Elyria resident creates company, names it to honor late grandmother

ELYRIA — When he was growing up, his grandmother was a force in his life and the lives of others, so it only seemed fitting to name his cybersecurity consulting firm after her, honoring her legacy and keeping her spirit alive in his work. Former Elyria resident Eric Henderson, 52, founded Grace Risk Advisors in 2019. "She died in January 2016," Henderson said. "Because of the role my grandmother played in my life, I knew pretty quickly that I wanted to do something to honor her. When I was thinking through names, I thought what a great way to honor her." Nealie Grace Porter was born in Alabama and moved to Elyria in 1958 at age 22. "She didn't have an education past eighth grade," Henderson said. "She raised a family of four, three daughters and one son, worked at Super 8 Motel for 46 years and she showed up. She served her church community for 50 years and taught me and her other grandkids to be honest and truthful and to keep loving God and keep God in our lives." Porter and her husband, John, had six grandchildren and many more great-grandchildren. Henderson recalls attending Second Baptist Church in Elyria with her often when he was young. "She kept us close to her and made sure we paid attention," he said. Porter sang in the church choir and served as usher, as well as being a church board member. She was also a hard worker. "She was very smart," Henderson said. "She started cleaning at the motel and worked her way up to supervisor. A lot of how I am and the things I know I owe to her." Who is Henderson? He's a 1994 Brookside High School graduate and a 1999 University of Cincinnati graduate, where he earned a bachelor's degree in computer science. He worked in computer programming for six years out of college before going back to school to earn his MBA from Thomas More College in Kentucky. He went into IT audits for a number of years, eventually moving into compliance security, then cybersecurity. When he started Grace Risk Advisors, he was still working his 9-to-5 job and providing adviser services to small clients as he continued growing the business. "In 2021, a larger company got wind of what I was doing and started contracting with me," Henderson said. "The success of Grace Risk Advisors as a partner with CyberSure led to a major career boost." Henderson now serves as vice president at CyberSure LLC, which specializes in helping small- and medium-sized businesses manage cyber risks. While his grandmother had passed before all of this, Henderson knows she was proud of him. "She often told me how proud she was of me," he said. "She was always praising me with love. She had the smile of an angel. Every time I would see her, she would light me up with her smile." And she wasn't just important to family, Henderson said. "She meant a lot to so many people," he said. "The adoration I have for her extends beyond myself. She was very fashion-forward and would wear nice hats on Sunday. She taught me the importance of showing up and presenting myself in a nice way. Any time I leave the house, it's like a present I carry with me all through my life." CyberSure, a black-owned cybersecurity company, has a strong presence in Ohio and is now looking to expand under Henderson's leadership into the Charlotte, North Carolina, area, where he and his wife, Kim, now live. "Our deeply personal connections to family can drive professional success, while honoring the legacies that shape our busy lives," Henderson said. Contact Christina Jolliffe at ctnews@chroniclet.com.