People You Should Know: Reece Simpson, Account Executive at SBS Cybersecurity  

For the past three years, understanding cyber security and its impact on everyday life has been a passion for Reece Simpson.

 

“My interest in the cybersecurity industry was a direct result of landing a part time job at SBS Cyber Security while attending Dakota State University in Madison. It was then that I realized I had a thirst and passion for understanding cyber related issues and how they affect our everyday lives,” said Reece. 

 

Rising through the ranks, Reece is now an account executive overseeing community banks in  Nebraska and South Dakota. “My job is to talk with community bankers and understand the needs they have around information and cyber security. From there, it’s all about helping them identify and understand their risks so they can make data driven decisions that are best for their business,” said Reece. 

 

While there are many aspects to cyber security, Reece says the top three community banks should focus on for both their employees and their customers are: security awareness and cyber culture, business continuity and incident readiness, and identifying and understanding risk. 

 

Reece says educating customers and employees about cyber-attacks, what they look like and how they happen, is highly important.  “Every 13 seconds a business falls victim to a ransomware attack, and 90 percent of ransomware attacks are via phishing emails. Making sure that customers and employees can identify phishing emails can go a long way in mitigating that risk. SBS offers some great content on our website that provides valuable information on a number of different topics like phishing and building a strong cyber security culture within your organization,” Reece explained.

 

He went on to say, “The traditional business continuity plan prepared banks for events such as tornados, floods, or blizzards. Now cyber-attacks or technology outages can have severe impact on banks’ ability to serve their customers. SBS can assist community banks with the creation, maintenance, and in depth understanding of their ongoing business continuity/incident response programs. SBS also has created a proprietary tool to assist with conducting business impact analyses.”

 

Technology plays a significant role in the banking industry making it important for community banks to become efficient at risk assessments. “Risk assessments provide vital information to the institution; they help them understand where they should spend their next security dollar that will have the most impact on risk mitigation. SBS offers a variety of tools and services for banks of all sizes to understand risk to make better business decisions.” 

 

For Reece, staying on top of new information and changes within cyber security is both fun and challenging. In a normal, non-covid world, his day includes sharing new information with community banks during onsite visits, and working hands with bankers on to identify risks and implement solutions. 

 

Hailing from rural Ramona, South Dakota (population “about 100”), Reece recognizes the positive impact independent community banks have within the towns they serve. “What I admire about community banks is their commitment and investment into local communities. I have seen community banks sponsor youth baseball and softball teams, host community driven events, provide assistance during disasters or unplanned events, and be a beacon for cyber security awareness in their community. When I think of community banking I also think of relationships and the emphasis they put on getting to know their clients to best serve their needs.” 

 

When he’s not at work Reece enjoys golfing, spending time with his fiancé Abbi and their 15-months old Goldendoodle named Payton, being at his family’s cabin on Round Lake and following professional sports. “I am a big sports fan; I love watching my Fighting Irish and Chicago Bears disappoint me every fall, although maybe the pandemic will spare me of that this year!”

 

You can about SBS Cyber Security and the services they offer by visiting: www.sbscyber.com.