In this episode of Full Disclosure – Live!, DebtBook product leaders Stephen Yokim and James Perez sit down with Joey Fuqua, Finance Director for the City of Henderson, North Carolina, to discuss modernization, resilience, and what's ahead for a small city on the cusp of growth.
In early 2024, a ransomware attack disrupted Henderson's access to critical financial data and reporting systems. Amid the challenge of restoring operations, DebtBook played a key role in helping the city maintain audit compliance and keep essential reporting processes running smoothly. Joey reflects on the experience as both a test of resilience and a turning point in how Henderson approaches data security and cloud-based systems moving forward.
Joey traces his ten years in Henderson, describing how he replaced paper-heavy workflows with automation which improved controls and generated more than $150,000 in unbudgeted bank rebates. He shares why Henderson adopted DebtBook for GASB lease and subscription compliance and how he's now evaluating a move from debt spreadsheets to DebtBook's debt management module for added resilience.
Looking ahead, Joey shares some of Henderson's opportunities: proximity to the Research Triangle, two interstates, and a $100M+ regional water plant upgrade that will double capacity and support new development. With council transitions and zoning work underway, he's focused on positioning the city for sustainable growth after decades of industrial change.
Top Takeaways:
(1) Cyber Lessons, The Hard Way: A late-February ransomware incident wiped local files, showing the need for independent backups, cloud-first operations, and rigorous vendor oversight.
(2) Hands-On Partnership Matters: DebtBook proactively reached out, restored access to key records already in the platform, and guided workflows, helping Henderson stay audit-ready while other systems were rebuilt.
(3) Positioned for Growth: With proximity to the Research Triangle, two interstates, and a $100M+ regional water plant upgrade set to double capacity, Henderson is aligning infrastructure and governance to capture incoming development.
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