ATLANTA, Jan. 30, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In 2012, shootings in schools, shopping malls and movie theaters left Americans troubled by questions that have no easy answers. What went wrong? Who is to blame? Is prevention even possible? This week, employees of the Dallas Museum of Art had the opportunity to bring their concerns before a panel of the nation's foremost experts in safety and security solutions. On Monday, January 28 at the Dallas Museum of Art's Horchow Auditorium, museum employees and guests from neighboring businesses in the Arts district convened for an educational presentation by retired U.S. Marshal Gregory D. Lilyhorn on "Surviving Acts of Public Violence." Lilyhorn is a decorated Vietnam veteran who was awarded the highest honors in law enforcement and public service before launching a distinguished career in private sector security. He is now an independent consultant and court-certified public safety expert.
William M. Besse, Vice President of Consulting and Investigations at U.S. Security Associates, was one of five security professionals who participated in a panel discussion following Lilyhorn's presentation. Besse is frequently quoted by the press and broadcast media as a recognized expert in providing needs assessments, surveys, program evaluations, threat assessments, investigative consulting and risk analysis for Fortune 500 clients. Before he joined U.S. Security Associates, Besse was Director, Corporate Security for a media company that owned a large group of TV stations and regional cable news channels. Prior to that, he served as Managing Director of Global Consulting Services for an international risk advisory firm. Besse began his career as a Special Agent with the U.S. Military Intelligence Command.
Besse was joined for the panel discussion by Harvey O. Perriott, Anthony Migliaccio, Rod Fulenwider and David Marshall. Perriott was in Department of Defense Special Operations for over 25 years and is currently Protective Security Advisor for the North Texas District. Migliaccio is retired from the U.S. Secret Service. After 29 years in federal government investigative and protective services, he is now managing security consulting and investigations in the private sector. Rod Fulenwider is a career security executive who writes and speaks about issues such as internal theft, armed robbery, security for houses of worship, executive protection, and workplace violence. David Marshall is a Special Agent with the FBI.
Lance Childers, the museum's security director, was instrumental in bringing this group of experts together to talk about recent events. Childers acknowledged that "Incidents like the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary, the Portland, Oregon mall and the Aurora, Colorado movie theater can leave many of us feeling helpless."
According to Ray O'Hara, Executive Vice President of U.S. Security Associates' Consulting and Investigations division, "This kind of information-sharing forum is an antidote to the sense of powerlessness and vulnerability that arises in the aftermath of public acts of violence. This is a complex issue facing all of us. With issues like gun control and mental health, there are no quick fixes. But education empowers people to think more about being vigilant than being victims. Fostering dialogue keeps the focus on what we can do now and helps sustain momentum for working toward long-term solutions."
ABOUT U.S. SECURITY ASSOCIATES
U.S. Security Associates is North America's security solutions leader, with 160 locally-responsive offices providing high-quality national security services and global consulting and investigations. The company provides career paths for over 46,000 security professionals serving several thousand clients and many industries. Recognized for world class customer service and leading-edge technology, U.S. Security Associates has the distinction of being the first security company certified ISO 9001:2008 at all of its offices nationwide. The organization is ranked one of the world's 30 best training and development companies by ASTD and is listed as a Training magazine Top 125 training company for the seventh consecutive year. For more information visit www.ussecurityassociates.com.