2024 ACP Chapter of the Year

Take a moment to explore and support our valued 40th Anniversary Sponsors and Partners featured below. Their contributions help make our celebration possible!

40 years of Building Resiliency through Engagement in North Texas

Four decades ago, 1986 was a year of bold beginnings — not just for a new computer called the Apple Macintosh Plus, which was turning heads with its “cutting-edge” 1MB of memory, but also for a visionary group of North Texas professionals who recognized the growing need for preparedness, resilience, and collaboration. That year, The Association of Continuity Professionals (ACP) North Texas Chapter was born, committed to helping organizations stay strong through disruption and build a foundation for resilience that would stand the test of time.

Forty years later, that legacy has grown into the nation’s largest ACP chapter, with members who are leaders in business continuity, emergency management, and crisis response. The chapter proudly earned the 2024 Chapter of the Year recognition — a reflection of the energy, innovation, and community spirit that continues to define North Texas. Each month, members gather for meetings featuring compelling keynote speakers, case studies, and lively exchanges of best practices, always with an eye on the future while honoring the lessons of the past.

As the North Texas Chapter celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2026, it stands as both a witness to and a driver of progress — from the dawn of desktop computing to the age of AI-driven resilience. Much like that little beige Macintosh that changed how the world worked, ACP North Texas continues to redefine how resilience professionals connect, collaborate, and create a safer, more prepared future together.

As we celebrate four decades of resilience, leadership, and innovation, we invite you to become part of the next chapter in the #NorthTXACP story.  Step forward, join our community of visionaries, and help chart the path for the next 40 years of continuity excellence. 

Together, we won’t just honor our legacy — we’ll redefine the future of preparedness, one connection, one breakthrough, and one leader at a time.

Events are generally held on the first Tuesday of every month, but may vary due to holidays or speaker schedules. Events are for current members and invited guests only.  If you are not yet a member but would like to attend one of our events, please contact us, or consider joining the chapter.  Select - TX: North Texas (Dallas)

ACP Thought Leadership – Think Tank Thursdays

This quarter’s topic will be around the upcoming FIFA World Cup in June and July. Deb Michaels from FIFA, is in charge of D/FW security preparations, and gave a fantastic overview at our February Chapter meeting. Since we will all be impacted by the World Cup (both organizationally and personally), this is a great opportunity to share preparation activities, information sources, and other intelligence we gather as the Event approaches.

We will have three, one hour calls, with the first scheduled for next Thursday, February 26, 11:00AM Central time. We can use this time to cover the schedule and published FIFA resources, then go around the table so everyone can share their activities, questions, and ideas with the team. I’ll record everyone’s thoughts so we can put together into a final report for the Chapter Membership.

Please sign up at Signup Genius, #20, or e-mail me directly at swaken@att.net and I’ll send you the Zoom details

Thank you for participating in the Think Tank, and I’m looking forward to seeing everyone!

Upcoming Chapter Event 

July 14, 2026  4:30 - 6:30 PM 

Topic:  Mid-Year Happy Hour Event

Presenter: Member Panel Discussion

Location:  Ford's Garage Plano

Address:  3904 Dallas Pkwy, Plano, TX 75093

Map

July 16, 2026  8:30-4pm CST

Topic:  Texas ACP Symposium

Presenter: Wide Varity of Speakers (see info flyer link for more information)

Location: AlertMedia HQ| Austin, TX

Address: 401 S 1st St Suite 1400, Austin, TX 78704

Registration Link:  https://www.alertmedia.com/go/acp-tx-symposium/

Free for paid ACP Members

Information flyer

President's Address

Hello ACP Chapter Members,

Every July, we celebrate Independence Day and the freedoms that come with it. As I was thinking about this month's newsletter, it occurred to me that "independence" has a special meaning in our profession as well.

Early in our careers, many of us become the center of every business continuity conversation. Every plan update, every risk discussion, every exercise, and every question seems to come through our office.  While that level of involvement is often necessary to establish a program, I've come to believe it shouldn't be the long-term goal.

To me, one of the greatest signs of a mature business continuity program is when it begins to operate independently.

That's not because we're no longer needed. It's because the principles of resilience have become part of the organization's culture. Business leaders naturally consider continuity when introducing new products. Project managers automatically include resilience requirements in their planning. Department managers regularly review and update their own plans. Employees understand their role during a disruption without having to search for instructions.

That's when you know you've moved beyond compliance and into organizational maturity.

Our role evolves from managing every detail to providing strategic direction, governance, coaching, and continuous improvement. Instead of owning resilience, we become the people who enable resilience throughout the organization.

That kind of independence doesn't happen overnight. It takes years of building relationships, educating stakeholders, earning trust, and demonstrating value. But when you begin to see others taking ownership of continuity because it's simply how they do business, there's an incredible sense of accomplishment.

As we celebrate our nation's independence this month, I encourage you to think about the independence you're building within your own organization. Every conversation, every exercise, every lesson learned, and every relationship you develop moves your program one step closer to becoming part of the organization's DNA.

In my opinion, that's one of the most rewarding milestones a business continuity professional can achieve.

Wishing you and your families a resilient Fourth of July.

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Chapter Event Information

Our events are 90-minutes.  Please join us for our next event!  Events (unless indicated) are also available to attend virtually.  However, we invite you to attend in person if possible.  Virtual event information will be provided with each event invitation.

Anyone interested in hosting an event or speaking at an upcoming event, please contact our Programs Director or President.

Note: Additional information for regular event locations can be found on the Events page.