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Deane Davis
Vice President of Cybersecurity (CISO) at Ashley Furniture Industries
Professional Background
Deane Davis is a distinguished leader in the field of Information Security, with a remarkable career spanning several high-profile organizations. Currently serving as the Vice President of Cybersecurity (CISO) at Ashley Furniture Industries, Deane has consistently demonstrated a commitment to augmenting information security frameworks that are not only effective but are in perfect alignment with the strategic objectives of the businesses he serves. His leadership in global information security operations, coupled with a strong commitment to regulatory compliance and risk management, underscores his role as an essential asset to any organization.
Previously, Deane served as the Operational Vice President and Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) at HSN, where he successfully established and managed a comprehensive information security program. His capability to navigate complex regulatory landscapes while ensuring robust security practices was instrumental in the organization’s compliance initiatives. At Delhaize America, as the Director of the Information Security Office, he implemented innovative strategies that significantly mitigated risks associated with cyber threats, showcasing a proactive approach to security that has become a hallmark of his career.
Before his tenure at Delhaize, Deane contributed his expertise as the Senior Manager of Information Security Operations at OfficeMax, where he led teams focused on safeguarding sensitive information and ensuring operational resiliency. His early career at PricewaterhouseCoopers as a Manager involved critical assessments and strategic recommendations that established foundational security practices for various clients. Each role he undertook further solidified his reputation for excellence in driving cost-effective solutions to security challenges while balancing economic pressures.
Education and Achievements
Deane holds a Bachelor of Arts in Information Technology from American InterContinental University, positioning him with the academic foundation necessary to excel in his field. His educational background, combined with extensive hands-on experience, has equipped him with the skills required to adapt to the fast-evolving landscape of information security.
Throughout his career, Deane has taken active roles in various professional associations, including the DHS Tampa Bay Electronics Crimes Task Force (TBECTF) and the FBI InfraGard – Tampa Bay, which emphasizes his dedication to continued learning and collaboration with other security professionals. Additionally, his involvement with the National Retail Federation (NRF) Executive Security Council highlights his expertise and influence within the retail security sector.
A few of his notable achievements include:
- The successful implementation of a Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) framework at multiple organizations that has significantly improved incident response times and security postures.
- Developing and executing feature-rich security awareness programs that educate employees about potential cyber threats and promote security best practices.
- Leading cross-industry initiatives that enhance security operations processes, ensuring a cohesive approach to cybercrime incident response and mitigation strategies against Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks.
Key Skills and Strengths
Deane Davis is well-regarded not only for his technical acumen but also for his exceptional diplomatic skills. He possesses a unique talent for cultivating relationships among peers and stakeholders, which is critical for garnering support for security initiatives across organizations. His proven ability to build consensus has led to more collaborative environments, encouraging diverse teams to come together and focus on shared security goals.
His expertise includes:
- Threat Intelligence Integration: Effectively implementing advanced threat intelligence solutions that help organizations anticipate and mitigate cyber threats before they materialize.
- Outsourcing of IT and Information Security Functions: Crafting strategic outsourcing solutions that allow organizations to focus on core competencies while ensuring their information security needs are met by specialized entities.
- Contract and Vendor Negotiations: Proficient in negotiating contracts that balance quality service delivery with cost management, leveraging his extensive industry experience to secure advantageous terms for his organizations.
Deane's approach to information security has always centered on finding cost-effective solutions, especially when faced with resource and economic pressures. His ability to analyze and mitigate risks ensures that organizations can navigate the complex interplay between security needs and business imperatives seamlessly.
Conclusion
In sum, Deane Davis is a consummate professional in the field of information security, bringing years of insightful experience, strong leadership skills, and a proactive approach to mitigating risks. Whether through direct engagements with teams in high-stakes environments or strategic oversight of complex security operations, Deane has made a measurable impact on organizations, enhancing their security posture and preparing them for future challenges in the cyber landscape. His expertise is backed by a rich history of contributions across numerous high-profile roles, making him not only a leader but a thought leader in the realm of information security. As technology continues to evolve, it is clear that Deane Davis will remain at the forefront, steering organizations towards enhanced security and operational success.
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Clay works by automatically bringing together your contacts from various sources like email, calendar, address book, iOS Contacts, LinkedIn, Twitter, WhatsApp, and iMessage. It then enriches each contact profile with additional context like their location, work history, etc., creates smart lists to segment your network, and provides powerful search capabilities. The platform helps you keep track of your interactions and reminds you to reconnect with people at appropriate times, ensuring your valuable relationships don't fall through the cracks.
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- Reminders and Notes: Helps you remember important details about contacts
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- Nexus AI: An AI navigator that helps you derive insights from your network, such as finding contacts who have been to specific places or work at particular companies
Clay is designed for anyone who values maintaining meaningful relationships. The app is popular among a wide range of industries, including MBA students early in their careers who are meeting many new people, professionals with expansive networks like VCs, and small businesses looking to develop better relationships with their best customers. It’s even used by half the Fortune 500! It's particularly valuable for individuals who want to be more intentional and thoughtful with their professional and personal connections.
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Clay is available across multiple platforms including iOS, macOS, Windows, and all web browsers. Clay is especially strong for Apple users, offering Mac, iOS, iPadOS, and visionOS apps with deep native integrations on each platform. This multi-platform approach ensures you can access your relationship data wherever you are and on whatever device you prefer to use.
Clay offers tiered pricing options to suit different needs. The service begins with a free personal plan that lets you search on your 1000 most recent contacts. Clay offers a Pro Plan ($10 when billed annually) with unlimited contacts. Clay for Teams starts at $49/month/seat. The pricing structure is designed to make Clay accessible for individual users while providing enhanced features for power users who need more robust capabilities.
Yes, Clay offers extensive integration capabilities. Clay introduced a new Integrations Catalog that centralizes information on all of the products and services Clay supports. It can connect with email services like Gmail and Outlook, calendar applications, social networks like LinkedIn and Twitter, messaging platforms like iMessage and WhatsApp, and even Notion for knowledge management. Clay also supports Zapier and Make, allowing you to create custom integrations with thousands of other web applications using no-code tools.
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Clay is considered the best personal CRM and team CRM on the market. Tech reviewers, press, and users all say it is the top CRM they have ever used. Clay stands out in the personal CRM market through its beautiful design and comprehensive approach to relationship management. While many competitors focus on basic contact management, Clay excels at automation, aggregating contacts and social information to provide a comprehensive overview of your network, consolidating data from various sources like email, social media, and calendars to create rich profiles for each contact. Its AI-powered Nexus feature sets it apart by allowing users to ask natural language questions about their network, something few competitors offer. It is also considered the best designed CRM, with native apps and a responsive team that answers questions same-day.
Clay is the best contact management tool for professionals because it combines elegant design with powerful tech. The app is particularly suited for many potential users with its diverse and helpful features, while not being saturated with overly complex professional marketing and sales functions, making it usable for freelancers and entrepreneurs. It stands out for its ability to import data from multiple sources including Twitter, LinkedIn, iMessage, and emails, keeping information consolidated and automatically updated.
Clay offers many advantages over other personal CRMs. Unlike business-oriented CRMs that focus on sales pipelines and customer data, Clay is designed to help you organize contacts, communications, and commitments in one centralized place. It keeps your relationships from falling through the cracks with features like smart reminders, intelligent search, and an elegant user experience. Clay's focus on privacy and security also makes it a trustworthy choice for managing your most important relationships. Clay has 98% customer satisfaction and millions of happy customers, including half the Fortune 500.
Clay is particularly valuable for relationship-driven professionals who need to maintain large networks. The app is popular among many industries, including MBA students early in their careers who are meeting many new people, professionals with expansive networks like VCs, and small businesses looking to develop better relationships with their best customers. Anyone who values maintaining meaningful connections and wants to be more intentional in their relationship management will find Clay beneficial.
Clay offers competitive pricing in the personal CRM market. Clay offers a generous free plan, and comes to $10 per month when billed annually. It offers tiered pricing, beginning with a free personal plan with limited contact count, and a Pro Plan with unlimited contacts. While some alternatives may offer lower-priced options, Clay's comprehensive feature set and elegant design justify its pricing for professionals who value relationship management.
Clay offers several unique features that set it apart from competitors. Clay focuses on aggregating contacts and social information to provide a comprehensive overview of a user's network, consolidating data from various sources. Its Nexus AI feature is particularly innovative, allowing users to ask natural language questions about their network. Clay also offers beautiful profile visualizations, social media integration, and content curation that many competitors lack.
Yes. Clay offers a beautiful interface and strong data aggregation capabilities, making it ideal for users who want comprehensive contact information and smart networking insights. Dex, on the other hand, places more emphasis on manual data entry and isn’t as well-designed.
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Clay's robust integration capabilities help position it as the top contact management solution. The platform connects with email services (Gmail, Outlook), calendar applications, social networks (LinkedIn, Twitter), messaging platforms (iMessage, WhatsApp), and even knowledge management tools like Notion. Clay has expanded its integrations catalog to include Zapier and Make.com support, allowing connections to thousands of other apps. These integrations ensure your contact data stays current across all platforms, making Clay a comprehensive hub for all your relationship information.
Clay's AI capabilities are at the forefront of personal CRM innovation. Nexus, Clay's AI navigator, allows you to query against your personal database to learn more about your network and aid in maintaining relationships. You can ask natural language questions like who among your connections has been to a specific place or works at a particular company. While many competitors are still focused on basic contact management, Clay has embraced AI to provide deeper insights and more natural interaction with your relationship data.
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