We’ve reviewed the submissions and our committee has narrowed down the choices to these outstanding finalists for LP Rising Star of the Year! The LP Rising Star is an up-and-comer that has demonstrated through their words, actions, and behaviors that they are going places as a role model for others, a leader in their company, and as a positive, insightful, and exemplary representative of the loss prevention industry both now and moving forward. They are making a positive impact in the lives of others and leading by example, whether through successful times, times of change, or times of adversity.
To be eligible for nomination, the LP Rising Star must currently be, or must have shown through their words, actions, and behavior, that they have offered an exemplary role for some or all of the calendar year of nomination. Individuals must be nominated by someone other than themselves.
AND THE FINALISTS ARE…
NOMINEE: McLean Stanley Essiene, CPP, PCI, PSP, CCIP
CEO
Essimacs International Security, Nigeria
McLean Stanley Essiene is extremely passionate about safeguarding, hence his transitioning to security management. As a young geology graduate that initially had a passion for an oil and gas career, he later rigorously wanted to pursue a career in law enforcement. One of the biggest influences in this decision was the security challenges in Nigeria.
Earlier this decade, the Nigerian law enforcement workforce was inadequate at 370,000 officers mandated to secure over 170 million Nigerians, a gross shortfall in United Nations recommendation of 222 police officers per 100,000 persons (1:450). As utilized in the United States and elsewhere, he understood that if the specialized technical capabilities of private security professionals in Nigeria are properly harnessed, it will ameliorate the gaps created by the inadequacies in the law enforcement manpower while attempting to address national security issues.
With Nigeria’s population of unemployed youth numbering about 11.1 million in 2012, McLean understood the link between unemployment and insecurity and the urgent need to contribute his quota. Therefore, regardless of the rigorous regulatory requirements by the Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) in the issuance of private guard license, he was able to incorporate a private security firm, Essimacs International Security, in 2013. In Nigeria, McLean is the youngest security business owner, with twelve permanent staff and over 100 contract employees providing (retail) loss prevention services nationwide. McLean provides an array of consultancy services to retail business clients including physical security, internal control (external and internal theft) and administrative errors.
Within his community, McLean replicated the Homeland Security Suspicious Activity Reporting Model which hit several milestones in the neighborhood security and loss prevention program. It has particularly enhanced streetwise instinct, increased a sense of civic duty, and curbed crime. McLean always adopts global strategies and initiatives to achieve tremendous local impacts.
In 2017, he won the ASIS Young Professional award, hosted in Houston Texas. He is a past Port Harcourt Chapter Vice-Chair and was the youngest to hold such leadership position. He holds a Bachelors in Geology, Masters in Environmental Management, and presently completing a Doctorate in Natural Resources and Environmental Management, with interest in Environmental Security.
McLean is a multiple global awards winner including the Nigeria OSPA’s pioneer Young Security Professionals award, the IFPO’s Bill Zalud Memorial, 2019 and 2020 IFSEC GLOBAL Influencer in Security. He is an association manager and an expert interviewee for the Security Magazine with membership in ASIS IFPO, ALPSPN; the ASIS International Young Professional Council Global Outreach subcommittee Chairman and the Human Threat management steering committee co-chairman and a 2020 Loss Prevention Foundation LPC scholarship award winner; 2019 IFSEC GLOBAL Influencer In Security describes the nominee was ranked #2 in the “One to Watch” category and was described as a “Rising Star” in the security and loss prevention Industry.
NOMINEE: Samuel Alvarado, LPC
Regional Senior Manager, Supply Chain Asset Protection
The Home Depot
Alvarado has continued to improve and excel has he has climbed the ladder of success as an asset protection professional. His understanding of both the stores and the complexity of the retail supply chain has positioned him to move into his leadership roles rather quickly—but with warrant. He is a strong mentor and very talented at people development, helping build leaders amongst those around him. He is an excellent partner and continues to give back to the teams, vendor community, and industry. We are all excited to see what comes next for this silent giant and look forward to his selfless achievements.
NOMINEE Maygen Taff,
Loss Prevention Lead
Dick’s Sporting Goods
Maygen Taff, as single mother of three, started out as a part time door host at Walmart in 2016. Her eye and attention to detail was quickly noticed, and she was promoted to asset protection associate in late 2017. During her rookie year in loss prevention, she led the entire company (11,500 Wal-Mart stores with an AP staff of more than 40,000 nationwide) in apprehensions with 525, and recovering $98k in 2018, out of High Point North Carolina. She also led her market with 18 internal prosecutions.
In late 2019, she joined Dick’s Sporting Goods as a Loss Prevention Lead in Winston-Salem, and led another major retailer nationwide in cases, prosecutions, and merchandise recoveries. Dick’s Sporting Goods currently sends new loss prevention hires from out of state, just to be trained by Maygen. She is now the leading candidate to be promoted to the area’s loss pPrevention manager. Maygen is very humble and not many people even know her amazing journey. When it comes to the pure craft of loss prevention, operational loss or theft, I’ve never seen a new comer as talented as Maygen. Considering where she started just a few short years ago, she would definitely fit the mold of a Rising Star.
NOMINEE: Ashley App,
Senior Asset Protection Analyst
Big Lots Stores
Ashley App is the perfect example of a rising star in the loss prevention industry. Not only is she extremely personable and loved by all who work with her in her role of senior asset protection analyst at Big Lots, she is dedicated to the field and continually pushes the boundaries of what Big Lots is able to accomplish. In just the past few years, Ashley has consistently improved her team’s performance by creating more efficiencies within the team and reaching out to other departments to improve communication across the entire organization.
At the beginning of the pandemic last year, Ashley immediately got to work creating new reporting tools and processes for the organization, to include everything from covid-19 positive case intake forms, health screen audits, sick pay documentation to streamline her department’s efforts along with HR & payroll, assigning follow up actions, and most notably, developing a new process for scheduling inventory which allowed multiple departments within the company the ability to see the information, communicate, and approve or deny requests, streamlining the process.
Ashley also tackled the enormous task of onboarding new departments onto their case management and audit platform over the past year, training them on how to use a new system and develop comprehensive reports and dashboards, which helped team members gain better insights into what is going on in their locations and where to focus their efforts. She continues to shine as a rising star, impacting the entire company’s performance and pushing them forward.
NOMINEE: Erin Grigoletti
Asset Protection Manager
Meijer Stores
Erin has managed her store in a year of adversity to drive almost every single metric in the asset protection world by exceeding expectations of the company standards. Erin has also managed a second store in the market for half the year while the position was being filled.
Erin is the trainer and the go-to person for all of the asset protection leaders in our market of stores. She serves as a great mentor to her peers as well as her team. Erin has really stepped up this year and shown what great leadership through adversity truly looks like while managing through changing times, expectations, and challenges. She is the true definition of what servant leadership looks like in our stores, and has built great partnerships with stores leadership teams, police departments, fire protection services, and our remote operations center team. Erin truly has managed the business in an admirable way to drive results and build partnerships this year.
HOW TO VOTE
DOWNLOAD THE LP PORTAL MOBILE APP FROM THE APPLE APP STORE FOR iOS, OR GOOGLE PLAY STORE FOR ANDROID. (SEARCH FOR “LP PORTAL”).
ONCE YOU INSTALL THE APP AND REGISTER, ACCESS “THE HALL” CHANNEL AND FOLLOW THE LINKS FOR VOTING
EACH CATEGORY WILL BE OPEN FOR AT LEAST TWO WEEKS OF VOTING – TELL YOUR COWORKERS, YOUR PEERS, AND YOUR FRIENDS – AND GET THE WORD OUT TO VOTE ON THE FINALIST YOU FEEL MOST DESERVES TO WIN!
Visit The Hall homepage to learn more about each of our categories and finalists