Cybersecurity is A Business Conversation – Why Should Leadership be Engaged

Mark Harless is a 25-year veteran of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and a former United States Air Force OSI special agent. Upon his retirement from the FBI, Mark joined the private sector where he built and led a global cyber threat intelligence team for publicly traded IHG Hotels & Resorts Group and is now a Partner Alliance Executive at Abacode.  Mark is a Board Member of the critical infrastructure group, InfraGard, and resides in Atlanta, Georgia.

Shira Martin has served as the CFO and Board of Director for J.C. Newman Cigar Co. for 23 years.  Prior to this, she worked in public accounting at Ernst & Young after graduating with her Masters of Accounting from the Florida State University. 

With its headquarters, manufacturing facility and public museum located in historic Ybor City (Tampa), Florida, J.C Newman Cigar Company is the oldest family-owned cigar manufacturer and distributor of premium cigars in the country and operates the last cigar factory in the Cigar City of Tampa.

In addition to her work, she is an active mother of three teenagers and Shira believes in being involved and giving back.  Together with her husband, they were foster parents for11 rewarding years and became adoptive parents to a special kiddo who captured their hearts.  They continue to stay in touch and mentor some of the children that passed through their home.  Shira is very active in her local church, serves as Treasurer and on multiple committees as well as leads a weekly Sunday School class.  She is an enthusiastic volunteer with Southeastern Guide Dogs, where she has served as a Breeder Host, is an Ambassador Handler and serves on the Havana Nights committee.  Shira is involved with the CFO Exchange Group (member and served on their Advisory Board for 2 terms), Cigar Family Charity Foundation, and past Tampa Connection Alumni and Board Member. Her family owns and operates a small farm with cows, donkeys, goats and chickens along with a Tiny home vacation rental. 

FBI Supervisory Special Agent (SSA) Robert K. Price manages the FBI’s Cyber/Computer Intrusion Program for the Tampa Division, covering the Middle District of Florida.  He entered on duty in 2004 and holds a BS in Management and a MS in Information and Communication Sciences from Ball State University and is a former adjunct professor of Advanced Computer Internetworking.  Mr. Price has been a case agent in Fresno and Los Angeles California investigating a variety of Criminal and National Security Cyber matters as well as violent crimes and acts of terrorism against U.S. persons interests in southeast and south Asia. He was a senior member of the Los Angeles FBI Underwater Search and Evidence Response Team. Mr. Price has served in the Cyber Division at FBI Headquarters where he also managed the FBI’s Cyber Action Team.  In September 2017 he was selected to serve as the Assistant Legal Attaché at the U.S. Embassy in Trinidad and Tobago.  SSA Price was chosen to head the Lakeland, Florida Resident agency in July 2020 and in August 2021 he was asked to lead the Tampa Cyber Investigations program.  He has represented the FBI in more than 20 countries and has been involved in the FBI’s response to several high-profile terrorist attacks.