GSX 2024 will be held at the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) in Orlando, Florida, USA from 23-25 September. In addition to the many wonderful aspects of Orlando as a host city, the OCCC is always working to make the convention center itself an appealing, safe, and sustainable venue. 

In 2023, the OCCC introduced its latest security improvement with BBot, a 5-foot, 500-pound autonomous security robot. The robot will increase the safety and security of OCCC guests by increasing the scope of surveillance on the Center’s campus. 

When developing the robot, the OCCC reached out to a local elementary school, Sand Lake Elementary, to help name the new robot. Third-grader Melodie Arroyo submitted the winning name in a schoolwide contest “BBot,” which stands for “Bringing Bravery Out Together.” 

BBot will provide 360-degree video surveillance to monitor crowds. Its video stream connects directly to the OCCC Security Command Center. It will feature a “help” button that attendees can utilize, which also has a direct line to the Command Center. BBot has thermal imaging capabilities that can detect temperature abnormalities both among humans and in the physical environment, which can help with safety features such as early fire detection and picking up a presence of an elevated body temperature. 

“BBot will be a revolutionary tool for the OCCC’s Security Team, however, it is not meant to replace the essential human element to safety,” said Orange County Mayor Jerry L. Demings. “Rather, it is meant to make security more effective. BBot will serve as a robust addition to an already award-winning security staff, devoted to creating Transformational Experiences through safety.” 

In addition to these increased security measures, the OCCC is constantly working to be a sustainable event venue, with waste diversion measures, a sustainable food menu, donating unused event materials, and carbon offset. 

Waste diversion at the OCCC includes mixed recycling services in the Center’s concourses and composting in both back and front of house. Much of the food at the OCCC comes from the Center-to-Table Gardens, which have more than 80 aeroponic grow towers which grow healthy, non-GMO foods. Following an event, the event team can work with the OCCC Sustainability Team and Sodexo Live! to ensure food and other leftover items are diverted from landfills to more positively impact the local community. 

The OCCC also works with We Are Neutral to calculate emissions from an event and offset them by funding local carbon sequestration projects across central Florida. 

The sustainability efforts at the OCCC and by the city of Orlando at large have been recognized and celebrated by the U.S. Green Building Council. The OCCC earned the internationally accredited Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) for Cities and Communities gold certification, and the city of Orlando achieved a LEED for Cities gold certification. 

ASIS International is excited to host GSX 2024 at this outstanding venue and capitalize on the world-class security and sustainability initiatives the OCCC provides.

In addition to the dozens of written articles the Security Management team produced during GSX 2023, the team also produced multiple podcasts. Check out the two below, and make sure to subscribe to Security Management for all the latest security industry content in a variety of formats.

Does Authenticity Outweigh Technical Knowledge During a Crisis?

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SoundCloud

How the JFK Assassination Changed the World of Close Protection

Spotify

SoundCloud

By Claire Meyer

“We act on logic, but we buy on emotion,” says Lida Citroën, speaker, author, executive coach, and CEO of LIDA360 LLC.

In the 2023 CSO Secure Horizons event at GSX, Citroën led a group of senior security executives (SSEs) in exercises and discussions around personal branding, developing influence, and crafting compelling communication. Leveraging emotion and storytelling can help security executives connect more fully with a wider audience, earn buy-in, and build relationships.

In one exercise within the two-day event, exclusive to CSO Center members, participants learned how to develop clearer narratives within their elevator pitches—short 30-second speeches that introduce the listener to who you are and what you stand for. These spiels are often used to introduce yourself to a stranger, kick off a meeting, or facilitate networking.

However, elevator pitches frequently go wrong, Citroën says. The speaker could essentially be rattling off their job description or résumé; using body language inappropriate for the situation, such as a lack of eye contact or overexcited hand gestures; or oversharing with jargon, too much technical detail, or irrelevant information that confounds the listener.

A good pitch, on the other hand, shows excitement, is concise, and shows interest in others, turning a short speech into an entrée for a productive and positive dialog.

You can read the rest of this article from Security Management here.

For more Security Management content about soft skills, check out the pieces below:

Power Skills: The Soft Skills CSOs Cultivate and Use Every Day

Workplace Communication Lessons from a Crisis Negotiator

Soft Skills and Technical Threats, From Communication to Drones

By Megan Gates

The year was 1964. The Beatles were on their first world tour. And they decided to stop in Dallas, Texas, for a 30-minute set at the Memorial Auditorium.

“The auditorium felt so huge,” recalled Pattie Davidson in an interview with The Dallas Morning News about her first concert experience at the auditorium. “It seemed so humongous. By today’s standards, it’s not, but back then, to me, it was.”

While Dallas looks very different today than it did when Paul, George, Ringo, and John made their first visit, the Memorial Auditorium, now part of the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center still looks relatively the same. That’s because the arena, built in 1957, has never been renovated, so it doesn’t include many modern conveniences or security and operational amenities—like a fire suppression system.

But that’s all about to change as Dallas voters approved in November 2022 a $3.7 billion plan to build a new convention center and renovate the auditorium by 2028.

This new convention center will be big—as most things in Texas are. Plans include creating 800,000 square feet of exhibit space, 260,000 square feet of breakout space, 170,000 square feet of ballroom space, and a newly renovated arena and theater. To put that into perspective, a regulation soccer field is approximately 81,000 square feet.

The new convention center will be the hub around which new restaurants, hotels, and night life venues will operate to reconnect downtown Dallas. It’ll also include greenspace—such as a rooftop garden—and relocated light rail station (the DART) to make it more efficient to travel to.

“The expansion of the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center Dallas is more than the renovation or reconstruction of a convention center,” said Rosa Fleming, City of Dallas’ executive director of convention and event services, in a press release after the approval. “It is an opportunity to re-envision downtown Dallas, reconnecting downtown to its southern neighborhoods and ensuring growth in the retail, restaurant, and housing sectors. In short, the project is a long-term economic development initiative for the city that will resonate for years to come.”

As plans to renovate, expand, and build new portions of the convention center move forward, this is a key moment for security stakeholders to gain a seat at the table to help influence choices and ensure security is integrated into the final project design.

You can read the rest of this article from Security Management here.

For more Security Management content about facility security design, check out the pieces below:

Security Design 101: Best Practices on Complex Design Elements

What is CPTED?

5 Irreplaceable Aspects of Security System Design

By Megan Gates

Due to economic pressures and pivots in business strategies following the COVID-19 pandemic, many organizations have laid off workers. Sometimes, these difficult moments are handled in a professional manner. But other times, former employees can become disgruntled—lashing out at their former colleagues and causing harm.

Most organizations have created policies and procedures to handle workplace violence threats as they are detected. But what if there was a way to be more proactive? To leverage technology to prevent harm from happening in the first place?

This is the scenario that Donald Cornett, director, global product management, ecosystem solutions at Motorola Solutions; Drew Weston, CPP, director of national accounts at Mobile Communications America; and Sharon Hong, vice president, ecosystem solutions at Motorola Solutions, explored in the Monday presentation “From Reactive to Proactive: How AI and Automation Can Speed Response Time in Critical Incidents” at GSX 2023.

Main Takeaway

Humans are very good at making decisions to react to a situation they’ve never experienced before. But what they’re not great at is monitoring multiple events or systems at the same time—aka, multitasking—Hong explains.

Contrary to popular belief, the human brain is equipped to only handle two tasks at the same time by quickly switching back and forth between both tasks. When humans actually attempt to multitask, they often experience a 40 percent reduction in productivity, Hong says.

This poses a challenge for security teams, who are often being tasked with doing more with fewer team members. For example, consider reviewing video surveillance footage. The average security incident spans four to six hours. If you have eight cameras capturing that incident, that’s potentially 32 to 48 hours that a human will require to review that video—an entire workweek, Cornett says.

But, all is not lost. We’re currently living in an age where technology can help humans do more tasks, more quickly, and more efficiently. Security technologies now exist that are designed to monitor an environment, detect anomalies, and alert humans, who can then decide how to respond to the situation.

You can read the rest of this article from Security Management here.

For more Security Management content about leveraging the latest security technology, check out the content below:

Security Technology and Using Staff More Efficiently

Getting Visitor Management Right in Access Control

Meeting a Living Building Challenge

Stopping an Active Shooter with OSINT: How Publicly Available Information Becomes Actionable Intelligence

Modernizing a San Francisco Landmark with a Streamlined Security Dashboard

By Megan Gates

Country borders are sometimes shaped by the natural world—where the edges of a nation’s territory meet the sea, river, or mountain range. But they’re also shaped by treaties, negotiations, conflict, and colonialism.

Russia’s efforts to seize control of Ukraine by military force represents a 21^st Century colonial attempt to rebuild Russia’s empire, a breach of international law and norms formed following World War II when then-German Chancellor Adolf Hitler attempted similar measures to redraw the map of Europe.

If successful, Russia’s victory will set the stage for a new era of flourishing authoritarianism, increased defense spending in Europe and the United States, and a potential threat to the global world order, said Radosław “Radek” Sikorski, member of the European Parliament (MP) representing the Kyavian-Pomeranian region of Poland and a 2023 general session speaker at GSX 2023 in Dallas, Texas.

“This is a classic colonial war,” Sikorski explained. “Russia didn’t invade Ukraine because it felt threatened. Russia knows NATO is a defense alliance and has no intention—or capability—to attack Russia. If NATO was provoking Russia to invade, Russia would be invading Finland and Sweden.”

Sikorski appeared before attendees virtually from Warsaw, Poland, after completing a trip via train to Ukraine—a trip he has made every few months as Russia’s aggression continues. He plays an important role as an ally to Ukraine, not only because of his MP position representing Poland but also because he sits on the Committee for Foreign Affairs and the Security and Defence Subcommittee at the European Parliament, and is the chairman of the delegation for relations with the United States.

On previous journeys to Ukraine, Sikorski worked to coordinate and transport pick-up trucks to Ukrainian soldiers, which carry supplies and wounded individuals to hospitals. Sikorski has also traveled to Bucha, the site of some of the worst atrocities of the war, as well as to 18 miles from the front line to meet Ukrainian soldiers and view how some of the military weapons being provided to Ukraine from its allies are used.

Despite being outnumbered and lacking air superiority in the current conflict, Sikorski said that Ukraine has performed much better than expected. But, after visiting Kiev this past week, Sikorski said that he also observed that people are getting tired after almost one year and seven months of war.

Ukrainians “have made huge sacrifices in towns and villages,” he added. “There are huge spaces of freshly dug graves. They’ve lost many of their best people. They have the right to be tired.”

The rest of the world, however, does not have this right, Sikorski said.

You can read the rest of this article from Security Management here.

For more Security Management content about rising geopolitical tensions, check out the articles below:

Rising Global Tensions and Financial Incentives Make Industrial Environments a Ripe Target for Threat Actors

Increasing Risk Appetites Put Security Front and Center as an Influencer

Geopolitical and Economic Headwinds Force CEOs to Rethink Long-Term Strategies

Adam Lowenstein, the director of product at i-PRO Americas, discusses how AI can be used in the security industry. Watch his interview on SM Live with Security Management Editor-in-Chief Teresa Anderson below.

Michael Bacon, CPP, managing partner at Rezolvrizk, and Roy Manias, senior director of security and life safety at The Cadillac Fairview Corporation, discuss the current trends in the security sector and how to elevate a security program. Watch their interview on SM Live with Security Management Editor-in-Chief Teresa Anderson below.

Global Security Exchange (GSX) convenes thousands of security professionals from across the world and helps you keep on top of all the latest issues, trends, and newest tech in the security industry. GSX is your one-stop shop for all things security – but it’s only once a year. 

If you are looking for more events and conferences to keep your professional skills sharp throughout the year, you’re in luck. ASIS hosts and supports a variety of security events across the world and throughout the year to help maintain your network and grow your professional knowledge. 

March 2024:  
ASIS Europe | Vienna, Austria 

ASIS Europe is just around the corner! In less than a month, security professionals will be gathering in Vienna, Austria, to discuss the intersection of innovation, socio-economic policy, sustainability and resilience, and how this impacts the business environment security professionals operate in. The conference will feature two keynote speakers, more than 50 education sessions, and 12+ hours of dedicated networking time. 

Register now! 

June 2024:  
Security LeadHER | Phoenix, Arizona, USA 

Security LeadHER is a can’t-miss a day-and-half event presented by ASIS International and the Security Industry Association and dedicated to the advancement of women in the global security industry. The conference will be a day-and-a-half of curated programming and events to promote inclusivity and representation in the security sector. ASIS members save $200 on registration! 

Register now! 

July 2024:  
Sub-Saharan Africa Security Conference | Nairobi, Kenya 

The Sub-Saharan Africa Security Conference 2024 is themed around Building a Smarter, Safer Africa. Topics will include cybersecurity and digital resilience, technology in countering terrorism and political instability, empowering security professionals in the digital age, and sustainable security solutions. For additional updates, you can also follow the LinkedIn page. 

Submit a proposal today! 

November 2024:  
ASIS LATAM | San Jose, Costa Rica 

The ASIS LATAM 2024 conference will feature education in both Spanish and English focusing on the latest trends in security and provide attendees the opportunity to network and learn from each other about industry best practices. Keep checking the site for more updates as we get closer to November. 

Save the date! 18 – 19 November 2024 

ASIS Asia Pacific Conference | Singapore

The ASIS Asia Pacific Conference will provide opportunities for attendees to network with other leaders in the region and attend education about the most pressing security topics across the region and world. Continue to check ASIS channels for more information about the upcoming event.

Asaf Levy

Before GSX, I had connected with a fellow ASIS Member via LinkedIn as they are in Europe, and I am in North America. When I attended the GSX conference we connected and started talking about similarities between our business and how we have been mitigating losses.  

One of the issues I had brought up to him was my difficulty selling a solution to my C-Suite. He told me about the true loss of theft versus product loss that occurs in supply chain and how simple oversight of true loss happens. He went on to explain that when we present loss or when loss is presented, a whole number around missing inventory or product is what is being presented. What information is left out of the presentation or glazed over is the associated cost; insurance premium pay-outs, labor to fulfill the order again, brokering of transportation, gas fees, insurance fees, GPS, putting mitigation in place and the list goes on. 

The conversation enlightened me – I now present internally at my company product loss versus total loss, ensuring that all levels of the business understand how loss may affect their business and operations. By breaking down the loss by line item so that the business understands how they are affected and what the total cost of loss looks like, it has made it easier for me to present mitigation solutions and the cost associated with it. I now take a previous incident, present the dollar value loss, and compare the cost of the solution – typically the delta from the loss to the solution is a wash.  

I go on to further explain that our customer will most likely look to us for a solution after an incident, which in this presentation regardless of if the solution washes out the loss, they will have to pay for the solution on top of the loss, which only increases the “actual loss.” I have now been successful in offering mitigating solutions with this process and really painting the picture for those who do not see the world from a security perspective and make it a dollar and sense decision.  

The connections at GSX are just as valuable as the keynote speakers. As I coupled this conversation with a presentation that I had joined regarding “How to present to C-suite executives.” Although confident with my presentation and speaking as a former Toast Masters member, it was a refresher on how to keep the presentation engaging for your C-suite and ensure they get all the information they need to make that decision. GSX is an overall hub of information, and as long as you keep an open, learning mind, you will gain all sorts of new perspectives and thoughts.

Asaf Levy has attended the four most recent GSX conferences and currently serves as the ASIS Toronto Chapter Chair.

We sat down with John McDermott, business development manager at Securitas and first-time attendee at GSX 2023 in Dallas, to discuss his experience networking and his advice for future first-timers. Read on for what he had to say!

Q: What advice would you give to a first-time attendee about networking at GSX, what is the best way to meet people and introduce yourself? 

A: The best advice for anyone going to GSX to network, is to not narrow your networking to just your specific market of security. Go and meet as many people as possible. Of course, you want to speak to potential prospects, partners, clients, etc., so carve out time for them and stop by their booths – but you never know who that might be in the future. Speak to as many people as possible and stop by any booth that catches your eye. It could lead to a potential new client or influencer – worst case scenario, it could just be a new friend in the industry! 

Q: There are lots of events going on. How do you decide which ones to attend? 

A: It is a great question and a true statement! Lots of events in a short amount of time. First check with any prospects/clients to see if they are already attending any events and be sure to stop by to say hello. Otherwise go to the ones that seem like they will be the most fun! If an event is fun, the people you want to surround yourself with will be there. Sometimes the secret event may just be the hotel bar – a relaxed environment, with no performance or reserved tables. Meeting individuals with their guard down is a great way to build professional relationships. 

Q: What is the best way to keep in touch with people you meet at GSX after the conference?   

A: This is just like keeping in touch with friends from summer camp or team mates outside of the sports season. Sometimes it is easy as you are in the same city and can grab a coffee/lunch once a quarter. Other times it could be LinkedIn activity with comments/likes or taking the extra step to call and discuss something going on at work that is relevant to something you spoke about at GSX or that you know would be of interest to that individual. If it isn’t a relationship that is organically going to grow from business operations, there will be extra leg work to maintain relationships but that is networking! At the end of the day some friends will just be a 3-day friendship at GSX each year, like catching up with an old friend.

Asaf Levy

The first time networking at GSX can be both nerve-racking and exciting. Just walking into the registration area and experiencing the vast space filled with hundreds of people from all over the world is somewhat intimidating. Although as you stand in line, swiping randomly on your phone to look like you are responding to an email, you hear likeminded professionals speaking about familiar topics and issues they are facing within security. You slowly find the vastness of the space get smaller, the people around you are familiar, even though you don’t know them personally. Security professionals are a special breed of professionals that love to share knowledge and information; it is in our nature.  

So, I say if it is your first time at the GSX conference, feel free to just jump into a conversation and share your story. While introducing yourself, you will find that you are pulled into a circle of professionals you never saw coming. I would also recommend everyone to attend the social events that happen around the event. Security professionals and vendors alike network at these events to connect on a personal level and have a good time. 

Not only can meeting people feel overwhelming, but there is so much happening at the event. Your best friend will be the GSX app. A map of the event space along with a description of all the keynote speakers and other presentations will give you a sense of direction. Find events that will assist you in achieving your goals at your workplace – from giving you the tools to finalize that presentation to your C-suite level executives for enhancing that security budget, or equipping you with industry leading knowledge regarding upcoming technologies, policies, and laws, to just learning a new arm of the security industry, these events will only broaden your knowledge across the security landscape.  

After a packed few days of meeting new people, newly acquired knowledge, and a whirl of events, it’s always best to keep in touch with all these new contacts. I have found that there is no better way than on LinkedIn. In today’s ever-evolving market and economy, people change companies and/or change their careers and LinkedIn is a sure way to stay connected with these newfound connections regardless of where they stay or go. Personal phone numbers are a great way of staying connected as well, as some people may not be inclined to use social media platforms. In summary, it is best to stay connected with someone outside of just their current business connection so you can make sure to keep them as a connection.

Asaf Levy has attended the four most recent GSX conferences and currently serves as the ASIS Toronto Chapter Chair.