The Cybersecurity Association of Maryland Awards

 A master of science graduate in civil engineering from Virginia Tech, Wayne Schepens is the managing director of LaunchTech Communications in Baltimore, Maryland. He leverages his more than 20 years of experience in cybersecurity to oversee and run the firm’s strategic accounts, agency staffing, direct sales, and operations. For his efforts, Wayne Schepens and his team were finalists in the Cybersecurity Association of Maryland Awards.

The nonprofit Cybersecurity Association of Maryland, Inc. (CAMI) was formed in 2015 to drive the growth of the cybersecurity industry in Maryland and advocate for its members and industry rights and benefits. It also works to educate the public and members on the industry, and build a solid cybersecurity community and network in Maryland. CAMI holds annual awards to recognize and honor individuals and businesses who have contributed significantly to the growth of cybersecurity in Maryland and upheld and supported CAMI's mission and vision.

The various award categories include Cyber Warrior Woman of the Year, Cybersecurity Champion, Cybersecurity Company to Watch, and Defender of the Year. Others are Innovator of the Year, Diversity Trailblazer, and Resource of the Year.

The Resource of the Year award is different from the others, as it recognizes a non-cybersecurity entity, such as a business, academic institution, or government agency that has contributed significantly to the industry through its services, products, or mission. Recipients usually accomplish this through funding, legal services, insurance, media entities, or academic institutions with unique cybersecurity programs.

About LaunchTech

 At LaunchTech, we pride ourselves on our ability to partner with our clients to accomplish their goals, whether it's increasing their share of voice, rebranding or launching a new product. In 2022, we’re adding more to the list! This year our team will work with clients to differentiate themselves by conducting go-to-market surveys that share unique data. Learn more, and contact us today if you want to explore our survey options.   

https://golaunchtech.com/blog/and-the-survey-says/

#PR #Cybersecurity #LaunchTech

The Importance of Active and Transparent Crisis Management and PR

Based in Baltimore, Wayne Schepens serves as the managing director of LaunchTech Communications, a public relations and marketing agency with a focus on emerging technologies. In January 2019, Wayne Schepens sat on a panel of experts for the American Marketing Association Baltimore chapter's two-part blog series titled “Communications Tips from the PR Pros: Crisis and Reputation Management.”

The discussion, which involved several public relations and marketing executives, centered on a society in which fake news and instant news notifications, as well as a distrust of politicians and corporations, has created an acute need for creative PR strategies. This is particularly the case in situations requiring crisis communication and brand management that will quickly steady companies that find themselves on shaky ground in the eyes of the public.

As Mr. Schepens describes it, his company LaunchTech works primarily in the cybersecurity sphere, with clients forwarding urgent requests for help in educating the public in a credible manner when crisis situations occur. He emphasized the importance of transparency and a proactive approach. By staying sincere and responsive in addressing the issue at hand, rather than reacting defensively, companies will be viewed as operating in good faith, he said.

Providing Insight and Relevant Content within Reputation Management

A respected presence in the Baltimore entrepreneurial community, Wayne Schepens is the founder and managing director of the marketing and PR agency LaunchTech Communications, where he draws on two decades of experience in the cybersecurity industry. In a recent panel discussion hosted by the Baltimore chapter of the American Marketing Association, Wayne Schepens joined other leading PR executives in the region in addressing the topic of crisis and reputation management.

One aspect of an effective approach to reputation management that Mr. Schepens drew attention to concerns the competitiveness in the technology industry. With credibility and company reputation as ever-present factors in a firm's success, his clients must meet the nuanced public relations needs of leading-edge organizations working in areas such as retail, finance, media, and the government.

Just as with consumers, these organizations are seeking validation and strong reasons to trust. This can take the form of third-party endorsements, which may include referrals and testimonies. It also encompasses analyst reports and articles in well-regarded publications. The bottom line is that companies that succeed are able to position themselves as thought leaders who can provide innovative solutions to complex challenges.

LaunchTech Seeing Strong 2018

An experienced security professional who has been in the field for more than two decades, Wayne Schepens serves as the managing director of LaunchTech Communications, a role he has held since 2015. As part of a diverse team of professionals at LaunchTech, Wayne Schepens helped lead the company to a strong first half of 2018. 

At the beginning the year, the company helped guide the launch of a new Internet of Things (IoT) startup known as Zuul, which began its seed phase of investment funding. LaunchTech was able to build a strong public profile and presence for the company by leveraging its media network contacts throughout the state, ensuring solid news coverage in Maryland for Zuul, which had been named Start-Up of the Year by Information Security Products just before making its media push. 

Later in the spring, LaunchTech worked on behalf of 10 different clients during the RSA 2018 cybersecurity conference, helping these companies arrange briefings with dozens of media outlets and leading analysts. LaunchTech is rolling out its Launch Tips monthly series, which will focus on providing simple and practical tips for firms trying to spread their messaging throughout their respective marketplaces.