UECU plays an active role in keeping our members' information and accounts safe from troublemakers. Our dedicated staff works with great people from Alpine Cyber Solutions to make sure we head off trouble. But we can't do it alone.

Account owners have an important role to play, because safe and secure technology is just one piece of the cybersecurity puzzle. UECU consistently strives to improve and increase account security through ongoing testing, training and new technology. Unfortunately, all it takes is a shared password or personal information, outdated account owner contact information, or responding to a troublemaker's urgent and anxiety-inducing email, call or text message to break through the firewall; namely, the human one. 

Today, we talk with Alpine Cyber Solutions President and Chief Technology Officer Steven Pressman and Alpine's Technical Business Analyst David Bock to understand the roles that both organizations and individuals play in keeping their information and their accounts safe. For both sides of that equation, the human firewall is the most important variable.

Learn how to become a great human firewall at work and at home. Our digital footprint is only getting bigger. Secure yours today.

(00:28) Today's topic is cybersecurity: how to keep your information and your accounts safe and secure

(01:06) Why do security breaches happen? 1) It's easy money, and 2) humans make mistakes.

(01:24) UECU works hard to protect our members' accounts and information, but individuals have an important role to play as well. It's a partnership.

(01:44) Cybersecurity facts to consider: the average cost of a data breach so far in 2023 is $4.45M; The financial industry has the second highest average cost of $5.9M; and the two most used methods to secure that information is phishing and stolen credentials.

(02:40) Meet our guests from Alpine Cyber Solutions: Technical Business Analyst David Bock, and President/Chief Technology Officer Steven Pressman. Learn how they made their way to their current career and what they like to do for fun.

(13:20) Topic discussion about Cybersecurity begins with an overview of how UECU, with help from Alpine, keeps on top of Cybersecurity.

(14:11) What is Vulnerability Management? It's not the plot to a Rom-Com!

(15:07) QUOTE "Literally everything that we're going to talk about what we do with the Credit Union, applies to everyone's personal life in some way, shape or form. There's nothing different that a company needs to do to protect data that a person doesn't need to do to protect their data." - Steve

(15:45) Vulnerabilities are something that are known (or unknown) to be wrong on a device, such as a flaw in a piece of software. We have to search for those that are known, and indicators of the unknown. In both cases, we then overcome them. Today, these scans are continuous.

(23:15) Penetration Testing is when we rely on trusted individuals/services to try to access our systems/information by either physically entering the building in an unofficial capacity, creating a relationship with an employee to gain needed information, or looking for known system vulnerabilities that haven't been patched yet to "get in."

(26:50) Many people think a hacker gets in by penetrating the system firewall. It very rarely works if the firewall is being kept up-to-date. It more often happens by getting through the "Squishy Parts" (the humans) as Steve refers to them.

(27:25) QUOTE "There's a term we like to use called the Human Firewall, where we train people to understand that they have a very active role in cybersecurity." - Dave

(27:36) Phishing and Social Engineering are attacks aimed at people (employees and individuals). People try to "fish" for information through various contact methods, perhaps providing a link that downloads...

It is part of UECU's employee experience all year long. While we support local organizations with our personal and corporate gifts, we also get to know the organizations we support and the people they serve by "getting out there."

It is one thing (and an important one!) to give financially to help further the work of important services and organizations in our community. It just means so much more when we join in the effort personally.

However, UECU's community goes far beyond just our geographical hometown. We are equally connected to the utility and energy industry nationwide. It is simply part of UECU's DNA and we look forward to opportunities to travel and participate in events where they gather and celebrate the work they do. We enjoy celebrating with them!

Today we talk with Dawn Pavlick and Kaitlin Keck, two UECU staff members who help lead our charge for giving and volunteering in our community and beyond. Press "play" and you'll see just how much "People Helping People" really means to us.

(0:37) Today’s discussion is out UECU’s commitment to our community, through direct employee involvement and support as well as the organization’s outreach and sponsorship of local and industry-related causes and events.

(1:10) Meet our guests, and Janene’s UECU co-workers: Dawn Pavlick, Loan Processing Manager & Co-Chair of the Employee Volunteer Program Committee, and Kaitlyn Keck, Business Development Specialist & Chair of our United Way Committee.

(2:18) The credit union industry’s collective philosophy is “People Helping People.”

(2:45) That philosophy was a natural outcome of the credit union industry’s creation to meet the post-depression-era need for personal and small business banking services left unmet during that tumultuous time.

(4:12) If the motto of the industry is “People Helping People,” then our goal is to do more than just offering banking services. We also want to make a difference.

(5:05) Get to know Kaitlin and Dawn, how they came to be part of the UECU team and the things that make them happy outside of the workday.

(8:30) UECU’s history of supporting our local United Way of Berks County.

(8:52) UECU has been financially supporting United Way since 1996, encouraging employees to help meet our community’s needs.

(10:23) Overview of United Way of Berks County: they support over 30 non-profit agencies that meet direct community needs. The majority of the work they do is managed by volunteers and is the direct result of community assessments, often responding to needs that arise quickly, like Covid’s affect on personal finances that increased needs for food and housing, and more.

(13:01) Another value of United Way is the opportunity to provide a credible option for general community giving, for those individuals who want to give but don’t know who to support.

(14:35) How does the UECU team support United Way specifically? 10 staff are currently on the United Way Committee. That’s 10% of UECU staff!

(15:20) UECU is currently in the top 50 United Way of Berks County Business Supporters (31st).

(15:50) The United Way committee at UECU holds monthly fundraisers and events to raise funds to put toward our annual campaign gift, and to provide ongoing awareness of United Way and the great work they do.

(18:00) Overview of our experiences during the annual fall United Way fundraising campaign, and how that’s not the beginning and the end of UECU’s work to support United Way.

(19:44) UECU as an organization supports and encourages UECU campaign giving with unique gifts that employees enjoy, such as give-a-day, get-a-day where UECU gives employees a day of PTO if they pledge an annual gift equal or more than a single day of pay…and so much more.

(21:23) The annual campaign raffle is one way that the...

But when you add last minute work “opportunities” that can be several states away from home for weeks at a time, that’s a whole ‘nother level, as they say. Today we talk with a member and friend who spends his days as an electric lineman. Herb Lovett loves his job, but he acknowledges that his mindset is always “family first.”

But he isn’t alone. His family is part of a very tight and supportive “linelife” family. They take their commitment to safety, to each other, and to their families very seriously…even as they enjoy the challenge and tomorrow-is-never-the-same-as-yesterday job that ranks as the third most dangerous in the US. Turning on the lights for a neighborhood or a town is a thrill and so are the new work “toys” that make their work safer, but getting home in the same condition they started the day is paramount.

Line workers are highly trained through apprenticeship programs (often at little or no cost) and they earn a good living (if you enjoy heights, working outdoors in all kinds of weather, and take safety seriously). Yet many people don’t know much about this fulfilling career, especially as many experienced workers are retiring at a fast pace. Herb is happy to change that, and encourages the next generation of line workers to be like him, but even better, in all aspects of the linelife. 

(0:41) Today’s discussion will explore the life of an electric lineman through the eyes of one we know very well.

(0:50) Recap of our interview with Rae Johnson, President of NSUJL, and an update on her and her husband Tom, an electric lineman facing recovery from an injury. They are in our thoughts and we are pulling for them alongside their friends and peers nationwide. (see links below for ways to show them your support)

(2:20) Electric Lineman: 42/100,000 lost on the job each year, 2,400 injuries: 3rd most dangerous job

(3:25) Meet Herb Lovett, Electric Lineman

(3:53) Herb just spent some time with Rae and Tom at NSUJL’s annual rodeo and Climbing for Lost Lineman event, and shared links to help meet their needs during this difficult time. (see links list)

(5:50) How did Herb even find this line of work? He always new he wanted to work outside, and tried a few different options before finding linework.

(6:39) He learned about the profession while doing roof work, and having conversations with a line worker who was a neighbor of a friend.

(7:12) Where to start? He chose to go to Power Systems Institute (PSI), a program of First Energy Company) to enter the trade in 2007.

(7:30) PSI has trained around 4-5,000 line workers since it’s inception across 5 states via multiple training locations.

(8:31) The need for electric lineman and electric workers is greatly needed nationwide.

(9:13) First Energy isn’t alone in providing job training programs like this. Many power utility companies offer similar training. And, The IBEW also provides apprenticeship training for this as well.

(9:30) QUOTE: “There’s multiple pipelines. If you want to be a lineman, you can be a lineman if you’re physically able to and you can do the job.” -Herb

(9:40) It’s not a common choice for a career, because it’s not often presented as a choice. And, it’s often just taken for granted because the power is most always there when we need it.

(10:11) What was the training like? Herb provides an overview of the program he was part of and the cost (hint, hint…it was free for him!). It combined on-site training, as well as classes through the local community college.

(11:03) QUOTE: “I was learning the trade: how to tie nots, how to wire up transformers, how to climb. …After four years, you’re a Journeyman Lineman. You kinda know what you’re doing, but we’re learning every day.” -Herb

(11:50) Training for this dangerous work is rigorous. Herb started with 50...