On this episode, hosts Aaron Linz and Tim York talk to Rich Rhodes, Chief Information Security Officer of Choice Bank. Rich shares how his people-first philosophy shapes the way he leads security programs, especially during high-stress moments like bank mergers, regulatory pressure and pandemic-era team isolation. Drawing from years in financial services and community work, Rich explains why fundamentals matter, how humor builds trust and why he believes security is 90% people.

Key Takeaways:

(04:30) Volunteer work revealed the real-world consequences of identity loss.

(07:56) Cybersecurity leadership must center the human experience, not just controls.

(09:33) Managing conflict in security teams requires empathy and intentional restraint.

(16:09) Employee well-being and development are critical responsibilities of CISOs.

(18:25) Regular communication and transparency help unify distributed teams.

(27:04) Large-scale IAM implementations demand urgency and cross-functional alignment.

(30:55) Creative morale boosters can protect team mental health during crises.

Resources Mentioned:

Rich Rhodes

https://www.linkedin.com/in/rich-rhodes-cissp-pcip-1b35755/

Choice Bank | LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/company/choicebank/

Choice Bank | Website

https://bankwithchoice.com/

Meals on Wheels | Website

https://meals-on-wheels.com/

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For more information, visit https://ic-consult.com.

#Cybersecurity #IdentityManagement #InformationSecurity #IAM #IdentityAccessManagement