It's getting harder to spot AI! Thanks for reaching out to work with us on this story, @fox8news. Check it out: Real or fake? What you need to know about the world of AI fox8.com/news/real-or-fake-w…

Critical infrastructure is evolving. So are we. CIM 2026 is moving from an in-person event to a virtual webinar series to bring these critical conversations to more people, faster. The mission hasn’t changed. We’re kicking things off in coordination with the @OhioDevelopment APEX Accelerator with three strong sessions: May 4 | 11 AM: The Future of Energy: Microgrids, Nuclear, and What Comes Next Brigadier General Michael “Apollo” Lovell, USAF (Ret.) and Michael Benson, (Co-Owner, Command Consulting LLC) examine the consequences of inaction and what it looks like to treat infrastructure as a strategic advantage through microgrids, electrification, resilience planning, and dual-use design. May 8 | 10 AM: From Innovation to Implementation: Waste-to-Energy in Practice Tom Ondrejicka, President and CEO of W2E Americas, focuses on scalable approaches to energy and waste challenges, grounded in real-world execution and economics. May 11 | 10 AM: Ask Your C3PAO: CMMC, Cybersecurity, and the Cost of Compliance Chris Haigh, CEO of Meerkat Cyber LLC (C3PAO), breaks down what it actually takes to prepare for certification, pass an assessment, and maintain compliance. All sessions are free. Ready to join? Register here and sign up to get notified about the full series: criticalops.com/cim

Is your fraud program keeping pace... or just getting by? For years, Hailey Windham, CFCS has been focused on raising the bar for fraud benchmarking in credit unions and community banks. Not just tracking loss rates but looking at what actually defines a strong program. Things like maturity, staffing, budgets, influence, and what teams are dealing with day to day. This Friday, Hailey, the Community Lead for Banking at Sardine, is bringing that perspective to the Fraud Working Group with a session on Industry Benchmarking and Fraud Metrics. She will walk through what leading teams are measuring, where gaps tend to show up, and how to use meaningful benchmarks to make a stronger case for the resources and support your program needs! Work at a credit union? Join a network of more than 430 credit unions in the monthly Fraud Working Group. We meet on the first Friday of each month at 10 AM EST. DM us. You Rock!

So, from all across Ohio to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and in cities across the nation, our team is in front of people all day, every day, making the world better. We often get asked... Where can we buy Critical Ops swag!? Well, if you want access to our store next time it opens, let us know. These are currently under debate, and only 1-pair will make the cut! You Rock

While most conferences talk about why critical infrastructure matters, we bring in the people positioning capital around what comes next. Welcome, Luke Pryor, Portfolio Manager at @AB_insights. Luke manages the Security of the Future portfolio ($737M in net assets), built on a simple but powerful reality: nations are now being forced to reinvest heavily in energy transition, supply chain security, and national defense & cyber security. Where is capital actually moving? How are investment teams identifying the right companies? And, what does it look like to back the quiet giants securing America? This is the session that connects conviction to action. CIM 2026 | Dublin, Ohio May 28–29 Register here → criticalops.com/cim/

The #1 way to close out Day 1? Bring in someone who lives at the edge of elite performance. Meet the official Mental Performance Coach of CIM 2026: Zach Sorensen. Zach is a mental performance coach focused on helping athletes become champions on and off the field. A former All-American and Academic All-American at Wichita State University, he went on to play 10 years of professional baseball, including time in the Major Leagues with the Cleveland Indians and @Angels. Along the way, he competed with Team USA, earning a silver medal, and learned firsthand what it takes to perform at the highest level. Today, he brings that experience into his work with athletes across MLB, PGA, NCAA, and high school programs. He’s worked with organizations such as the @Rangers (Peak Performance Department), the @Braves , and the @Reds , helping players build the mindset needed for consistent, high-level performance. Zach is also the author of "The Hard 90: How to Prepare, Compete, and Progress in the Mental Game" and host of "The Hard 90 Podcast," where he shares daily insights on the mental game. Since we (Critical Ops) are based just outside Cleveland, we do have one important question for him: @CleGuardians (as a former player) or Cincinnati Reds (as a former coach) in the May 15-17 series?? Thrilled to have you with us, @zsorensen4. Check out the schedule and register: Event: criticalops.com/cim Schedule: criticalops.com/cim-schedule

It's official: NASCUS and Critical Ops Launch the 2026 Fraud School. Read the full release here: nascus.org/pressroom/nascus-…

Just wrapped up an awesome two days at the JA Career Walk with Junior Achievement of Greater Cleveland! Our team had a blast showing 8th-12th grade students the exciting world of drones and drone-pilot careers. We had hands-on demos and answered a bazillion questions about FAA Part 107, certifications, and future opportunities in this fast-growing field. The energy and curiosity were incredible.

JPMorgan said the quiet part out loud: Our aging power grid is now a national security risk. Not just from extreme weather. Cyber threats, explosive AI-driven electricity demand, and a system that was never designed for what’s coming next are exposing the vulnerabilities. This raises real questions: Are we building infrastructure that can actually keep up? And what does it mean for your community, your industry, and national security if we fall short, or finally get it right? In late 2025, the bank launched its $1.5 trillion, 10-year Security and Resiliency Initiative to channel capital into grid resilience, semiconductors, data centers, medicines, and critical minerals. They see the scale of the problem. That’s exactly what we’re tackling at CIM 2026. Energy. Security. AI. May 28–29, 2026 | Dublin, Ohio The image says it plainly: PROTECTED. CONNECTED. RESILIENT. Speaker lineup and full schedule are live. If you’re in government, military, policy, energy, or tech, these are the people you want in the room. Access codes available for: • CIM26_Gov : for government officials (city planners, emergency management directors, mayors, city council) and military members (Active Duty, Reserve, National Guard, Retired, Veterans) • CIM26_Edu : for educators who want to bring current industry knowledge back into the classroom to help develop the next ready workforce See who's speaking and get involved: criticalops.com/cim-schedule Source: JPMorgan warning via Financial Post

We're going to figure this out at CIM 2026. criticalops.com/cim

“Companies want more energy, and more energy choices.” -B. Shah, CEO of GCP If you’re at the @GreaterCLE Sustainability Summit, say 👋! We plan to pull these great conversations into CIM 2026 in May.

The National Security Strategy released in November 2025 is a call to action. As we watch events unfold around the world, we are reminded that national security begins at home. National security is not someone else’s job. It is ours. Join us May 28-29 in Dublin, Ohio. Learn More: criticalops.com/cim 'Tis the star-spangled banner, O long may it wave O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

To our brothers and sisters in arms around the world: stay safe. 🫡

Energy is no longer a utility. It is a strategic asset. The pre-AI, pre-data center, pre-electrified world is gone. Today, innovation is no longer limited by ideas or capital. It is limited by available, reliable, and scalable power. See you at CIM 2026: criticalops.com/cim

The opening panel at the 30th Annual Energy Symposium is 🔥! @RepElginRogers - “Ohio is open for business.”

We aren’t “running out of power.” We’re running out of cheap, reliable, and scalable power. Data centers, electrification, reshoring, and AI load forecasts in the PJM region are spiking faster than generation can come online. The result? - Higher capacity prices - Volatile energy markets - Real cost pressure on municipalities, manufacturers, and operators Energy resilience is economic security. If you’re planning infrastructure, site selection, or long-term operations, energy prices are no longer a line item. They’re a strategic risk. Register for CIM 2026, May 28-29, 2026 in Dublin, Ohio. We’re diving into what’s coming and what to do before the bill shows up. Register today: criticalops.com/cim Discounted registration is available for government and municipal personnel, including mayors, city managers, planners, and public sector staff. Contact us for details. #CIM2026

Most banks & Credit Unions still react to fraud. Real intel lives in the digital criminal underground (Dark Web carding forums). Shift to offense! Register: t.ly/mWFM_ 📅 Feb 18 | 10AM ET

Today, Critical Ops turns 14. The only gift we care about? Show up for a kid today and find a win in their life. Then... Give them a high five. Tell them, “You Rock.” We believe effort counts. But winning is gold. Today: Look for wins. High-five (to you). You Rock!

For 14 years, Critical Ops has been in the trenches with critical infrastructure teams, breaking through resistance, modernizing systems, and delivering results that last. On January 26: 14 hours. 14 tickets. 14% off CIM 2026 tickets. Discount code: CriticalOps14 You Rock!

We are going to chat about this at CIM 2026 in May. Https://criticalops.com/cim