In another installment of its Tip of the Week, Ignite Consulting Partners reviewed what the Federal Trade Commission previously has stated about what attributes a qualified individual (QI) should have. These are the individuals at a dealership or finance company who head up matters associated with the revamped Safeguards Rule and other regulations generated by the FTC.

Ignite spelled out four characteristics of a QI, including:

• The QI can be an employee of the company whose information security program (ISP) they are implementing. They can also work for an affiliate of the company or for a completely different company.

• The rule does not require the QI to have a specific degree or technical certification.

• A covered entity with five employees could and will have a QI with a vastly different background than one overseeing the ISP of a 1,000 employee company (and that is OK).

• The QI’s responsibility is to “…implement and supervise your company’s information security program,” not necessarily do all the technical work themselves.

Based on Ignite’s experience, firm experts said successful QIs have some of the following strengths:

• They understand your business, where information is (physical and digital) and how and where it is transmitted.

• They have great communications skills and get along well with others. The QI must be able to work with different departments and types of people.

• They have strong organization skills, which are needed when managing a project of this scope.

• The best QIs have superb writing skills. From the written risk assessment to the Safeguards implementation plan, it is critical that they can formulate and document the process well.

“These are just a few of the things you should be thinking about when designating a qualified individual,” Ignite said in its latest tip of the week message.

To help dealerships and finance companies even more, Ignite is rolling out what it’s calling “The Works.” It’s a six-part package designed to help operations navigate through preparations for the intensified Safeguards Rule, which is set to go into practice in December.

And through Oct. 31, Ignite is offering a 40% discount on “The Works.”

If you have questions about your choosing a qualified individual and would like to speak to a compliance specialist or to get more information about “The Works,” send an email to Ignite at info@ignitecp.com or call (817) 900-8754.