since its inception, the Travelers Institute has hosted more than 100 educational small-business and cybersecurity programs.

Schedule Details

Monday, Feb. 10: Held in Boise, Idaho, “Small Business – Big Opportunity^® in Boise, Idaho” will focus on the state of small businesses and provide insights on the economy, cybersecurity preparedness, business continuity planning and the supply chain landscape. The event will open with a keynote address from Shannon Madsen, District Director of SBA’s Boise office, who will provide a broad overview of the state of small businesses. Woodward will then moderate a panel that includes Madsen; Brad McDonald, Executive Director of TechHelp Idaho Manufacturing Specialists; Karen Appelgren, Vice President, Community Banking Relationship Manager, Zions Bank; and Danny Dunn, Cybersecurity Advisor for Region 10 at CISA.
Tuesday, Feb. 11: Held in Spokane, Washington, “Leading Your Business In 2025: Navigating the Economy, Public Policy and Cybersecurity” will begin with an economic and postelection outlook from Woodward. The latter part of the day will focus on cybersecurity and feature Daniel Brown, Inland Northwest Cybersecurity Advisor at CISA, as the keynote speaker. A panel moderated by Woodward will include Brown; Amanda Harvey, Partner at Mullen Coughlin; and Erin Heiser, Director, Cyber Risk Services at Travelers.

“Defending our nation against ever-evolving cyber threats and attacks is at the core of our mission at CISA,” said Chris Callahan, Region 10 Chief of Cybersecurity for CISA. “There are sophisticated cyber actors exploiting vulnerabilities to disrupt, destroy or threaten the delivery of essential services. By staying current on threats and risk factors, CISA helps prevent or mitigate these threats as quickly as possible. Working closely with our partners, we can share this vital information to help business remain prepared.”

All Travelers Institute events are free and open to the public – anyone interested in joining can register on the Travelers Institute website.

About the Travelers Institute

The Travelers Institute, the public policy division of The Travelers Companies, Inc., engages in discussion and analysis of public policy topics of importance to the insurance marketplace and to the financial services industry more broadly. The Travelers Institute draws upon the industry expertise of Travelers’ senior management as well as the technical expertise of many of Travelers’ underwriters, risk managers and other experts to provide information, analysis and solutions to public policymakers and regulators. Travelers is a leading provider of property casualty insurance for auto, home and business. For more information, visit Travelers.com.