5 Can’t-Miss Sessions for Security Practitioners & End Users at ISC West

ISC West 2021 is coming up July 19-21 in Las Vegas, and the Security Industry Association (SIA) and ISC West recently revealed full conference details for the SIA Education@ISC West program, including keynote presentations from top luminaries and 65+ sessions on the most current business trends, technologies and industry developments.

Among the robust lineup of conference sessions are several presentations helpful to security practitioners and end users. As a security practitioner, you may face a range of challenges, from how to prepare for activism in your area to mitigating active shooter threats and collaborating with stakeholders in a safe and smart city ecosystem. Are you a security practitioner or end user planning to attend ISC West? Here are five conference sessions you’ll want to make sure to add to your calendar.

All Times PDT

Activism in the Modern Era: Trends, Tactics & Troubles

Tuesday, July 20
3:45-4:30 p.m.

Quickly emerging as one of the preeminent physical security and reputational risks for corporations in the modern era, activism – in various forms on both the left and the right – is often misunderstood and improperly addressed.

“Activist issues present unique challenges to firms and corporations and can quickly make their way from the street to the front page. These are not limited to one side of the political spectrum but can range from the international protests following George Floyd’s death to the riot at the U.S. Capitol,” said presenters Harris Stephenson, chief analyst at Welund, and Kristen Worosz, senior analyst at Welund. “In addition to these broader movements, there are a number of specific anti-corporate campaigns targeting a variety of business sectors. Corporations need to take a proactive approach to accurately understand activist tactics, techniques, strategies and goals.”

This session will provide attendees with an understanding of the issues, tactics, structures and goals of activism campaigns and how to prepare for them, as well as how to understand and address them to limit impacts to projects, personnel and reputation.

“These issues are not limited to physical security but pose increased financial and reputational burdens on all sectors of business,” said Stephenson and Worosz. “Security and risk professionals should attend this session to learn about a rapidly evolving set of issues and threats. Participants will learn about the benefit of continuous risk management assessments, how to communicate activist issues effectively to C level executives and some best practices to mitigate the risks posed by an activism campaign.”

Speakers:

• Harris Stephenson, chief analyst, Welund
• Kristen Worosz, senior analyst, Welund

Active Shooter/Stop the Bleed Workshop

Monday, July 19
10-11 a.m.

Under today’s threat environment, active shootings have unfortunately maintained a very deadly and real threat for businesses and communities. Regardless of the business model or size, employees and guests have fallen victim to these vicious attacks that occur without warning or impunity. This hands-on workshop – back by popular demand! – focuses on how a business and its employees are not silent observers in deadly emergencies, but rather valuable partners who can provide clarity, assistance and guidance to the first responder community.

“The Active Shooter/Stop the Bleed workshop provides up-to-date information and current trends in the prevention of an active shooter, but the best part of the program is the interaction with your peers – hearing about their programs and challenges, and what they do at their facility,” said presenter Ben Scaglione, director of security at White Plains Hospital. “If you are creating a new prevention program or looking to revise your current program, I highly recommend this workshop.”

While we are an information society that thrives on timely and actionable communications when facing barbaric acts, this session helps you discover the communications platform and infrastructure to determine the plan on who should dispatch these messages.

Speakers:

• Ben Scaglione, director of security, White Plains Hospital
• David LaRose, principal consultant, ADT Commercial/eSRG

Selecting Security Technology Solutions Based on Your Risk Assessment

Monday, July 19
10-11 a.m.

In recent years, the convergence of technology and security has expanded the options available to facility managers to customize physical security. Risk assessments can provide a better understanding of the vulnerabilities of a site and provide both base-level and enhanced security solutions to mitigate those threats. This presentation is designed to provide a foundation for developing a security master plan and leverage policies and technology using risk assessments to provide varying levels of security appropriately. The session insights will be beneficial to both new and current facility security decision makers.

Speakers:

• Nathan Brown, administration major, University of Kentucky
• Tom Sorrell, principal, CMTA Technology

Preparing for the Unknown/Active Assailant

Monday, July 19
1:30-2:30 p.m.

In this discussion, experts in K-12, gaming and government will share insights on how they prepare for active shooter scenarios and the security challenges of the unknown. Attendees will gain knowledge of the cutting-edge technologies that are useful when preparing for the unknown, how to implement an active shooter plan with a limited budget and key challenges from active assailant scenarios and the scenarios necessary to combat them.

Speakers:

• Rob Huberty, chief operating officer, ZeroEyes
• Mike Matranga, CEO, M6 Global Defense Group
• Taylor May, owner/host, SecurityVIP Podcast LLC
• Beth Sanborn, school resource officer/detective, Lower Gwynedd Township Police

Smart Cities, Safe Cities

Tuesday, July 20
2:30-3:15 p.m.

People are flocking to the city. Urban planners, municipal governments and businesses welcoming this influx must make important decisions about safety and security as such a population boom places growing pressures on infrastructure and the environment, increasing demand for smarter solutions. Safe cities attract businesses, foster innovation and provide countless opportunities. By working collaboratively, both the public and private sectors can contribute to a foundation for the success of these great cities and their citizens. In this session, attendees will learn about the challenges that arise from the lack of communication and collaboration when multiple stakeholders are involved in city incident management, discover strategies that increase coordination between departments and siloes to improve cities’ quality of life and learn how to facilitate public-private collaboration with a framework that allows law enforcement, citizens and decision makers to work together effectively.

Speaker:

• Rick Taylor, national director, public sector, Genetec

Learn more about SIA Education@ISC West, view the full session lineup and register for the conference on the ISC West website.