Why Trucking Executives Should Be in Austin This October

Artie Crawford - September 17, 2025

Cybersecurity has become a boardroom issue. For leaders in the trucking industry—CEOs, CIOs, COOs, and CTOs—the National Motor Freight Traffic Association, Inc. (NMFTA)™ Cybersecurity Conference is more than just another event. It’s a strategic opportunity to understand the threats facing your operations and to shape how your organization responds.

Set for October 26-28 at the Westin Austin Downtown, this year’s conference arrives at a critical moment. With social engineering, ransomware and extortion schemes targeting carriers, telematics systems vulnerable to remote exploits, and digital freight platforms expanding the attack surface, the stakes have never been higher.

What sets this conference apart is its focus on executive-level insight. You’ll hear from industry leaders like Estes Express Lines’ Todd Florence, who will share how his team built cyber resilience across a national fleet. Perygee’s Mollie Breen will explore lightweight security solutions for IoT and telematics. Airiam’s Art Ocain will walk through ransomware recovery playbooks, and Werner Enterprises’ Jordan Strawn will offer strategic guidance on securing logistics operations from the top down.

Sessions are designed with decision-makers in mind. You’ll dive into topics like applying Zero Trust frameworks to fleet operations, understanding cyber risk as a business risk, and—new this year—how to build and use risk registers to map, prioritize, and communicate threats in language your board understands.

This isn’t a vendor expo. It’s a collaborative space for leaders to share, learn, and strategize. Past attendees consistently praise the practical insights and peer-to-peer conversations that make this event stand out.

And let’s not forget the setting—Austin, TX. With its vibrant culture, live music, and tech-forward energy, it’s the perfect backdrop for bold ideas and meaningful connections.    

Cybersecurity is no longer optional. It’s operational. It’s strategic. And it’s urgent. If you’re leading a trucking company, this is the conference that will help you lead with confidence. Not that clicking links is always the best idea, but by clicking this link and registering, you may just learn more ways to operate another day. 

Don’t miss the chance to learn alongside your peers. Register now for NMFTA’s 2025 Cybersecurity Conference: www.nmftacyber.com.

Artie Crawford
Artie Crawford

Artie Crawford, CISSP, CISM, is the Director of Cybersecurity at the National Motor Freight Traffic Association, Inc. (NMFTA)™. Artie is a seasoned professional with extensive experience in cybersecurity strategy and deep technical expertise in addressing complex cybersecurity challenges. He possesses a thorough understanding of the tools, techniques, procedures, and attack vectors employed by cyber adversaries. Artie has a proven track record of providing strategic guidance, collaboration, and engineering support to a wide range of organizations, including state and local governments, educational institutions, intelligence agencies, transportation authorities, and the Department of Defense, all in support of their cybersecurity missions. Throughout his distinguished career, Artie has held pivotal roles at organizations such as the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), Microsoft, MITRE, and others. His work has been centered on developing advanced techniques and tools for real-world operations. A 27-year veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, Artie retired in 2011 as the Cybersecurity Chief of the Marine Corps, where he served as the Senior Technical Advisor to the CIO and Director of C4.