Category: Uncategorized

We are proud to honor the outstanding individuals whose contributions have shaped the success of our organization.

Inaugural President’s Award of Excellence: Al Zajic

A heartfelt congratulations goes to Al Zajic, the inaugural recipient of the President’s Award of Excellence—a new honor introduced to recognize extraordinary leadership and impact within IAPSC.

Since 2017, Al has served as the Chair of the IAPSC Conference Committee, dedicating himself to the planning and execution of our annual conferences with unwavering commitment and meticulous attention to detail. Under his guidance, the event has evolved into a benchmark of excellence—featuring thoughtfully selected venues, engaging and relevant programming, top-tier hospitality, and seamless accommodations.

Thanks to Al’s leadership, the conference has seen remarkable growth in both attendance and revenue, year after year exceeding the expectations of the Board of Directors and the President.

This award is not only a recognition of Al’s professional excellence but also a celebration of his long-standing dedication to our community. Congratulations, Al, on this well-deserved and long-overdue honor!

Charles Sennewald Award: Karim Vellani

It is With deep admiration and appreciation, we recognize Karim Vellani for over two decades of exceptional leadership and service to the International Association of Professional Security Consultants (IAPSC) and the broader security community.

Karim has played a pivotal role in advancing the field of security consulting through his development of the Certified Security Consultant (CSC) program, his long-standing leadership on the IAPSC Board—including service as President—and his involvement in multiple key committees, notably the Forensic Committee and the Evidence-Based Security Practices Committee.

His influence extends beyond IAPSC through his work with the International Association for Healthcare Security & Safety (IAHSS), where he led efforts to establish national best practices for workplace violence prevention, now recognized by The Joint Commission.

A respected author and thought leader, Karim has published extensively and developed a widely adopted model for healthcare security staffing. His books and research continue to shape the standards of excellence in the field.

In recognition of his remarkable contributions and enduring impact, we are proud to award Karim Vellani with the Charles Sennewald Award—a fitting tribute to a leader whose work has elevated the profession for all.

Special Recognition Award: Bill Durso

The strength of the International Association of Professional Security Consultants (IAPSC) lies in the dedication of its members. Among them, Bill Durso stands out for his exceptional leadership and unwavering commitment to advancing the association.

As Treasurer, Bill has overhauled IAPSC’s financial systems—delivering greater transparency and a clearer financial outlook. As Chair of the Communications Committee, he spearheaded the long-awaited launch of the new IAPSC website, achieving a professional, modern platform without the need for a member assessment—thanks to his strategic, fiscally responsible approach.

Beyond these roles, Bill contributes as a lead instructor in the Security Consulting (SSC) Program and is a consistent advocate for new initiatives. His work reflects a deep belief in giving back to the community—and the entire association has benefited from his dedication.

Thank you, Bill, for your vision, leadership, and tireless service to IAPSC.

Dear IAPSC family,

We have officially closed out 2024 and most of us are focused on our plans for a prosperous 2025. Rest assured, your leadership and management team are working hard on the same. Before we fully devote our attention on the year ahead, I’d like to take a moment to remind you of what we have accomplished this past year.

First and most significantly, I have to point out that we broke the IAPSC record for more new memberships issued in 2024 than any other year in the organization’s history. Much of this is attributed to our Membership Committee’s outstanding efforts. Under the guidance of Paul Manley, the committee has streamlined the membership process and together with our Executive Director, we have a much more responsive and efficient structure in place. During the year, we added 21 new members! Growing our association is not the result of one committee’s efforts, but the combined work of our entire membership. To date, our most effective recruiting tool remains member referrals. Your efforts with one-to-one contacts, social media, and other outreach, is the backbone of our growth plan. We have experienced sustainable growth without compromising any of our standards.

2024 represented our first full year with our new management firm, Redstone Agency. Under the guidance of our Executive Director, Adena Goldberg, we have made incredible strides with just about every aspect of the day-to-day operation of the IAPSC. Our Treasurer, Bill Durso, has worked closely with the finance team and we now have a better grasp of the IAPSC’s financial future, allowing us to create solid stability and growth plans. Our Events Coordinator Liana Cook has worked hand in hand with our Conference Chair Al Zajic and the results both behind the scenes and on the conference stage were apparent. I can confidently say that the relationship between our management and leadership teams is much more of an effective partnership than it is a business agreement.

Forgive me here for using the term “finally,” but the complete rebuild of the IAPSC website has begun and will continue in earnest until such time as a new, vibrant “face” of the association is fully active and lives up to the image we expect and deserve. As we all know from our own businesses, a website is only as effective as its reach. To wit, this project includes a component focused on increasing our site’s SEO. The evolution of our website, along with the SEO optimization, will yield a directory that is not just the listing of our members, but the first and only fully capable and searchable directory designed to help prospective clients and project partners find the consultant they need.

Continuing with the area of marketing and brand exposure, our newsletter is reaching new heights and literally reaching many more sets of eyes every month. As the newsletter grows in reach and notoriety, so too does its generous sponsorship opportunities. These opportunities are open to members and sponsors alike and provide a chance to support the newsletter while affordably expanding your company’s marketing reach.

Growth and expansion are hallmarks of any professional association. In these challenging times, attempting to do so in a silo is ineffective and inefficient. In a first ever for the association, we have signed a memorandum of understanding with the Security Industry Association. Within weeks of signing the MOU, we presented our first co-sponsored webinar. The webinar was a tremendous success and if it serves as a litmus test of the partnership, I foresee great things for our association and members as we continue to work together.

We have always had a special relationship with our “sister” organization in the United Kingdom, Association of Security Consultants. They are the only other professional association in the world dedicated to the profession of Independent Security Consulting. We have a continual dialogue with the leadership of the ASC on areas where we can work together to strengthen our bond while simultaneously increasing the professionalism of the security consulting industry. As a gesture of friendship and our commitment to partnering with them, we have granted honorary membership in the IAPSC to their President. I am extremely honored to say they have returned the gesture, and I am now a member of the ASC. I will do my best to proudly represent their organization in the same manner as I do the IAPSC. Great things will come from these partnerships and in the coming year, we are planning to explore similar partnerships with other like-minded professional associations.

We have simply accomplished so much together, as an association, this past year that there is truly little opportunity to edit. As I wish you all a healthy and prosperous 2025, I ask one favor: make one of your resolutions revolve around your dedication as a member to the IAPSC. Our association’s continued success is impossible without you.

Happy New Year and full speed ahead!

Mike

Almost 80% of IAPSC members cast their ballots in this year’s election. Thank you for all who participated!

The following were elected to serve as IAPSC Officers.

• President
  • Michael D’Angelo, CPP, CSC, CHPA
• Vice President
  • Vincent E. Vittatoe, CPP, CSC, CPTED Practitioner
• Secretary
  • Sean Ahrens, M.A, CPP, BSCP, CSC, FSyl
• Treasurer
  • Bill Durso, MBA, CPP

Please note that Immediate Past President Mike Silva will participate on the Board of Directors as an ex officio member.

The following were elected to serve as IAPSC Directors.

• William S. Marcisz, JD, CPP, CHPA
• Ken Trump, Ed.D.
• TJ McComas, PSP, PMP
• Mark Schreiber, CPP, CPD

Please join us in congratulating these members, supporting their efforts in the coming year, and thanking them for volunteering their time, energy and talents to the Association.