Because Hackers Don’t Take a Holiday

Companies earn my loyalty when I know they are looking out for and protecting their customers! So yes, I am truly thankful every day for data security and the encryption & key management solutions that help protect our personal information.

Michelle – Marketing

I’m grateful for all the amazing blessings I receive on a daily basis.  I have a loving and healthy family, dear friends, creative and witty co-workers.  I also get to work for a company that is truly focused on doing good in the world, our community, and here in the office too.   

Robbi – Administration 

I am thankful everyday I wake up and have the gift of another day to spend with my family, friends and doing the things I love.

Ken ~ Marketing

I am thankful for my girls!  (the day we adopted our daughter and became a forever family)

Jim – Development

I am thankful for my family and friends.

Victor – Partner Operations

I am thankful for a happy and healthy family.

David –Support

I’m thankful for biosynthetic insulin!

Shayna – Sales

I am thankful for my family who has always challenged me to be the best version of me.  I am thankful for the family I call my coworkers for always believing in my abilities.  I am thankful for my fiance for always making me feel safe and making me laugh.  I am thankful for my dog Barkley who has brought me pure joy and happiness and my new puppy Lenny who we are getting for Christmas!

Sandra – Administration

I am thankful for our family cabin and the joy that it brings.

Robbn – Support

This is exactly what I am thankful for…  3 of my favorite people!

Tim – Development

I am thankful there’s always more!

James – Sales

I am grateful for my wife and daughter's love.

Luke – Marketing

I am thankful for an awesome, musical family and being able to work with an awesome company that is helping keep your and my personal information safe.

Carol – Administration

I am thankful for my family, and for working at a place where everyone feels like family!

Victoria – Support

I'm thankful for Starbucks hot chocolate.  

Katie – Administration

I’m always thankful for family, friends and community!

Paul – Development

I'm thankful for the way the universe has brought me together with my father, he is 97 and an irascible old guy. But he has an unbounding love for life and an enthusiasm that is fantastic. Unfortunately his zest for living exceeds his physical abilities but to see his love for the moment is wonderful.

Patrick – CEO

I am thankful for my wonderful family, my tolerant and forgiving friends, and for the great community of employees and partners who make Townsend Security successful. Best holiday wishes to them all!

Being surrounded by loved ones, mashed potatoes, turkey, gravy, and pies has become the annual setting where Americans express their thanks each November.  Instead of bottling up all that gratitude to be released on one day, let’s take time throughout the year to show our thanks, express our gratitude, and share with others!  

“Not what we say about our blessings, but how we use them, is the true measure of our thanksgiving.” ― W.T. Purkiser

Today was one of the most inspiring days of my life.

Tim Cook’s beautiful and courageous and inspiring coming out as a gay person will be noted as one of the significant events of our lifetimes. In one simple act Tim Cook took Apple Computer from a company that makes wonderful things, to a wonderful company; from a company known for its ability to make stuff, to a company known for its ability to inspire and lead humanity. He blazed a path for all of us, and changed how we will relate to the LGBT community forever. It was a beautiful and courageous act in itself, and it advanced us all towards a more humane, towards a more morally sane, future.

We are all deeply in Tim Cook’s debt.

We should not forget that behind every CEO is a board of directors, and a management team, and a large group of employees. Let’s recognize that every part of Apple Computer stands behind Tim Cook today. No one works alone, or leads alone, or can succeed alone. This was truly a day for everyone at Apple Computer to be proud of.

We honor you all.

Apple didn’t invent cool, but under Steve Jobs they came to make the most cool stuff. And they appropriated coolness as a part of their brand. Now, for the first time, with Tim Cook’s leadership, they really ARE cool.

It’s not what you make, it’s who you are.

Good Lord, for the first time in a long time I just want to buy something that Apple makes.

Well done Tim Cook, and well done everyone at Apple! This day belongs to you.

Patrick

Logistics and the Food Bank

I observe an incredible amount of logistics when I volunteer each month at our local food bank. Food is donated from a multitude of sources including government programs, community food drives and individual contributions. It arrives packed in bulk quantities on pallets from the federal government and in small grocery bags of assorted items from local citizens. All of the items need to be resorted and repackaged so that families will have access to a variety of foods in quantities that meet their needs.

My first few volunteer sessions I floated around to various departments like produce and dairy, but lately find myself consistently in the dry goods sorting room where pallets of assorted items are delivered to the sorting room to take the next steps in the process from arrival to distribution: 

1. Teams of volunteers sort a box at a time into carts by type so that they can be counted.  
2. Boxes of donations are resorted into carts by type of item such as canned vegetable, cereal, oatmeal, fruit, large soup, small soup, coffee, tea, baking ~ there are close to forty different sorts. 
3. Each group of items is then counted and entered into the tracking system that records the amount by donor.  
4. The counted items are sorted into their storage bins and then stocked to the shelves for clients to choose from.

The same process and sort function goes on in other departments ~ dairy products into yogurt, eggs, milk; pizza & baked goods into smaller packages; produce into bins by type. Any particular item gets handled several times from its initial donation until it ultimately is delivered to the community.

I think I probably demonstrated my accounting inclinations at an early age ~ I was always sorting items by type, color, whatever I could figure out.  I’ve come to see accounting as a giant sort function, taking large amounts of data and sorting it into its relevant buckets.  I find it a bit funny that volunteering with cans of green beans and packets of oatmeal, I am still doing the same function.  

As always, each time I volunteer, I am humbled by the grace and kindness of the volunteers and clients at the food bank.  I am grateful that Townsend Security encourages and allows me the opportunity to contribute back to our community with its Volunteer Program.

Sandra, Controller at Townsend Security

The Hour of Code is Here!

Sometimes things are just so busy, especially with the holiday season in full swing, we miss hearing about really important, really interesting things going on around us. That is pretty much how I am feeling today. How did I make it to Tuesday, Dec 10th without paying attention to the fact that it is National Computer Science Education Week (Dec 9 - 15, 2013)?

“Computer science is a top paying college degree and computer programming jobs are growing at 2x the national average (csedweek.org/promote)”

The main focus this year is on an Hour of Code, a program where people of all ages (especially students) are encouraged to experience an introduction to computer science for at least one hour. It is a movement to get people of all ages to give coding a try, as the official site says, from ages 6 - 106. You can find out more information at http://www.csedweek.org

Technology and the computer sciences impact our lives in so many ways, yet the field is growing faster than the skilled workforce, especially in computer programming. In an effort to educate more young people about computer sciences, this Hour of Code project is gaining support. This is how I found out at 6am this morning; an email from my daughters math teacher that they would be taking the next two days away from regular curriculum to participate in the Hour of Code (code.org) challenge. What an amazing idea! This program, or call it a “movement”, is an exciting outreach within our local school system and I’m thankful that the teachers at her school are excited and taking the time to incorporate Hour of Code into their lesson plans.

Here is a fun (and short) video about the program – Learn what most schools don’t teach!

I am fortunate enough to work for an amazing technology company, so it seems normal to think everyone should learn how to program a computer… and I realize that if you are reading this blog, then I am probably preaching to the choir!   Please take some time to help promote National Computer Science Education Week and see what kind of spark you can help create in others!

There is a great (free) resource available at the Khan Academy's Hour of Code site that will let you share this skill set with other people. While I certainly want to learn more, I am especially excited that my daughters will be getting this experience in the classroom!

I can remember visiting a securities trading office while in junior high school as part of a class project to experience the business world. People seemed to be hurrying everywhere; delivering important documents, processing buy and sell orders, urgently getting important people on the phone right away. The pace of business was frantic! But when my teacher asked what impressed me most, I recalled something else.

“No one ever said ‘Thank you’,” I answered. “Does that really matter in the business world,” my teacher inquired. “Yes, it does matter,” I stated emphatically.

All these years later, I’m proud to work in a business where, despite the frantic pace of business and technology, we do take the time to say “thank you.”

For one, saying “thank you” is part of Townsend Security being a great place to work. Hearing from, and saying it to, co-workers contributes to each of us feeling like we are doing important work and that our efforts are appreciated. It makes us feel like individuals, not just employees. But that’s not why we do it.

Saying “thank you” is also part of holding on to great customers. We certainly value the revenue we receive from them, but even more so, we value the relationships we build through time. It’s wonderful that so many of our customers come back year after year and often point to the way they are treated as a reason. Saying “thank you” is a part of great customer service, but that’s not why we do it. 

As we enter into the United Way annual campaign, we see this as another way to say “thank you.” We proudly support this important organization and, through it, the many agencies doing the hard work of caring for, nurturing and empowering those in our communities that most need help. For any of you considering participating as well, we highly encourage it. It is certainly nice to be recognized by the United Way as a contributing business, but that’s not why we do it.

I’m glad I can say that at Townsend Security, we say “thank you” not because it’s mandated or because it is part of an orchestrated profit-motive. We simply say “thank you” because it’s the right thing to do.

I dropped a tomato and it rolled away under the table.  I picked up a bag of pears and the pears skittered across the floor as the wet bottom gave away.  I juggled the eggplants as they slipped through my hands.  All of these nervous first steps were right in front of the seasoned verterans who were showing me the ropes the morning before the Thurston County Food Bank opened.  With all of this, I thought the Food Bank might not really want me helping in the produce section if I was going to cause so much vegetable trauma.  But the other volunteers were kind and patient; and I persisted through that embarrassing start.  By the end of the day, I ended up sorting several boxes of fall produce – apples, kale, squash, pears and lettuce.  If anything was found too ripe during final inspection, we set it aside to give to local farmers to feed their livestock. Once the food bank opened, I helped staff the dry goods aisle, helping customers select their allotted items.

During my time volunteering, I had the pleasure of working with other kind volunteers, as well as meeting friendly customers.  One customer personally thanked me for my time volunteering, making my day with his cheer and smile.  As I continue to volunteer at the Food Bank, I am finding that the rewards and joy come back in much greater volumes than the small portion of my time that I contribute. 

Townsend Security encourages and supports volunteering for all employees by providing four hours of paid time per month.  This has inspired me to just schedule a day and time to volunteer, even though I always have plenty of competing tasks to do at work and home.  

The Volunteer Policy is part of a broader commitment by the company to support our local community.  Townsend Security also donates financial resources to our local United Way, and matches employee donations to 501(c)3 organizations.  Many of us here at Townsend Security believe that we have resources we can and should share, and that we can make a difference by acting locally.

We invite you to take a look at all of our community sponsorships that we are a part of.  You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn to see what we are up to next.

I’m busy, as we all are. My intentions are always there, to find some way to contribute back to my community.  I’ve finally been inspired to schedule time to start volunteering in a small, manageable way.  Our company’s new Volunteer Policy pays for 4 hours of volunteer time per month.  I’ve used that as an inspiration to go ahead and schedule time to do just that.  I just completed my volunteer orientation at the Thurston County Food Bank, where I will be volunteering one morning a month to help package food items. 

I am excited to be volunteering for our local United Way’s annual Day of Caring on September 21.  I met today with the agency representative where I will be painting, moving furniture and remodeling as part of our company’s participation.  I have to say I was very touched when she told me that they would not be able to do this project without our help - that their staffing is so bare bones it would take a very long time to even consider doing the work that we will be doing.  It renewed my commitment to contribute something back to the community. 

I’m proud to work for a company that actively supports community participation and makes it easier to do so.  I’m glad that those same policies nudged me along to make volunteering a part of my regular schedule. 

Recently, Townsend Security hosted a donation drive for the YWCA’s “The Other Bank”.  The Other Bank provides items to low income families in Thurston County, where Townsend Security is headquartered.  They collect a variety of things to help families in need - for example; diapers, toilet paper, dish soap, deodorant, etc.  From the The Other Bank’s website:

THE OTHER BANK offers assistance to over 100 families each week, representing 350-450 individuals; one-third of whom are younger than thirteen and half of those are under the age of 5. We also provide supplies to clients who are disabled, elderly, or otherwise housebound, averaging approximately 10-20 individuals monthly with the aid of their caregivers or chore workers. The average income for a family of four who use THE OTHER BANK is $650 a month. Family circumstances vary; there are families who are homeless, receiving unemployment benefits, and others who are working minimum wage jobs. All are struggling to make ends meet and would have to go without the items we distribute if we did not have them available.

At Townsend Security we wanted to give back to our community during this holiday season and when I learned about this organization, I knew that everyone in the office would want to help.  I asked the The Other Bank what was most needed and decided that the best way to help was to conduct a hygiene drive.  Our team rose to the occasion and helped to donate nearly $600.00 worth of hygiene products.  This is our first annual donation drive and we are hoping to do more next year.

Without organizations like The Other Bank, there are a lot of people that would go without.  In an earlier blog post this year, I mentioned how great it is to work at a company where the community is so important.    It is great to work at a company that not only says they want to make their community better - they actually do it and encourage all of its employees to do the same.  Working at Townsend Security has inspired me to be a volunteer at the YWCA and I have put in over 20 hours these past few weeks.

How have you paid it forward this year?  Please share your stories to help inspire new ideas.

We invite you to take a look at all of our community sponsorships that we are a part of.  You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn to see what we are up to next.

Cancer, directly or indirectly, affects everyone somehow.  It cares not about age, sex, wealth, your faith (or lack of it).  Cancer can develop in almost any organ or tissue in your body.  

Townsend Security's team has been struck three times by cancer.  So in true Townsend spirit we don't just sit around and do nothing, we FIGHT BACK and support each other and our communities!   

October is national Cancer Awareness Month, so to support those we love and those who have been afflicted, a few of us from Townsend Security flew to Chicago to participate in the City of Hope's 2011 Walk for Hope.  The City of Hope is an independent biomedical, treatment and education center.  Founded in 1913, and driven by compassion, researchers and caregivers at the City of Hope strive to bring the world closer to a cure.

We joined Sharon Kleinerman, one of our Account Managers, and her team at The Glen Town Center for the start of our 5k walk/run!  The Glen Town Center has been transformed from a naval base into a beautiful outdoor shopping center that includes a park with a lake and walking trails.  The shopping was tempting, but we were here to raise money to fight cancer.  Just as the walk was about to begin, a light drizzle began falling all around us and we became dubious about what the weather conditions might be for the rest of the day.  Fortunately, just as the walk started, the rain let up.  We began to think that we might actually have a dry walk after all.  However, half-way through...the rain was back with a vengeance.  The rain refused to let up but it couldn't dampen ours' (or any of the participants') excitement and enthusiasm.   Finally, an hour later, we finished - a team of 8 soaking wet WINNERS!!

While participating in the Walk for Hope we learned facts about cancer that are  good for everyone to know.  Did you know that the four most common cancers in the United States are breast, prostate, lung, and colon cancer?   Did you know there are simple ways to protect yourself against these types of cancer - things you can start doing today?

The Mayo Clinic offers 7 Tips to Reduce Your Risk of Cancer:

• Don't use tobacco
• Eat a healthy diet (THINK COLORS!!)
• Exercise is your friend. Maintain an healthy weight and keep moving.
• Protect your self from the sun - even in rainy Olympia, those nasty rays are everywhere and they get through the clouds.  Just because you can't see the sun doesn't mean it is not there. Use sunscreen!!
• Avoid risky behavior
• Get immunized
• Perform regular self exams - KNOW what to look for!!

To learn more about how you can help:
The City of Hope
The American Cancer Society
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

The other night I went to my very first WLC meeting.  WLC is apart of United Way, it stands for Women's Leadership Council.  WLC’s mission is to positively impact the lives of women in our community by promoting self sufficiency and financial stability through philanthropy and community service.

We went around the table and introduced ourselves.  There were many different job titles named;  financial advisor, real estate consultant, partner sales rep, and several others.  After we broke the ice (and secretly judged one another), we touched on all the subjects that women usually talk about, our children, significant others (what they are and are not doing), work and all the other stresses in our lives.   One lady suggested we do something that she does with all of her clients to help get to know them better and asked us, “What is your magic? What is it that sets you apart from everyone else in this world?”  
   
Well shoot!  What is my magic?  And for that matter, what is Townsend Security’s Magic - what sets us apart from the competition?

Our mission at Townsend Security is to provide our customers peace of mind when it comes to data privacy.  We help them do business securely and provide their customers peace of mind.  The way we deliver peace of mind is our magic, it is what sets us apart from any other encryption and key management company.  Our magic.... drum roll please.... is a combination of innovation, experience and our commitment to be known as more than just a data privacy company.  

Our independently certified solutions are developed by experts. The team at Townsend is well-known and well-respected in the industry. We understand the issues around data privacy and compliance and use that knowledge to create and support our solutions. We believe we should be the experts in data privacy so our customers can be the experts in their own industries. No one wakes up and says they want to start an encryption project and no project is the same - so when the time comes we are ready to listen to the problem that needs to be solved and deliver the right solution

In addition to data privacy, Townsend Security is locally known for its commitment to the community.  We are a proud supporter of the United Way and many other local non-profits.  In fact, we were just named the "2011 Corporate Supporter of the Year for Small Busineses" by the Thurston County chapter of United Way.  It is great to work at a company that not only says they want to make their community better - they actually do it and encourage all of its employees to do the same, this is how I became involved with the WLC, which gets back on track about the question posed to myself that night.   My magic, well.. it is everything WLC stands for a hard working young woman, who is graduating from college, raising a small child and doing it all with a positive attitude.  

The phone is ringing, so back to work I go. Time to share more of that Townsend magic (and my own) with one of our customers.  And if they haven’t read this blog post yet, I’ll send it their way.  We want our customers and our community to know how seriously we take our commitment to providing peace of mind in the solutions we sell and in the service we provide.  We know that everyone has their own magic and brings something unique to the table - let us know what yours is.