DRI International (Disaster Recovery Institute)

As Principal & Director of Corporate Resiliency and Facility Security Officer (FSO), Robert "RJ" Hope, CPP, ABCP, is fortunate to lead a fantastic team of more than 30 professionals who are dedicated to their service verticals of physical security, industrial security, investigations, travel, and business continuity and crisis management.? These groups, under a singular command and control structure, enable Burns & McDonnell to be responsive to the needs of employee-owners, work sites and clients to support our overall mission of making its clients successful. Hope has been with Burns & McDonnell for over 15 years.? The past 5 years he has served as Principal & Director of Corporate Resiliency responsible for physical security, industrial security, investigations, travel and business continuity and crisis management.? The prior 10 years Hope was leading the security consulting practice within the business. With a 25+ year background in security and crisis management he has consulted in a large variety of industries, Hope strives to bring his diverse project experience forward to find innovative solutions and approaches to help support Burns & McDonnell as the organization continues to grow. Hope also has previous experience with TSCM, executive protection, threat profiling, and terrorism.? He holds numerous certifications, including an ABCP from DRI International, and lives and is headquartered in Kansas City, MO.? Hope is married with two children in college, who will be both the personal and financial death of him, and is a proud veteran of the United States Marine Corps. During "Welcome to the Third Party: How Burns & McDonnell Leverages Resilience to Deliver Big," you’ll learn about Burns & McDonnell’s remarkable team, how they’ve made resilience a competitive advantage, and how Hope can be in two places at once. Register to attend this session here: https://lnkd.in/eenwAsg5 #DRI2024 #Resiliency #BusinessContinuity

As we wind down Military Appreciation Month, we want to recognize the Veterans speaking at the 2025 DRI Annual Conference. Thank you for your service to our country and our community of professionals!

Mia Holman, Ph.D., CBCP, CCRP, is a distinguished leader and educator passionate about business continuity, technology, and mentorship. She began her academic journey at North Carolina A&T State University, earning a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science and a Master's degree in Information Technology. She demonstrated exceptional drive and ambition and achieved her Doctoral Degree in Leadership and Organization in Information Systems from the University of Phoenix before the age of 30. Her dissertation titled "A Comparison and Contrast in Alternative Learning versus Traditional Learning" has been used as a reference in number research articles and dissertations. Holman at the time relocated from Atlanta, GA to Cleveland, Ohio 2008, embarking on a 14-year career with Rockwell Automation. She held various roles during her tenure, including Software Engineer, Marketing Engineer, Business Process Analyst, and Senior Project Manager. Her last position at Rockwell was the Certified Business Continuity Manufacturing Risk Manager, showcasing her expertise in managing operational risks and ensuring business continuity practices were implemented in all the manufacturing plants. From 2021 to 2023, Holman was the Global Manager for Business Continuity at Goodyear Headquarters in Akron, Ohio. Her role involved strategizing and overseeing global business continuity plans, ensuring the company's resilience in disruptions. She currently is the Senior Program Manager for Business Continuity & Crisis Communication at United Natural Foods, Inc. (UNFI), where she oversees strategic planning for business continuity across all distribution centers and supply chain processes. In addition to her professional achievements, Holman is a dedicated educator. She is an Engineering/Technology Professor, teaching undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral students at several universities over the past 14 years. Her commitment to her students' success shows throughout her classroom while introducing students to the importance of business continuity preparation. She has been a member of the DRI Commission Board since 2022, contributing her expertise to developing industry standards and best practices. She will present "Leveraging Social Media for Business Continuity and Crisis Communication for the Future," where attendees can develop the ability to integrate social media into BC & CC programs by leveraging advanced technologies, enhancing operational resilience, improving communication strategies, and fostering a resilient organizational culture, ensuring preparedness to manage disruptions and maintain continuity. Learn more about this session and register here: https://lnkd.in/e7D3AqKf #DRI2025 #BusinessContinuity #DisasterRecovery

?? Get your year off in the best way possible - with a boost to your career! DRI’s seminal course, Business Continuity (BCLE 2000), enables you to build a business continuity program based on the most up-to-the-minute information and the most utilized and time-tested standard in the field because the DRI International Professional Practices for Business Continuity Management are just that. Long the leading standard in our profession by a mile, the Professional Practices are the foundation upon which this four-day, in-depth, hands-on course is built. This 4-day online class will run from January 6-9, 2025. Get all the information and the registration link here: https://lnkd.in/e6zZnZjW #DRIInternational #BusinessContinuity #ProfessionalDevelopment

???Sold! Get ready to bid at the 2025 DRI Conference's Auction Benefit and Cocktail Reception! There's something for everyone, from memorabilia and vacations to electronics and more. Best of all, proceeds support foundation initiatives. Attendance is free, and if your bid isn't the winning one, you can still contribute with an on-site donation. It’s a fun way to make a big impact! Find all the details here: https://lnkd.in/geBtj8QP #DRI2025 #DRIFoundation #CharitableGiving

?? Voting for the DRI Awards of Excellence is now open! DRI Certified Professionals, it's time to select your winners for the Lifetime Achievement and Product/Service Provider of the Year categories. Log in to your DRI account, click the Awards tab, and cast your vote in the Voting Booth. Don't wait—voting closes on December 13, 2024.? Vote here: https://lnkd.in/g3SxExiT #DRI2025 #DRIInternational #BusinessContinuity

Discover how the DRI Foundation's Veterans Outreach Program is transforming lives! Meet Kyle Vergith CBCP, a former Marine who, after 8 years of service, found a smooth transition to a civilian career in resiliency. Thanks to a scholarship for the BCLA 2000 course, he became a Certified Business Continuity Professional. This certification opened doors for an internship and a full-time role as a Program Manager in Enterprise Business Resilience. The DRI Foundation supports veterans' journey to successful civilian careers. Learn more about how they’re helping veterans further their careers here: https://lnkd.in/eVk2Y95 #DRIFoundation #VeteransOutreachProgram #Veterans

Michael Hibbler, CBCP, has been in law enforcement for over a decade, serving in various roles. He has now left law enforcement and joined the continuity world at Lowes Home Improvement and is currently at Zendesk. At Zendesk he leads the business continuity program and also works in crisis management, risk, technology continuity, and third-party resilience. He loves being resilient in both his personal and work life, which is why he loves the field! Hibbler has an amazing wife and two beautiful girls at home! Michael will present "Resiliently Blue: Resilience from a Cop's Perspective." Unlike the job of a police officer, the day-to-day work of a resilience professional typically isn’t life or death. However, the work you do can have life-or-death implications, and your job is definitely all about imposing law and order on potential chaos. Attend this interactive session for a unique perspective on how a cop mindset can help you be a better resilience professional. Learn more and register for Michael's session here: https://lnkd.in/g9KEy626

Join us on Tuesday, February 4th for the Awards of Excellence Gala dinner at our annual conference! This special event celebrates the outstanding finalists and winners in continuity management, technology recovery, and crisis management—nominated by their peers. Don't miss the DRI Foundation Auction Benefit & Cocktail Reception beforehand. Check the Event Schedule for details here: https://lnkd.in/gwVXCqWM #DRI2025 #AwardsGala #DRIInternational

Dean Haller is the Executive Director of Business Continuity for Comcast Cable. In this role, he drives strategy and execution of the Business Continuity Management System (BCMS) across the cable enterprise; focusing on satisfying Regulatory requirements, program governance, continuity risk identification, process prioritization through business impact analyses (BIAs), business continuity plan (BCP) design, strategy evaluation through BCP exercising, and plan/ program improvement. Additionally, he partners with cross functional teams to support crisis management activities for Comcast. Prior to this role, he operated in various risk management positions within Comcast’s risk management and internal audit functions. Haller holds a bachelor’s degree in Finance and Risk Management from Temple University, and an MBA from La Salle University. He is a Certified Business Continuity Professional (CBCP) and a Certified Risk Management Professional (CRMP) through Disaster Recovery Institute International. Haller also holds a Six Sigma Green Belt Certification. Outside of work, Haller has a passion for servicing his local communities by coaching youth football, volunteering at the Food Bank of South Jersey and coordinating events at church. Additionally, he enjoys cooking, fishing, and spending quality time with his blended family that consists of seven kids and a “larger than life” silver lab. Dean will co-lead the session "Mastering Business Resilience: Integrating Regulatory Compliance with Business Continuity Planning," which will provide a comprehensive exploration of how to effectively integrate regulatory compliance with business continuity planning, offering participants practical strategies and insights to enhance their organizational resilience. Find out more and register here: https://lnkd.in/euD5djdv