CHEYENNE, Wyo. — The 2025 Wyoming Cybersecurity Competition for Small Businesses honored a field of winners led entirely by women, highlighting the ability of microbusinesses and nonprofits across the state to successfully meet complex industry security standards.
CyberWyoming announced the winners at the annual Cyber Cheyenne Conference at Laramie County Community College on Oct. 3. The competition, which helps microbusinesses and nonprofits strengthen security through the Made Safe program, gained national attention as the only competition of its kind.
Two nonprofit organizations dominated the field this year. Wyoming Realtors, led by Nicole Novotny Smith, earned first place in the Contracted or Consistent IT Help Category. Northwest Wyoming Board of Realtors, led by Kimberly Brandon-Wintermote, received first place in the No IT Help Category.
An honorable mention was awarded to Go Goshen, an economic development agency in Torrington, represented by Moriah Harkins.
The two winning Realtor boards participated as part of a state cohort focused on maintaining compliance with the National Association of Realtors cybersecurity requirements while also managing insurance risks, a news release said. The boards, which often operate as microbusinesses with one to three staff members, found the standard insurance requirements were often designed for much larger organizations with servers, IT staff and at least 25 employees.
Brandon-Wintermote, from the Northwest Wyoming Board of Realtors, said they needed a plan that was “realistic and sustainable for a one-staff office to maintain” while still satisfying NAR’s requirements. She said guidance from CyberWyoming and support from fellow executives helped them create a policy that is both practical and robust.
“This recognition affirms the importance of securing member data and business continuity while proving that even small organizations can lead the way in cybersecurity,” she said.
Smith added that working with CyberWyoming was a delight, and she is thankful that Wyoming organizations can lean on them for cyber safety support.
Laura Baker, executive director of CyberWyoming, said the Made Safe program helped the organizations “translate complex cybersecurity requirements into practical, manageable steps.” She helped them “right-size” policies so they were realistic for microbusinesses yet compliant with broader industry standards, proving that “small doesn’t mean vulnerable.”
Mary Keane, a Cybersecurity Business counselor with CyberWyoming, added, “Their work shows that cybersecurity isn’t just about technology; it’s about culture, awareness and resilience.”
CyberWyoming, a nonprofit founded in 2017, announced at Cyber Cheyenne that the competition is now open to microbusinesses nationwide. Baker noted, “We’ve got a great program that reduces cyber risks by 70%, so we designed a way to bring it to the rest of the country.”
For more information about the competition, visit cyberwyoming.org/competition.
