Trilogy CEO supportive of new cybersecurity program at West Virginia Wesleyan

Trilogy Innovations CEO Brandon Downey believes West Virginia can help fill the void of vacant cybersecurity professionals who are in such high demand around the world.

Trilogy co-founder and CEO Brandon Downey (left) and Daniel Anderson, Associate Professor of Cybersecurity and Artificial Intelligence in discussion at West Virginia Wesleyan College.

Downey demonstrated that recently through his support of the new cybersecurity program at West Virginia Wesleyan College in Buckhannon, West Virginia, where the new curriculum will launch in the Fall 2025 semester.

“There are hundreds of thousands of vacant cybersecurity jobs in the U.S. alone, and millions of unfilled jobs globally,” Downey said. “I passionately believe West Virginia can help fill some of those jobs, and one way to do that in the future is to support cybersecurity programs at higher education institutions in this state. West Virginia Wesleyan is preparing to launch its own program in the fall, and I’m really excited about it.”

Wesleyan has already hired Daniel Anderson as Associate Professor of Cybersecurity and Artificial Intelligence, in preparation for the fall program launch. Anderson and Downey, who recently met at the college to record a promotional video for the new program, are in total agreement that West Virginia can help fill critical, vacant cybersecurity positions.

“It’s estimated that there will be 625,000 unfilled cyber jobs in 2025,” said Anderson, “and these are not entry-level jobs. The cyber talent we already have in this state can fill mid- and upper-level jobs, and programs such as ours will create future cybersecurity professionals.”

Downey said he plans to encourage growth of cybersecurity and the technology industry as a whole “at every turn” because opportunities are abundant.

“A driver for me is seeing how technology can be applied to the challenges facing society today, and cybersecurity certainly fits that,” said Downey. “Securing software and systems has become significantly more complex than 25 years ago. We need more skilled cybersecurity professionals than ever before to thwart ever-present, increasingly sophisticated cyber threats.”

Anderson is enthusiastic about the new program and said his excitement is fueled by opportunities and possibilities.

“There is an opportunity in this industry,” he said, “and we can help fill the gaps in the industry by what we do right here in the heart of West Virginia. Our goal is to build a cybersecurity program based upon the highest level of instruction and experiential learning, and to build careers for the future.”

Downey said he will continue to emphasize a sense of urgency in the state. With Trilogy headquarters in Bridgeport and offices in Morgantown as well, his commitment to creating new opportunities is clear.

“Part of West Virginia’s future is finding out how to diversify industry. While the technology sector is not a top 10 industry in the state, it is one of the fastest-growing sectors,” said Downey. “And it has to be a total effort. Invest in cyber programs, attract talent to the tech industry, and do everything we can to help grow the technology sector. Period.”