Experts to share insights at Civic Association luncheon

William Kelly
Communications Coordinator

Constantly evolving technology on our personal computers and mobile phones has made all of us more vulnerable to identity and data theft.
 
But there are steps we can take to protect ourselves and our families that most of us do not even know about. 
 
Michael Reiter and Ryan Paradis, experts in personal and cybersecurity, will share their knowledge as featured speakers at an upcoming Palm Beach Civic Association luncheon. The Signature Series event will be on Monday, Feb. 6, at noon at The Beach Club. The theme is “Safeguarding You & Your Family.” 
 
Reiter is the founder of Michael Reiter and Associates, a former Palm Beach chief of police and a Palm Beach Civic Association director.
 
The team at Michael Reiter and Associates are security advisors and investigators specializing in the protection of local families and organizations.
 
Paradis is a client cybersecurity representative based in Los Angeles with First Republic Bank. He has experience in the banking and utility sectors, where he has assisted thousands of individuals and corporations with enhancing their cybersecurity posture. 
 
Reiter said Palm Beach is a wealthy community whose residents tend to be older.

“As a result, the target potential is very high in a community such as ours, not just for traditional crime but for cybercrime,” he said. “The audience will learn what they need to know to better understand the changing Palm Beach threat scape and improve their security.”
 
Reiter, who has more than 30 years of law enforcement experience, is expected to discuss little-known tips for travel security, including how to protect your personal data from hidden risks in airports and how to avoid standing out in a crowd.
 
“The bad guys know how to identify the most lucrative targets,” Reiter said. “When you travel internationally on a commercial airline, it’s wise to do the exact opposite of what you might do in your hometown.” 
 
He will also point to opportunities for people to better secure themselves at home, such as the Direct Connect alarm system that directly notifies the Palm Beach Police Department of a possible intrusion, reducing the response time by several crucial minutes.  
 
Paradis, who previously worked as a cybersecurity analyst and security operations center analyst, will explore the latest cybersecurity trends and scams. 
 
He will show audience members how to secure their mobile phone, email and banking information while protecting themselves from identity theft. 
 
“Don’t become a statistic in the rising tide of cybercrime,” Paradis said. “Educate yourself on online scams and identity protection to protect yourself and your assets.”
 
Bob Wright, chairman and CEO of the Civic Association, said technology has made all of us more susceptible to scams through the Internet and on our mobile phones. 
 
Most of us have experienced the vulnerability of finding ourselves on the phone with someone we don’t know who is seeking personal information that we don’t want to share, he said. 
 
“These guys are very adept at talking about all of that,” Wright said of Reiter and Paradis. “I think it will be very interesting. I look forward to it.”
  
First Republic Bank is sponsoring the luncheon. 
 
Civic Association members on the Residential Leadership and Corporate Silver levels ($1,000 and above) are invited.
 
To RSVP, contact the Civic Association’s events coordinator, Elizabeth Ramirez, at 561-725-4001, email through [email protected], or on our website here.