ASIS
Chicago June 2008 Newsletter
2008
ASIS Chicago Dick Norwood Open - June 19th!
Don't miss the annual golf outing,
which will take place on Thursday June 19, 2008 at the St. Andrews Golf and
Country Club located in West Chicago, IL at 3N441 Rt. 59.
The golf tournament will be
followed by a reception, which will include a cookout, door prizes, and a super
raffle.
There are plenty of sponsorship
and volunteer opportunities available as well!
Please see the ASIS Chicago
website for golfer and sponsor registration forms.
For any questions or comments
regarding the Dick Norwood Open please contact Steve Bakes at steve.bakes@redhawk-us.com
Illinois Terrorism Task Force (ITTF) Request for Assistance
Effective immediately, the Illinois State Emergency Operations Center/ITTF has
identified a critical need for drinking water for the Lawrence County area in
Illinois as a result of recent flooding. Specifically, they have identified a
need for 10,000 gallons of potable water per day starting this weekend through
approximately Wednesday of next week.
ITTF would appreciate donations of drinking water packaged in any way --
individual bottles, 3 or 5-gallon containers, etc.
If someone from your organization or someone you know is willing to assist, the
delivery of the water can be coordinated through the ITTF.
If anyone can help, please contact:
Melissa Haas
melissa.haas@comcast.net
217-483-8220
Thank you for your assistance in spreading the word about this critical need.
Jack R. Plaxe
Chairman
ASIS Chicago Chapter
Advanced
Leadership Strategies for Security Managers Program
A training program Sponsored by
the University of North Florida, Public Safety Institute, entitled
"Advanced Leadership Strategies for Security Managers" will be held
from September 29-October 1, 2008 in Orlando FL. The cost is $600. Topics include: Managing Marginal Employees,
Leadership Skills for Managers, and Customer Service Strategies for Security
Managers, among others.
Additional information can be obtained by calling 407-660-8255 or visiting
the website at: psi.iptm.org
Thank you.
Laurence P. Mulcrone
Chief of Staff
McCormick Place/Navy Pier
2008
Chicago Chapter Dues:
Please remember to pay your 2008
chapter dues as soon as possible.
Please remember that the dues are only $15, which is extraordinarily
inexpensive, and membership entitles you access to the "privileged access" area
of the chapter website and all the great services the chapter provides.
You can pay your chapter dues
through the chapter website via Paypal at www.asischicago.org.
For any questions or concerns about the
chapter dues please contact Steve Wehofer at steve@wehofer.net.
Reminder
- New Chapter Meeting Pricing Effective April 2008:
Due to continued
planning issues with the Erie Café, beginning in April 08 the chapter adjusted
the monthly meeting pricing to include a walk-in rate of $35.00 per person. No-shows are being invoiced $35.00. The price for those who pre-register through
the ASIS website and pay through Paypal is still only be $30! It helps greatly
when those who plan to attend the chapter meetings register in advance and pay
online. Thanks for your help!
Save
The Dates:
Thursday June 19, 2008 - 2008 Dick
Norwood Open Golf Outing
Monday
September 15, 2008 - Thursday September 18 2008: ASIS International Annual
Seminar & Exhibits
Tuesday September 16, 2008 -
Chicago Chapter Meeting (First meeting of the Fall Season)
September 29, 2008 - October 1,
2008 - "Advanced Leadership Strategies for Security Managers" in Orlando
FL
Membership
Reminder - Contact Information:
Please
keep your information current with ASIS International, as this is the
information the chapter uses to contact you.
The easiest way to keep your information current is to log on to the
International website through this link: www.asisonline.org
"Just
Thinking Out Loud" Article # 5
Author: Martin Davis
Hello everyone, welcome to my
monthly column, "Just Thinking Out Loud". This column allows me to ask YOU, my
ASIS colleagues, various questions, provide scenarios, and address topics that
many of us may think about, but have never have the gumption to bring to the
forefront.
Please respond with your
recommendations, comments, or advice to the below email address. Some of your
comments maybe shown in next month's newsletter. Thanks for the comments and
feedback on last months article.
"Progressive Discipline" is this
month's topic that I'd like to get my associates and colleagues, comments, and
feedback on. Is there any universal written standard to how Progressive
Discipline is administered? How many warnings should an employee receive before
they are suspended, or even terminated? Do you have to start with a Verbal
Warning, then a Written Warning? How about 2 Verbal Warnings then a Written?
When do you Suspend? After 1 Written Warning maybe 2? How many days should you
suspend for? 2 Days, 3 days, a week? Does it have to be immediate suspension or
can you schedule it? Should they be placed on probation upon their return from
suspension? How many days probation? 60 days, 90 days, 120 days?????
Believe me, I can go on and on
with questions like these for a week. And I bet if I ask 100 different
managers, I'll receive 100 different responses.
When it comes to Progressive
Discipline, there is one constant, and that is, there is no constant. No rule
of thumb, no customary practice, no concrete rules, no white and black policy
or guidelines. Much is determined by the Managers themselves while dishing out
the discipline. The Managers experience, their inexperience, relationship with
the employee, severity of the infraction, time in service of the employee, past
performance issues, etc. etc. will all dictate how Progressive Discipline is
issued and administered. Unfortunately, when justifying or protecting your
disciplinary decisions when questioned by Union Representation, Unemployment
Hearing Officers, and the like; you better have some type of standard in place
that shows you are impartial, fair, and consistent across the board.
Documentation is essential in presenting your case. You want to document all
previous warnings, counseling sessions, re-training, the distribution of
policies, Post Orders, and any & everything that will help solidify your
case. No matter how good your paper trail is, there will always be someone who
may try to poke holes in it. But, if you're able to prove where you did give
the employee the ample opportunities to improve and correct their performance
issues, more than likely you will win your grievance, arbitration, unemployment
hearing etc.
"Just Thinking Out Loud"
Your thoughts??? Please respond to Martin Davis at mdavis@sossecurity.com
Travel
Security Management: Don't Leave Safety Up to Chance
By Damon
Brenner, Senior Manager, Global Services, Control Risks North America.
In
today's global environment there is no shortage of justifications and
motivators to persuade companies that their travelers are facing an
increasingly challenging risk environment. Terrorism and other criminal
activities are facts of life in our global economy. Businesses are urged to
travel to places they would have never considered a few years ago. Now, a
company's provision of duty of care to its traveling population is simply good
corporate governance. Businesses can no longer ask whether a travel security
program is best practice, but rather whether their current travel security
program is robust enough to ensure the well being of their employees.
The
ability of a traveling employee to come home safely is not just a matter of
chance, but is typically the result of careful planning, education and the
implementation of a travel security program which embodies the rules, policies
and procedures that a company has in place.
Companies must
demonstrate that they have done everything in their power to ensure that their
travelers return home safe.
A robust
travel security program guarantees that travelers can go abroad with complete
confidence, a factor that cannot be taken for granted. Employees who lack faith
in their surroundings will find it difficult to operate effectively. Having
the correct procedures in place allows travellers to anticipate and prepare to
face likely or common risk exposure.
When it
comes to travel security, too many companies have limited programs, which focus
on reactive policies and disregard proactive strategies. An effective travel
security program should cover the entire life cycle of a traveler's journey
from pre-travel planning to the actual journey to their safe return home.
Companies must also have in place a set of rules, policies
and procedures to promptly respond to an incident, should something go wrong.
Unfortunately,
a comprehensive, off-the-shelf travel security program cannot exist. Travel
security programs must be carefully tailored to meet the specific needs of
individual companies and their employees.
There are, however, important aspects of travel security programs that
can serve as a blueprint to steer companies in the right direction towards
creating a reliable, consistent and flexible program that can support their
internal travel security policies. An
effective program should encompass the following variables:
Risks
assessments
- A clear understanding
of the potential risks facing travelers allows companies to make informed
decisions about the appropriate precautions needed;
Pre-travel
briefings
- Travelers equipped with the relevant
knowledge and information are best prepared to stay out of harms way;
Authorization
mechanism
Providing
restrictions prior to travel is the best way to guarantee that travelers are
not flying to high risk destinations without the management's knowledge, thus
left unprepared;
Alerts
and updates
- Both
management and travellers should be informed throughout a complete travel
cycle. The use of tools that allow companies to locate, identify and
communicate with travellers in real time is the best way to monitor employees'
whereabouts;
Response
- In critical situations companies must be
able to react swiftly and efficiently. This is best served through a
properly communicated and tested incident management plan and/or through a
24-hour resource.
Challenges
arise when security, particularly travel security, is not a priority on the
corporate agenda. Those responsible for their travelers must thus find a
balance between what is commercially feasible and what is viewed as an
acceptable standard of duty of care. Corporations have legal and moral
responsibility for the well being of their business travelers and a successful
travel security program requires corporate commitment. A comprehensive travel
security program encompasses proactive, reactive and response capabilities.
Once a sound program is in place, companies can effectively communicate this
plan to their travelers, expressing the benefits and the value it provides for
employees.
CPP
Study Group Feedback
By Ruth Wedster, CPP
Ever since becoming a member of
ASIS, I have felt like I had not been meeting the potential of the
organization's goals. I knew I should take the next step and become a CPP but
time, combined with apprehension kept me from taking the next step and applying
for the CPP. Last fall, knowing I really needed to take the next step, I joined
the CPP Chicago Chapter study group led by John Sellers CPP. The classes were
held at the UIC Police Station thanks both to the generosity of Police Chief
John Richardson and a little clout by John Sellers.
When I signed up for the group I
had no idea where my knowledge in the security field would fit in among the
other members. I was a little apprehensive that my experience in law
enforcement and my private security experience being mostly in the area of
physical security would not amount to much among experts in the security
industry. When I met the group my fears were quickly alleviated. Not only where
the other group members from all different levels and areas of experience but
they seemed to share the same apprehensions about their levels of knowledge.
If any of you have ever compiled
the study material needed to study for the test, you know that that alone is
enough to make even the most willing participant think twice. The Protection of
Assets Manual alone was enough to make me quit, and the fact that it is
available for ASIS Chicago members was probably the only reason I forged ahead.
The class members each took turns
presenting material. There was much to cover in a two hour time period and John
Sellers had strict rules about one-hour presentations. You had one hour to
present your material, you better be thorough, and if you weren't finished on
time you got pulled from the podium!!! (Much to the enjoyment of the rest of
the group.) This process kept the class on track. Everybody was ready to start
at 5:30 and walking out the door at 7:30, with enough information to keep us
studying until the next week.
After studying for about 3 months
I decided that there I had to select a target date to take the test. I along
with the others in the group was wavering between the "this is too much I
need to quit," and "I need to get this test over with" mentally.
I scheduled the test for May 5th and signed up for the ASIS CPP
Review in New Orleans. The course was very helpful and the instructors very
knowledgeable in all the areas of study. And while I found it worthwhile, I
still feel that the camaraderie hard work and encouragement of the Chicago ASIS
Chapter study group is what pushed me forward to pass the test.
I would encourage anyone who is in
the process of taking the CPP exam to sign up for the class. At best you will
be successful in your testing process and if nothing else you will make new
friends, network with others in your field, and assist others in reaching their
goals.
I would like to thank John Sellers
and the entire ASIS Chicago board for being so supportive to the CPP study
group, and I hope all the other members who have worked so hard are soon
successful in their testing process.
Ruth Wedster, CPP (Finally!)
Meet
a Member
This edition of the newsletter will feature a Q&A with
yours truly!
Current Employer and Position: I am currently employed by
Priority Services, Inc., which is a local trucking company specializing in
retail pool consolidation and distribution.
I am the Vice President & General Manager overseeing the facility
operations.
How
long have you been employed by The Art
Institute of Chicago?
"I
started in January of 1997"
When
you were growing up was it your dream to work in the security field?
"I have always been extremely
interested in Security but the nature of our business in recent years has made
it an absolute necessity to become much more educated in security management. I can't say enough kind things about the
ASIS Chicago Chapter and how becoming a CPP has enhanced my ability to perform
my duties. "
How
did you get into your current profession?
"I graduated with
a BA in psychology and had the opportunity to join this family business at the
ground floor and work my way up."
What
would you like to see the Chicago Chapter do differently (if anything)?
"I think the chapter is phenomenal
however I see too much of the contributions being made by the same small group
of people. The chapter could be even
more beneficial to everyone if more members got involved in leadership roles.
Do
you have any topic suggestions for the monthly meetings?
"The meetings that have speakers
from insurance carriers are the most beneficial for me. They see a good amount of losses and are
able to share a vast amount of information."
Are
you married or single? "Married for 8 years to Debbie."
Do
you have any kids and/or pets? "I have a five year-old
daughter and a three year-old daughter."
Do you have any hobbies? "I attend as many
White Sox games as possible and enjoy watching any type of sport, although
playing with the kids is becoming my primary activity when I'm not at work!"
If
you were stranded on a deserted island what 2 items would you want to have with
you? "My big-screen TV and any cable package with ESPN."
Thank you Mr. Riha for sharing this information
with us.
Congratulations
Chapter Member!
James E.
Huckabee from the Star Detective & Security Agency, Inc. earned the
Certified Institutional Protection Manager (CIPM) certification during the
Midwest Security Conference.
Suggestion
Box:
ASIS is a
volunteer-led organization that counts on each and every member to put in what
they wish to get out. If you have any
suggestions on the newsletter, the chapter meetings, or anything at all you
feel the chapter could improve upon, please reach out to your leadership and
let them know!
Chapter leadership especially
needs to know your suggestions on meeting topics that you'd like to see -
please don't be shy about these suggestions!
If you
wish to contribute any suggestions please feel free to forward them to me via
email at jasonriha@priorityservices.com. I will see that the suggestions get into the
correct hands.
We hope
to publish a suggestion and answer in the next newsletter.
Thanks to everyone who
contributed to this newsletter. The
next issue will be distributed in late July / early August.
Best Regards,
Jason Riha, CPP
Priority Services, Inc.
