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Certificant Spotlights

ASIS salutes all certified practitioners for their commitment to professionalism and continued improvement. Spotlights, featured here and in Security Management magazine, offer personal insights from certified practitioners who explain why they opted to earn their board certification.

Jeff Sieben, CPP

Jeff Sieben, CPP, cites earning his certification as a pivotal moment in his career. Before earning his certification, he felt he had knowledge to share—but he had a hard time getting his voice heard.

Nikhilesh Sharma, CPP, PCI, PSP

Whether it’s baseball, horse racing, or certifications—the Triple Crown is a rare accomplishment. Fewer than 200 security professionals worldwide have completed the ASIS board certification Triple Crown. Nikhilesh Sharma, CPP, PCI, PSP, earned them all in just 18 months.

Jeffrey Slotnick, CPP, PSP

When the time came for U.S. Army engineer Jeffrey A. Slotnick to pivot his career path in 1999, a role in security management seemed like the logical next step. He turned to ASIS board certifications to elevate his professional standing in the security world.

Kaatje Claes, CPP

Kaatje Claes, CPP, is security manager for De Museumstichting, a network of fashion, photography, and diamond museums in Antwerp, Belgium. Her studies in criminology taught her the basics of security practice, but it was years later that she realized the full breadth of what the field has to offer.

Pablo Colombres, CPP

Pablo Colombres, CPP, gradually pivoted into the security world. In 2003, he started his career in the legal department for telecommunications giant Telefónica. When the fraud team he supported was transferred into a new security division in 2007, he followed—and assumed an investigative role himself. While the transition was daunting at times, he did not back down.

Sanjeev Mishra, CPP

A captain with the Indian Army in the mid-1990s, Mishra surveyed the social, cultural, and political landscape, closely observing conflict trends. With sovereigns focusing on inward security, and corporations getting in on the act, he decided to devote his skills to safeguarding business interests just the way he’d protected borders.

Pamela Cichon, CPP

Pamela Cichon, CPP, began working as a letter carrier for the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) in 1987. Her career was postmarked for success. In the 30 years since, she has worked her way up to become a program manager in physical security within the Security Group at the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s national headquarters.

Kevin Stranahan, CPP, PCI, PSP

As a triple-certified security professional, Kevin Stranahan, CPP, PCI, PSP considers himself a diversified asset for his organization. “The knowledge I’ve gained informs my approaches in how I manage people and processes within my role. I’m better able to explain security issues to people who don’t share my security mindset.”

Douglas Beaver, CPP

Douglas Beaver, CPP, was a police officer with the Montgomery County Police Department in Maryland, when he started his own security and investigations services business on the side. As the business grew, he eventually had to choose between continuing in law enforcement or embarking on the entrepreneurial path. He took the leap.

Darin Dillon, CPP

He admits that he got into the security field by mistake. Thirty-five years ago, Darin Dillon, CPP, replied to a classified ad in his local newspaper and landed a job as an installation and service specialist with Rollins Protective Services. That position became the basis of his employment master plan. "I have found security to be the coolest and greatest industry on the planet," he says.

José Carlos Degiorgis, CPP

For the past ten years, José Carlos Degiorgis, CPP, has been the senior regional manager, Corporate Security South America, with the pharmaceutical company Bristol-Myers Squibb. While his office is in Buenos Aires, Argentina, he reports to the company’s continental director in New York City.

William J. Powers, III, CPP

William J. Powers, III, CPP, is director of facilities at the Clark Art Institute in Williamstown, Massachusetts. The Clark’s 140-acre campus includes five buildings that house museum galleries, an art history library, an auditorium, research facilities, a sophisticated physical plant, and offices.

Caress Kennedy, CPP

In her role as president of Allied Universal Security Services’ Northeast Region, Caress Kennedy, CPP, keeps her focus and her team’s concentration on “perfect service and keeping our clients for life,” she says. The goal is to understand client needs and problems “so we can provide solutions that raise the level of service delivery and satisfaction.”

Felix Giannini, CPP

Aside from six years in the U.S. Navy and a short stint working for a marine electronics company, "I've been self-employed my whole life," says Felix Giannini, CPP, president of Lexco Security Systems in Fairfield, Connecticut. Intrigued by electronics as a teenager, he repaired audiovisual equipment and maintained a state-of-the-art video broadcast system while attending high school in Mamaroneck, New York.

Jay (Chuck) McCormick, PSP

Throughout his 30-plus years in the industry, Jay (Chuck) McCormick, PSP, has pursued many facets of security integration and assumed many roles in security management. He says continuous learning, certification, and a great mentor were important factors in his upward career trajectory.

Malcolm Reid, CPP

Several years ago, Malcolm Reid, CPP, completed a national critical infrastructure assessment for Trinidad and Tobago, which helped to inform the strategy for protecting the critical infrastructure of that country. At the end, he delivered a symposium for the major public and private stakeholders. "Just the knowledge that I made a difference in so many people's lives gave me immense satisfaction," he recalls.

Nicholas G. Breiner, CPP, PCI, PSP

Nicholas G. Breiner, CPP, PCI, PSP, got a taste of the security field shortly after high school when he worked for two corporate security departments. But his true passion lay in law enforcement, so in 1995 he joined the Belleville Police Department in New Jersey.

Anjali Sniadowski, CPP, PSP

Anjali Sniadowski, CPP, PSP, admits that a security career may not be for everyone. She can list some downsides: irregular hours and hard work. But in her mind, the pluses outweigh any negatives. "If you are someone who likes to help people, be part of a mission greater than yourself, and don't mind unique challenges, it's definitely the right path for you," she says.