In November 1953, Robert Applegate, director of Industrial Security Programs in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Manpower, Personnel, and Reserve, proposed the idea of a national organization for security professionals, like those that existed for the medical and legal organizations at a meeting of the Special Security Group. This group was a small, informal alliance of security directors and managers form large corporations in the eastern U.S.
One member of this group, Paul Hansen, director of the industrial security division of Reynolds Metal Company, resonated strongly with the idea and soon drafted a prospectus for forming a national security organization. He presented the document at the next meeting of the Special Security Group on February 3, 1954, and a steering committee was formed to study the proposal and make recommendations as to the best way to move forward.
Two months later, Hansen presented a revised prospectus to the Special Security Group, which was accepted by the group. Soon after, Hansen and the steering committee began to reach out to security practitioners outside the Special Security Group to gauge interest and work towards developing an association that could serve varied needs. The steering committee also worked to find a name, determine membership qualifications, set the price for initiation fees and annual dues, develop bylaws, and draft articles of incorporation.
On January 18, 1955, Paul Hansen, Richard Lowe, and Philip Wolz signed the incorporation papers in Lowe's New York office. Three days later, the papers were filed with Delaware's secretary of state in Dover. And so, the American Society for Industrial Security (ASIS) was born.
Except, of course, the story doesn’t end there- it is only just beginning. Exactly 70 years ago today, February 17th, 1955, the very first ASIS board took office. This board was only a temporary board until an official board could be elected, but it represented the first official "governance" for the organization.
Just over a month later, the first official board was elected, with Paul Hansen as president, Gerard Kavanaugh as vice president, Russell White as secretary, and Philip Wolz as treasurer.
The organization quickly began to grow. From the beginning, it was apparent that the local chapter model would be vital to the organization's growth, value, and connectivity. The first official chapter was the Southern California Chapter (now the Greater Los Angeles Chapter), which was chartered in December 1955. The next year, seven more chapters were chartered and by the end of the 1950s, more than 30 chapters spread across the U.S. - and beyond. In 1959, the first international chapter, serving Europe, was founded. At the time, the European chapter consisted of Americans working in the European division of corporations.
In 1965, the board began receiving more inquiries about international membership, mostly from European security officials associated with NATO. A committee was formed to survey both American and European security officials on interest in expanding ASIS internationally, but no clear consensus was reached from the survey. An international division was established to assist in the development of other security societies internationally. Ernest Felago was named assistant to the president for overseas operations in 1967, and his work within the organization was instrumental to ASIS's growth as an international organization.
ASIS membership continued to grow worldwide, with new chapters being established almost every year. By the turn of the millennium, ASIS membership exceeded 31,000, with more than 200 chapters, more than 20 of which were outside the United States.
In 2002, the organization was officially renamed 'ASIS International.' A new logo was also adopted, along with the tagline "Advancing Security Worldwide." Since 2002, the association has only continued to grow, with more than 243 chapters in 89 countries at the close of 2024.
With 70 years of history under our belt, there isn’t enough space in just one blog to cover our full story, but here are a few quick highlights from over the years:
- The first annual meeting: As part of the association’s bylaws, an annual meeting was to be held each year. The very first meeting was held in October 1955 outside Washington, D.C. In 2018, the annual meeting was renamed Global Security Exchange (GSX).
- Industrial Security magazine: In July 1957, the first issue ofIndustrial Security (renamed Security Management in 1972) was mailed. The magazine turned a profit for the first time just two years later in 1959.
- The beginning of the ASIS Foundation: The ASIS Board of Directors established the ASIS Foundation in October 1966. The six-member Foundation Board of Directors met for the first time in January 1967.
- The first CPP: Sitting ASIS President Wayne Hall became the first to apply for the brand-new Certified Protection Professional certification at a June 1977 board meeting.
- The Commission on Guidelines: Sitting ASIS President Bonnie Michelman established a Commission on Guidelines, designed to start the process of developing industry-wide minimum standards or guidelines. Seven years later, ASIS became an American National Standards Institute (ANSI) accredited standards developer and began developing standards as well as guidelines.
ASIS is proud to celebrate 70 years of membership in 2025, and 70 years of leadership today. The future holds only more opportunities and milestones ahead!
Image guide:
Image 1: After meeting to discuss the formation of a national security organization, the founders paused for this 1953 photograph. From the left, Paul Hansen, Eric Barr, Russell White, Eugene Goedgen, and Robert Applegate.
Image 2: In 1956, at the conclusion of the second annual ASIS conference, members and guests enjoyed a banquet at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, D.C.
Image 3: Spiro Agnew, vice president of the United States, was the banquet speaker at the 1969 ASIS Annual Seminar and Exhibits in Washington, D.C. From the left, I.B. Hale, ASIS 1st vice president; Agnew; and Albert Berry, ASIS president.
Image 4: Pinkerton's Inc. exhibits at the 1973 ASIS Annual Seminar and Exhibits.
Image 5: In 1974, Ernest Felago (second from left) presents members of Caribbean Chapter with the chapter’s charter.
Image 6: Paul Stivers, president of the 1978 Professional Certification Board, presents the first CPP certificate to ASIS President Wayne Hall at that year’s ASIS Annual Seminar and Exhibits in Los Angeles. From the left, Richard Cross, Russ White, Art Kingsbury, Hall, Stivers, Richard Healy, John Buckley, and Timothy Walsh.
Image 7: Members meet the editorial and advertising staff at the Security Management booth in the exhibit hall at the Annual ASIS Seminar and Exhibits in the 1990s.
Image 8: Attendees network at ASIS 2015 Middle East Security Conference & Exhibition.
Image 9: Color guard presents various national flags at 2016 ASIS Annual Seminar.
Image 10: Attendees at ASIS Leadership Exchange in January 2018.
Image 11: Attendees register for 2019 ASIS Europe conference in Rotterdam, NL.
Image 12: Attendees await speaker at ASIS LATAM 2022 in Cancún, Mexico.
Image 15: Security LeadHER attendees pose for photo at first annual LeadHER event in Nashville, TN in 2023.
Image 14: Keynote speaker Lida Citroën addresses audience of CSOs at first annual Secure Horizons conference in 2023.
Image 15: ASIS Hub on the Exhibit Hall floor at Global Security Exchange 2024.
Image 16: Danny Chan, chair of the ASIS Asia Pacific Regional Board speaks at APAC Conference 2024.
