The Cattaraugus Region Community Foundation will host its first link and learn seminar of 2025, “Cybersecurity for nonprofit and small business,” on March 24 at 9 a.m. in The Hub.

This free, educational session is open to nonprofit staff and volunteers and will provide valuable insights into best practices for protecting businesses against cyber threats.

New this year, the session will be open to the small business community as well.

The seminar will feature cybersecurity and IT experts, including Jim Finch, president and owner of Acme business; Dominic Rogers, vice president and director of information technology at Cutco Corporation; and Patrick Rost, founder of InfoSecurity Blueprint, LLC.

For over two decades, Jim Finch has worked in the IT and cybersecurity field, holding a bevy of professional certifications.

As the president and owner of Acme Business in Olean, Finch has led his company in providing strategic IT management and cybersecurity solutions for businesses in the region.

Dominic Rogers brings extensive IT leadership experience as the vice president and director of information technology at Cutco.

A native of Olean, Rogers has worked at Cutco for over 30 years, starting as an intern and progressing through various IT roles. He holds degrees from Jamestown Community College, the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford and St. Bonaventure University, where he earned his Master’s in Professional Leadership.

Patrick Rost has over 13 years of experience in technology and cybersecurity consulting.

InfoSecurity Blueprint, LLC focuses on helping business protect sensitive information and maintain customer trust. Rost is also a dedicated community leader, serving as a volunteer firefighter and a member of several advisory boards.

In this session, our cybersecurity and IT experts will discuss how you can keep your business practices in line with the ever-changing cybersecurity best practices. Learn more about how you can protect yourself, your office, your business safe from phishing scams, social engineering attacks and more. Tired of password and authentication security? Our experts will discuss industry best practices and get into the “why” of multi-factor authentications. Learn how to better protect your data and your clients’ sensitive information. The goal of this session is to help you be better prepared and informed so that you can focus less on your tech and more on your mission, your people, your services and your community impact.

“Cybersecurity is an ever-changing landscape, and businesses must stay proactive to protect themselves,” said Kirk Windus, CRCF executive director. “This seminar will provide practical guidance on securing IT infrastructures, minimizing risk and maintaining operational resilience.”

The Link and Learn Seminar Series began as a way for CRCF to build the capacity of area nonprofits through education.

According to Windus, the decision to open attendance to the small business community was an easy one.

“We know that often times our nonprofits and small businesses face similar challenges,” he said. “Cybersecurity and IT is one example. For small shops with limited staff, it is difficult to stay on top of the developments in technology, and that is true in both the for-profit and the for-purpose sector.”

The Hub is located on the 4th floor of the Laine Place building at 301 North Union St. in Olean.

Individuals can register for the seminar at cattfoundation.org/nonprofit-link-and-learn-series or by contacting Tyler Veno at tyler@cattfoundation.org.