ASIS International, the world’s largest association for security management professionals, opened their annual conference on Monday—Global Security Exchange (GSX 2024) in Orlando. The event will continue through today (25 September) and feature more than 200 education sessions and approximately 500 exhibitors. This year GSX featured two days of pre-conference events on Saturday and Sunday, including Secure Horizons: An Immersive Experience for Senior Security Executives, ASIS Volunteers’ Day, the ASIS Awards of Excellence and the Outstanding Security Performance Awards (OSPAs).

2024 ASIS International President, Cy A. Oatridge, CPP, opened the conference by discussing the strategic direction of ASIS International and the importance of uniting global security professionals.

“We’re pushing boundaries to deliver real value, joining forces with key players and tapping into data to showcase security’s true worth,” Oatridge said. “Our goal? To support security professionals – whether you’re in Boston or Bangladesh – and to reach even those who don’t yet know they need us. These strategic pillars will guide us in delivering unparalleled value to our members and the broader security community while at the same time focusing on the role of our association as a facilitator both within and beyond our profession. Together, we’re a global force, united in our mission to make a lasting impact.”

Oatridge was joined onstage by ASIS International CEO Bill Tenney. Tenney addressed GSX for the first time as CEO, having joined the organization in early July. He spoke about the value security personnel add to their organisation, and how ASIS can help support and grow those security leaders.

“As security leaders, we bring strategic insights, risk management expertise, and crisis leadership to our organisations,” said Tenney. “We punch above our weight, often carrying more organisational heft than we realize. Our common purpose is to recognize and leverage that influence.”

Tenney added, “In the face of wars, civil unrest, terrorism, crime, natural and manmade disasters, there’s a level of concern and anxiety among populations around the world, and security teams and security professionals have unique abilities, skills, and experience to address these head on. The world needs security professionals now more than ever.”

Sanna Marin, the former prime minister of Finland, kicked off Monday’s programming with an insightful Keynote session about the intricacies of modern geopolitics, especially the recent Russian assault on Ukraine and Finland’s entry into NATO. Her presentation, titled “Geopolitics: Strategic Security Diplomacy: Charting Paths in a Rapidly Changing World” discussed the Russian attacks on Ukraine, the COVID-19 pandemic, and how resilience is crucial to surviving unexpected crises like these.

“This unpredictability underlines the importance of building resilience into our systems and societies so that we are not only prepared for known risks but also able to adapt and recover when unforeseen events occur,” Marin said.

She called for a more nuanced and comprehensive approach to global security challenges, one that maintains the benefits of global trade while reducing vulnerabilities to authoritarian regimes.

Monday featured close to 90 education sessions covering topics from across the security profession, including sessions on critical infrastructure, active assailants, mental health, and autonomous vehicles. The Game Changer from Maribeth Anderson and Ralph Miles, CPP, discussed the importance of building organizational resilience and provided methods for attendees to implement in their own organisations.

In recognition of Saudi National Day, Monday also featured a special session highlighting Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030. The session, led by H.E. Governor Aali Al-Zahrani, focused on industrial security and Saudi Arabia’s vision that emphasises strategic alignment with national unity, progress, and ongoing transformation.

Program highlights for Tuesday’s GSX lineup include:

• General Session: Dr. Rana el Kaliouby, Executive Fellow at Harvard Business School, Co-founder, and AI Investor
• Press Briefing: Update on ASIS International’s Forthcoming School Security Standard
• Game Changer: Do You Trust Me? How to Thrive in a Mistrustful Era
• Frontline Workers in Crisis: Leveraging Integrated Security Systems to Address Today’s Greatest Workplace Safety Threats
• Redefining Resilience: Empowering Effective Risk Management for the Future
• Fatal Flaws: When Life Safety and Security Conflict
• Hardening Soft Targets from the Inside Out—How to Detect and Prevent Organised Retail Crime
• ASIS Celebrates! at Universal Orlando
• For more information on GSX, visit the GSX Daily.

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