Attorney Sounds Alarm for Businesses

Disaster recovery plans and maintaining confidetiality of consumer information is critical to success of businesses

Omaha, Nebraska (PRWEB) November 12, 2005 -- Dennis P. Lee, an Omaha attorney who represents local, regional and national businesses, has sounded an alarm to businesses concerning disaster recovery planning and new federal legislation. Recent natural environmental disasters have focused the spotlight on the need for businesses to plan and anticipate the worst in order to insure their continued survival.

"Many businesses remain focused on today, next week or achieving their annual goals," said Lee. "The recent hurricanes that have decimated the gulf coast left hundreds of businesses, their owners and employees out of work and starting over again. In some cases, businesses have not been able to survive and the results have been devastating." As a result, Lee said, business of every size and in any location in the country need to develop and implement disaster recovery plans to insure their survival in the event of a disaster.

"Some businesses, particularly those in the midwest and northern regions of the country, feel that their location insulates them from a risk of a natural disaster. The message I convey to our clients is that it doesn't take a hurricane, flood or earthquake to put your business at risk. A business can suffer a devastasting loss and increase the risk of permanent closure from such non-environmental events such as fire, vandalism, or burglary." According to Lee the key to success and a reduction in the risk factor from these events is planning. Items that he consuls his clients on include the development of a comprehensive business survival plan, a communication of the existence of that plan to its customers and a periodic testing, review and update of that plan. "A business survival plan must be tailored to that particular business, its customers, and its employees. One plan for one business would not be the same plan for another business," Lee said.

In addition, the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, places specific federal requirements on businesses that use consumer information. This Act mandates that businesses that use consumer information adopt measures to protect and safeguard that information. "In order to remain in compliance with Gramm-Leach-Bliley businesses must adopt additional security measures and include those measures in a business survival plan," Lee said.

Businesses spend millions of dollars each year in insurance protection and marketing but according to Lee those items are only two elements of a critical triangle for a business of any size. "Securing adequate insurance and developing a marketing strategy used to be the primary focus of businesses. However, with the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act and the possible devastating effects of a business interruption event it is absolutely critical for businesses to have adequate direction to develop a viable business survival plan and take internal steps to protect consumer information and comply with the requirements of the Act," Lee said.

For further information contact:
Dennis P. Lee
402-334-8055

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