ASIS nov14__ASIS_RiskUK_nov14 07/11/2014 16:54 Page 1
INTERNATIONAL
TM
Newsletter
UNITED KINGDOM CHAPTER 208
WINTER 2014
ASIS NEWSLETTER OF THE YEAR – WINNER 2013, 2012, 2008 & 2003 – HONOURABLE MENTION 2011, 2006.
60th Annual Seminar and Exhibition Barry Vincent CPP Karen Gill, who had been on the same flight from London, for introducing me to some of the ASIS ‘dignitaries’. However, it was not long before Rupert Reid and I were bumping into old friends amongst the whales, sharks and multi-coloured sea creatures on display. It was a pleasant surprise to meet with members from ASIS Chapters across the world, including a number of my former students from Uganda, Nigeria and Saudi Arabia.
I have recently returned from the ASIS International 60th Annual Seminar and Exhibition held at the World Congress Centre in Atlanta, Georgia between September 29th and October 2nd. As with many events in the United States this was a major production and the ASIS organisers are to be congratulated in organising an event on this scale attracting 20,000 attendees and many hundreds of exhibitors. Alongside the exhibition there was a full programme over the three days of educational and networking events led by quality speakers, including former US Secretary of State, Colin Powell and our own Martin Gill. Arriving on Sunday my first task was to navigate the massive geography of the World Congress Centre, comprising three huge buildings and multiple floors, in order to find the pitch to set up the TheSMA booth in the vast exhibition hall – think IFSEC and multiply by two. It was fortunate that we were located close to the ASIS stand with its prominent banner which helped to direct us to the booth site. The exhibition hall resembled what I imagine an explosion in an IKEA showroom might look like with partly assembled furniture and packaging strewn everywhere. What a transformation on Monday morning with all the booths assembled and adorned with the exhibitors merchandising material and technology. The exhibition was populated by the usual array of providers of CCTV, alarm systems and guarding companies, but also some niche software providers and those identifying commercial applications for technology originated for military operations. On Sunday evening Richard Widup, ASIS President for 2014 and his wife, hosted a well attended reception in the Atlanta Aquarium, a slightly surreal location for a networking event. I was grateful to Martin and
With a regular footfall to the TheSMA booth, aided by the presence of some friendly and attractive sniffer dogs directly opposite, the three days passed quickly and it was soon time to pack up to return home.
Although not able to participate in the education sessions, feedback from those who had was very positive, and overall the sessions adequately reflected the current and emerging security threats and the ongoing challenges to address them. For TheSMA, we were pleased to be able to exhibit our quality British security management training products, and welcomed the opportunity to meet with some of the ASIS Headquarters team, and were encouraged by our discussions with some of the US Chapter leads and others who expressed keen interest in our training products. On reflection, attending the Seminar served as a useful reminder that as ASIS members we are all part of a global fellowship of participants and hopefully contributors to a dynamic and continually evolving security industry with a major role to play in protecting our organisations and our society. Barry Vincent CPP PCI is an independent security consultant and senior trainer for TheSMA Ltd.