The Decision Advantage

In this episode of The Decision Advantage, host Brian Leclerc is joined by Kyle King, founder of Crisis Lab and a 30-year veteran of international crisis operations, NATO civil emergency planning, and post-conflict institution building.

Released on Veterans Day, this conversation draws on Kyle's extensive military and international service to explore what Western nations—and businesses—can learn from ongoing conflicts and civil defense strategies in Europe. We discuss the critical gap between national policy and municipal reality, the lessons of Sweden's Total Defense model, and why rethinking early warning systems and resilience starts at the local level.

Stream the video on YouTube or the full audio podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and other services, at The Decision Advantage

Chapters:

00:00 - Introduction, Guest Background
03:26 - The Spectrum of Crisis: From Local Emergencies to National Security
06:15 - Translating National Strategy Down to the Municipal Level
07:42 - Persistent Threat Environments: Comparing European Conflict Realities with U.S. Disasters
13:34 - The Swedish Total Defense Model & Decentralized Decision-Making
19:53 - Early Warning Systems, Communications Gaps, and Hyperlocal Resilience
24:00 - Closing Insights: Breaking Down Silos and Stress-Testing Assumptions

Get in Touch & Additional Resources

• Special Note: As we release this episode on Veterans Day, we extend our gratitude to all who have served and continue to safeguard global security and local communities.
• Contact the Team: Have questions or risk management topics you'd like us to cover? Reach out to us directly at [email protected] or drop a comment.
• Guest Information & Links:
  Kyle King
  Managing Director
  Capacity Building International, LLC
  Founder of Crisis Lab

In this episode of The Decision Advantage, host Brian Leclerc is joined by Dr. Dawn Hersey (CEO and Founder of Ferndon Consulting) for their monthly risk management review.

Recorded just ahead of the U.S. midterm elections, the discussion steps back from domestic politics to analyze the mounting global pressures—from the Iranian timeline and escalating Red Sea tanker attacks to European port strikes, civil protests, and agricultural supply shortages. Tune in for practical insights on civil resilience, supply chain redundancies, and why keeping a full tank of gas might just be the best risk management strategy for the month ahead.

Stream the video on YouTube or the full audio podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and other services, at podcast.ferndon.com

00:00 - Introduction & Monthly Global Risk Preview
01:02 - The Iranian Timeline & Rising Gulf Tensions
02:50 - European Protests, Port Strikes, & Polish Geopolitics
05:30 - Civil Resilience, 30-Day Preparedness, and Supply Chain Vulnerabilities
08:20 - Geopolitical Animal Analogies: The Wounded Lion, The Russian Bear, and Global Stability
14:10 - Israeli Elections, Global Political Shifts, and the "Water Balloon" Metaphor
18:00 - Closing Thoughts: Actionable Readiness & Where to Reach Us

Contact the Team:

Have questions or risk management topics you'd like us to cover? Reach out to us directly at [email protected] or drop a comment.

Additional Reading & Links:

Ferndon blog posts:

https://ferndon.com/iran-is-a-lion

https://ferndon.com/leaders-thought-board/f/russia-is-a-bear

Additional information on discussed topics:

Israeli Election: https://www.britannica.com/event/2026-Israeli-Elections and https://www.timesofisrael.com/topic/2026-israeli-elections/

Brazil Election: https://www.britannica.com/topic/Brazils-2026-presidential-election-explained and https://www.reuters.com/graphics/BRAZIL-ELECTION/RESULTS/znpngxgarvl/

Polish Unrest: https://www.lemonde.fr/en/international/article/2026/10/31/political-crisis-turns-into-open-conflict-in-poland_6768148_4.html#

Dock Workers Strike: https://www.reuters.com/business/world-at-work/dockworkers-strike-in-europe-beyond-against-arms-shipments-war-deaths-2026-10-30/

Unrest in Europe: https://www.cfr.org/articles/whats-behind-the-protests-and-riots-in-france-and-what-comes-next and https://www.cnn.com/2026/10/31/europe/protests-europe-germany-halloween-intl

Welcome to another episode of The Decision Advantage, where host Brian Leclerc sits down with expert guest Mr. Solomon Kimaita to take a deep dive into maritime security, geopolitical shifts, and trade dynamics in the Red Sea and around the Horn of Africa.

We explore why outsiders often misunderstand the region, how local communities rely on the Bab el-Mandeb strait for their daily livelihoods, and why Western executives need to move away from treating the Horn of Africa as uniformly dangerous or viewing it strictly through a military lens.

• 00:00 - Introduction: Meet Guest Mr. Solomon Kimaita
• 01:18 - The Strategic Importance of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait & Local Livelihoods
• 04:19 - Underestimated vs. Overstated Risks for Western Governments and Businesses
• 07:45 - Building Better Communication, Contiguous Tests, and Local Legitimization
• 10:04 - Shifting Alliances: Western Reliability vs. China, Turkey, and Gulf States
• 14:35 - Final Takeaways: Comprehensive Approaches, Reciprocity, and Equal Partnerships

We are deeply honored to have Mr. Solomon Kimaita join us on the show. He is a Lecturer of International Relations and Diplomacy at Zetech University in Nairobi, a Certified Professional Mediator, and a specialist in Peace and Conflict.

Don't forget to subscribe, leave a review, and find all our previous episodes at http://podcast.ferndon.com !

In this episode of The Decision Advantage, host Brian Leclerc is joined by Dr. Dawn Hersey (CEO and Founder of Ferndon Consulting) and Jason Palmer (President of Palmer Computer Services and Lead CMMC Certified Assessor). Together, they unpack the current landscape of the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC), breaking through the confusion, addressing the real cost of compliance, and exploring what the pause in federal implementation means for small businesses and defense contractors.

Stream the full episode on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify at podcast.ferndon.com

00:00 - Introduction & Guest Backgrounds
01:10 - What is CUI and Why CMMC Exists
02:50 - The Current Landscape: Delays and Self-Assessments
06:05 - Debunking Compliance Cost Myths & Small Business Realities
14:40 - Finding Qualified Consultants and Assessors
22:10 - Political Misconceptions & Regulatory Alignment
26:35 - CMMC as a Documentation Roadmap for Cybersecurity

• Find Assessors & C3PAOs: Search the official CyberAB Marketplace to locate qualified C3PAOs, Assessors, and Registered Practitioners.
• Official DoD CMMC Guidance: Explore the official DoD CIO CMMC Program Overview.
• Scoping & Assessment Guides: Review official compliance manuals directly via the DoD CMMC Resources & Documentation portal.
• CMMC Control Objectives Explained: For a detailed breakdown defining and explaining each individual control objective in plain language, check out David Koran's CMMC Controls Resource.

In this episode of The Decision Advantage, host Brian Leclerc sits down with supply chain expert Thomas A. Di Mascio to explore the true, end-to-end scope of modern supply chains. Moving far beyond logistics, trucks, and shipping containers, Tom breaks down why C-suite and board-level leaders must adopt strategic resilience, navigate global choke points, and break down organizational silos before the next major disruption hits.

Chapters

00:00 - Introduction

00:33 - Beyond Logistics: Defining the True Supply Chain Scope

03:08 - Global Choke Points & Black Swan Events

06:23 - Balancing Local Partners & Risk Management

10:36 - Critical Infrastructure Vulnerabilities: Energy & Water

14:01 - Government Policy & Agency Engagement

16:05 - Building Resilience from the C-Suite

21:11 - Securing Your Strategic Decision Advantage

Guest & Resource Links

• Guest: Thomas A. Di Mascio, Executive Director, Global Supply Chain ISAC
• Email: [email protected]
• InfraGard
• Foundation for Infrastructure Resilience
• Global Supply Chain ISAC
• Recommended Viewing: Maritime Choke Points - Sal Mercogliano

In this episode of The Decision Advantage, host Brian Leclerc sits down with Dr. Dawn Hersey, CEO & Founder of Ferndon Consulting, to launch a new recurring segment breaking down recent events and operational shifts. They discuss how global geopolitical changes, extreme weather anomalies, and critical mineral dependencies directly threaten national security and supply chain resilience.

From President Xi Jinping’s recent U.S. visit and rare earth mineral regulations (10 U.S.C. 4872 & Executive Order 14415) to Western water infrastructure depletion and unreported critical infrastructure cyber attacks, Dr. Hersey breaks down the secondary and tertiary risks decision-makers must track this year.

Key Topics Covered in This Episode:

- Geopolitical Intelligence: Analyzing President Xi Jinping's U.S. visit, global AI standards, and foreign policy indicators.

- Supply Chain Intelligence & Critical Minerals: Understanding 10 U.S.C. 4872, Executive Order 14415, and non-allied sourcing risks.

- Global Food Insecurity & Weather Risk: How Black Sea tensions, Middle East fertilizer constraints, and U.S. drought impact global stability.

- Infrastructure Vulnerabilities: Winter nor'easters, power grid resilience, and unreported cyber attacks on critical assets.

Subscribe & Connect with Ferndon Consulting:
Podcast: podcast.ferndon.com
Website ferndon.com
Contact Us / Submit Questions: [email protected]
Follow Ferndon Consulting on LinkedIn: LinkedIn

00:00 – Introduction to The Decision Advantage & Dr. Dawn Hersey

01:46 – Monthly Geopolitical & Strategic Resilience Intelligence

03:19 – Diplomatic Protocol & President Xi Jinping's U.S. Visit

05:40 – China, Artificial Intelligence Standards, and Global South Influence

06:44 – Rare Earth Minerals, 10 U.S.C. 4872, and Executive Order 14415

08:51 – Geopolitical Weather Risks: Nor'easters & Climate Pattern Disruptions

10:00 – Global Food Shortages: Ukrainian Grains & Middle East Fertilizer

11:30 – U.S. Agriculture Challenges: Labor, Fuel, and Drought Dynamics

12:35 – Western Water Depletion: Lake Powell, Lake Mead & Colorado River

13:40 – Secondary Risk Effects: Inflation, Social Stability, and Insider Threat Vulnerabilities

15:07 – Ice Storms, Power Grid Infrastructure, & Emergency Response

17:16 – Pacific El Niño Disruptions & Global Port Chokepoints

18:38 – Water Table Depletion & Regional Instability in Africa/Middle East

20:41 – Predictive Supply Chain Intelligence & Shared Vendor Risk Management

22:10 – Critical Mineral Access & Chinese Influence in Africa

25:39 – Unreported Infrastructure Cyber Attacks & Winter Outlook

28:23 – Closing Remarks & How to Subscribe

#Geopolitics #SupplyChain #Podcast #FerndonConsulting

Show Notes / Description:

In this episode of The Decision Advantage, host Brian Leclerc sits down with Dr. Thomas Winston—consultant in cyber and technical intelligence at Ferndon Consulting—to examine the growing cyber threats facing industrial control systems (ICS) and operational technology (OT).

Dr. Winston explores why physical utilities and power grids face unique vulnerabilities, what the Colonial Pipeline attack revealed about IT/OT interdependencies, and how leaders should realistically evaluate AI and quantum risks in cybersecurity today.

In this episode, we discuss:

• IT vs. OT Security: Why securing operational technology isn't as simple as "Patch Tuesday."
• Power Grid & Utility Risks: Are cyber-attacks on municipal water facilities and electrical grids actually increasing?
• Real-World Case Studies: The Colonial Pipeline ransomware incident and lesson learned.
• Proactive Threat Hunting: How intelligence teams detect and stop APT groups before attacks occur.
• AI Risks: Separating overhyped fears from real risks like proprietary data exposure in Large Language Models.
• Government Authorities: The distinct roles of the DHS and FBI in cyber incident response and infrastructure defense.

Episode Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction to Dr. Thomas Winston

00:40 - Dr. Winston’s Background in the U.S. Intelligence Community

02:10 - Enterprise IT (EIT) vs. Operational Technology (OT) Security

03:40 - The Relative Immaturity of the OT Security Field

05:14 - Are Attacks on Critical Infrastructure Increasing or Just Reported More?

06:40 - How Vendor Manuals and Open Source Intelligence Created Vulnerabilities

08:35 - Moving from Network Mapping to Physical Disruptions & Proactive Defense

09:40 - Asset Visibility: The #1 Challenge for OT Owner-Operators

11:30 - The Risks of Patching Hardware vs. Software Upgrades

13:10 - Geopolitical Conflicts, Threat Actors, and Municipal Utility Risks

15:00 - The Complexity of Targeting the U.S. Electrical Grid

17:16 - Historical Context: From Early OT Cyber Attacks to the Colonial Pipeline

20:19 - Federal Authorities in Cyber Investigations: DHS vs. FBI

21:30 - Bridging the Gap Between IT and OT Cultures Within Organizations

23:30 - The Shift from Relays to PLCs and Data Historian Security

25:28 - Artificial Intelligence in Cybersecurity: Hype vs. Reality

27:36 - AI, Quantum Computing, and Advanced Cyber Attack Vectors

28:55 - Privacy Risks of Inputting Proprietary Data into Large Language Models

30:30 - Government Regulation and the Future of AI Security

33:30 - AI on Quantum Computing and Final Thoughts

34:34 - Closing Remarks and Where to Subscribe

Connect & Subscribe:

• Website: ferndon.com
• Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube for new episodes at podcast.ferndon.com

#CyberSecurity #OperationalTechnology #CriticalInfrastructure

In this episode of The Decision Advantage, host Brian Leclerc speaks with Suzanne Lynch, consultant in financial intelligence and payment systems at Ferndon Consulting LLC.

Suzanne reflects on her career transition from law enforcement and corporate fraud investigation to academia and threat finance. She walks through how the events of September 11, 2001, fundamentally reshaped global financial tracking, the passage and impact of the USA PATRIOT Act, and how modern financial intelligence tools—like Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) and cross-sector collaboration—are used today to combat terrorist financing, money laundering, and nation-state threats.

Key Highlights:

• Post-9/11 Shift: How financial intelligence emerged as a critical pillar alongside human and signals intelligence.
• The USA PATRIOT Act & BSA: How legacy anti-money laundering tools were modernized to track global threat networks.
• SARs & Information Sharing: The vital role of Suspicious Activity Reports and public-private cooperation in detecting financial warfare.

Episode Chapters:

• 00:00 – Introduction & Suzanne's Background in Global Financial Investigations
• 02:12 – From Patrol Officer to Corporate Fraud & MasterCard
• 04:10 – The Emergence of Financial Intelligence as a Discipline
• 04:46 – Transitions in Academia: Teaching Threat Finance & Money Laundering
• 06:45 – September 11, 2001: The Shift in Financial Investigation Strategy
• 09:52 – Ground Zero Perspective & Post-9/11 Banking Information Overload
• 17:10 – Under the Radar: How the 9/11 Attacks Were Financed
• 18:57 – The USA PATRIOT Act & Modernizing the Bank Secrecy Act
• 22:20 – Bank Compliance, Due Diligence & Regulatory Failures
• 25:10 – Section 314(B) & Information Sharing Across Institutions
• 26:30 – Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) as an Intelligence Tool
• 28:39 – Key Takeaways for Business Leaders & Trade-Based Money Laundering

Stream or watch the full episode on your favorite platform: 👉 podcast.ferndon.com

Episode Summary

In this episode of The Decision Advantage, host Brian Leclerc sits down with Dawn Thomas, Managing Director CNA, to discuss the evolving landscape of civil defense, emergency management, and nation-state threats.

Thomas breaks down how modern geopolitical conflicts, cyber vulnerabilities, and potential disruptions to critical infrastructure—such as municipal water and power grids—require public and private organizations to rethink traditional continuity planning. She highlights actionable strategies for leaders to conduct deeper continuity assessments, build resilience against prolonged outages, and strengthen cross-sector collaboration between local communities, government, and the private sector.

Key Highlights

• The Evolution of Civil Defense: Shifting focus from single-event terror threats to complex, nation-state cyber operations and infrastructure vulnerabilities.
• Deeper Continuity Planning: Preparing organizations for long-term disruptions (e.g., weeks or months without water or power) rather than short-term emergencies.
• Private & Public Integration: Why private sector preparedness and Department of Defense resource alignment are essential to keeping local communities functioning during a crisis.

Guest Information & Resources

• Guest: Dawn Thomas, Managing Director, CNA
• Email: [email protected]
• Website: CNA Civil Defense Resources

Watch or listen to the full episode and explore all previous installments on our channel: podcast.ferndon.com

In this special edition of The Decision Advantage, host Brian Leclerc reads a deeply personal remembrance written by Robert Ravert, an emergency management consultant at Ferndon Consulting and former FDNY firefighter.

Ravert reflects on his first-hand experience during the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, detailing his posting with Engine 251, the culture and discipline of the FDNY firehouse, the surreal realization of the tragedy as events unfolded, and his unit's deployment into the toxic debris of Ground Zero for initial rescue and recovery operations.

Key Highlights

• First-Hand 9/11 Account: A firefighter's personal perspective on the timeline of events on September 11, 2001, and the immediate citywide response.
• FDNY Culture & Training: Insights into the rigors of the FDNY probation system, humility, and team dynamics within Queens and Brooklyn firehouses.
• Ground Zero Recovery: A raw look at the arrival of relief convoys at the World Trade Center site, the environmental hazards, and the shift from rescue to long-term recovery.

Further Reading

• A separate blog post by Robert Ravert: https://ferndon.com/leaders-thought-board/f/so-that-others-might-live-we-will-never-forget