certification
Helping Loss Prevention Professionals in Their Time of Need O
by Gene Smith, LPC Smith is president of The Loss Prevention Foundation, the not-for-profit organization charged with the responsibility of managing certification. He was formerly president of the industry’s largest executive search and consulting firm. During the past fifteen-plus years, Smith has provided career counseling for thousands of industry professionals nationwide. He can be reached at 704-837-2521 or via email at gene.smith@losspreventionfoundation.org.
ver the years, our profession has always been generous in raising funds for many meaningful charities. But have we done everything we could to help our own? In late 2012, Luis Jhon, a Walmart asset protection professional, lost his life while trying to confront a shoplifter. This event struck a nerve with the Loss Prevention Foundation (LPF) team, and we decided it was time to do something about it. As a profession, we could no longer allow the families of our fallen friends and colleagues to mourn their losses without voice or support. It was about time our profession rallied to offer assistance to help families who suffered the loss of a loved one who died while conducting the duties of the profession. As a result, the LPF created the LP Memorial Fund to honor the fallen and provide financial assistance to their families at their greatest time of need. LPF launched a fund-raising effort, and soon teams of loss prevention professionals, including Staples global asset protection team and the Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA), began to help raise funds. An independent committee was subsequently established to oversee all fund-raising efforts including the disbursement of funds for those in need. The breath-taking reaction when an unexpected check was delivered to the surviving families motivated the committee and LPF staff to do more. In late 2015, the Loss Prevention Foundation created the LP Benevolent Fund (LPBF), a 501(c)(3) (pending approval) organization. In addition to distributing funds to the families of the fallen, the LPBF was established to provide financial grants to eligible participants who experience a verifiable economic hardship as a result of qualifying circumstances. Situations that could qualify for a grant include serious medical issues, death of a dependent, natural disaster, no permanent shelter, homelessness, and so forth. Applications for assistance made to LPBF will be kept confidential except as required by law. LPBF will operate under the oversight of the LPF board of directors. A contracted independent auditor will audit
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march–april 2016
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all financial records annually in accordance with LPF’s standard operating practices and compliance as a 501(c)(6) not-for-profit organization. All fund-raising records will be reviewed and presented at the annual board of directors meeting. The first major LPBF fundraising event for 2016 will be held during the RILA Asset Protection Conference in Dallas April 17–19 followed by the NRF PROTECT Conference in Philadelphia, June 14–16.
The Committee
Committee members perform several important duties while they serve: ■ Provide general overall administration of the LPBF program. ■ Evaluate eligibility and approve the issuance of all financial grants. ■ Ensure that 100 percent of all funds raised are directed to supporting the charitable mission of the LPBF. ■ Ensure that during each general board meeting, the activities of the LPBF Committee are formally reported, read into the minutes, and approved by the board. ■ Provide general oversight and support to all fund-raising initiatives sponsored by retailers (such as Staples) and trade associations (such as RILA).
Committee Members
Chris Duke, LPC, (Chair) Rob Shields, (Treasurer), Director of Loss Prevention, Staples Lou DiLorenzo, Director of Client Relations, SOS Security LLC Steve Hyle, LPC, Vice President of National Accounts, AFA Protective Systems, Inc. Paul Jaeckle, LPC, Senior Director, Asset Protection Operations, Walmart Lisa LaBruno, Esq., Senior Vice President, RILA Gary Johnson, Senior Advisor, Excelerator Consulting LLC Melissa Mitchell, Director of LP and Inventory Control, Lifeway Christian Stores Bill Davis, Regional Director of Sales, Southeast US, BSI - Best Security Industries
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