CoRpoRate ContaCtS
ReGional ContaCtS
patRiCk tWaRdoWSki
Mid-Central Region
Chairman
(314) 644-3227
ptwardowski@whelansecurity.com
GReG tWaRdoWSki
President
(314) 644-3227
gtwardowski@whelansecurity.com
pRentiCe RobeRtSon
Chief Operating Officer
(314) 504-6299
probertson@whelansecurity.com
MaRk poRteRfield, Cpp, ChS-iii
Sr. Vice President & Chief Security Officer
(314) 210-8693
mporterfield@whelansecurity.com
Mike baSleR, Ctp
Chief Financial Officer
(314) 644-3227
mbasler@whelansecurity.com
CoMMeRCial Real eState
SeCuRity SeRviCeS
CaRloS villaRReal, CSt
Sr. Vice President
Commercial Real Estate Security Services
(312) 320-8814
cvillarreal@whelansecurity.com
dan tWaRdoWSki
Vice President
Operations & Customer Service
(314) 644-1974
dtwardowski@whelansecurity.com
JaMeS SChWaRtz
Vice President
Sales, Marketing & Customer Service
(816) 210-5999
jschwartz@whelansecurity.com
North-Central Region
A publication of Whelan Security
patRiCk SMith
Vice President
Operations & Customer Service
(763) 350-1460
psmith@whelansecurity.com
P R E MI E R E I SS U E
Steve liSle
Vice President
Sales, Marketing & Customer Service
(612) 741-3368
slisle@whelansecurity.com
South-Central Region
david JuStiCe, Cpp
Vice President
Sales, Marketing & Customer Service
(214) 325-4008
djustice@whelansecurity.com
West Region
MaRk poRteRfield, Cpp, ChS-iii
Sr. Vice President & Chief Security Officer
(314) 210-8693
mporterfield@whelansecurity.com
event SeRviCeS
Jeff SpoeRndle
General Manager and Director of Event Services
(651) 628-4010
jspoerndle@whelansecurity.com
EmployEE SpotlightS
cliEnt
1699 South hanley Road, Suite 350
Saint louiS, MiSSouRi 63144
1-888-4Whelan | www.whelansecurity.com
profiles
induStry
expertise
2 011
event SeRviCeS
On behalf of the ownership, leadership team and nearly 4,000 employees of
Whelan Security, we want to express our sincere and genuine gratitude to all
of our employees and clients for being a valued part of our organization.
Thanks to all of you, 2010 was another banner
year for Whelan in terms of milestones reached.
While the economy remains challenging and the need for cost containment
critical in order to survive in the competitive landscape of contract security,
we reached new historical highs in revenue, numbers of employees and
clients, employee retention, client retention, payroll and billing accuracy
and number of branch offices. Today, we have grown to become one of the
five largest privately held American-owned firms in the nation with offices
from coast-to-coast – a far cry from our humble beginnings in St. Louis
62 years ago.
As we ushered in the end of a decade of growth and change at Whelan,
2010 witnessed the launch of a robust platform of technology in response
Greg Twardowski, President
to the need to drive operational efficiencies to the bottom line. This
movement towards innovation includes our Talent Management System
and Learning Management System for employee selection and training,
e-Hub Portal for automated communications with clients and employees
and a suite of handheld electronic products called WhelanView™, designed
to enhance the service delivered by our security personnel by providing
real-time automated data to our clients. Speaking of data, we continue to
be the security industry leader and innovator in the area of performance
measurement, key performance indicators and quality assurance through
our scorecard tool, The Truth Report™.
Above all else, we remain extremely proud of our people and the companies
with whom we associate. We remain committed to a business model built
around personal touch and conservative values that only a family-owned
organization can provide. Our goal is to live up to our mission statement –
“to deliver maximum value to our customers” – by treating our internal
and external customers as though they are the only ones we have. We know
we aren’t perfect, but rest assured that our leadership team of business
Prentice Robertson, Chief Operating Officer
managers and security practitioners understands the concept of servant
leadership and client partnership, and strives to earn the respect of our
employees and partnership of our clients every day.
All our best!
2
2011
Whelan Security has been recognized throughout the industry
for premium security and staffing services at high-profile events to include security
and event staffing to the Super Bowl, World Series, NCAA Final Four, PGA Championship,
Major League Baseball All-Star Game, Papal visit, Presidential Debates and the Republican
and Democratic National Conventions over the years. In 2009, Whelan was awarded the
Minnesota Vikings contract, followed closely by the hiring of Jeff Spoerndle as the
Director of Event Services. Spoerndle has over 20 years of experience in coordinating
contract security and guest services for special event venues nationwide. He has overseen
operations in stadiums, arenas, convention centers and other event venues, and is a
member of the International Association of Venue Managers (IAVM) and the Stadium
Managers Association (SMA).
Spoerndle and Whelan’s vision for Event Services is designed to provide a higher quality
option compared to other traditional event service providers. Our program includes a fully
automated recruiting and hiring process through our Talent Management System,
assessment testing, extensive background checks and a customized training program to
include Ritz-Carlton™ Legendary Customer Service Training, Techniques for Effective
Alcohol Management and NFL Best Practices. This screening and training approach is more
aligned with higher quality permanent security positions as opposed to traditional event
services’ temporary employees, but we believe the industry is clamoring for a company to
take Event Services to the next level – and that is the niche we intend to fill.
For the Vikings, we provide over 500 ushers, ticket takers, security officers, pat-down staff,
supervisors and event coordinators for all games, as well as permanent security services
at the team’s headquarters, training camp and hotel. We are also proud to be the security
provider for the St. Louis Cardinals, as our Event Services team provides 24/7 security
services to Busch Stadium such as command center, patrol, gate and special post officers
in addition to providing event staffing at all St. Louis Cardinals home games. Through
our partnerships with the NFL and MLB, Whelan Event Services recently had the honor
of providing services to the 2009 Major League Baseball All-Star Game played at Busch
Stadium and is contracted for the 2011 Super Bowl in Dallas.
Our business plan is to expand this division to other professional and collegiate sports
teams and venues over the next few years – a goal we are confident we will achieve.
Jeff Spoerndle serves as Director
of Event Services for Whelan.
He has over 20 years of successful
operations and sales experience in
the event services industry.
Spoerndle has coordinated the
security programs for the Minnesota
Vikings, Minnesota Twins, HHH
Metrodome, University of Minnesota
and the Minneapolis Convention
Center. He has overseen operations
for some of the Nation’s largest
events, including the Super Bowl,
World Series, NCAA Final Four, NBA
All-Star Weekend, United States Golf
Open, Billy Graham Crusade and
Republican National Convention.
His contact information can be found
on the back cover of this magazine.
2011
27
4
Securing a Solid Market Niche
8
Geographical Expansion
9
Employee Spotlight: Anniversaries and Awards
10
Industry Expertise: Technology Trends
12
Client Profile: Nissan North America
14
Employee Spotlight: Headline Hero at Discovery
15
Employee Spotlight: Accolades
16
Industry Expertise: High-Rise Security
18
Client Profile: Health Care Services Corporation
19
Employee Spotlight: Saving a Life at HCSC
20
Focus on Training
22
Client Profile: Enterprise Holdings
24
Industry Expertise: Creating Engaged Employees
26
Employee Benefits
27
Event Services
Employee Spotlight
Client Profile
Featured on the cover is Security Officer Tabitha Pursley assigned
to the Nissan manufacturing facility in Smyrna, Tennessee.
2011
3
SECuRING A SoLID MARkET NICHE
The following are excerpts from an article written by Sheryl Nance-Nash and published in “Family Business Magazine,” Spring 2010.
Reprinted with permission.
Whelan Security, family-owned for more than 60 years,
is one of the largest and fastest-growing
contract security firms in the U.S.
From humble beginnings as a riverfront patrol company
in St. Louis, Whelan Security now provides contract security
services to corporations, financial institutions, multi-tenant
office buildings, educational campuses, industrial facilities and
others in 24 states and in Washington, D.C. It offers uniformed
and special event security and patrol and emergency response
services, as well as consulting, labor response services,
background screening and executive protection.
At a time when other security companies are merging,
consolidating or being acquired, Whelan celebrated its 60th
anniversary back in 2009. Despite the economic downturn,
the company is expanding: revenues have more than tripled
over the past seven years. For 2011, Whelan projects revenue
of close to $140 million. That’s a far cry from the $150,000
the company booked in 1978.
Since 2008, the company has extended its reach to Wisconsin,
Pennsylvania, Arizona, California, Washington, Kentucky and
Ohio… and it plans to move on to Alabama, Florida, Georgia,
Indiana and Iowa.
The secret of the company’s success, according to Chairman
Patrick Twardowski, is its “conservative and fiscally prudent
business strategy.”
All of the growth has been organic, and that has been by design.
“Our competitors are growing through acquisition, but, with
acquisitions, corporate culture is weakened,” Greg Twardowski,
President, says. As a result, Whelan has never made
an acquisition.
4
2011
SEEING THE uPSIDE oF THE DowNTuRN
“We have been through many unique challenges,” Patrick,
nephew of company founder James T. Whelan, says. “But we
have been fortunate that our clients (as well as our employees),
some who have been with us more than 25 years, believed
(and continue to believe) in our promise.”
Greg’s brother, Dan Twardowski, a principal in the company,
points out that the company’s expansion mitigates its
dependence on any one market. While Whelan is growing
rapidly, the growth has been controlled.
TRuTH REPoRT
Whelan uses a proprietary performance measurement tool
called “The Truth Report” to assess key performance metrics
– such as the staff’s professional appearance, billing accuracy,
training frequency, employee retention and security reporting
– to measure the company’s performance and the client’s return
on investment.
Whelan has also developed an employee training program and
offers professional development opportunities through classes,
self-study programs and an interactive e-learning academy.
Dan says the focus on employee training and retention has
been among Whelan’s smartest moves because it has helped
build brand identity and establish the company as an
employer of choice.
Maintaining a family feeling is a bit more of a challenge now that
the company has thousands of employees. “We work very hard
Pictured above: Whelan Ownership Team: Patrick Twardowski (seated), Chairman and nephew of the Founder, with (from left) sons Dan, Greg and Prentice Robertson
LINE oF SuCCESSIoN
to keep that same culture that helped shape the company from
Patrick Twardowski was working in human resources at
them at all times. The card contains the company’s mission
had no children, asked him to invest in the company and
the beginning,” Dan says. He says small things are the key.
Employees are given a card that they are asked to carry with
and core values – good “old-fashioned” Midwestern values
like truth-telling, promise-keeping, respect, loyalty, discipline,
empowerment and leadership, among others. “As leaders,
we have to constantly engage in discussions with our
employees,” Dan says. “That is why we put such a strong
emphasis on the character and work ethic of our senior
and branch management teams. It is their job to instill our
values and philosophies across our organization. We firmly
believe in the inverted organizational chart – which puts
our security officers at the top of the organization and senior
management and principals at the bottom. Our senior team
supports the regional teams who, in turn, support our branch
offices – who, in turn, support our most important asset:
our security officers. If there is a weak link anywhere in the
structure, our mission is compromised.”
“It’s about continuing what my
Uncle Jim began many years ago –
building a company that people can trust.”
McDonnell Douglas in 1969 when his uncle, who had founded
Whelan Security in 1949, passed away. Patrick’s aunt, who
assume management responsibilities. At the time, she had
three options: close the business, sell it or attempt to keep
the business operating. “The company was still relatively
young when I came aboard,” Patrick recalls, “and I didn’t
give much thought to joining until my aunt presented the
opportunity to me.” He became President of the company
in 1978.
Greg joined Whelan in 1989. He had worked as a
transportation coordinator for a commodities wholesaler
in St. Louis for a year following his graduation from Wake
Forest University with a degree in Business. Dan joined in
1991 after graduating from Rockhurst University in Kansas
City with dual degrees in Finance and Economics.
Greg succeeded his father as Whelan Security’s President
in 2003 after nearly 15 years with the company. By the
time Greg became President, the company had added key
executives, including Chief Operating Officer Prentice
Robertson, who had worked at Barton Protective Services
in Atlanta. “I knew the company would be in good hands,”
Patrick says. “And when I see what we have achieved since
then, I was correct.”
2011
5
Greg describes himself as the one with a vision for the company,
who is adept at developing strategy, financial management and
customer relations. He leaves other responsibilities to those who
can better handle them, he says. “I hired to my weaknesses and,
fortunately, assembled an industry-leading executive team.” His
brother, Dan, concentrates on strategic decisions and manages
the mid-central region, which includes the flagship office in
St. Louis.
Today, Whelan’s six legal entities are owned by Patrick, Dan
and Greg; and Robertson is the only non-family principal.
Patrick has one lament. “Significant free time is not something
that generally comes with a family-owned company, especially
one that has grown as quickly as Whelan has over the last 15
years,” he says. “But our families have always been
understanding. They know what managing a company like
Whelan entails and they are very patient and accommodating.”
MAINTAINING MoMENTuM
What are Whelan Security’s prospects for the future? “We are as
optimistic as ever,” Patrick says. “We are busy contacting
prospects to pitch our services. The troughs of the economy
are out of our control, so we have to look at what we can
control – and that is brand, reputation, quality of service, quality
of client relationships, customer service and employee
development. We must also strive to find innovative and
cost-effective solutions for our clients.”
Of course, there are challenges ahead. “We must sustain the
momentum we have created,” Greg says. “We want to continue
to expand and parlay existing relationships. Over the next three
to five years, we will continue to grow at a minimum of 15% per
year and continue doing it organically (without acquisition).
More importantly, we will remain a quiet, humble, Midwestern
family business.”
The family’s goal for the company is simple, Patrick says. “It’s
about continuing what my Uncle Jim began many years ago –
building a company that people can trust,” he says. “So far, with
a strong management team, conservative values and a growing
family of 4,000 strong, we have been able to do just that!”
Pictured above: Whelan founder, James T. Whelan
by Sheryl Nance-Nash, a freelance writer based in Long Beach, N.Y.
for “Family Business Magazine,” Spring 2010.
6
2011
GuIDED By A uNIQuE CuLTuRE AND ENTREPRENEuRIAL SPIRIT,
ouR PhilosoPhy is maDe uP of ouR mission anD values.
To ouR VALuED EMPLoyEES:
We fundamentally believe that the people of Whelan Security are good,
moral men and women of honor and integrity who understand the difference
between right and wrong. Integrity carries beyond the business environment
into our homes and the people with whom we choose to associate. If we
have nothing else, we have our integrity. Those without it are not welcome.
Our hope is that these words encourage you and fill you with pride as a part
of an organization who truly believes in these principles – and we hope that
you will proudly carry your mission and values card with you at all times on
and off the job. If you need a new card, please contact your local branch office.
ouR MISSIoN
ouR VALuES
To Deliver Maximum
Value to Our Customers
We live up to our challenging
mission by operating within the
context of our 10-Star Core Values
TRuTH-TELLING
DISCIPLINE
By being transparent and
candid, we earn credibility
and respect.
Driven by a culture of discipline,
we will provide consistent, high
quality services.
PRoMISE-kEEPING
We are committed to
keeping our promises.
RESPECT
We are considerate, courteous
and attentive to our employees,
clients and vendors.
LoyALTy
Our internal and external
associates can count on our
allegiance and dependability.
EMPowERMENT
We believe in and trust our
well-trained employees and
hold them accountable for
their actions.
LEADERSHIP
Through innovation, foresight
and initiative, we will remain
an industry leader and expect
employees to lead by example.
FLExIBILITy
We will offer unique
services to each client
by always remaining agile.
QuALITy ASSuRANCE
We are passionate about
quality and measuring the
results of our performance.
RESuLTS
We hold ourselves accountable
to achieve results for our clients,
employees and ownership.
2011
7
GEoGRAPHICAL ExPANSIoN
For decades, whelan Security was strictly a St. Louis company.
In the 80s, the company opened its first office outside of St. Louis in kansas City. Then, in the 90s,
it expanded into Texas and Louisiana. Today, whelan has full-service offices or area management
presence in 39 markets, along with expansion plans into nine near-future markets. Full-service
offices are located in our headquarters city of St. Louis, and in kansas City, Chicago, Minneapolis, Milwaukee,
Detroit, Cincinnati, Denver, Albuquerque, El Paso, Dallas, Houston, Austin, oklahoma City, Little Rock,
New orleans, Nashville, Silicon Valley, Los Angeles, Phoenix and washington, D.C. Area management
presence is located in Topeka, wichita, Springfield, Mo, Central Illinois, Louisville, Lexington, Baltimore,
wilmington, DE, Eastern Pennsylvania, Memphis, Jackson, Baton Rouge, San Antonio, Laredo, Tulsa,
Riverside, CA, Portland and Seattle. All expansion into these markets has been through organic growth.
CoRPoRATE oFFICE
BRANCH oFFICE
PLANNED oFFICE
TSG LoCATIoN
In aggregate with our partners in
TransNational Security Group (TSG), we
boast nearly 85 offices across the country.
8
2011
ANNIVERSARIES AND AwARDS
25 yEARS
Edward Pohlmann, St. Louis
Brindsley McKenzie, Dallas
Connie Delashmit, St. Louis
Eric Sarro, Tennessee
Ray Rhodes, Dallas
Barry Engelhardt, St. Louis
Beverly Thornton, Tennessee
Shelia Gage, St. Louis
Sandra Weddington, Tennessee
Zana Monroe, Dallas
20 yEARS
William Rickard, Dallas
Bob Boaz, St. Louis
Brian Ross, Dallas
15 yEARS
James Byers, Kansas City
John Kilkenny, Kansas City
Harold Lauffer, Kansas City
Sandra McCulley, St. Louis
10 yEARS
Tom Collins, Kansas City
Van Hoang, Kansas City
Noel Munthali, Kansas City
Otis Stone , Kansas City
Orlando Barnett, St. Louis
Christopher Brasfield, St. Louis
Pamela Butler, St. Louis
Timothy Carruth, St. Louis
Queen Dickerson, St. Louis
Eric Edwards, St. Louis
Jerome Ewing, St. Louis
Harry Plummer, St. Louis
Roger Rehg, St. Louis
Alan Schnuriger, St. Louis
5 yEARS
Juan Delgado, Austin
Kevin Bell , Chicago
Whelan would like to congratulate the following
individuals who celebrated milestone anniversaries
with the company throughout 2010.
Chester Rose, Dallas
Joseph Elkan, St. Louis
David Estell Jr, St. Louis
Duane Gaither, St. Louis
Brian Senne, Dallas
Teresa Gant, St. Louis
Bonny Starling, Dallas
Antionette Gilbert, St. Louis
Thomas Smith, Dallas
Elnora Thomas, Dallas
John West , Dallas
Lawrence Gayfield, St. Louis
Eric Harris, St. Louis
Katherine Heller, St. Louis
Clifford Wise, Dallas
Joyce Henderson, St. Louis
Lorri Gersick, Denver
Peggy Ishee, St. Louis
Earnest Zimmerman, Dallas
James Hepperman, St. Louis
Cynthia Martinez, El Paso
Juanita Jackson, St. Louis
Walter Lewellyn Jr, Houston
Sharon Lutz, St. Louis
Jon Brooks, Houston
Shanika Johnson, St. Louis
Michael Mahood, Houston
Randall Mann, St. Louis
Earl Rigsby, Houston
William Place, St. Louis
Antonio Solomon, Houston
Robert Prosise II, St. Louis
William Megonigle, Houston
Joskie Shropshire, Houston
Russell Morrow, St. Louis
David Preston, St. Louis
William Brown, Kansas City
William Reckentin II, St. Louis
Lyle Dunbar, Kansas City
Richard Stanton, St. Louis
Robert Dobbs, Kansas City
Mark Grimm, Kansas City
Doral Hobbs, Kansas City
Popeye Mathis, Kansas City
Gary Schuff, St. Louis
Paula Walker, St. Louis
Richard White, St. Louis
Mamie Willis, St. Louis
Joyce McDaniel, Kansas City
William Wittkoetter, St. Louis
Steve Williams, Kansas City
Vonetta Wright, St. Louis
Curtis Clark, Mississippi
Joshua Branham, Tennessee
Diane Fuller, Mississippi
Gerron Carter, Tennessee
Larry Tucker, Kansas City
Delveccio Zollar, Kansas City
Belinda Woodbury, St. Louis
Magina Young, St. Louis
Sheila Hardemon, Chicago
Tangala Dozier, Mississippi
Lloyd Baslee, Dallas
Dimple Greenwood, Mississippi
Amy Fish, Tennessee
Daphenie Jones, Mississippi
Helen Hill, Tennessee
Gregory Aaron, Dallas
John Bouton, Dallas
Debra Cline, Dallas
Carmen Collins, Dallas
Le Reshio Hodges, Mississippi
Benjamin Kenny, Mississippi
La Vette Edmond, Dallas
Gloria McGruder, Mississippi
Marvin Hawkins, Dallas
Henry Waddell, Mississippi
Jimmy Harris, Dallas
Edward Hogue, Dallas
David King, Dallas
Gordon Mankins, Dallas
David Brothers, Tennessee
Terry Goodwin, Tennessee
Donald Hollins, Tennessee
Judy Logan, Tennessee
Carlos Porter, Mississippi
Clarence McGee, Tennessee
Ivette Koppie, Oklahoma
Robert Parsley, Tennessee
Gary Theobald, Oklahoma
Dennis Bobes, St. Louis
Kimberly Meeks, Tennessee
Amanda Pauli, Tennessee
William Reeves, Tennessee
Diana Tackett, Tennessee
Norma Warrick, Tennessee
Sandra Willis, Tennessee
oFFICERS oF THE yEAR
Whelan proudly recognizes the
following recipients of our
Officer of the Year award.
We congratulate you on your
outstanding performance,
dedicated service and contribution
to the success of Whelan Security.
Jeffrey Dunham, Arizona
C Teresa Root, Arkansas
Michael Newton, Austin
Wayne Hotaling, California
Matthew Bill, Cincinnati
Maurice Harper & Abdul-Malik
Muhahmmed, Chicago
Greg Garnett, Hines - Chicago
Sheila Hardemon,
Tishman Speyer - Chicago
Moneva Alexander,
John Hancock Center - Chicago
Larry Splawn, Dallas
Kyle Dittrich, Denver
Courtney Zuniga, Detroit
Mario Prado, El Paso
Michael McCray, Houston
Larry Nichols & Joseph Leach,
Kansas City
Joyce Allen, Kentucky
Jerard Brumfield, Louisiana
Ira Wilson, Minnesota
Ethan Lor,
Boston Scientific - Minnesota
Garrett Surritte, Oklahoma
Harold J Cardoza Jr, St. Louis
Carolyn Wolf, Lambert - St. Louis
Joyce Collins & Kim Rambo
Archer Daniels Midland - Illinois
Jimmie Washington, Tennessee
Dave Jung, Wisconsin
2011
9
TECHNoLoGy TRENDS
by Mark Porterfield, CPP, CHS-III
In today’s evolving and changing world of security,
organizations are demanding real-time performance reporting
from their suppliers – including contract security service
suppliers. In response, many security guard service suppliers,
like Whelan, are finding ways to deliver real-time reporting
through technology.
Some of the recent technology trends in the industry include
Security Activity Monitoring through mobile applications,
Communications Portals to provide customers a fully
disclosed view into all elements of the security service,
Cloud Computing and Learning Management Systems.
At Whelan Security, we are proud to be an innovator on the leading edge of these technology
trends. By utilizing carefully selected technology to support our operational processes, we
are able to achieve our goal of managing our clients’ security contract professionally and
efficiently. The end result is congruent with our mission statement –
“To Deliver Maximum Value to Our Customers.”
Information technology is a critical
component of our overall business.
After our people and our knowledge
of security, information technology is
our most important asset. Our vision
for information technology is to have
the right information available at all
times to best serve the needs of our
business, our employees and our
customers.
our strategy to achieve this vision is to:
• Handle transaction processing in a highly
efficient, cost-effective and accurate manner
that integrates data on an enterprise basis.
• Provide analytical tools that allow Whelan,
its employees and its customers to quickly and
easily make critical decisions based on
information derived from transaction
processing data.
• Provide access to data and information in
a highly graphical and personalized manner
that allows users to quickly and easily obtain
what they need.
• Secure our information asset from corruption
and unauthorized access at all times.
10
2011
CURRENT TEChNology Tools dEployEd by WhElaN sECURiTy:
Talent Management System (TMS)
In order to attract qualified talent, Whelan
has adopted technology to enhance our
recruiting and qualification efforts.
Recruiting, applicant tracking, testing,
pre-employment background screening
and on-boarding are processed through our
Talent Management System (TMS). Through
the use of the automated TMS, Whelan can
quickly locate the best available and most
qualified candidates for our clients’ sites.
Our goal is “matching the right people to
the right environment.” For the calendar year,
Whelan hired less than 7% of all applicants
who applied to work with our company,
demonstrating how special our employees
are as a result of making it through this
rigorous process.
Learning Management System (LMS)
Technology is used to track all training
for every employee through our Learning
Management System (LMS). This system is
tied to our Online Learning Center and our
automated scheduling system to track the
training progression of every Whelan
employee. This process is used to ensure
that properly trained personnel are placed
on jobs to meet all post-specific training
requirements. Whelan has launched over
300 online training modules available to
all employees, who can enter the Learning
Center via www.whelansecurity.com at
any time, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Automated Payroll, Billing and Scheduling
Whelan utilizes an automated system
called T.A.P.S.™ (Technology Aided Payroll
and Scheduling), which integrates scheduling,
payroll and client billing and ensures that
proper shift scheduling will drive correct
payroll, which in turn will drive correct
billing.
PostAlert™ Call-In System
PostAlert™ is an automated, interactive
tele-monitoring system that ensures officer
safety and consistent post coverage. With
PostAlert, security officers must telephone
in to the system at the beginning of the shift
and at periodic intervals as identified in
some contracts. PostAlert logs the call and
recalls back to the post for verification
automatically. Failure to respond to
PostAlert brings an immediate response
from Client Services or Field Supervision.
e-Hub Client and Employee Portal
This portal provides an automated
mechanism by which all of our employees
and clients can obtain instant information
in a timely and efficient manner in a full
disclosure look “behind the scenes” at
Whelan Security. Available information
includes the ability to print employee pay
stubs, modify personal payroll and benefits
data, check the weekly work schedule, send
and receive safety alerts and other mass
communications, change and review
account contact information, review invoice
and payment history, reprint invoices and
run scheduling activity reports.
WhelanVIEW™ Handheld Technology
Most recently, Whelan has developed a
suite of handheld technology tools for our
security officers and security managers on
the same robust and virtual WhelanVIEW
platform. This platform allows our officers
to capture and report in real-time critical
information from the field while
supervisors can track their exact locations.
In turn, this presents our clients with an
extraordinary “view” into your security
operations. Being alerted electronically
of incidents and events in the field within
seconds of their occurrence gives you the
distinct advantage of being able to mitigate
security issues in a timely and efficient
manner.
Mark Porterfield, CPP, CHS-III
serves as Senior Vice President
and Chief Security Officer for
Whelan. He boasts over 25 years
of leadership experience in
contract security services and
law enforcement. Porterfield
manages all contract security
operations and service delivery
programs for Whelan and leads,
manages and supports all
existing regions within the
organization. His contact
information can be found on the
back cover of this magazine.
2011
11
CLIENT PRoFILE: NISSAN NoRTH AMERICA
SHIFTING AwAy FRoM CoNVENTIoNAL SECuRITy oPERATIoNS
In today’s changing corporate world and economy, Nissan has successfully created a paradigm
shift in the automotive industry that has been captured in their marketing campaign.
– “Shift the way you move.” In 2006, Nissan shifted away from years of working with larger, less nimble national
and global security providers in favor of a leap of faith in a smaller organization that, it believed, would provide more
personalized service and customized programming. Jeff Yakima of Corporate Security with Nissan North America shares
what he envisioned back in 2006. “Like many corporate security leaders, we were looking for a partnership with a
fresh, up-and-coming contract security provider where we would receive focused attention and a unique service
delivery program that was not ‘cookie cutter.’ Nissan is a constantly changing and evolving organization, and we needed
a security partner with the flexibility and agility to make quick changes and evolve with our company. Whelan has
been able to do just that.”
At that time, Nissan became one of Whelan’s first true national accounts, setting the standards for many of our
more recent multi-regional and national account wins with recognizable Fortune 500 companies. Five years later,
with security and fire brigade service encompassing 10 states to three major automotive manufacturing plants,
research and development centers, office buildings and Nissan’s test track, Whelan has worked closely with
Nissan security leadership to break the mold of conventional security programs in several areas, including:
kEy PERFoRMANCE INDICAToRS (kPI)
whelan and Nissan have taken whelan’s performance scorecard, The Truth Report, to a new level through specific
quantifiable measurements that are directly relevant to Nissan facilities. These kPIs serve as the backbone of our
operational program and trend analysis for accountability and continuous improvements to the program.
CoST CoNTAINMENT
Through programs like “Value up,” thorough security assessments, implementation of technology and Value
Improvement Projects, whelan has been able to work with Nissan Corporate Security to reduce the annual budget
for security by 30% while maintaining and improving upon the quality and integrity of the security program.
FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT
whelan and Nissan enjoy a unique contractual agreement where rates are provided as a “cost-plus” to ensure
that Nissan is only paying for the operations they are receiving as those costs are incurred – basically a
“just-in-time” financial model.
Nissan Senior Security Manager Steve Hovsepian, who is responsible for security
at the manufacturing facilities, sums it up best when he says, “Nissan and Whelan
are like-minded companies. Both companies have business models built around
performance and both understand the importance of the need to adapt and
change. This is what makes our partnership work so well.” Whelan couldn’t
agree any more, and is proud of the way our business relationship has served
to shift away from conventional security programs into the new millennium.
Pictured to the right: Jerry Bittner, CPP, PsP, Whelan Branch Manager;
steve hovsepian, Nissan Senior Manager - Corporate Security
12
2011
”
“Nissan is a constantly changing and evolving organization,
and we needed a security partner with the flexibility and agility
to make quick changes and evolve with our company.”
”
Jeff yakima, Nissan Corporate Security
2011
13
EMPLoyEE SPoTLIGHT:
DISCoVERy CoMMuNICATIoNS
NATIoNAL HEADLINE HERo!
In this first act of selflessness, Fisher was
taken hostage along with two other Discovery
employees, but all others were able to escape.
On September 1st, 2010, a disturbed eco-terrorist by the name of James Lee
entered the headquarters of Discovery Communications
in suburban Washington, D.C. under the auspices of a delivery man with
a concealed starter pistol and a handcart loaded with pipe bombs.
Discovery Communications is the parent company and creator of the
Discovery Channel, Animal Planet and TLC, and Lee had protested in
2008 against some of its programming. Whelan Security subsidiary
Whelan SFI is the security provider for Discovery Communications.
Upon entering the premises, he approached our Account Manager, Tom
Fisher, who was manning the main lobby post in relief of another officer,
pulled out his pistol and pointed it directly at Fisher’s face. Fisher recognized Lee from the photos in the security bulletins maintained in the
Security Command Center at Discovery, and was somehow able to
remain calm and composed even at gunpoint by asking how he could
help him. In this first act of selflessness, Fisher was taken hostage, but
all other visitors and employees were able to escape the lobby. Lee then
started pulling out his bombs from the handcart boxes, at which point
two other Discovery employees entered into the lobby and were also
taken hostage.
As live feeds of this unfolding drama were picked up on CNN, ABC,
NBC, CBS, Fox and every other national news affiliate, the training and
commitment of our entire security team shined through and Fisher’s
selflessness turned into true heroism over the next few hours. Our
Control Center Operator, Carolyn Sams, witnessed the lobby activity
through the cameras and was able to immediately call 911 for quick
arrival from local, state and federal authorities. Upon word from the
police, our team was able to work closely with the Discovery Security
and Facilities team to evacuate the 1500 employees
and 100 children in the on-site daycare center from the
building while the police SWAT team was able to position in close internal proximity to the lobby. Even as the
hostages were forced to lay prone on the floor, Tom was
observed by police keeping the other hostages calm,
providing hand signals to police regarding Lee’s weapons
and bombs and even keeping the suspect himself calm
during times he was getting agitated.
When the suspect became distracted while talking to
hostage negotiators, Fisher and the other hostages
embarked on an escape attempt that brought the suspect
into range for SWAT members to shoot and kill him and
end the attack with no injuries to any innocent parties
and no major damage to the property.
Tom Fisher’s training as an 11-year veteran of the
US Navy serving in the Gulf War, Bosnia and the
Pentagon during 9/11 prepared him to be ready for
a life-threatening situation. Whelan Chief Operating
Officer Prentice Robertson commented that “Tom and
our security team at Discovery Communications
represent everything that is good about the contract
security field, and we are honored to be the employer
of someone who embodies the definition of a true hero.”
Pictured above: Tom fisher, Whelan SFI Account Manager; mike fontz, Whelan SFI Sr. Vice President
14
2011
EMPLoyEE SPoTLIGHT:
ACCoLADES
Whelan is proud to commend the efforts
of our officers who go above and beyond
the everyday job requirements. We have
highlighted a few of these stories below.
Joseph Leach
Kansas City
Officer Leach showed poise and dedication in dealing with
numerous challenging incidents throughout the year. In May,
an individual attempted to physically assault Leach with a car
while on duty. He was able to handle the situation without
injury and assist police in their investigation.
Sheila Hardemon
Chicago
In February, Officer Hardemon responded to a medical
emergency in her building. After a tenant became
unconscious, Hardemon hooked up an AED machine to the
victim and administered shock, which in turn caused the
victim to start breathing again. Her quick response and
training experience helped save the victim’s life.
Matthew Bill
Kentucky
Officer Bill demonstrated superb leadership during times of
emergency at his site. He successfully controlled the perimeter of his campus in a tense situation involving a suspicious
package delivery to the facility. Bill was also instrumental in
launching the Fire Audit Program at the client site.
Joe Cordoza
St. Louis
Charles Carpenter
Minnesota
In August, an electrical accident caused multiple emergency
situations throughout the facility. From the Control Center,
Officer Carpenter immediately called 911 to report the
emergencies and he successfully relayed all pertinent
information to the Fire Department and Ambulance crew.
Carpenter remained calm amidst the chaos and smoothly
managed the urgent situations.
Brandin Hargis
Springfield, MO
While on patrol duty during blizzard conditions, Sergeant
Hargis witnessed a snowplow on its side in a ditch. Hargis
found the driver standing in the cab of the vehicle unharmed
and noticed that there was a power line on the side of the
truck. Hargis immediately contacted City Utilities about the
situation and voluntarily stayed on the scene until the utility
worker had the power line disconnected and the driver was
safely removed from his truck.
Jimmy Pretty
Dallas
In August, Officer Cordoza successfully administered CPR to
an unconscious spectator at Busch Stadium during a professional baseball game. The EMTs arrived on the scene soon
after Cordoza completed his CPR treatment and they praised
his quick thinking and assertiveness.
While performing duties at the lobby reception desk, Officer
Pretty observed a tornado form approaching the facility. At
that time, there was a college intern tour being conducted at
the site. Officer Pretty immediately sounded the emergency
alarm and initiated severe weather procedures for the site.
Thanks to his direction, employees and visitors were quickly
relocated to secure areas and no one was injured.
Jimmie Washington
Christopher Gonzales
Nashville
Officer Washington noticed an individual acting suspicious
and having a difficult time carrying his lunch box when attempting to leave the building. Washington requested that the
individual open his lunch box so he could check his items
and he discovered that the individual had stolen copper wiring
from the facility. Washington’s awareness of his surroundings
and resulting quick action prevented the theft.
Houston
Officer Gonzales was instrumental in the arrest of a man who
had been involved in several vehicle thefts in the site parking
lot. After several incidents occurred, Gonzales repeatedly
studied camera footage and spotted a trend in the timing
of the string of thefts. He worked with the Houston Police
Department in successfully identifying and apprehending
the suspects in the theft ring.
2011
15
HIGH-RISE SECuRITy, LIFE-SAFETy
AND EMERGENCy PREPAREDNESS
by Carlos Villarreal, CST
Providing robust security and life-safety programs in the post 9/11 world to America’s high-rise commercial real
estate community requires a specialized approach to ensure that the program fits the culture of the property, makes
tenants and the property safer and makes economic sense. I can speak from personal experience, as I served as the
Director of Security for the Sears Tower in 2001 and personally developed the life-safety and emergency preparedness
plans for the tallest building in North America after the 9/11 tragedies. I continue to serve in a similar capacity for
Whelan’s high-rise and mid-rise customers today.
As one surveys the country, security in commercial office buildings takes on a different feel from region to region.
Buildings in cities that consider themselves in a higher risk category for terrorist attacks, such as New York City and
Washington, D.C., take a more stringent approach to the protection of people and property. Lower risk cities often
rely on industry standards to secure their properties. In my 30+ years of working in Class “A” high-rise buildings
throughout North America, I realize security and life-safety programs are driven by two factors:
aNChoR TENaNTs
EvENTs
TENANT-DRIVEN SECuRITy PRoGRAMS
EVENT-DRIVEN LIFE-SAFETy PRoGRAMS
High-profile tenants, as well as high-profile buildings,
Fires, bomb threats, workplace violence, terrorist
For example, in the case of many buildings where an
the level of public awareness for emergency preparedness,
often require additional layers of protection beyond
the industry-standard card access and CCTV systems.
anchor tenant is security conscious, building exteriors
are protected by high-impact vehicle barriers. With the
real threat of bomb explosions, some buildings have
added blast-resistance film to their windows, while
automated turnstiles are used to control access into the
building’s elevator core. Visitors and guests must be
pre-registered on web-based systems and governmentissued photo identification cards are verified before
allowing them into elevator cores for vertical transportation.
Loading docks and mail rooms use x-ray machines to “clear”
packages from potential explosives before allowing deliveries
into the interior parts of the building. While these measures
are not implemented at many properties, these are some
ideas for buildings to consider in upgrading their layers
of protection.
16
2011
attempts and acts, medical emergencies and
weather-related catastrophes are all events that raise
response and business recovery. Unfortunately, it often
takes an event to spring building owners and managers
into action. One of the most effective ways of maintaining
a state of readiness is to conduct tabletop exercises
involving property management, engineering, cleaning,
garage attendants and security staffs. Tabletop exercises
are typically designed as worst-case scenarios involving
life-threatening situations. Participants are given
opportunities to make critical decisions on the protection
of life and property. Often times, the results of these
exercises identify areas for improving written
emergency, response and recovery plans.
Carlos Villarreal, CST
currently serves as Senior Vice President of
Commercial Real Estate Security for Whelan
and has developed the proprietary 10-Star
High-Rise Security Program. He has over
30 years of security experience working in
class “A” high-rise commercial office
buildings throughout North America,
Both event-driven and tenant-driven security
and life-safety programs present similar challenges
and help to find the right balance of three critical
components: the right amount of security labor
to use, the right amount of technology and the
right implementation of policies and procedures.
Establishing the right balance ensures that the
building maintains an open and friendly
environment for tenants and business guests
while projecting a sense of safety and security.
Another benefit of finding this balance is in
preparing the property to detour or react to
today’s threats and emergency events.
A great assessment tool to use as a starting
point for establishing a new security program
or to validate an existing program is Whelan’s
proprietary Security Needs Analysis Planning
Survey (S.N.A.P.S.). S.N.A.P.S. allows me or
another security professional from Whelan to
determine where there are gaps, identify areas
for improvement and create a roadmap on how
to establish the right balance.
including his former role as Vice President
of Security and Life Safety for Trizec
Properties. He is a well-respected industry
expert and sought-after speaker on the topic
of high-rise life-safety and security. In 2010,
he won BOMA/Chicago’s Golden Circle
Affiliate Member of the Year Award for his
commitment to emergency preparedness by
conducting annual tabletop exercises for
Chicago’s BOMA community. Villarreal can
support all Whelan customers with building
technology implementations, life-safety and
emergency plan development and tabletop
training exercises. Please see Villarreal’s
contact information listed on the back
cover of this magazine.
“As a country, we
need to recognize
and respond to
new threats... we are
all in this together.”
- Carlos Villarreal, CST
2011
17
CLIENT PRoFILE: HCSC
HEALTH CARE SERVICE CoRPoRATIoN
AND wHELAN SECuRITy ENJoy A HEALTHy PARTNERSHIP
Health Care Service Corporation (HCSC) is the largest customer-owned
health insurer in the United States, and the fourth largest overall.
HCSC operates as an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association
through its BCBS plans in Illinois, Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico and several subsidiaries
to offer a variety of health and life insurance products to employers and individuals. HCSC
and Whelan entered into a national partnership in February of 2007 when the security
department was under the leadership of Pat Dorsey, and we have recently renewed the
contract for an additional five years working with Tom Bourgeois, who replaced Dorsey
as Director of Security when he moved into a new role in the organization.
The partnership between HCSC and Whelan includes security personnel services in
over 35 locations in Illinois, Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico, including the headquarters
facility in a beautiful high-rise in downtown Chicago at 300 E. Randolph Street. Facilities
range from headquarters to office buildings to processing centers to critical data centers.
The two companies have formed a healthy partnership based on cultural synergy between
the organizations. According to Bourgeois, “HCSC prides itself on our belief and guiding
principles that the success of our organization is dependent upon our people – our most
valuable asset. We have enjoyed great accomplishments in our contract security program
primarily because Whelan shares this belief and does a tremendous job of providing great
security personnel to us and taking great care of those people.” In support of that statement,
Pat Smith, Vice President, North-Central Region for Whelan, commented, “HCSC is the kind of
customer you want to have – one that cares about quality security and treats their employees
and ours with utmost respect.”
Please see a life-saving story that represents a direct result and manifestation of this
successful partnership in our Employee Spotlight story on the opposite page. Great people
serving great people – it is truly a recipe for a healthy partnership and strong security
program between two companies in the business of health and security.
Pictured above: Pat smith, Whelan Vice President; michael seldin, Whelan General Manager; James Terry, HCSC Corporate Security & Safety Manager
18
2011
QuICk RESPoNSE AND
PRoPER TRAINING SAVE A LIFE
EMPLoyEE SPoTLIGHT: HCSC
The morning of November 3, 2010 was one that a contract employee
working at Health Care Service Corporation headquarters will not soon
forget. It was on this morning that his life was threatened and the heroic
efforts of the Whelan Security staff prevented a fatal outcome for him.
That morning, at 7:10 a.m., all officers
in the Health Care Service Corporation
(HCSC) headquarters building in
downtown Chicago received notification
from the Control Room that an employee
was experiencing severe chest pains –
officers were instructed to report to the
lobby immediately. Upon arrival to the
scene, response officer Maurice Harper
found the gentleman sitting on the east
lobby bench being attended to by
security officer Abdul-Malik Muhammed.
According to Muhammed, the employee
approached the lobby security desk
and asked security officer Peter Hudgens
to direct him to the Nurses’ Station.
Hudgens provided the location
information and asked him if there was a
problem, at which point he stated he
was experiencing chest pains. Officer
Muhammed intercepted him before he
reached the escalator and asked him to
take a seat on the bench.
At that point, Officer Harper began
proper patient care, gathering pertinent
information about his symptoms and
checking his vital signs. Harper asked him
if he had any preexisting conditions and
if he was taking any medications – the
gentleman stated that he was beginning
to feel dizzy as he began rocking back
and forth. Harper immediately put his
arm around him and caught him as he fell
backwards. His eyes rolled back as he lost
consciousness and turned blue in the face.
Pictured above: Peter hudgens, Security Officer; Julie Zurawski, Security Supervisor;
abdul-malik muhammed, Security Officer; maurice harper, Security Officer
Harper performed a sternum rub but got no response, so he and Steve Sadak from
HCSC Security and Safety gently laid him on the floor while Muhammed
elevated his legs. Harper adjusted his head to open his airway to check for
breathing and determined that he was unresponsive. Sadak began CPR as Harper
opened his shirt to apply AED pads. Muhammed began to apply the pads while
another set of compressions was administered by Sadak. Harper and Sadak
concurred to turn on the AED. Everyone stood clear while the AED analyzed the
gentleman’s heart rhythm. The AED audibly announced, “Analyzing, Shock
Advised.” With that, Muhammed administered one shock and the employee
regained consciousness.
Immediately thereafter, firefighters and paramedics arrived on the scene and
transported the patient to Northwestern Memorial Hospital for further
examination. After a brief stay in the hospital, he made a full recovery and
soon returned to work.
With swift and calm action, the Whelan staff was able to get this gentleman the
emergency care that he needed and, ultimately, prevent his death. “When we
see training and fantastic teamwork come together to accomplish something
extraordinary, it shows great care for each other,” Pat Smith, Vice President,
North-Central Region for Whelan Security, said. “We are very proud of these
officers and commend their proactive thinking and heroic efforts during this
emergency situation.”
“ We are very proud of these officers and
commend their proactive thinking and heroic
efforts during this emergency situation.”
2011
19
FoCuS oN TRAINING:
FRoM THE wHELAN ACADEMy oF PRoFESSIoNAL DEVELoPMENT
“It has been said that if you catch a fish for a person, they will eat for a day.
But, if you teach a person to fish, they will eat for a lifetime. At Whelan,
we operate by a fundamental belief that training is the key to success
in business and in life.”
prentice Robertson, Chief Operating Officer for Whelan Security
Robertson adds that “our product and only
sustainable competitive advantage is people,
and we learned a long time ago that getting
great people is just the beginning of the
journey – keeping and developing those
people to provide world-class service to
our clients is what truly makes us different.”
Whelan views training as one of the most
critical elements of a successful security
program and fundamental to the perfomance
of professional security officers.
20
2011
Our training program is built
around two key principles:
Providing a career development
path for our employees
utilizing technology to bolster
our in-person training
with interactive efficiency
The whelan Academy of Professional Development offers our employees a multi-faceted platform
of training to include classroom, on-site, interactive on-line and certified training through our
10-star Training and development program. All-encompassing, this training program meets and
exceeds the recommendations established in the Private Security officer Selection and Training
Guideline (ASIS GDL PSo – 2010) published by ASIS International, the preeminent organization
within the security industry. Although we provide 10 unique levels of training through the Academy,
we have highlighted four of the key elements below.
P.E.A.K. Performer Program
(Pre-Employment Assessment of Knowledge)
Whelan requires all candidates for employment to complete a
comprehensive program called the P.E.A.K. Performer Program.
This program was developed in conjunction with a widely-respected
national security training organization. The P.E.A.K. Performer
Program is a pre-employment requirement and includes 13 modules
and tests, plus safety and customer service training that must be
passed in order to be selected for employment with Whelan. The
customer service segment comes from a nationally recognized
customer service training program that is utilized by the Ritz-Carlton
for all of their service employees.
Individual Quality Audits (IQA)
A key component of training comprehension and retention of
knowledge is a continuous education process. Whelan has developed
12 monthly topical training tests called IQAs, which are designed to
ensure ongoing understanding of critical concepts at each account.
IQAs are administered at the same time that Whelan site or branch
level management complete personnel inspections. If requested by
the client, the assessments can be customized to individual site
locations. Remedial training will be conducted as necessary for
those security personnel who demonstrate a lack of knowledge
as evidenced through IQA results.
Learning paths follow a career progression
model and include the following:
> e-Learning Basic Security Officer
Learning Series
> e-Learning Intermediate Security
Officer Learning Series
> e-Learning Advanced Continuation
Learning Series (10 different learning paths)
> e-Learning Supervisory Learning Series
(2 different learning paths)
Certification Programs
Interactive On-Line Training
Whelan has forged partnerships with several
well-respected organizations to provide certified
training content and certification to our employees,
including American Red Cross, Ritz-Carlton,
International Foundation of Protection Officers
and ASIS International.
See the interface screen on the next column:
> The first initial of your first name, your
last name and the last four digits of your
social security number.
Whelan has launched over 300 on-line training modules available
to our employees 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. All e-Learning is
tracked and managed through our Learning Management System (LMS),
which is an automated platform used for the administration,
documentation, registration, record-keeping and reporting of all of
our training programs. This technology is used to ensure that properly
trained personnel are placed on jobs to meet post-specific training
requirements, as well as to utilize the data as part of employee
promotion decisions. Upon selection into our company, each employee
is provided a unique password into the system and can enter our
e-Learning Academy via www.whelansecurity.com at any time.
For more information on our training and
development programs, or any employee
questions about entering the e-Learning
Academy, please contact your local branch
office. As a reminder, your username and
password into the LMS is as follows:
> The password is good2great
2011
21
CLIENT PRoFILE: ENTERPRISE HoLDINGS
A PARTNERSHIP FuELED By PASSIoN:
DRIVEN To ExCEED CuSToMER ExPECTATIoNS
Enterprise Holdings is the most comprehensive and largest car rental
company in the world, measured by revenue, employees and fleet.
Like at Enterprise, at Whelan we
understand that our core values
protect our reputation and provide
a rock-solid sense of who we are
and what we believe in.
Enterprise Holdings is the most comprehensive and
largest car rental company in the world, measured
by revenue, employees and fleet. Enterprise Holdings,
through its regional subsidiaries, operates Alamo Rent
A Car, Enterprise Rent-A-Car and National Car Rental
brands, leading the car industry with more than a third
of all airport business in the U.S. and Canada. Enterprise
Holdings offers business and retail customers a total
transportation solution through a worldwide network
of more than 7,700 airport and neighborhood locations,
as well as vanpooling and car sharing programs.
Posting annual revenues that exceed $12.6 billion dollars,
the world’s largest fleet (exceeding 1.1 million vehicles) and
more than 68,000 employees, Enterprise is the largest privately
held company in St. Louis and is ranked No. 17 on the Forbes
Top 500 Private Companies in America. Similar to Enterprise,
Whelan Security is also ranked as one of the largest privately held
companies headquartered in St. Louis and is ranked within the Top
10 privately held contract security companies operating in the
United States.
However, Whelan Security has much more in common with Enterprise
than the location of its headquarters and industry rankings. Whelan
Security was awarded its original opportunity to work with Enterprise
Rent-A-Car in 1998. Today, Whelan provides security personnel at the
Enterprise Holdings corporate campus, national reservations center,
critical data centers and select car rental locations. In addition, and in
true partnership fashion, Whelan’s own expanding fleet of vehicles
scattered throughout the United States is managed through Enterprise
Fleet Management.
22
2011
Pictured above: lynn majewski, Enterprise Campus Facilities Manager; Captain mike manley, Whelan Site Supervisor; Dan Twardowski, Whelan Vice President & Principal
“In 2007, Kirk Kazanjian released his book, Exceeding Customer Expectations: What Enterprise,
America’s #1 Car Rental Company, Can Teach You About Creating Lifetime Customers,” Dan
Twardowski, Vice President & Principal at Whelan Security, said. “Although the Taylor family
has experienced significantly more scalable growth with Enterprise than our family has with
Whelan, the similarities between the companies, as described in this book, are uncanny.”
Both companies – Whelan and Enterprise – continue to be leaders in their respective industry
in the areas of employee satisfaction and customer service. Furthermore, neither company has
ever sacrificed quality for the sake of growth. Instead, both companies remain balanced by
focusing on growth and profitability, but with an emphasis on customer service and employee
development; and both companies truly understand the importance of exceeding expectations
in order to create great customer service and employee satisfaction.
Like those at Enterprise, employees at Whelan have a passion for taking care of people. They
are enthusiastic, eager to learn, self-motivated and goal-oriented with a strong work ethic based
upon discipline, dedication, honesty and integrity. Like at Enterprise, at Whelan we understand
that our core values protect our reputation and provide a rock-solid sense of who we are and
what we believe in. Our brand is our reputation and customer service is a way of life.
“We are honored to have the opportunity to provide security service to Enterprise Holdings,”
Twardowski said. “Although demanding, yet fair, they are an incredible customer and place
great emphasis on forming strong partnerships with their vendors. We are humbled by the
similarities in the operating philosophies of the companies and grateful for the opportunity to
continue growing alongside this world class organization.”
2011
23
CREATING ENGAGED EMPLoyEES
by David Justice, CPP
What is an “Engaged Employee?”
How do organizations like Southwest Airlines and The Ritz-Carlton
create an environment containing happy, engaged and energetic
employees? How do these same companies maintain lower turnover
and higher client retention than others in the same industry, where
each member of the team helps to attain a positive customer
experience and feels they are part of something truly great?
They create passion.
The answer seems relatively straightforward, but difficult to put into
practice, according to Gallup and Great Places to Work Institute – two
organizations who make a business out of understanding America’s
workforce. Research shows three categories of employees found
in the workplace:
ENGAGED (29%)
These employees are enthusiastic, committed and work with passion.
They are naturally curious about their company and feel a profound
connection to the mission. They perform at consistently high levels
and want to use their talents and strengths every day. They drive
innovation and move the organization forward.
NoT-ENGAGED (54%)
These employees have essentially “checked out.” They are sleepwalking
through their workday. They aren’t necessarily negative or positive about
their employer. They tend to take a “wait-and-see” attitude towards the
job, their co-workers and their employer. They put in their time and have
reasonable productivity, but are not putting energy or passion into the job.
ACTIVELy DISENGAGED (17%)
These employees are the “energy suckers.” They aren’t just unhappy
with the job, they are busy acting out their unhappiness. They let everyone
else know how miserable they are and undermine what their engaged
co-workers accomplish.
Engagement is most simply described above as “passion,” and better
described as a heightened level of ownership, where each employee
wants to do whatever they can for the benefit of their internal and
external customers, and for the success of the organization as a
whole.
Leaders within an organization who seek to create an environment
in which engagement flourishes need to keep in mind that the
formula for building engagement within a local, regional or national
team starts with creating a culture of listening and rewarding
innovative and forward-thinking ideas that put the company’s
needs first.
On the surface, it may be difficult to visualize creating an
atmosphere where people put the company’s needs first, but
it isn’t difficult at all. To begin with, it is helpful to borrow
knowledge from the field of sociology, where the concept of
“Social Exchange” is helpful to understand.
The concept of “Social Exchange” holds that human relationships
– where social stability and change are concerned – are shaped
by negotiated give-and-take. According to this theory, people
make decisions based on the kind of relationships they think
they deserve within their respective communities or families.
Businesses are communities, and the members (employees)
within these organizations constantly weigh the value of their
relationship using the criteria outlined above. Just as in a
personal relationship, when we believe that the other party
has our best interests at heart – and demonstrates the same –
we reciprocate with an equal (or even greater) level of energy
– we become fully engaged in the relationship and expend
emotional energy. We become passionate.
What happens to an individual who becomes engaged
within a relationship – specifically, in this case, the
employee-employer relationship?
> The employee is more open to understand how their
actions can make the business better.
> They consistently display superior levels of performance.
> They behave in ways that support their organization’s
corporate values.
> Most employees demonstrate higher levels of innovation
and drive for efficiency.
> These people never run out of things to do (higher
productivity), have lower rates of sickness and
absenteeism and are less likely to leave the company.
> They are much more likely to have a productive relationship
with their supervisor, build supportive relationships and
are respectful of and helpful to colleagues as well.
> They can deal with changes and challenges, manage stress
better and enjoy optimum health and well-being as a result.
24
2011
Engaged employees are good for business!
with engagement comes the following:
> Increased customer satisfaction
> Increased employee retention
> Increased operating margin
> Increased profitability
> Reduction in safety incidents
> Reduction in absenteeism
Given that it seems like a great idea, how exactly can a company work
toward creating an environment where engagement can flourish?
At Whelan, we prescribe to the principles listed in the book by Rodd
Wagner and James Harter, called 12: The Elements of Great Managing.
These principles include the following concepts, with the processes
Whelan employs in parentheses:
> Employees want to know what is expected of them
(Training and Post orders)
> Employees want the right equipment and materials
(uniforms, Technology and Equipment)
> Employees want the opportunity to do what they do best
(Assessment Testing through TMS)
> Employees want recognition and praise
(Inverted org Chart, Employee Recognition Program)
> Employees want to know that someone cares about them
(Inspections, Training, Benefits, Employee Hotline)
> Employees want a boss who encourages their development
(Training opportunities)
> Employees want to know their opinions count
(Employee Surveys, Inverted org Chart)
> Employees want a connection to the company mission
(Mission and Values Card)
> Employees want co-workers committed to quality
(PostAlert, Security Reports, uniforms, TMS)
> Employees want a best friend at work
(Employee Events and open Houses)
> Employees want a boss who discusses their progress
(Inspections and IQAs)
> Employees want opportunities to learn and grow
(e-Learning, Ritz-Carlton, Supervisory Training)
The reason it is so important to us at Whelan to create engaged
employees is that an engaged workforce will lead to an engaged client
base. Our goal at Whelan is never to satisfy or even exceed the needs
of our clients, but to create “customer wow.” At Ritz-Carlton, their goal
is for their customers to say that they can’t imagine their world without
the Ritz-Carlton. At Whelan, our goal is for our customers to say that
they can’t imagine their security contract with anyone other than
Whelan. This level of customer engagement can only occur when
we have created a workforce of engaged employees.
David Justice, CPP
serves as Vice President
of the South-Central Region for
Whelan Security. His professional
training and certifications include
Board Certified Protection
Professional (CPP) through ASIS
International. He is also a 2004
recipient of the ASIS Foundation
Alan J. Cross Award. He has been
with Whelan since 2002, after
a distinguished career as a
detective with the Austin Police
Department. His contact
information can be found on the
back cover of this magazine.
2011
25
EMPLoyEE BENEFITS
At Whelan Security, we are committed to being the “employer of choice” within the
contract security industry by providing a multitude of employee benefits options.
our comprehensive
10-star Employee benefits package
includes the following elements:
MAJoR MEDICAL INSuRANCE
VoLuNTARy BENEFITS
SuPPLEMENTAL BENEFITS
401(k) Plan
Whelan is proud to be an industry leader
in our 401(k) Retirement and Savings Plan
offering. All employees are eligible to
participate after ninety (90) days of
employment and may contribute on a
pre-tax basis up to 90% of eligible earnings.
A discretionary match that has historically
been 10% is provided to the plan by the
company.
Cash Pay Card/Direct Deposit
FREE uNIFoRMS
401(k) PLAN
PAID VACATIoN
PAID HoLIDAyS
CASH PAy CARD/DIRECT DEPoSIT
FLExIBLE SPENDING ACCouNT
ANoNyMouS EMPLoyEE HoTLINE
Please see more information to the
right regarding four of our benefit
offerings and other new Employee
Reward Programs.
As an alternative to traditional paychecks,
Whelan offers direct deposit to all employees
who have checking and savings accounts.
However, since many employees do not have
bank accounts, Whelan provides a cash pay
card called the TotalPay Card, which
combines the benefits of direct deposit with
the convenience of ATM credit and debit cards.
Employees using the cash pay cards do not
need bank accounts and there are no credit
checks. The participants can use the debit
card to withdraw money at virtually any ATM
and purchase products at any retail store that
accepts Visa.
Voluntary Benefits
In addition to providing major medical
on many of our accounts, Whelan offers
our employees a wide variety of voluntary
benefits including multiple health and
dental plans, vision, disability, life and
many more. All of these benefits are
offered at an affordable cost.
Anonymous Employee Hotline
(ReportLine)
26
2011
Whelan has established an Employee Ethics
and Compliance ReportLine. The ReportLine
is available to accept reports or complaints
24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The employee
may choose to make a call or web-based
report anonymously, or can provide their
name. The sole purpose of the ReportLine is
to provide a direct link for the employee to
report any ethics, compliance, or policy
concerns to the appropriate person so that
the issue can be promptly escalated and
resolved.
Employee Reward Programs
In addition to our traditional Employee
Recognition Programs for tenure,
performance and referrals, Whelan
also offers two new Employee Reward
Programs to all employees:
> wIRELESS DISCouNT PLANS
through our corporate discount with
aT&T and verizon for wireless
communications products and plans
> VEHICLE PuRCHASE PRoGRAM
discounts off vehicle purchases through
Vendor Discount Programs extended
to all of our employees with Nissan,
infiniti and Toyota
Please contact your Human Resources Department
in your local branch for more details on all of our
Employee Benefits and Employee Recognition
and Reward Plans.
event SeRviCeS
On behalf of the ownership, leadership team and nearly 4,000 employees of
Whelan Security, we want to express our sincere and genuine gratitude to all
of our employees and clients for being a valued part of our organization.
Thanks to all of you, 2010 was another banner
year for Whelan in terms of milestones reached.
While the economy remains challenging and the need for cost containment
critical in order to survive in the competitive landscape of contract security,
we reached new historical highs in revenue, numbers of employees and
clients, employee retention, client retention, payroll and billing accuracy
and number of branch offices. Today, we have grown to become one of the
five largest privately held American-owned firms in the nation with offices
from coast-to-coast – a far cry from our humble beginnings in St. Louis
62 years ago.
As we ushered in the end of a decade of growth and change at Whelan,
2010 witnessed the launch of a robust platform of technology in response
Greg Twardowski, President
to the need to drive operational efficiencies to the bottom line. This
movement towards innovation includes our Talent Management System
and Learning Management System for employee selection and training,
e-Hub Portal for automated communications with clients and employees
and a suite of handheld electronic products called WhelanView™, designed
to enhance the service delivered by our security personnel by providing
real-time automated data to our clients. Speaking of data, we continue to
be the security industry leader and innovator in the area of performance
measurement, key performance indicators and quality assurance through
our scorecard tool, The Truth Report™.
Above all else, we remain extremely proud of our people and the companies
with whom we associate. We remain committed to a business model built
around personal touch and conservative values that only a family-owned
organization can provide. Our goal is to live up to our mission statement –
“to deliver maximum value to our customers” – by treating our internal
and external customers as though they are the only ones we have. We know
we aren’t perfect, but rest assured that our leadership team of business
Prentice Robertson, Chief Operating Officer
managers and security practitioners understands the concept of servant
leadership and client partnership, and strives to earn the respect of our
employees and partnership of our clients every day.
All our best!
2
2011
Whelan Security has been recognized throughout the industry
for premium security and staffing services at high-profile events to include security
and event staffing to the Super Bowl, World Series, NCAA Final Four, PGA Championship,
Major League Baseball All-Star Game, Papal visit, Presidential Debates and the Republican
and Democratic National Conventions over the years. In 2009, Whelan was awarded the
Minnesota Vikings contract, followed closely by the hiring of Jeff Spoerndle as the
Director of Event Services. Spoerndle has over 20 years of experience in coordinating
contract security and guest services for special event venues nationwide. He has overseen
operations in stadiums, arenas, convention centers and other event venues, and is a
member of the International Association of Venue Managers (IAVM) and the Stadium
Managers Association (SMA).
Spoerndle and Whelan’s vision for Event Services is designed to provide a higher quality
option compared to other traditional event service providers. Our program includes a fully
automated recruiting and hiring process through our Talent Management System,
assessment testing, extensive background checks and a customized training program to
include Ritz-Carlton™ Legendary Customer Service Training, Techniques for Effective
Alcohol Management and NFL Best Practices. This screening and training approach is more
aligned with higher quality permanent security positions as opposed to traditional event
services’ temporary employees, but we believe the industry is clamoring for a company to
take Event Services to the next level – and that is the niche we intend to fill.
For the Vikings, we provide over 500 ushers, ticket takers, security officers, pat-down staff,
supervisors and event coordinators for all games, as well as permanent security services
at the team’s headquarters, training camp and hotel. We are also proud to be the security
provider for the St. Louis Cardinals, as our Event Services team provides 24/7 security
services to Busch Stadium such as command center, patrol, gate and special post officers
in addition to providing event staffing at all St. Louis Cardinals home games. Through
our partnerships with the NFL and MLB, Whelan Event Services recently had the honor
of providing services to the 2009 Major League Baseball All-Star Game played at Busch
Stadium and is contracted for the 2011 Super Bowl in Dallas.
Our business plan is to expand this division to other professional and collegiate sports
teams and venues over the next few years – a goal we are confident we will achieve.
Jeff Spoerndle serves as Director
of Event Services for Whelan.
He has over 20 years of successful
operations and sales experience in
the event services industry.
Spoerndle has coordinated the
security programs for the Minnesota
Vikings, Minnesota Twins, HHH
Metrodome, University of Minnesota
and the Minneapolis Convention
Center. He has overseen operations
for some of the Nation’s largest
events, including the Super Bowl,
World Series, NCAA Final Four, NBA
All-Star Weekend, United States Golf
Open, Billy Graham Crusade and
Republican National Convention.
His contact information can be found
on the back cover of this magazine.
2011
27
CoRpoRate ContaCtS
ReGional ContaCtS
patRiCk tWaRdoWSki
Mid-Central Region
Chairman
(314) 644-3227
ptwardowski@whelansecurity.com
GReG tWaRdoWSki
President
(314) 644-3227
gtwardowski@whelansecurity.com
pRentiCe RobeRtSon
Chief Operating Officer
(314) 504-6299
probertson@whelansecurity.com
MaRk poRteRfield, Cpp, ChS-iii
Sr. Vice President & Chief Security Officer
(314) 210-8693
mporterfield@whelansecurity.com
Mike baSleR, Ctp
Chief Financial Officer
(314) 644-3227
mbasler@whelansecurity.com
CoMMeRCial Real eState
SeCuRity SeRviCeS
CaRloS villaRReal, CSt
Sr. Vice President
Commercial Real Estate Security Services
(312) 320-8814
cvillarreal@whelansecurity.com
dan tWaRdoWSki
Vice President
Operations & Customer Service
(314) 644-1974
dtwardowski@whelansecurity.com
JaMeS SChWaRtz
Vice President
Sales, Marketing & Customer Service
(816) 210-5999
jschwartz@whelansecurity.com
North-Central Region
A publication of Whelan Security
patRiCk SMith
Vice President
Operations & Customer Service
(763) 350-1460
psmith@whelansecurity.com
P R E MI E R E I SS U E
Steve liSle
Vice President
Sales, Marketing & Customer Service
(612) 741-3368
slisle@whelansecurity.com
South-Central Region
david JuStiCe, Cpp
Vice President
Sales, Marketing & Customer Service
(214) 325-4008
djustice@whelansecurity.com
West Region
MaRk poRteRfield, Cpp, ChS-iii
Sr. Vice President & Chief Security Officer
(314) 210-8693
mporterfield@whelansecurity.com
event SeRviCeS
Jeff SpoeRndle
General Manager and Director of Event Services
(651) 628-4010
jspoerndle@whelansecurity.com
EmployEE SpotlightS
cliEnt
1699 South hanley Road, Suite 350
Saint louiS, MiSSouRi 63144
1-888-4Whelan | www.whelansecurity.com
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