​Celebrating Security's Best

At Global Security Exchange (GSX), formerly the ASIS Annual Seminar and Exhibits, the Society recognized the outstanding accomplishments of the security profession in 2018. ASIS was pleased to honor the following members and supporting organizations for their work to advance the Society and profession. 

The Presidential Award of Merit, recognizing the commitment of exceptional volunteers, was presented to Oksana Farber and Joe McDonald, CPP, PSP. With more than 40 years of ASIS membership between them, these individuals demonstrate the very best in unselfish volunteer commitment and mentoring.

The Don Walker Award for Enterprise Security Executive Leadership celebrates an individual who demonstrates a commitment to promoting security management education, certification, and standards. The 2018 award recognizes the contributions of Mike Howard to advance the professionalism of the security industry.

The 2018 Professional Certification Board's Organizational Award of Merit honors Saudi Aramco for its extraordinary efforts to enhance the professional development of its security team through board certification.

The I.B. Hale Chapter of the Year Award is given to chapters that demonstrate financial stability, membership growth, high-quality meetings, educational programs, publications, and efforts that support the advancement of the security profession. This year's winners are the Victoria, Australia; Florida West Coast; and Mexico City chapters.

The Roy N. Bordes Council Member Award of Excellence recognizes a distinguished council member who selflessly shares expertise, encourages the next generation of leaders, and offers insight to ASIS educational programs and publications. The 2018 winner is Utilities Security Council co-vice chair Allan Wick, CPP, PCI, PSP.

The E.J. Criscuoli Jr. Volunteer Leadership Award, presented this year to James R. Finnelly, CPP, recognizes members who have made significant volunteer commitment at the chapter and regional levels.

The Matthew Simeone Award for Public-Private Partnership Excellence, administered by the ASIS Law Enforcement Liaison Council, distinguishes an program promoting cooperation between the public and private sectors. This year the award, nominated by the ASIS Azalea Coast Chapter recognizes the partnership between the Wilmington North Carolina Police Department and Wilmington Housing Authority.

The ASIS Foundation is proud to invest in individuals and chapters, offering scholarships and grants to support those pursuing security careers in achieving their professional goals. These scholarships would not be possible without the generosity of ASIS members, and the Foundation recognized the following donors at GSX: Outstanding Individual Donor, Frank Argenbright; Outstanding Corporate Partner, TD Bank; Outstanding Regional Donor Award, Region 11, West & Central Africa; and Outstanding Lifetime Supporter, Bernie Greenawalt, CPP.

ASIS thanks these award winners for their valued contributions to the security profession.

 ASIS Maps Career Pathways

In partnership with the Security Industry Association, ASIS has developed the Security Industry Career Pathways Guide—a new career resource that provides an insightful and detailed look into what a career in the security profession looks like in today's market.

Designed to empower students and security professionals at all levels with insight into professional growth opportunities, it also provides a clear understanding of the necessary skills for success.

Find it atwww.asisonline.org/careerpathwaysguide.

 New Membership Dues Rates

ASIS represents professionals who advance security management in hundreds of countries around the world—across numerous sectors and at every career stage.

In support of its globalization initiative, the Society is pleased to announce a new emerging markets dues structure that provides individuals living in countries classified as upper-middle, lower-middle,  or low income by the World Bank with better accessibility to ASIS membership.

This change breaks down barriers to membership for a significant population of security professionals by accounting for ability to pay in local income economies.

ASIS recognizes the important role played by all members regardless of the region in which they live and opens a global line of communication through which information can be shared and valuable insight gained.

For more information about the new dues structure,www.asisonline.org/dues.

 Crime Prevention Council Spotlight

Before ASIS Crime Prevention Council Chair Deyanira Murga assumed her leadership role in 2016, the council had just nine participating members. In the few short years that followed, the council has grown to include a diverse global membership of 32, dedicated to advance the council's mission of globalization and knowledge transfer through an innovative series of initiatives.

"Our discipline is not just a corporate security department," says Murga. "Crime prevention crosses all sectors of security. It's a piece of healthcare security, and it's a piece of cultural properties security, but it also has a lot to do with communities—with citizens, government, law enforcement, and schools. You have to be proactive and project future events that are going to affect your communities with some sort of violence or other phenomenon."

The council focuses on the pillars of Intelligence, Technology, and Culture in crime prevention, sharing with the full spectrum of security the ways that predictive analyses and new technologies can be used to stop violence and crime from occurring.

In 2018, the council produced an Insider Threat webinar series and took a different approach to the traditional webinar. To provide a holistic view of issues surrounding insider threat, the council invited all of its members to participate in the development of insider threat case studies. Over the course of this three-webinar series, a dozen council members spoke on different concepts, each helping to provide attendees with a more complete understanding.

Murga applies this outside-the-box thinking to the development of the council's sponsored education session at Global Security Exchange (GSX). "When I go to the annual conference, I want to see something that's never happened before," she says. "These days, I can attend a lecture virtually as a webinar, or at a local chapter meeting. I want our council to produce education that can only happen at major meetings like these."

This year, the council arranged a panel discussion surrounding issues of sexual harassment, hostile environments, and victimization in the workplace—featuring thought leaders from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, CNN, MGM Resorts, U.S. Navy, and Hewlett-Packard. This marked the first time that any of these speakers had participated in the ASIS annual meeting.

The council also seeks to infuse new talent into the security workforce, in 2018 sponsoring a Security-a-thon—fashioned after Hack-a-thon challenges popular at universities across the United States. Small teams are presented with a problem—in this case, school violence prevention—and tasked with devising a solution. The team with the winning solution received a trip to GSX, sponsored by ASIS members.

"Our winners haven't yet been initiated into the security world," says Murga. "They brought a fresh perspective to the problem, with backgrounds in robotics engineering, public relations, and graphic design. With the opportunity to attend GSX and tour a casino's command center, they will become more aware of the needs of our profession. These young people can do creative, sustainable things that create a lasting impact on our Society."

The council is updating the "Small Business Guideline," which was first created back in 2007. The council is working with the Small Business Administration and the Chamber of Commerce to provide practical recommendations to small business owners and small franchise companies who normally do not have the budget to have an in-house security department or hire a security consultant. The goal is to work with the U.S. Department of Commerce and entrepreneurs to globally support this important economic sector.

The council has also been working with ASIS education staff to introduce a "Critical Thinking & Predictive Analysis: Smart Security" workshop coming in 2019. This innovative content will provide valuable insight for its members and new young professionals in how to develop new skills using future scenarios to analyze and process information and data to collect better intelligence for crime prevention.

Murga encourages members interested in learning more about the council's efforts to reach out via email, at [email protected]. To view available council resources, visit www.asisonline.org and search for Crime Prevention council.