PARTING WORDS

Spring Forward

Jim Lee Executive Editor

This is a great time of the year. Just think of all the good things that happen each spring. For some the weather gets better, for some you have an hour in the daylight after work to spend outside, for some you get to begin executing new plans for the year, and for some it is just same old same old.

Here at the magazine we have sounded off on the fact that we have been publishing for ten years. This is an important milestone for us, and we are proud and pleased of the achievement. We have so many to thank for supporting our efforts and over the next few issues we will do our best to say “thank you” publicly. We are trying to spring forward for our readership and provide an even better publication in the years to come. We hope you like the enhancements, and we welcome your input.

In our January-February issue Mike Marquis wrote an exceptional column on “game changers” in loss prevention (see part 2 in this issue on page 54). Mike’s columns are always good to read and right on target. His article on game changers moved me to think of how loss prevention is different today than in 2001. Here are a few of my favorites over the past ten years. And I might add that, in my opinion, in no other ten-year period has there been such big steps in retail loss prevention.

Sharing Information. Loss prevention professionals have access to more information than ever before to do their job—data share, online research, social networking, special online groups, not to mention, educational publications like LP Magazine. If you need information from external sources to do your job, you have it better today than any time in the past.

Associations. FMI, RILA, NRF, LPRC, LPF, NFSSC, IOBSE, Retail Canada—each of these associations is better today than in the past. Exceptional and committed loss prevention leadership is very apparent in each group. Calling out names of individuals who have pushed the LP agendas forward is not necessary; the list would be too long. Suffice it to say, loss prevention executives have worked very hard to bring value to each of these groups.

Professional Certifications. Beginning with CFI and the work by Wicklander-Zulawski in this area, certifications have been a “game changer.” The creation of the Loss Prevention Foundation and the certification designations of LPQ and LPC continue to gain momentum and represent a remarkable effort by hundreds of loss prevention professionals.

Diversity. One can just look at the numbers of diverse leadership today compared to 2001 and see big steps taken in recognizing women, African-American, Hispanic, and Asian professionals. This issue of the magazine features Monica Mullins, vice president of loss prevention and safety at Walmart (see page 31). Can there be a better testimonial to women leadership in LP?

Colleges. In my opinion we have not made as much progress in this area as we could have, but we are better off today than ten years ago. And we are on the doorstep to really making a difference in the future. Several retailers are leading the way here and the associations and academics are more involved than ever. We have a great story to tell on the career opportunities in retail loss prevention and many colleges are starting to get it.

This is a great time to be involved in retail loss prevention. We appreciate everyone who has supported the magazine over the past ten years who has allowed us to play a part in the industry. If this past ten years is any indication, the next decade will be just as exciting...if not more so.

This is a great time to be involved in retail loss prevention. We appreciate everyone who has supported the magazine over the past ten years who has allowed us to play a part in the industry. If this past ten years is any indication, the next decade will be just as exciting...if not more so.

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