Another Successful Loss Prevention Foundation Learning Day – This Time in Cincinnati

On Tuesday, March 3rd, the Loss Prevention Foundation (LPF) partnered with the criminal justice department of the University of Cincinnati to hold a very successful learning day. The sponsor for the event was Sensormatic by Johnson Controls. Noted retail asset protection/loss prevention professionals spent the better part of the day presenting insights on careers in the field and the latest in technologies to lower shrink, control inventory, and effectively manage and interpret data related to those topics.

The sessions were paused for 3 hours mid-day to allow students in attendance to take advantage of a nearby career fair sponsored by the University’s criminal justice department. Numerous law enforcement agencies as well as many major retailers had representatives at the fair.

The formal learning day presentations not only gave the students and some asset protection professionals in attendance insights into new inventory control and theft deterrent technologies, they also offered a clear picture of the opportunities available for a career in retail asset protection/loss prevention.

Mike Lamb, LPC, vice president of asset protection at the Kroger Companies, offered his thoughts on the “Business Imperative of Loss Prevention and Asset Protection”. He described the role of asset protection as not only controlling shrink but adding to the customer experience. And, he added, when done right the pay in an asset protection career can be very rewarding.

Scott Glenn, LPC, vice president of asset protection at The Home Depot, later reiterated many of Mike Lamb’s comments. He then went on to offer his personal insights on “A Leadership Perspective on Careers in Asset Protection/Loss Prevention”. He, too, commented on the pay potential.

Kevin McMenimen, LPC, hosted a panel focused on “Women in Leadership”. Eight highly successful women in the asset protection/loss prevention industry were asked numerous questions regarding the successful effort to add more diversity in a field once dominated by men, along with the keys to their personal success. The panelist included Cita Doyle, LPQ – Instakey Security Systems: Sue Read. LPC – FleetPride; Jean Ann Schutte – Sensormatic Solutions; Tina Sellers, LPC – Family Dollar; Kathleen Smith, CFI – Albertson’s/Safeway; and Kris Vece, LPQ – Protos Security.

Wayne Hoover, CFI, co-owner of Wicklander-Zulawski and a highly entertaining speaker, talked about his firm’s non-confrontational approach to investigations and theft interviews and showed a video illustrating his points.

In addition to Terry Sullivan, LPC, president of The Loss Prevention Foundation and Karl Langhorst, adjunct professor of criminal justice at the university, other speakers included Guy Yehiav with Zebra Analytics; Felix Martinez with NEDAP; Dan Reynolds with 3SI; Peter Trepp with FaceFirst, and Matt Schriner, LPC with The Loss Prevention Foundation.

At the end of the day, LPF offered a special offering of a free scholarship for LPC or LPQ certification for anyone in the audience wanting to get certified. Terry Sullivan personally thanked the many industry solution providers who generously provide those scholarships.

The Loss Prevention Foundation’s learning day in Cincinnati was this year’s first event, but it won’t be the last. Stay tuned to the LPF website for future dates and locations.