Latest news with #Leppert
Business Wire
11-06-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
NACD North Texas Announces New Chapter Officers and Board Member for 2025–2026
DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The NACD North Texas Chapter, the advocate for the profession of directorship, today announced the election of new officers and board members for 2025–2026, effective July 1. New Officers Tom Leppert, has been elected as board chair of the NACD North Texas Chapter. Leppert has a distinguished record of accomplishment that includes high-profile leadership positions in both the private and public sector, including chair and CEO of The Turner Corp., CEO of Kaplan Inc. and CEO of Castle & Cooke Properties. Leppert has served on a wide range of corporate boards on three continents and currently serves on the boards of Austin Industries, the Fluor Corp., Dallas Theological Seminary and the NACD North Texas Chapter. He is a noted speaker and has appeared regularly in the media. Leppert served as a White House Fellow in 1984, in both the White House Office of Policy Development and the U.S. Department of the Treasury. From 2007 to 2011, he served as the elected mayor of Dallas. 'We proudly serve our approximately 1,000 North Texas chapter members with events, programming and networking that prepare directors to address boardroom challenges while creating a positive return and personal relationship with our sponsors,' said Leppert. Debra L. von Storch, will serve as board vice chair. Von Storch is a senior executive with four decades of experience guiding companies through their growth journey while at EY. She has in-depth knowledge of the business issues faced by high-growth companies, having served companies from start up to global Fortune 500 enterprises. Seated in the boardroom of both public and private companies, von Storch has experience as chair of the audit and compensation committees of Nasdaq-listed companies. She is qualified to serve as a financial expert under U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and New York Stock Exchange / Nasdaq listing rules. Von Storch has served on the board of directors for Vari (formerly VariDesk), Canoo Inc., CSW Industrials and AT-RISK International. She chairs the Zenith chapter of the Women Presidents Organization, comprised of 21 dynamic CEOs from five countries. Von Storch also serves on the board of directors for the United Way of Metropolitan Dallas Foundation. Todd Murray will continue to serve as secretary. A partner at Foley & Lardner LLP, he serves as a vice president of the firm's securities enforcement and litigation practice. Murray focuses his practice on securities litigation, director and officer fiduciary duty and corporate governance disputes, litigation involving complex accounting, accounting fraud, financial issues and energy-related matters. Derek McClain will serve as treasurer. McClain is a former partner with Vinson & Elkins LLP, where he practiced corporate finance and securities law, and a former executive with Trammell Crow Co. and CBRE. He was chief financial officer of Trammell Crow Co. for the seven years preceding its acquisition by CBRE. He is on the boards of directors of Mutual of Omaha Insurance Co., where he serves as lead independent director, and The McShane Companies. He also serves on the board of trustees of The Fund for American Studies. New Board Member New board member Theresa Motter was the former CEO of Van's Kitchen, a Dallas-based manufacturer of Asian snacks. With over 35 years of experience, she led the company for 10 years through tremendous growth, including a purpose-led rebrand, upgrade of facilities and equipment for additional capacity as well as implementation of a strategic plan that integrated vibrant cultures and three different languages. She was recognized by Walmart in an online Asian American and Pacific Islander feature and was 2021 EY Finalist for Entrepreneur of the Year. As CEO in 2022, she was named 'Dallas 500' by D CEO magazine and the company honored with Refrigerated & Frozen Foods 'Food Processor of the Year' and '#1 Asian Owned Business' by the Dallas Business Journal. Motter serves as advisory board chair for Scouting America and serves on the board of Montserrat Jesuit Retreat House, Mary Immaculate School and IDDBA and as an active member of Orchid Giving Circle. Current NACD North Texas board members also include Renee Arrington, immediate past chair; Gregg Ballew, nominating and governance committee co-chair; Matthew Bob; Bill Buechele; Ron Chu; Tracey Doi, membership engagement committee co-chair; Donna Epps, sponsorship committee co-chair; Shane Goodwin, programs committee co-chair; Selena La Croix, nominating and governance committee co-chair; Bets Lillo; John Mahalik, membership engagement committee co-chair; Bobby Majumder, Anne Motsenbocker, sponsorship co-chair; Cynthia Pharr-Lee; Don Robillard, Julie Silcock; and Mark Sinclair. About NACD North Texas NACD North Texas provides a forum for NACD members to exchange knowledge and discuss leading boardroom practices in the Dallas and Fort Worth area. NACD's more than 20 chapters enhance the value of NACD membership by providing directors with a forum to address governance challenges to elevate their board's performance. Members enjoy peer-to-peer dialogue about critical boardroom issues such as cyber risk, CEO succession planning, activism and leadership. To learn more about NACD North Texas, please visit About NACD The National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) is the leading member organization for corporate directors who want to expand their knowledge, grow their network and maximize their potential. For more than 47 years, NACD has helped boards and the business community elevate their performance and create long-term value. Our leadership continues to raise standards of excellence and advance board effectiveness at thousands of member companies. NACD's value insights, professional development events and resources, such as the NACD Directors Summit TM and the NACD Directorship Certification ® program, support boards in navigating complex challenges. With a growing network of more than 24,000 members across over 20 chapters, boards are better equipped to make well-informed decisions on the critical, strategic issues facing their businesses today. Learn more at
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
NACD North Texas Announces New Chapter Officers and Board Member for 2025–2026
DALLAS, June 11, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The NACD North Texas Chapter, the advocate for the profession of directorship, today announced the election of new officers and board members for 2025–2026, effective July 1. New Officers Tom Leppert, has been elected as board chair of the NACD North Texas Chapter. Leppert has a distinguished record of accomplishment that includes high-profile leadership positions in both the private and public sector, including chair and CEO of The Turner Corp., CEO of Kaplan Inc. and CEO of Castle & Cooke Properties. Leppert has served on a wide range of corporate boards on three continents and currently serves on the boards of Austin Industries, the Fluor Corp., Dallas Theological Seminary and the NACD North Texas Chapter. He is a noted speaker and has appeared regularly in the media. Leppert served as a White House Fellow in 1984, in both the White House Office of Policy Development and the U.S. Department of the Treasury. From 2007 to 2011, he served as the elected mayor of Dallas. "We proudly serve our approximately 1,000 North Texas chapter members with events, programming and networking that prepare directors to address boardroom challenges while creating a positive return and personal relationship with our sponsors," said Leppert. Debra L. von Storch, will serve as board vice chair. Von Storch is a senior executive with four decades of experience guiding companies through their growth journey while at EY. She has in-depth knowledge of the business issues faced by high-growth companies, having served companies from start up to global Fortune 500 enterprises. Seated in the boardroom of both public and private companies, von Storch has experience as chair of the audit and compensation committees of Nasdaq-listed companies. She is qualified to serve as a financial expert under U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and New York Stock Exchange / Nasdaq listing rules. Von Storch has served on the board of directors for Vari (formerly VariDesk), Canoo Inc., CSW Industrials and AT-RISK International. She chairs the Zenith chapter of the Women Presidents Organization, comprised of 21 dynamic CEOs from five countries. Von Storch also serves on the board of directors for the United Way of Metropolitan Dallas Foundation. Todd Murray will continue to serve as secretary. A partner at Foley & Lardner LLP, he serves as a vice president of the firm's securities enforcement and litigation practice. Murray focuses his practice on securities litigation, director and officer fiduciary duty and corporate governance disputes, litigation involving complex accounting, accounting fraud, financial issues and energy-related matters. Derek McClain will serve as treasurer. McClain is a former partner with Vinson & Elkins LLP, where he practiced corporate finance and securities law, and a former executive with Trammell Crow Co. and CBRE. He was chief financial officer of Trammell Crow Co. for the seven years preceding its acquisition by CBRE. He is on the boards of directors of Mutual of Omaha Insurance Co., where he serves as lead independent director, and The McShane Companies. He also serves on the board of trustees of The Fund for American Studies. New Board Member New board member Theresa Motter was the former CEO of Van's Kitchen, a Dallas-based manufacturer of Asian snacks. With over 35 years of experience, she led the company for 10 years through tremendous growth, including a purpose-led rebrand, upgrade of facilities and equipment for additional capacity as well as implementation of a strategic plan that integrated vibrant cultures and three different languages. She was recognized by Walmart in an online Asian American and Pacific Islander feature and was 2021 EY Finalist for Entrepreneur of the Year. As CEO in 2022, she was named "Dallas 500" by D CEO magazine and the company honored with Refrigerated & Frozen Foods "Food Processor of the Year" and "#1 Asian Owned Business" by the Dallas Business Journal. Motter serves as advisory board chair for Scouting America and serves on the board of Montserrat Jesuit Retreat House, Mary Immaculate School and IDDBA and as an active member of Orchid Giving Circle. Current NACD North Texas board members also include Renee Arrington, immediate past chair; Gregg Ballew, nominating and governance committee co-chair; Matthew Bob; Bill Buechele; Ron Chu; Tracey Doi, membership engagement committee co-chair; Donna Epps, sponsorship committee co-chair; Shane Goodwin, programs committee co-chair; Selena La Croix, nominating and governance committee co-chair; Bets Lillo; John Mahalik, membership engagement committee co-chair; Bobby Majumder, Anne Motsenbocker, sponsorship co-chair; Cynthia Pharr-Lee; Don Robillard, Julie Silcock; and Mark Sinclair. About NACD North Texas NACD North Texas provides a forum for NACD members to exchange knowledge and discuss leading boardroom practices in the Dallas and Fort Worth area. NACD's more than 20 chapters enhance the value of NACD membership by providing directors with a forum to address governance challenges to elevate their board's performance. Members enjoy peer-to-peer dialogue about critical boardroom issues such as cyber risk, CEO succession planning, activism and leadership. To learn more about NACD North Texas, please visit About NACD The National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) is the leading member organization for corporate directors who want to expand their knowledge, grow their network and maximize their potential. For more than 47 years, NACD has helped boards and the business community elevate their performance and create long-term value. Our leadership continues to raise standards of excellence and advance board effectiveness at thousands of member companies. NACD's value insights, professional development events and resources, such as the NACD Directors SummitTM and the NACD Directorship Certification® program, support boards in navigating complex challenges. With a growing network of more than 24,000 members across over 20 chapters, boards are better equipped to make well-informed decisions on the critical, strategic issues facing their businesses today. Learn more at View source version on Contacts For Press Inquiries:NACD North Texas ChapterMargaret Jacksoninfo@ Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Hamilton Spectator
05-06-2025
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
Telecom networks increasingly vulnerable to cyberattacks, experts warn
TORONTO - Technology experts say telecommunications networks are increasingly susceptible to security threats and that companies should leverage artificial intelligence to help protect their infrastructure. Speaking Wednesday at the 24th annual Canadian Telecom Summit in Toronto, Ericsson Canada chief technology officer Tania Leppert said there is a growing need to safeguard telecom infrastructure that is evermore central to day-to-day life. 'We really have a lot of focus these days on the criticality of this infrastructure, which unfortunately also makes it a very attractive target for nefarious actors as well,' she told attendees during the second and final day of the conference. Leppert said there are various potential security or safety risks when a telecom network is breached, ranging from outages that halt the flow of communication during emergencies to massive amounts of sensitive data that could be stolen. 'There's a lot of important information in our telecom networks,' she said. 'Everybody is using it.' Leppert said attacks have become more sophisticated due to technological advancements, including the evolution of artificial intelligence. 'Hackers are ... using a lot more technology in different ways to be able to find vulnerabilities in the network and either collect information or disrupt,' she said. 'AI can also be used to make stronger attacks.' The conference also heard Tuesday from self-described 'ethical hacker' Robert Beggs, chief executive of Waterloo, Ont.-based security solutions company DigitalDefence. Beggs, whose firm is hired by companies to test the security of their networks, said there's been an uptick in cyber threats targeting the telecom sector over the past five years. Despite the potential of artificial intelligence — with companies touting its opportunities for growth and efficiencies — he said its use is 'outstripping securities.' 'Most companies, most telecommunications firms, haven't updated their program to meet the new threats that are coming in,' Beggs said. 'Since that time, we're dealing with ransomware to an incredible degree, you're dealing with international countries and you're still dealing with a lot of human errors.' In February, as part of a CRTC decision about improving 911 resiliency, the regulator directed service providers to implement 'robust cybersecurity measures to help prevent outages caused by cyberattacks.' That can include establishing firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and other safeguards. The providers must implement the measures by this August. Leppert said that while technology can be harnessed to attack networks, AI analysis can also be used as a tool to monitor for potential threats. That includes built-in access control mechanisms that offer a traceability function when a network or product is attacked. 'There has to be data that's coming out of the products in order to be analyzed,' she said, adding that organizations must be able to respond quickly once an attack is ongoing. 'You cannot defend against every attack vector, you cannot predict what hackers are going to be able to do, but you better know when something's happening,' she said. The sector is also relying more on technology to create 'threat databases,' said Leppert. 'Some of the big vulnerabilities is actually when we have silos ... and there's a lack of handover of understanding of what's happening,' said Leppert. 'Once a certain attack vector is known, that's something you need to share within the industry so we can protect against it in the future and it can't be reused.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 4, 2025.
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Telecom networks increasingly vulnerable to cyberattacks, experts warn
TORONTO — Technology experts say telecommunications networks are increasingly susceptible to security threats and that companies should leverage artificial intelligence to help protect their infrastructure. Ericsson Canada chief technology officer Tania Leppert says there is a growing need to safeguard telecom infrastructure, both to maintain the flow of critical communication during emergencies and to prevent massive amounts of data from being stolen. Speaking Wednesday at the 24th annual Canadian Telecom Summit in Toronto, Leppert said the increased importance of telecom infrastructure in day-to-day life has made it an "attractive target for nefarious actors as well." She says attacks have become more sophisticated due to technological advancements, but AI analysis can also be used as a tool to monitor for potential threats to networks. Robert Beggs, chief executive of Waterloo, Ont.-based security solutions company DigitalDefence, says there's been an uptick in cyberthreats targeting the telecom sector over the past five years. In February, as part of a CRTC decision about improving 911 resiliency, the regulator directed service providers to implement "robust cybersecurity measures to help prevent outages caused by cyberattacks," which can include firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and other safeguards. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 4, 2025. Sammy Hudes, The Canadian Press Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
