GrayMatter Cyber Practice Director Scott Christensen aka "Scott," joins Brand Manager Jeremy Boren on the emPOWERUP Podcast for a chat about how industrial companies can quickly expand their OT cybersecurity capabilities by partnering with a managed services provider.

Having trouble filling a cybersecurity role? So are hundreds of other companies in the U.S. It's a good time to look for a partner with the cyber expertise you need.

Cybersecurity engineers with experience in operational technology are hard to find. Even rarer is finding one with experience building, or rebuilding, a secure OT network. It's probably best not to go it alone.

Other topics we get into: New SEC rules & government regulations, protecting your systems from so-called hacktivists and understanding the difference between what we know as cybersecurity versus securing network infrastructure.

Visit GrayMatter to start a project at: https://graymattersystems.com/cyber-security-for-operational-technology/

Ampcus Inc. VP of Technology Programs Barbara Wilson joins the emPOWERUP Podcast to discuss how water and wastewater utilities — and other public agencies — can adopt more agile budget practices through sole source providers and cooperatives.

Utilities need to move quickly to modernize technology and strengthen cybersecurity, but budgeting procedures move at their own pace.

Barbara shares lessons from her experience from working in senior IT and OT roles at Fort Worth Water in Texas and Metro Water Recovery in Denver, Colorado.

Visit graymattersystems.com for more about GrayMatter's cybersecurity offerings for water/wastewater.

GrayMatter's emPOWERUP Podcast hosts BlastWave CEO Tom Sego to discuss how a new partnership between GrayMatter and BlastWave enables industrial organizations to better protect their physical plant systems from cybersecurity threats.

Sego said research shows malicious actors are, unfortunately, shifting their focus to manufacturing.

"In 2022 manufacturing surpassed financial services to be the most-attacked industry," Sego said. "The average ransom payment in manufacturing is now exceeding an average of $2 million, versus the industry average, which is around $900,000."

The GrayMatter-BlastWave partnership emerged from the realization that major manufacturers need to identify third-party cybersecurity vendors that demonstrate a deep background working with industrial technology systems and specialize in protecting operational technology. 

OT cybersecurity tech and strategies discussed during the podcast episode include:

• Phishing-resistant MFA (multi-factor authentication)

• Micro-segmentation

• Software-defined perimeter

• Cybersecurity assessment

Visit GrayMatter's Industrial Cybersecurity Offering to learn more: https://graymattersystems.com/cyber-security-for-operational-technology/

Del-Co Water Company's service area contains three of Ohio's five fastest-growing counties.

That includes its namesake Delaware County, which led all of Ohio's 88 counties with a population increase of 27 percent between 2010 and 2022 to about 222,000 people.

A rapidly growing customer base requires Del-Co, a GrayMatter customer, to invest in new technology and train agile teams to meet rising potable water service demands while maintaining its record of providing clean drinking water to customers.

Among its most recent priorities is a cybersecurity strategy it built with GrayMatter to protect its operational technology environment by implementing network segmentation replacing an existing firewall provider.

Learn more at https://graymattersystems.com/cyber-security-for-operational-technology/

GrayMatter emPOWERUP Podcast Host Jeremy Boren talks with Larry Saidman, Nordson Corp.'s Chief Technologist, R&D, about Nordson's work with GrayMatter to deploy an Advanced Industry Analytics solution designed to enhance customer service. 

The analytics solution gives Nordson customers that use adhesive-dispensing machines more data about how the machines are performing and whether preventative maintenance is needed. Having ready access to granular data is benefit to both Nordson and their customers.

Visit graymattersystems.com/advanced-industrial-data-analytics/

Cybersecurity is a team sport.

GrayMatter customer Zekelman Industries builds a culture of security by earning buy-in from company leaders and plant-floor operators. It's important for everyone to understand not only why cybersecurity precautions are in place, but how they enable employees to perform their jobs better and protect the steel manufacturer's physical, revenue-generating assets.

GrayMatter emPOWERUP Podcast host Jeremy Boren talks with Jerry Baum, Zekelman's Director of IT, Infrastructure, about how the company is working with GrayMatter to create a strong, long-term OT cybersecurity strategy.

Visit graymattersystems.com

Nordson Corp., a manufacturer of industrial adhesive dispensing equipment, is co-innovating with GrayMatter on an Advanced Industrial Analytics solution to help Nordson customers reduce machine downtime and optimize productivity.

GrayMatter emPOWERUP Podcast host Jeremy Boren talks with Larry Saidman, chief technologist for R&D at Nordson, about how his team is using advanced analytics to improve customer service.

To learn more, visit graymattersystems.com/advanced-industrial-data-analytics

GrayMatter's emPOWERUP Podcast hosts Steve Pavlosky, GE Digital's Principle Product Manager of Proficy Historian. 

Proficy Historian "collects industrial time-series and A&E data at very high speed, stores it efficiently and securely, distributes it, and allows for fast retrieval and analysis — driving greater business value."

emPOWERUP Podcast Host Jeremy Boren of GrayMatter talks with Steve about the latest Proficy Historian 2022 updates including Configuration Hub enhancements, Python collector scripts and support for Power BI visualizations.

To learn more about Historian and schedule a SCADA Assessment briefing with GrayMatter, visit: graymattersystems.com/automation-controls-offering/

GrayMatter CMO Kerry McQuone hosts an executive women's panel on GrayMatter's emPOWERUP Podcast with two successful leaders in industrial technology, Amy Sausen of Kimberly-Clark, and Laura Harshberger of PPG. GrayMatter works with both companies on industrial intelligence projects that require technical know-how to transform operations, and an open-minded, healthy workplace culture that empowers people. 

Topics covered in the conversation:

• Planning a career and advocating for oneself in manufacturing (and the larger industrial tech world)

• Making the shift from being a manager to being a leader

• Defining one's leadership style and driving change in IT

• Overcoming career barriers or challenges: relocating for work, changing roles & work-life balance

• Establishing a bold mindset and building a productive team

When a water pump failure shuts down production at a shale oil and gas site, workers might spend hours searching for and repairing the problem — a delay that can easily cost tens of thousands of dollars.

Remote drill sites are often tucked into hillsides that interrupt radio signals or are too far from populated areas to access cell phone communications. Those challenges have led many to believe it’s not feasible to use wireless technology to monitor and control water pipeline systems.

That’s why GrayMatter and Keystone Clearwater Solutions worked together to create WaterForce, a smart-sensor, turnkey solution that’s flexible enough to adapt to any terrain.

GrayMatter Brand Manager Jeremy Boren talks with Keystone Clearwater Senior VP Jeff Wehler and Director of Technology Luke Beachy.