Gene Smith, LPC, is the president of the Loss Prevention Foundation (LPF), an international leader in educating and certifying retail loss prevention and asset protection professionals. LPF’s mission is to advance the retail loss prevention and asset protection profession by providing relevant, convenient and challenging educational resources.
Founded in 2006, and governed under the leadership of a 31-member board of directors, LPF is the only 501 (c) 6, not-for-profit organization of its kind, exclusively recognized by and dedicated to the retail loss prevention and asset protection industry. Under Smith’s leadership, the retail industry’s only internationally sanctioned certifications—LPQualified (LPQ) and LPCertified (LPC)—were created. LPF is also focused on driving more talent to the profession from colleges, universities, military and law enforcement through its Academic Retail Partnership program and its Hire a Vet program.
Smith is a member of the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences, Alpha Phi Sigma, the Loss Prevention Research Council (LPRC), and the National Association for Shoplifting Prevention (NASP) Advisory Board. He has served on the Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) and the Restaurant Loss Prevention and Security Association’s (RLPSA) Loss Prevention Steering Committees and is a past advisor to the Advisory International Council of the Asia Retail Congress and the Security Management Industry Advisory Council (IAC) for the American Public University System.
Smith also serves as a director for the Institute for Professional Certification and Accreditation (IPCA). It is the mission of the IPCA to promote the highest standards for excellence in design, implementation and testing of content for professional association certifications in loss prevention, asset protection, security management and sciences, justice sciences and other related disciplines and to encourage excellence in academic programs in these areas through program certification and accreditation.
Smith is formerly the president of Downing & Downing, North America’s largest executive search and consulting firm specializing in providing human resource solutions for the retail loss prevention, asset protection, safety and audit industries. He is recognized as being an industry leader and subject matter expert on talent assessment and acquisition. Smith has conducted assessment interviews and career counseling with thousands of industry associates and has conducted industry organizational and consulting reviews designed to maximize resources and deliver value.
Smith spent twelve years in the retail loss prevention industry, holding various directorships with Federated, Consumers Catalog Showrooms and Revco Drug Stores. His passion for professional development, industry specific education and training was started during his two years as a loss prevention training manager with Federated Department Stores.
Smith is a graduate of Eastern Kentucky University with degrees in Police Administration and Security & Public Safety. He is a past recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Award. When he is not traveling and promoting our profession, he splits his time between Mentor, OH and Lake Havasu City, AZ. He can be reached at gene.smith (at) losspreventionfoundation (dot) org.
CATEGORIES
Loss Prevention
Professional Development
SOCIAL MEDIA
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