Mission Critical

​The end of 2015 signals the closing of the 60th anniversary celebration at ASIS International. It also brings the closing of a significant chapter in the Society’s history as CEO Michael Stack retires after 22 years. As CEO, Stack led the organization through the transformative era after 9-11 and oversaw critical and innovative initiatives that have moved the organization’s mission forward.

One of these initiatives is the CSO Roundtable. Founded as a discrete membership organization in 2007, the Roundtable is designed to meet the needs of senior security executives and help them earn a place in the C-suite. Since the Roundtable’s inception, its ranks have grown to almost 400 members, and educational programs around the globe help CSOs connect and learn from one another.

Stack was also instrumental in developing standards and guidelines. Critical to the professional evolution of the industry, security standards provide guidance on issues from workplace violence to guard force management. The standards are based on professional consensus and are continuously updated, making them a valuable resource for security practitioners on every level.

Under Stack’s leadership, ASIS forged important partnerships with other organizations. These partnerships deepen the Society’s resources and broaden the opportunities for members. Agreements with groups such as the U.S. Department of State’s Overseas Security Advisory Council and (ISC)2 create a greater depth of understanding by sharing in the expertise of these groups that specialize in various aspects of security.

Another critical milestone, the founding of the ASIS Foundation, preceded Stack’s tenure by decades. The Foundation was incorporated in 1966 and conducted its first major research project in 1969. The project involved a survey of 5,000 American companies to establish the structure of security programs throughout the country. In the past two decades, the Foundation has spearheaded numerous research projects that advance industry understanding, including recent reports on metrics and enterprise security risks.

In 2008, the Foundation launched the Connecting Research in Security to Practice (CRISP) series of reports. Tackling topics such as enhancing supply chain security and preventing gun violence, the reports are designed to provide practical, research-based solutions on specific subjects.

As this issue of Security Management goes to press, the search for Stack’s successor is reaching its final stages. His influence on ASIS and the security industry has been significant, making the search for Stack’s successor a difficult one. The incoming CEO will surely forge an individual path, but he or she will inherit a stronger and more vibrant Society due to Stack’s leadership. For a more comprehensive account of Stack’s tenure, be sure to read the cover story of the September/October issue of ASIS Dynamics.