Houston expert: How to recruit a diverse workforce for your company

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Here's your strategy for growing your team with intention and inclusion. Photo via Getty Images

Recruiting for diversity is a critical aspect of building a diverse and inclusive workforce. In today’s increasingly global and diverse society, organizations that prioritize diversity and inclusion are well positioned to attract and retain top talent, improve innovation, and enhance overall organizational performance.

There are a few effective strategies to employ when an organization recruits for diversity.

Start with a diverse job posting

The first step in recruiting for diversity is to start with a job posting that is inclusive and welcoming to all candidates. Use inclusive language, avoid generic or racially biased language and highlight your commitment to diversity and inclusion. This can help attract a more diverse pool of candidates from the start.

Expand the candidate pool

One of the biggest barriers to diversity in hiring is a limited candidate pool. To expand your candidate pool, consider posting job openings on job boards and websites that cater to underrepresented groups, partnering with community organizations or schools and attending career fairs that target diverse candidates. It is also important to tap employees and their networks for referrals.

Now that many companies are hybrid or fully remote, employers can look outside the usual geographic area for potential employees. However, it is critical for companies to follow the local, state and federal guidelines when employing this hiring tactic.

Remove biases from the hiring process

Unconscious biases can impact the hiring process and limit diversity. To address potential biases in the hiring process, use objective and consistent evaluation criteria, such as skills, experience and qualifications. Also, consider using blind resumes, where hiring managers review the application without seeing the candidate’s name and identifying information.

Hiring for a culture fit is important, but it can, unintentionally, encourage a homogonous workplace. When a company has a diverse team, values will often align, provided the organization clearly defines its mission and goals, but the perspectives and approaches to business may differ between team members. These unique viewpoints add to the company’s culture and spur innovation.

Ensure diversity on hiring committees

Hiring committees should be staffed with diverse employees to ensure different perspectives and experiences are represented in the hiring process. This can lower the risk of unconscious biases and promote inclusive decision-making. Company leadership should ensure the hiring committee includes individuals from different departments, backgrounds and levels of seniority.

Use structured interviews

Structured interviews use a standardized set of questions and evaluation criteria to assess candidates’ qualifications and fit for the role. A standardized approach can help reduce the impact of biases and promote objective decision-making. When interviewing a candidate, the interviewers should focus on the candidate’s skills and experience rather than personal information or characteristics. This tactic allows companies to find the best fit for the open position.

Provide mentorship and support

Once talent is recruited, provide mentorship and support to help them succeed in the organization. That may include pairing them with a mentor or a support group that shares similar experiences or backgrounds. It can also involve providing access to training and development opportunities for the entire organization, which promotes a culture of inclusivity and respect.

Recruiting is a critical aspect of building a diverse and inclusive workforce; however, it is the first step in a much longer process of creating an organization that retains the new hires. By expanding the candidate pool and becoming more intentional in recruiting efforts, organizations are off to a great start to attract and retain diverse talent and promote a culture of inclusivity and innovation.

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Jill Chapman is director of early talent programs with Houston-based Insperity, a provider of human resources offering a suite of scalable HR solutions available in the marketplace.

Creating a thriving culture for diversity, equity, and inclusion requires intentional focus and allotment of time and resources. Photo via Getty Images

Houston expert: How to attract and recruit a diverse workforce for your startup

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The recent and long overdue awakening to systematic racism in the United States has brought with it a focused attempt to create more equitable opportunities in the workforce. Organizations are investing time reviewing their historical selection and performance data, creating new strategies for attracting applicants from historically underrepresented groups, and investing resources to ensure ongoing support and inclusion for all members of their community.

Startups in the early stages of bringing in personnel and crafting organizational culture have the advantage of building from a blank slate, and can benefit from implementing recruitment and selection strategies shown to help increase diversity.

Internal review

Prior to developing any strategic recruitment plan, companies must first perform an in-depth internal review of company culture, values, and future plans for growth and evolution. Defining these organizational attributes will help the company better understand the types of individuals who will thrive in the environment so that it can 1) accurately market the company and 2) maximize person-organization fit (P-O fit). P-O fit describes the extent to which an individual’s competencies, values, and preferences are compatible with the organization’s core values and offerings and has been linked to higher job satisfaction, job performance, and organizational commitment along with decreased turnover. Carving out the company’s current and desired culture, values, and goals for growth can serve as a starting point for accurately marketing the company to prospective applicants, understanding what applicant attributes and values will be the best fit for the company, and creating outreach and screening methods accordingly.

Information sharing

After an organization has performed a thorough internal exploration, it can then begin to share relevant information with prospective applicants. By and large, much of this information is gleaned by applicants through organizational websites. Indeed, organizational websites are often the main source of information for applicants and can provide a positive first impression and communicate its culture to leverage P-O fit. Research also suggests that companies cannot go wrong by sharing too much information about the organization on their website and through social media.

Companies can also ensure that the information provided on their websites and on social media pages demonstrate pictorial diversity, as including pictures of minorities has been shown to increase organizational attraction among Latinos and Blacks. Including video testimonials from any incumbent employees who reflect the diversity the organization is trying to attract can also enhance employer attractiveness. Finally, organizations seeking to increase diversity – but with little baseline diversity – should be honest about their current diversity climate with prospective applicants. Being transparent about current diversity figures, along with goals for future growth and specific strategies taken to enhance the diversity climate, can be a successful strategy as well. It is much better for an organization to provide an accurate snapshot of the current milieu so that informed decisions can be made, as inflated and inaccurate expectations among new entrants can result in job dissatisfaction and turnover.

Targeted recruitment

Companies seeking to increase the demographic diversity of applicants can also engage in targeted recruitment by focused advertisement and promotion at schools who graduate large number of underrepresented minorities. For example, partnerships with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), such as Prairie View A&M University, Texas Southern University, and St. Phillip’s College, can ensure broad reach. Creating virtual visit days, providing lectures to students, and other educational outreach programs with these institutions can broaden awareness and interest.

Selection

Organizations must continue to ensure equitable opportunities for all even after receiving applications from a diverse group. Shortlisting applicants based on certain pieces of information in the application can be at odds with efforts to create a diverse workforce. For example, reliance on standardized examination scores, such as SAT and ACT, can negatively impact underrepresented minority applicants. Letters of recommendation are also often frequently relied upon in selection, despite their discriminatory origin and evidence showing differences across genders and socioeconomic groups. Finally, use of unstructured interviews can also increase susceptibility to biases against minority groups. Thus, companies should only incorporate screening tools and processes that will not disadvantage applicants from different backgrounds.

Other selection methods can help programs achieve their diversity goals. For example, inclusion of structured interviews can ensure interviewers avoid common interviewing mistakes and providing unbiased ratings.Often, small details can have a large impact on hiring decisions. For example, applicants with accents and ethnic names are often disadvantaged during interviews, receiving less favorable interview ratings. Similarly, overweight candidates receive significantly lower performance ratings in interviews, compared to average weight candidates. Finally, studies have shown an overall bias against pregnant women in interview settings. Fortunately, these studies have also shown that structured interviews reduce these biases. Thus, standardizing which questions are asked and training interviewers to avoid inappropriate and potentially illegal questions is critical.

In conclusion, companies seeking to enhance the diversity of their workforce must consider their practices and policies in recruitment and selection. Unfortunately, there are no “quick fixes.” Creating a thriving culture for diversity, equity, and inclusion requires intentional focus and allotment of time and resources.

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Aimee Gardner is the co-founder of SurgWise, a tech-enabled consulting firm for hiring surgeons, and associate dean at Baylor College of Medicine.

DEI is a commitment that, rather like a good relationship needs to be worked on every day, especially when it comes to maintaining trust. Photo via Getty Images

Houston DEI programs are in place — now it's time to trust them

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It’s no secret to almost any Houston-area businessperson that diversity, equity and inclusion has been front and center on the corporate radar for quite some time. According to the 2021 Deloitte/Fortune CEO survey, 94 percent of the 175 CEOs surveyed reported that diversity, equity, and inclusion are strategic priorities for them. Nearly three-quarters (72 percent) planned to disclose DEI metrics to the public.

How are they doing so far? Pretty well, apparently. Deloitte’s new study, Build trust in diversity, equity, and inclusion commitments, indicates that 80 percent of survey respondents who work in Texas trust their organizations to follow through on their DEI commitments.

But here’s the rub: More than one-third (36 percent) of Texas workers surveyed say they’d consider leaving their jobs should that trust be broken. This should spark concern among Houston business leaders dealing with the white-hot job market and the Great Resignation.

Clearly, follow-through on DEI commitments, and gaining employees’ trust that DEI goals are being thoughtfully and rigorously pursued, is the next step. To be sure, other cities in the country are diverse, but Houston is unique. It’s considered the most diverse city in the United States across five categories: cultural, economic, socioeconomic, household, and religion, according to 2021 research by WalletHub. Another relevant fact: Nearly one in four Houston residents are foreign-born.

Houston is also an important business hub. The metro area boasts 24 Fortune 500 company headquarters, ranking it third among all cities in the United States. This status, paired with the city’s diversity, means that Houston companies—and all of them, not just Fortune 500 firms—should really commit to DEI as an ongoing journey. It matters to employees, with 86 percent of the surveyed general population believing that companies should address environmental and social issues, including DEI, according to Cone Communications research. That figure soars to 94 percent for Generation Z respondents.

Here are some actionable suggestions Houston-area firms should consider to help companies continue to earn and maintain trust around their DEI actions:

Be clear about your DEI strategy. CEOs, chief diversity officers and corporate boards: your role here calls for setting, sponsoring and sharing a sincere vision for DEI strategies. Data can and should be employed for clarity; use it to create solid short and long-term plans. And be sure to put enough of your budget into DEI efforts. Robust and effective results require ample funding.

Involve your employees in DEI initiatives. Setting a sincere strategy means getting input from all levels of the organization, even some external partners — suppliers and perhaps even outsourced service providers — who might be affected by your firm’s DEI initiatives. Gather ample input, including suggestions for new and existing programs as well as any challenges that might arise, from these stakeholders.

Seeking a wide variety of perspectives and understanding experiences across gender identity, race, ethnicity, and other identities can help you develop initiatives that effectively meet the needs of all your people.

Measure success and share it. Crunch and present the numbers just as you would sales figures or any other business metric. The key word here is accountability. Communicate regularly and with transparency on progress and challenges; honesty is paramount — employees are typically aware that not every effort will meet all of its goals right out of the box. They tend to expect a setback here and there and could be more supportive if those setbacks are honestly shared.

More than a year ago, when companies began committing to DEI in earnest, nobody thought it would be easy. And it’s not. DEI is a commitment that, rather like a good relationship needs to be worked on every day, especially when it comes to maintaining trust. It’s a promise that needs to be kept, and then some.

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Amy Chronis is the Houston managing partner at Deloitte. Patti Wilkie is global talent and mobility leader of Deloitte Tax LLP.

Two hiring managers weigh in on corporate DEI initiatives amid the pandemic in a guest article for InnovationMap. Photo via Pexels

How Houston companies can use pandemic challenges to foster innovative corporate inclusion efforts

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They say necessity is the mother of invention, and over the last 18 months, that proverb has proven true across the world, from classrooms to boardrooms. Shuttered classrooms and businesses, overflowing hospitals, and social unrest spurred by the killing of George Floyd have forced communities and leaders across the world, and here at home, to find innovative solutions to a myriad of problems.

But even as many people long for a return to normalcy, the truth is that, in many ways, the bell cannot be "unrung." Remote work, which was a necessity for many at the height of the pandemic, has given rise to an explosion of hybrid working environments that show no signs of reversing course. In the midst of this physical separation among colleagues, leaders across industries have been forced to throw out the rulebook and reimagine what it means to collaborate.

Additionally, the disparate impact experienced by communities of color throughout the pandemic has highlighted the importance of programs focused on increasing diversity and promoting inclusion. It is no coincidence, for example, that roughly six months into the pandemic, the general counsels of 12 major financial institutions penned an open letter to the legal community calling for greater inclusivity in the legal community.

So, how can companies transform the struggles presented by the pandemic into a springboard for lasting, innovative inclusion efforts? The answer lies in taking risks, strengthening the fabric of connectivity, and looking to the future.

Crowdsource new ideas

The concept of crowdsourcing is nothing new, but at the corporate level, leaders may overlook its benefits. Hackathons—large, collaborative events originally developed for computer programming or coding—can be implemented across all employment levels to crowdsource innovative ideas.

At Hunton Andrews Kurth, the firm implements the Hackathon concept during the summer associate program, thus harnessing the creativity and progressive ideas of younger talent. When the pandemic forced the firm's 2020 summer program to go entirely virtual, the firm decided to create groups of summer associates across all offices to brainstorm programming ideas aimed at improving and sustaining diversity and inclusion initiatives.

Together with partner leaders, these summer associate teams worked virtually to create truly innovative programming ideas, several of which the firm is currently implementing to recruit diverse talent. The program was successfully replicated in summer 2021, asking participants to hack the problem of associate inclusion. In addition to generating important programming content, these Hackathons increased participant morale, encouraged cross-office collaboration, forged new relationships across various geographic regions, and tackled the timely topics of enhancing law firm diversity and inclusion that will improve client service in the future.

Other industries—from large, global corporations to small businesses—can implement the Hackathon concept to successfully build bridges and harness innovation around inclusion. For example, MIT recently held a successful hackathon to source solutions to the problem of student inclusion during the pandemic, and Microsoft sponsored a hackathon aimed at solving the education and technology gaps of remote learning brought on by the pandemic.

Moreover, experts agree that equity and inclusion initiatives are only successful with buy-in from the c-suite. In other words, fostering an inclusive corporate culture starts at the top. If corporate leadership participates in the Hackathon experience—as a mentor, judge, or coach, perhaps—as opposed to merely sponsoring the event, it sends a message to all employees that the company as a whole values inclusion as a cornerstone of corporate culture.

Embrace virtual connections

The pandemic forced us all to navigate the world of virtual meetings, and with the popularity of hybrid working environments, virtual connectivity is here to stay. Companies must embrace this new virtual frontier and implement programs that engage employees, promote collaboration, and introduce an element of fun.

At Hunton Andrews Kurth, new hires create introductory videos about themselves that are globally shared firm-wide, while veteran lawyers create their own video content introducing themselves and their practices, thus creating an immediate personal connection.

Additionally, virtual events celebrating diversity and inclusion events, such as Black History Month and LGBTQ Pride Month for example, provide opportunities for fellowship across offices and bolster inclusion efforts. Hunton Andrews Kurth hosted a virtual cooking class, based in a Dallas partner's kitchen, celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander Month in May, which was virtually attended by 132 attorneys firm wide.

Company-wide virtual events such as escape rooms, cocktail-making classes, games and trivia build camaraderie, which deepens the bonds of collegiality and strengthens feelings of inclusion and belonging. Companies should invest in virtual technologies to help facilitate this important new frontier of connectivity, recognizing that increased digital connectivity supports a collaborative and inclusive working environment.

Highlight community outreach

In global companies, high-level, company-wide diversity and inclusion leadership should work in tandem with leadership at the local level. At our firm, for example, in addition to firm-wide diversity leadership, each local office has a specified leader committed to promoting local inclusion initiatives. While virtual events help connect geographically-diverse employees, it is equally important to offer local employees opportunities to connect in person with one another and support diversity programming in the community.

For example, attorneys in Hunton Andrews Kurth's Richmond office recently came together to learn about and pool resources to support a local artist's public art project focused on creating murals to promote open dialogue around racial and social justice. Additionally, employees might select a local DEI educational experience in which to participate as a group outside of the office, then plan to gather informally (in person or virtually) to discuss lessons learned and continue important conversations. When colleagues come together to support local inclusion programs or participate in shared experiences, new connections are forged that help support a diverse and inclusive corporate culture.

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Rudene Mercer Haynes is a partner at Hunton Andrews Kurth, serves as a firmwide hiring partner, and also sits on the executive committee. Alex Gomez is also a partner and serves as a fellow firmwide hiring partner.

"When researchers include people from various racial, ethnic, and identity backgrounds in health studies, we can be more confident that the results of the studies will apply to everyone." Graphic by Miguel Tovar/University of Houston

Representation in research matters, says this Houston expert

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Diversifying your human subjects for studies is essential for good research.

"Up to 75 percent of Pacific Islanders are unable to convert an antiplatelet drug into its active form and therefore are at higher risk for adverse outcomes following angioplasty," said the University of California San Francisco Participant Recruitment website. "And if the study population had not included diverse participants, this difference would not have been discovered."

Loretta Byrne of ResearchMatch and Danielle Griffin of University of Houston weigh in.

Need help with recruitment?

"Diversity and inclusion of all people in research is essential, yet the vast majority of people are unaware of research opportunities," said Loretta Byrne, RN, MSN, CCRP national project manager for ResearchMatch, a nonprofit funded by the NIH. ResearchMatch helps to set volunteers up with researchers working on all types of studies that require human subjects. "This nonprofit provides a space for the community to essentially raise their hands and say, 'I'd like to know more.'"

There are other such agencies, including studyscavenger.com that set volunteers up with researchers; and some pharmaceutical companies have dedicated portals like helpresearch.com.

Be a champion

UC San Francisco, a champion for diversity, held a Recruitment of Underrepresented Study Populations webinar which gave practical advice to researchers well, searching, for human subjects for trials. Nynikka Palmer, DrPH, MPH, Assistant Professor, UCSF School of Medicine, and Esteban Burchard, MD, MPH Professor, UCSF School of Pharmacy went on to urge researchers thusly:

"Participants in research should reflect the diversity of our culture and conditions, taking into account race, ethnicity, gender, age, etc. The lack of diversity among research participants has serious ethical and research consequences."

What types of consequences could be incurred from failing to test a representative sample? "It impedes our ability to generalize study results, make medical advancements of effective therapies and it prevents some populations from experiencing the benefits of research innovations and receipt of high-quality care," explained the authors.

Establish trust

Danielle Griffin, Ed.D., CIP, associate director of Institutional Review Boards (IRB) in the Office of Research Integrity and Oversight at the University of Houston, is concerned with researchers' behavior when they do garner volunteers. "Researchers need to go to where people are," and instead of just collecting data, "they must establish relationships. Trust is an important aspect of why people decide to participate in studies."

Trust may be difficult to establish in some cases and with some prospective demographics. It would be remiss to not acknowledge historical traumas in conjunction with medical human subject trials, like the Tuskegee Experiment. Language barriers are another concern, which is why Byrne goes on to say that the participants' first languages are also taken into consideration when volunteers are recruited through ResearchMatch.

The big idea

Avoid taking the easy path. Griffin warns against "convenience sampling." She said it's easiest for researchers to use undergraduate students for their participant pools rather than to look for a set that most resembles the greater, local community. "If your research concerns the general population and the participants in your study are essentially all 18-year old students from your campus," said Griffin, "you're not going to achieve a representative sample."

"When researchers include people from various racial, ethnic, and identity backgrounds in health studies," said Byrne, "we can be more confident that the results of the studies will apply to everyone."

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This article originally appeared on the University of Houston's The Big Idea. Sarah Hill, the author of this piece, is the communications manager for the UH Division of Research.

Ivery Boston III joins HX to lead inclusive efforts. Photo via LinkedIn

Houston Exponential hires new exec to promote inclusive innovation

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Houston's considered one of the most diverse cities in the country, and Houston Exponential is focused on building an innovation ecosystem that's reflective of that.

The nonprofit organization announced a new hire that will lead this initiative. Ivery Boston III started this week as HX's director of inclusive innovation. He will be tasked with leading prototyping and testing new inclusive ideas and ways of operating, according to a news release from HX. He will also be responsible for creating opportunities for underrepresented founders to succeed in Houston.

"Other cities, in their dogged pursuit of being the next 'Silicon Valley,' followed the coastal playbook and weren't deliberate to support underserved entrepreneurs," says Serafina Lalany, executive director of Houston Exponential, in the release. "There is still much work to be done to address subtle and persistent forms of bias in the ways underrepresented founders access the resources, capital, and talent needed to thrive here in Houston. This move, for Houston Exponential and for the City of Houston, is part of an intentional strategy to foster a more inclusive, accessible ecosystem."

Boston joins HX from Miami, where he led research, strategy, recruitment of high-growth startups, and impact reporting for the Miami Downtown Development Authority.

"I am excited to serve the Houston community as the director of inclusive innovation at Houston Exponential," says Boston in the release. "I'm a massive fan of HX's work advocating for, connecting, and raising the profile of the Houston innovation ecosystem while linking local founders to funding. It is a privilege to join this exemplary team and provide additional attention to underrepresented and under-encouraged founders within the city."

Boston has also worked with Indeed.com, Zipcar, Sodexo, and other companies within market reporting. He attended Temple University.

"I look forward to rolling up my sleeves and ensuring that all Houstonians can see a viable path to entrepreneurship," he continues. "It's time to leverage Houston's diversity to bring in additional funding sources, create jobs, and use the profound local awareness of the world to launch businesses, services, and products that serve the global market."

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Houston energy transition tech SPAC goes public through IPO

BLANK CHECK

Houston-based CO2 Energy Transition Corp. — a “blank check” company initially targeting the carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) sector — closed November 22 on its IPO, selling 6 million units at $10 apiece.

“Blank check” companies are formally known as special purpose acquisition companies (SPACs). A SPAC aims to complete a merger, acquisition, share exchange, share purchase, reorganization or similar business combination in certain business sectors. CO2 Energy Transition will target companies valued at $150 million to $250 million.

Each CO2 Energy Transition unit consists of one share of common stock, one warrant to purchase one share of common stock at a per-share price of $11.50, and the right to receive one-eighth of a share of common stock based on certain business conditions being met.

The IPO also included the full exercise of the underwriter’s option to buy 900,000 units to cover over-allotments. Kingswood Capital Partners LLC was the sole underwriter.

Gross proceeds from the IPO totaled $69 million. The money will enable the company to pursue CCUS opportunities.

“Recent bipartisan support for carbon capture legislation heavily emphasized the government’s willingness to advance and support technologies for carbon capture, utilization, storage, and other purposes as efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions [continue],” Co2 Energy Transition says in an October 2024 filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Brady Rogers is president and CEO of CO2 Energy Transition. He also is CEO of Carbon Capture Development Co., a Los Angeles-based developer of direct air capture (DAC) technology, and president of Houston-based Antelope Energy Partners LLC, a provider of oil and gas services.

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This article originally ran on EnergyCapital.

Mastering control room management for smoother critical infrastructure operations

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Control room management (CRM) systems play an integral role in ensuring the safe and efficient remote operations of automated processes for the world's most critical infrastructures (CI). If anything goes wrong with these CIs, the risks are major: loss of life or catastrophic environmental disasters. For this reason, rigorous regulatory requirements are crucial.

CRM systems give operators the ability to automate and take control of CI processes, giving operators situational awareness and real-time visibility of remote assets. This minimizes the need for manual work and inspection, and scales a company's ability to safely manage many assets over a large geographical area from one control room.

Most CI have to handle hazardous material in some, if not all, of their operational areas. Though different by industry, regulations and oversight are extremely necessary.

ICS (Industrial Control Systems) and CRM tools are key components of real-time monitoring for advanced warning and emergency alarming. The combination of a “green, amber, red” alert on the screen of an operator's control console will prompt them to respond, and potentially lead to following emergency shut-down response procedures. Training and testing of the control systems and their related standards, procedures, and activities are all recorded in a system of record in compliance with regulatory requirements.

Current challenges
One of the biggest challenges is the ability to easily aggregate the data from the many different systems and integrate them with the operator's daily activity and responses to the many notifications they receive. This makes it difficult for handover, when a new control room operator comes in fresh to take over from the operator coming off duty. Ensuring a clean and clear handover that encompasses all the pertinent information, so that the new operator can take over the console with ease and clarity, is much more difficult than some would imagine.

Another issue is the sheer volume of data. When you have thousands of sensors streaming data, it is not unrealistic for a console to receive a few thousand data points per second. Performance and continuity are priorities on a CI control room console(s). So there is no room for error — meaning there is no room for big (quite literally) data.

All of this means that real-time data must be pushed off the operational and process control network and moved into an area where there are no controls, but big data can be stored to produce big-data analytic capabilities, enabling AI, machine learning, and other data science.

Controller/operator fatigue is also an issue. Manual tracking, documenting, and record-keeping increases fatigue, leading to more mistakes and omissions.

Opportunities for improvement
The Houston-based Tory Technologies, Inc.is a corporation specializing in advanced software applications, creating and integrating various innovative technologies, and providing solutions for control room management and electronic flow measurement data management.

Tory Technologies, Inc. can help with the auto population of forms, inclusion of historical alarms and responses, and easy handover of control with active/open issues highlighted, making for an easier transition from one operator to the next.

"CRM is essential for keeping operations safe and efficient in industries where mistakes can lead to serious problems," says Juan Torres, director of operations - MaCRoM at Tory Technologies, Inc. "While many control rooms have worked hard to meet compliance standards, challenges remain that can affect performance and safety. It's not enough to just meet the basic rules; we need to go further by using smarter tools and strategies that make CRM more than just compliant, but truly effective."

Shaun Six, president of UTSI International, notes that, "CRM solutions are scalable. A smart integration with relevant systems and related data will reduce 'white noise' and increase relevance of data being displayed at the right time, or recalled when most helpful."

The future state
Offering CRM as a service for non-regulated control rooms will give economies of scale to critical infrastructure operators, which will allow dispatching, troubleshooting, and network monitoring so operators can focus on more value-add activities.

It can also virtualize network monitoring, ensuring that field machines and edge computers are compliant with industry and company standards and are not exposed to external threats.

Even better: Much of this can be automated. Smart tools can look through each device and test that passwords are changed, configurations are secure, and firmware/software has been properly patched or safeguarded against known exploits.

The sheer volume of data from these exercises can be overwhelming to operators. But a trained professional can easily filter and curate this data, cutting through the noise and helping asset owners address high-risk/high-probability exploits and plan/manage them.

Ultimately, the goal is to make control rooms efficient, getting the right information to the right people at the right time, while also retaining and maintaining required documents and data, ensuring an operators “license to operator” is uninterrupted and easily accessible to external parties when requested or needed.

Integrating smart CRM systems, network monitoring tools, and testing/validating processes and procedures are all easily accessible with current technological capabilities and availability, letting operators focus on the task at hand with ease and peace of mind.

3 Houston innovators to know this week

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Editor's note: Every week, I introduce you to a handful of Houston innovators to know recently making headlines with news of innovative technology, investment activity, and more. This week's batch includes three innovators across academia and health care innovation.

Reginald DesRoches, president of Rice University

Rice University President Reginald DesRoches joins the Houston Innovators Podcast to discuss balancing tradition with growth, innovation, and global impact in education. Photo courtesy Tommy LaVergne/Rice University

How does a historic university maintain its legacy while still making room for growth and increased opportunities? That's what Rice University President Reginald DesRoches considers with every decision he makes.

"It's this idea of preserving what's special about the university, while also knowing we need to adapt to a new time, a new Rice, a new time in higher ed, and a new time in society," DesRoches says on the Houston Innovators Podcast.

"There's a healthy tension between preserving what Rice is known for — the culture of care, the close-knit community — while knowing that we need to grow, have a global impact, and position Rice on a global scale. It's something that's constantly in my mind to make sure we do both." Continue reading.

Tatiana Fofanova, CEO of Koda Health

Koda Health has a new service for the 37 million Americans living with Chronic Kidney Disease. Photo courtesy of Koda Health

Chronic Kidney Disease is expensive and common. In fact, 37 million Americans live with the condition. The winner of this year’s Houston Innovation Award for best female-founded business, Koda Health, recognized the need for help among CKD sufferers and has answered the call.

Last week, Koda Health announced the addition of Kidney Action Planning to its suite of services for patients with serious illnesses.

"Kidney Action Planning is designed to fill a significant void in CKD management," Tatiana Fofanova, CEO of Koda Health, says in a statement. "Some studies indicate greater than 70 percent of patients start dialysis in the ER suboptimally, potentially navigating a life-or-death scenario. This is both frightening and largely avoidable with an intervention like Kidney Action Planning, which helps patients better understand CKD.” Continue reading.

Arun Swaminathan, CEO of Coya Therapeutics

Coya Therapeutics appoints a new CEO to lead its innovative Alzheimer's treatment development efforts. Photo via LinkedIn

Coya Therapeutics has named a new CEO. As of Nov. 1, Arun Swaminathan replaced Co-founder Howard Berman in the role. Berman has assumed the title of executive chairman, in which he will still remain active with the company.

Swaminathan started with Coya two years ago as chief business officer. This transition was planned, says the PhD-holding scientist and businessman.

Coya Therapeutics is a publicly traded biotechnology company that is working on two novel treatments for Alzheimer's disease. Coya's therapeutics, which are currently in trials, use regulatory T cells (T regs) to target both systemic- and neuroinflammation in patients. Continue reading.

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