Episode Overview

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In an unpredictable world, businesses must prepare for disruptions, whether from cyberattacks, natural disasters or unexpected outages. But what’s the difference between disaster recovery and business continuity? In this episode of AZ TechCast, we’ll discuss the critical strategies that ensure business resilience with expert insights from TJ Van Der Werf of RYTHMz, Joseph Cook of The Arizona Group and Jim Henry of Iron Mountain. From AI-driven outage prediction to the role of colocation data centers, our guests will unpack the key technologies and best practices for protecting operations and minimizing downtime.

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Joseph Cook is a 10 year veteran of the insurance industry who has dedicated the last 5 years of his career to building a Practice Group to serve the insurance needs of the Technology Community and those interested in or currently purchasing Cyber Liability in any industry vertical. Having obtained the CYB insurance designation for Cyber Risk Management and a deep industry understanding, his expertise has led the way for The Arizona Group to become one of the largest providers of Technology and Cyber Liability Insurance in the Southwest Region. Joseph is also an active supporter of the NAU RMI Council, founding chair of Young Risk Professionals-Phoenix Chapter, A Braven Mentor and a
member of the leadership team at The Arizona Group. Joseph leads a team of 7 that provide service and consultation on their insurance programs to over 1,600 small and medium enterprises.

Jim Henry is the Director of Global Operational Standards, Risk, and Compliance at Iron Mountain Data Centers, and leads the organizations Information Security, Business Continuity, Quality, Energy, and Environmental Sustainability Compliance Programs, as well as Enterprise Risk Management and Operational Standards for IMDC’s 25+ locations worldwide. Jim has been with Iron Mountain since 2016 holding various technical and leadership roles within the organization, and is a Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA), Certified Information Security Manager (CISM), Certified Data Center Risk Professional (CDRP), and holds an executive certificate in Geopolitical Analysis from Florida Atlantic University.

TJ Van Der Werf Director of Operations: part strategist, part firefighter, full-time efficiency enthusiast. I specialize in finding the cracks in processes (and patching them before anyone notices), leading teams to success (without micromanaging… mostly), and making sure the company doesn’t grind to a halt. Continuous improvement isn’t just a buzzword; it’s my way of life. I thrive on streamlining operations, solving problems, and asking, “But what if we did it better?”—all while keeping a sense of humor intact. If you’re looking for someone who can juggle leadership, logistics, and the occasional curveball, let’s connect. Bonus points if coffee’s involved

Joseph Cook The Arizona Group

Jim Henry Iron Mountain Data Centers

TJ Van Der Werf RYTHMz

About AZTechCast
The official podcast of the Arizona Technology Council, AZTechCast is dedicated to covering innovation and technology in Arizona and beyond. Through the art of the connected conversation, AZ TechCast’s hosts and guests share success stories, tech news and analysis about the region’s leading startups, companies and emerging technologies, as well as the latest industry trends and critical issues propelling Arizona’s growing technology ecosystem. Visit www.aztechcouncil.org/techcast to learn more or to listen to recent episodes.

About PADT, Inc.
Phoenix Analysis and Design Technologies, Inc. (PADT) is an engineering product and services company that focuses on helping customers who develop physical products by providing Numerical Simulation, Product Development, and 3D Printing solutions. The company is an Ansys Elite Channel Partner and a Stratasys Platinum Partner. They are also a channel partner for Flownex, EOS, and ZEISS #handsonmetrology. PADT’s worldwide reputation for technical excellence and experienced staff is based on its proven record of building long-term win-win partnerships with vendors and customers. Since its establishment in 1994, companies have relied on PADT because “We Make Innovation Work.” With over 90 employees, PADT services customers from its headquarters at the Arizona State University Research Park in Tempe, Arizona, and from offices in Torrance, California, Lakewood, Colorado, and Albuquerque, New Mexico as well as through staff members located around the country. More information on PADT can be found at www.PADTINC.com.

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