Written By: Jasmine Woerner
The Iowa Communications Alliance (ICA) CyberCon XI Summit brought together cybersecurity leaders, telecom providers, and technology experts for two days of practical, outcome-driven conversations in West Des Moines. Across every session, one thing was clear: organizations are shifting away from theory and focusing on real-world execution.
OXEN Technology was proud to be part of that conversation, with Ryan Pieken, Senior Consultant and vCISO, and Jeff Frickel, Director of Cybersecurity, leading discussions that centered on actionable security strategies designed for always-on environments.
A Focus on Real-World Security
CyberCon XI reinforced a major shift happening across the industry. Organizations are no longer asking what cybersecurity frameworks exist, they’re asking how to apply them without disrupting operations.
During their session, “Breaking Trust on Purpose: Zero Trust Architecture,” Ryan and Jeff walked attendees through how Zero Trust can be implemented as a practical, risk-reduction strategy, not just a theoretical model.
Their approach focused on:
Rather than pushing wholesale change, the session emphasized incremental, achievable improvements that align security with business performance.
“Cybersecurity isn’t about rebuilding everything; it’s about making smarter, targeted changes that reduce risk while keeping the business running.”
- Ryan Pieken, Senior Consultant
Day 1 centered on applying Zero Trust in environments where uptime and performance are mission critical. Ryan and Jeff highlighted how organizations can modernize their security approach without disrupting legacy systems or highly available networks.
Key takeaways included:
The discussion resonated with telecom and broadband providers facing the challenge of securing complex, always-on systems while maintaining performance and reliability.
While Day 1 focused on prevention, Day 2 shifted the spotlight to what happens when incidents occur.
Jeff Frickel joined a panel discussion on incident response and disaster recovery, sharing practical insights into how organizations can strengthen their ability to respond to and recover from cyber events.
The conversation emphasized:
This reinforced a critical message echoed throughout the event: cybersecurity maturity isn’t just about prevention; it’s about how quickly and effectively an organization can recover.
“Cyber incidents are inevitable. An organization’s resilience is defined by how effectively it can respond, contain, and recover.”
- Jeff Frickel, Director of Cybersecurity
A Clear Industry Shift
Across both days, a consistent theme emerged:
cybersecurity strategies are becoming more business-aligned, outcome-driven, and operationally practical.
From Zero Trust implementation to incident response planning, the conversations at ICA CyberCon XI reflected a broader industry move toward:
OXEN’s contributions; from Ryan and Jeff’s session to Jeff’s panel discussion, demonstrated how organizations can take meaningful steps toward stronger security without unnecessary complexity.
CyberCon XI wasn’t just about sharing ideas, it was about equipping organizations with the tools and mindset needed to take action.
For broadband providers and telecom leaders, the takeaway is clear:
the future of cybersecurity lies in practical, scalable strategies that align with real-world operations.
OXEN Technology remains committed to helping organizations navigate that journey, transforming cybersecurity from a challenge into a strategic advantage.