Queen Anne’s County Economic & Tourism Development, in partnership with TEDCO and Bay Crossing Consulting, invites you to Protecting Maryland Agriculture: Smart Farming Cybersecurity Challenges & Solutions on October 25, 2023 at Chesapeake College from 8:30am – 1:30pm. This forum will provide farmers and agricultural entrepreneurs the opportunity to learn about the cybersecurity and privacy threats and challenges that come with the use of modern information technology in food production, transportation, and agriculture.
The event will include a Cyberbiosecurity Showcase where farmers can connect with the cybersecurity community to learn about the services and resources that are available to protect their operations. This event is free to attend, but registration is required. Light refreshments and lunch will be served.
Protecting Maryland Agriculture: Smart Farming Cybersecurity Challenges & Solutions
Wednesday, October 25, 2023
8:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Eastern Shore Higher Education Center at Chesapeake College
AGENDA
8:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.
Registration, Breakfast, and Networking with Cybersecurity Service Providers
Breakfast sponsored by the Upper Shore Regional Council
9:30 a.m. – 9:45 a.m.
Opening Remarks
Dr. Clifford Coppersmith, President, Chesapeake College
Heather Tinelli. Director of Economic & Tourism Development, Queen Anne’s County
9:45 a.m. – 10:45 a.m.
Smart Farming Challenges & Solutions Panel Discussion
Facilitated by Troy A. LeMaile-Stovall, CEO, TEDCO and Shelly M. Gross-Wade, Principal Consultant and CEO, Bay Crossing Consulting
Panelists include industry leaders from the sectors of agriculture, cybersecurity, education, government and lending:
Jenell McHenry, Programs and Public Relations Director, Maryland Grain Producers
Chris Abell, Executive Director, Carroll Technology & Innovation Council
Michael Moore, Chief Information Officer, Chesapeake College
Michael Calkins, Assistant Secretary of Plant Industries & Pest Management, Maryland Department of Agriculture
Tyler Majchrzak, Government Affairs Officer, Horizon Farm Credit
10:45 a.m. – 11 a.m.
Break & Networking
11 a.m. – 11:20 a.m.
Technology and Agriculture in the 21st Century: What’s New and What to Know!
Colin Hamill, Founder & IT Solutions Designer, Sentinel Forge Technologies
11:20 a.m. – 11:40 a.m.
Cybersecurity Strategies for Agricultural Operations of Any Scale
Chris Clai, Director of Information Security, Green Thumb Industries (GTI)
11:40 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
How TEDCO Supports Maryland Entrepreneurs
Jack Schammel, Assistant Director, Rural & Urban Business Innovation Initiative
12 p.m. – 12:15 p.m.
Break & Networking
12:15 p.m. – 1 p.m.
Keynote Speaker & Lunch:
Securing the Future of Agriculture: Cybersecurity and Privacy Threats in Modern Food Production, Transportation and Agriculture
In an era of unprecented technological advancement, agriculture is experiencing a digital transformation that promises increased productivity, efficiency, and sustainability. However, with the integration of modern information technology into every aspect of food production, transportation, and agriculture comes a new set of challenges, cybersecurity and privacy threats. This keynote address, “Securing the Future of Agriculture:Cybersecurity and Privacy Threats in Modern Food Production, Transportation and Agriculture,” delves into the evolving agricultural landscape, illuminates the growing threats to data and operations, and offers key insights for both farmers and entrepreneurs. We explore the need for heightened awareness and proactive measures to safeguard our farms, the privacy of agricultural stakeholders, the future of food production and the challenges of recruiting, retaining and educating the workforce. This keynote aims to foster a collective commitment to securing the future of agriculture in the digital age.
Joyce Hunter, Advisory Board Chair, CyberAg
Executive Director, ICIT (Institute for Critical Infrastructure Technology),
former Deputy CIO and Acting CIO for Policy and Planning at USDA
Lunch: Bark Bowl Boxed lunches by Bark Barbeque
1 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Wrap Up and Networking with Tech and Ag Experts
Our Speakers
Chris Abell
Executive Director, Carroll Technology & Innovation Council
Chris is the Executive Director of Carroll Technology & Innovation Council (CTIC), a 501(c)(3) organization that focuses on access to technology, building a strong technology workforce, digital skills and inclusion, and education around cybersecurity in agriculture. Before joining the nonprofit sector, Chris was a leader with Starbucks and Best Buy. At Starbucks he oversaw the highest revenue generating store in Virginia leading regional stores in employee and customer satisfaction. During his time with Best Buy he was selected to open new stores in Northern California and train staff throughout the country. He guided his stores to be consistently one of the best in the country becoming the top revenue generating store for 6 months straight.Beyond his work, Chis is Certified in Humane Technology and collaborates with developers to create new and innovative ways for people to benefit from technology while still considering the social and environmental impacts. Chris is passionate about finding ways to use technology to improve human experience. He has an extensive history launching and growing multiple businesses in the retail and non-profit sectors and still enjoys learning about the ever-changing technological landscape. Chris attended St. Mary’s College of Maryland where he received a B.A. in psychology. He serves on the Carroll County Workforce Development Board Executive Team, the Maryland Nonprofits Accelerator Advisory Board, and is a member of the Rural Maryland Council. Believing in the need for strong communities he is also actively involved in Hey, Westminster, Rotary, and Braver Angels.
Michael Calkins
Assistant Secretary of Plant Industries and Pest Management, Maryland Department of Agriculture
Michael Calkins, is the new Assistant Secretary of Plant Industries and Pest Management at the Maryland Department of Agriculture. With a tenure of 15 years in soil conservation, Assistant Superintendent at a country club in Vermont and a golf course in Maryland, Michael used his Bachelor of Science in Agronomy with a specialty in Turf Grass management to become a true agricultural trailblazer. His expertise spans from advising farm owners on Best Management Practices to overseeing innovative composting facilities for the government and private industries. With a passion for agricultural preservation Michael has left an indelible mark on the industry. From chairing committees to officiating NCAA basketball games, his energy and dedication know no bounds. Out of the office and off the court Michael and his wife Ali manage a 68-acre horse farm in Frederick County where his wife is a professional rider and trainer, and their 4-legged children’s names are Sampson, Lexy, Anna, Stella, Bubba and Merlin.
Chris Clai
Director, Information Security, Green Thumb Industries
Christopher is the Director of Information Security for Green Thumb Industries, and a Board Member of the Cannabis ISAO from Chicago, IL. Chris has more than 20 years of experience in Information Technology spanning Management, Security Engineering, Systems Administration, and Development. They currently hold a Masters’ in Cybersecurity and Information Assurance from Western Governors University, along with 30 various IT-related certifications. Chris got their start in IT at the age of 13 in internet radio and website development. From there, they worked in various industries including MSPs, healthcare, finance, legal, and retail. Beyond their professional career, Christopher works to mentor and support the growth of others in Information Technology, speaks at conferences, and writes blogs about Information Security and DE&I.
Clifford Coppersmith
President, Chesapeake College
Clifford Coppersmith, Ph.D. is in his sixth year as the sixth president of Chesapeake. He has spent nearly 30 years in higher education instruction and leadership with a focus on both general education and all applied technology education.
Shelly M. Gross-Wade
Principal Consultant and CEO, Bay Crossing Consulting
With a 40-year legacy in public-private management, Shelly is a thought leader in economic development, business, and mission-driven finance. Throughout her career as a public servant, advocate, and financial leader, Shelly opened doors to capital for aspiring small businesses, improving access to capital for small, women, minority, and socially-disadvantaged businesses throughout the State of Maryland. At Bay Crossing Consulting Services, Shelly offers her breadth of expertise to clients in the economic development, business, and nonprofit sectors. Shelly was the first African American and the first woman to serve as President and CEO of FSC First, which provides creative financing solutions to small businesses in Maryland. During her 24 years of leadership, FSC First managed more than 10 distinct loan programs to support unbanked and under-banked small, women, minority, and socially-disadvantaged businesses and rapid growth companies. Passionate about entrepreneurship, Shelly led FSC to close over $100 million in loans for small, women, minority, and socially-disadvantaged businesses and attracted over $1.4 billion in public/private funds.
Before joining FSC First, Shelly served as the Incentive Fund Manager and facilitated industrial revenue bond transactions at Anne Arundel Economic Development Corporation for over a decade. In this capacity, she helped local businesses locate, expand, and invest in their local communities. A proud Maryland native, Shelly is a graduate of the University of Maryland University College and Anne Arundel Community College. She is also a graduate of Leadership Anne Arundel and Leadership Maryland. A nationally-certified Economic Development Finance Professional,Shelly continually deepens her skill sets and connects her clients with the tools for prosperity. Rooted in faith, community, and family, Shelly spends down time with her son, daughter-in-law, bonus daughter, grandchildren, and husband of 30-plus years. She loves entertaining, live jazz, crab feasts, and power boating on the Chesapeake Bay.
Colin Hamill
Founder & IT Solutions Designer, Sentinel Forge Technologies
Colin has always had a deep fascination and passion for working with computers and using them to solve problems. This passion led Colin to study Computer Science at the University of Maryland, College Park, where he first met his now-wife, Melanie. It led him to a more than 15-year career as an Enterprise Presales Solutions Designer, where he would build solutions for his clients using different pieces of technology as “building blocks” to solve their technical problems. Regardless of the specific technologies included, Colin strove to communicate his solutions & designs in a clear & comprehensible way, free of the jargon and alphabet-soup acronyms that can make the IT industry inaccessible for most of the population. His passion drove him to continue his education, and he attended night classes at Loyola University after work and he earned his Master of Business Administration (MBA), with a focus on Information Systems. Colin’s MBA showed him how he could use his “technology building blocks” to solve his clients business problems & their technical problems at the same time. Colin decided to start his own business, Sentinel Forge Technologies, after seeing the impact on fuel supplies after the Colonial Pipeline Cyberattack of May 2021. Using his experience as a Ransomware Protection Specialist, he developed a new cybersecurity architecture, the Secure Sentinel Network (SSN), which is designed to completely disrupt a cybercriminal’s attack strategy. Colin has focused his efforts on combating the ever-increasing threat of Ransomware and Cyberattacks on critical US infrastructure and to help train the next generation of Cyber 911s. He believes that when it comes to cyberattacks, no one is safe until everyone is safe.
Joyce Hunter
Advisory Board Chair, CyberAg;
Executive Director, ICIT (Institute for Critical Infrastructure Technology);
Former Deputy CIO and Acting CIO for Policy and Planning at USDA
Joyce Hunter is a strategic-doer and a philanthropreneur. She was appointed by President Barack Obama to the position of Deputy Chief Information Officer for Policy and Planning at the Department of Agriculture (2013-2017) and was the Acting Chief Information Officer from March 2016 to July 2016. In addition to policy and technology planning, Ms. Hunter is the creator of the Data Science Camp Inc. STEAM (Science Technology Engineering Agriculture/Athletics and Math) summer camp for underserved and underrepresented youth, which is in its 10th year of operation. She is the Advisory Board Chair for CyberAg, providing cybersecurity outreach, awareness, education and access to resources for the agriculture and food supply chain and the Executive Director of the Institute for Critical Infrastructure Technology (ICIT), a nonprofit Think Tank, providing objective, nonpartisan research, advisory, and education to legislative, commercial, and public-sector cybersecurity and critical infrastructure stakeholders. Ms. Hunter earned a BA from Villanova University and an MBA in Marketing from the University of Pennsylvania, Wharton School of Business. She recently received her certificate as a Qualified Technical Expert (QTE) from the Digital Directors Network, named one of the Top 50 Women in Maryland by Women We Admire, was a 2021 Leading for Impact Award Winner and named by Security Magazine one of the most Influential People in Security for 2020. Ms. Hunter is a peer reviewer for the Blockchain in Healthcare Today Journal, a contributor to the ACT/IAC Blockchain and AI Playbooks and many other industry publications. Ms. Hunter is on the Dean’s Advisory Council for Villanova University, Bowie State University, a chapter contributor to The Handbook of Federal Government Leadership and Administration: Transforming, Performing and Innovating in a Complex World (Routledge 2017) and the creator of the recently published ICIT publication “Securing the Nation’s Critical Infrastuctures: A Guide for the 2021 – 2025 Administration” (CRC Press 2022).
Tyler Majchrzak
Government Affairs Officer, Horizon Farm Credit
Tyler Majchrzak has been with Farm Credit for over 4 years now. Tyler currently serves as Government Affairs Officer, representing 5 states, 100 counties and over 22,000 member-owners on local, state and federal legislative and regulatory issues. Prior to this, Tyler was an Ag lender and managed a portfolio of over $90 million. Tyler is a graduate of University of Kentucky with a degree in Career and Technical Education. Tyler and his wife, Morgan, live in Hartly, Delaware.
Jenell Eck McHenry
Programs and PR Director, Maryland Grain Producers
Jenell Eck McHenry grew up in Queen Anne’s County Maryland on her family’s poultry and grain farm. She attended the University of Delaware and graduated with two Bachelor’s degrees in Agriculture and Natural Resources as well as Interpersonal Communications. Today, Jenell is employed by Thompson Ag Consulting as the Programs and PR Director and lives in Kent County Maryland farming with her husband and son.
Michael Moore
Chief Information Officer, Chesapeake College
Michael Moore is no stranger to agriculture or IT, which are increasingly interconnected fields. Recently joining the Chesapeake College team as the Chief Information Officer, he brings in many years of experience in IT and cyber security from a diverse background in both higher education at a similar rural community college and the private sector. As Chief Information Officer, he acts as the strategic partner for the College in guiding all technology initiatives and development of hardened systems that protect the College from continuous cyber threats. Having earned a Master of Science in Cybersecurity Technology from University of Maryland Global Campus as well as possessing certifications in the areas of digital forensics and endpoint management, his expertise is proving instrumental to Chesapeake College’s operations. Outside of his professional career in the IT field, he is often found hard at work on a small-scale poultry and hay farm based out of North East, Maryland. As cyber threats continue to proliferate against agricultural operations, it takes individuals like Moore who truly understand the intricacies of both fields.
Jack Schammel
Assistant Director, Rural & Urban Business Innovation Initiative
Jack Schammel is TEDCO’s Assistant Director of Entrepreneur & Ecosystem Development where he leads a statewide team of mentors for the Rural and Urban Business Innovation Initiatives. He is also the Founder of Leading Logic LLC where he has, for more than a decade, guided many mature companies to dramatically improved results. A certified executive coach, Jack’s expert knowledge of leadership and management, process improvement, organizational development, and business operating systems have helped transform companies on two continents. His industry experience includes tech startups, power generation, training & development, supply chain, finance, petroleum equipment and health care. He is also active in the community, presently serving on the board of Youth Empowerment Source. Jack also served as past board chair for the Cecil County Chamber of Commerce, Venture Access Inc., and the Boy Scouts of America and on the boards of the Harford County Chamber of Commerce, the Harford Historical Society, and the United Way of Central Maryland.
Troy LeMaile-Stovall
CEO, TEDCO
Troy A. LeMaile-Stovall serves as the Chief Executive Officer of TEDCO ($200M+ AUM), Maryland’s economic engine for technology companies. TEDCO facilitates the creation of businesses and supports their growth in all regions of Maryland. He also serves as a Strategic Advisor for Hunter Lewis, LLC, an investment management advisory firm, led by Cambridge Associates Co-Founder Hunter Lewis. He founded and serves as Managing Member of LeMaile Stovall LLC. Prior to TEDCO, Troy served as the Chief Operating Officer at the University of the District of Columbia. He has served as Interim President for Zenith Education Group and as a Principal with Butler Snow Advisory Services. He has also served as EVP/COO at Howard University and Sr. VP/CFO at Jackson State University. Troy co-founded and served as the first President/CEO of GulfSouth Capital, served as a Sr. Engagement Manager at McKinsey & Co., and held positions at Southwestern Bell Telephone, AT&T Bell Labs and Rockwell International.
Troy holds a BS Electrical Engineering degree cum laude from Southern Methodist University (SMU), a MS Computer Science degree from Stanford University and an MBA from Harvard University. Troy has served and is serving on several for-profit and non-profit boards including Parkway Properties, Archipelago Learning, EpiCor Software, Maryland Tech Council, Internet America, UDC Development Foundation, School Status, SMU Dept. of Electrical Engineering, and DC Chamber of Commerce. His top 5 CliftonStrengthsTM are Belief, Connectedness, Strategic, Achiever, and Learner. He was selected for the Leadership Greater Washington Signature Program Class of 2019, DC Chamber Chairman’s Award, Baltimore Business Journal Leadership Trust in 2020, Washingtonian “Tech Titan” in 2022, The Daily Record’s Most Admired CEOs, 2022, the 2023 class for the NACD Accelerate Audit Committee Pipeline program and a 2023 Inductee into the Baltimore Dealmakers Hall of Fame.
THANK YOU TO OUR PARTNERS & SPONSORS
