This November marks 5 years of Roanoke InfoSec Exchange. What started as a simple idea for a free, informal group discussing InfoSec topics has managed to stay alive and continue to draw interest 5 years later. Looking back, this isn’t a trivial feat. One of, if not the, core principles of RISE is maximum inclusion of attendees in the area. Whether you are a seasoned professional, a student, in another career and looking for a change, or just an enthusiast – we want you to attend and benefit from RISE. “Exchange” means the exchange of knowledge for the improvement of our community and profession. We try to stay true to this principle by keeping meetings informal and free from “sales pitches”. When you come to a RISE meeting you should feel you’re getting honest information and free exchange of ideas.

This couldn’t happen without you. Your attendance, enthusiasm, and participation enables RISE to continue. If you are a RISE “elder”, we thank you for your continued participation in the group. If you are relatively new – welcome! We thank you for joining us and helping continue the spirit of InfoSec Exchange.

With your support we hope to continue bringing the community together for time to come. Thank you for your support to RISE and the local InfoSec community!

-Rob Garbee, Nate Sykes, & Ed Summers