We’ve reviewed the submissions and our committee has narrowed down the choices to these outstanding finalists for LP Leader of the Year! The LP Leader of the Year is someone at a director-level position, or above, who is driving success with their team and for their organization. They are making a positive impact in the lives of others and leading by example, whether through successful times or times of adversity.
The Hall exists to recognize, celebrate, and reward those in and around the retail loss prevention industry, honoring achievement and excellence across a variety of categories. To be eligible for nomination, the LP Leader must currently be, or have been, in the role for which they are being nominated, for some or all of the calendar year of nomination. Individuals must be nominated by someone other than themselves. The LP Leader of the Year category is intended to recognize outstanding performance by an individual, worthy of recognition during a specific year.
AND THE FINALISTS ARE…
FINALIST: Robert Cormie, Director Loss Prevention and Facilities, The RealReal
I am nominating Robert Cormie as the LP Leader of the year because he is a true leader. He truly and passionately cares about his team members (on and off work). He is a true role model that is worth emulating. He is a humble leader that always advocates for the growth and development of his team members. His reputation always precedes him.
FINALIST: Wade Wheeler, Senior Creative Director of Product Design, MTI
For years, Wade has not only been the heartbeat of innovation at MTI, his future-looking views drive new approaches to complex theft challenges that delight clients and thwart would be thieves the world over. Wade has been at the heart of nearly every key innovation for MTI over the past 10+ years, and drove the key industrial design and core requirements for with the game changing Freedom Micro product – a solution that has found success the world over. And of recent accomplishment, has delivered IoT innovation to previously static LP product – solving problems of merchandising, loss, and even in store insights – all remotely connected.
What impresses about Wade is not only is he a visionary designer and division leader, he can put himself into a variety of chairs and viewpoints with amazing precision, representing retail and brand client views to ensuring amazing end user /consumer in store experiences. Wade’s first thought is always how to create unique and memorable consumer experiences, then acutely balanced with protecting the brand vision and the investment retailers make in their displays. Wade has ideated side by side with the biggest brands and retailers all over the world – comfortable and connected whether he is on the retail or factory floor. Wade is one of this industries best ambassadors and most talented visionaries. This would be an honor for Wade and his product innovation teams to cherish.
FINALIST: Guy Yehiav, General Manager and Vice President of Zebra Prescriptive Analytics, Zebra Technologies
We would like to nominate Guy Yehiav, vice president of Zebra Prescriptive Analytics (ZPA) at Zebra Technologies, for LP Leader of the Year. Guy is responsible for leading the growth and customer success strategies of ZPA. In this role, he is also in charge of leading overall corporate artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) strategy and direction, including enhancing devices with smart data and empowering customers to understand complex AI and Internet of Things (IoT) solutions. Prior to joining Zebra, Guy was CEO of Profitect, which was acquired by Zebra in 2019.
In his 25+ years of experience working in the retail and supply chain space, Guy has held several leadership roles at companies such as Oracle and Demantra Inc. Guy sits on multiple leadership councils, including the Retail Industry Association’s Supply Chain and Asset Protection Leaders Councils, League of Leaders by RiS and CGT magazines and is also a frequent editorial contributor to Forbes, Loss Prevention Magazine, Retail Touchpoints, RIS News, Total Retail, The Profit Chain, Business 2 Community, and Women’s Wear Daily.
Guy pushes everyone to truly support our customers and help them improve their operations. His approach to helping our customers not only understand the data they’re being provided using our solutions, but also how to act on that data, is what sets him apart as a leader in the loss prevention space. This approach has helped countless retail customers drive better decision-making.
Guy focuses on providing retailers with the right solution that can be used anytime, anywhere and by anyone. He believes that when a customer succeeds, so does the vendor, and this has motivated those on his team and who work with him at Zebra to continually improve our customers’ experience. Notably, for ZPA customers, there is no charge for training, consulting, and deployment services, which vastly differs from the industry norm.
Guy Yehiav has had a significant impact on strengthening Zebra’s software solutions strategy in 2020 and providing our retail and supply chain customers with exceptional customer service and support. His leadership and agility supporting our customers in an exceptionally challenging year for the retail space shows how dedicated he is to his craft and the larger loss prevention community. It is for these reasons that we believe Guy is deserving of this accolade.
FINALIST: Mike Lamb, LPC, Vice President Asset Protection at the Kroger Company (Retired)
A seasoned veteran within the loss prevention community, Mike Lamb has been a leader, a mentor, and a partner every step along the way. I have known Mike since his days at Federated Department Stores, and have worked closely with him throughout his time with The Home Depot, Walmart, and most recently with Kroger. Mike has always exemplified what it’s like to be a true leader, showing drive and innovation in carrying out his responsibilities, flexibility and cooperation with both senior leadership and department peers across the business, compassion and mentorship to the members of his team, and fellowship with his friends and colleagues across the loss prevention industry.
Mike has never hesitated to give back to the loss prevention community, serving as an Editorial Board Member with Loss Prevention Magazine, a Board Member with The Loss Prevention Foundation, a Board Member with RILA’s Asset Protection Leader’s Council, Board Member with the Loss Prevention Research Council, and as an Advisory Committee Member with the National Association for Shoplifting Prevention. He was actively engaged in each of these responsibilities, and has made significant contributions for the betterment of the industry.
Mike retired from Kroger during the last few months of 2020, having never slowed in his pursuit of excellence, with Kroger experiencing record shrink improvement year-over-year. His influence will be felt across the industry for many years to come through his programs and the many leaders that have benefitted from his guidance and support. Mike is an exceptional leader and a class act that epitomizes what it means to be LP Leader of the Year.
FINALIST: Anderson Ozawa, Loss Prevention & Audit Manager, Cinemark Brasil
Anderson Ozawa is a reference in Brazil when we talk about loss prevention. He has more than 19 years working with LP in important companies and created a website called “Prevencao de Perdas Brasil” (www.prevencaodeperdasbrasil.com.br) to deliver content and knowledge related to LP. With videos at YouTube, lectures, interviews and trainings around Brazil, he is an inspiration to LP professionals in Brazil.
What else are people saying about Anderson?
• Excellent professional, taking acquired knowledge to new horizons, either through lectures or through his published books.
• professional with enormous feedback, competence and humanism.
• For his large contribution to the efforts of loss prevention here in Brazil
• Because Anderson has a lot of representativeness, knowledge and participation in Loss prevention issues in Brazil
• Anderson Ozawa has all the references and qualifications to receive this award, as he is a leader in the workplace with the main characteristics expected from a professional like him: vision, passion, strategic thinking, communication skills, self-motivation, ability to bring people together, personal power, congruence, adaptability, discipline, resolution, constant search for excellence, ability to relate. He has created the method called Pentaigono de Perdas (loss pentagon), very important in this area.
• Anderson has extensive knowledge and a solid career in this field. In addition, he is the author of an important book on the subject. The name of the book is Pentaigono de Perdas( Pentagon of Losses). Certainly, he is the best option to win the award.
• Anderson is able to transmit the essence and culture of loss prevention, having great influence and knowledge in the area
• Anderson Ozawa is a reference on loss prevention, risk management, audit, and security in Brazil. Book author, speaker and instructor, in addition to having one of the best sites on loss prevention in Brazil.
• He is able to transmit the essence and culture of loss prevention, having great influence and knowledge in the area.
• He is a great influencer and content generator in loss prevention.
• I have known Anderson Ozawa for many years and I know his work. He is a reference when it comes to loss prevention, in addition to having written a book on this topic. It is great training
FINALIST: Brendan “Ben” Dugan, Director, Organized Retail Crime & Corporate Investigations at CVS Health
Over my 25-year career with the Sheriff’s Office, I have worked in various capacities, most of which have been as a detective and a sergeant overseeing criminal investigations. While working in this capacity, I have always made every effort to align myself with persons of similar work ethic. I have undoubtedly found that person in Brendan Dugan who has become my “go to guy” as it relates to all things retail. There is a saying that “iron sharpens iron”, and because of Ben I have become much sharper as an investigator, and have a much better understanding of the issues facing the retail industry.
I am on the board of several organizations, and like so many I want to bring about positive change within my profession and community that I serve. Often, there are many in our professions who complain about laws and policies, and unfortunately never take the time to be a part of a process to bring about positive change. These organizations have helped to bring about changes legislatively and in return have assisted the law enforcement community. I would like to take a moment to nominate Brendan “Ben” Dugan as a person who has made and continues to makes changes within our professions.
This past year has been without a doubt one of the most challenging times for our country and the world as COVID-19 nearly paralyzed our way of life. While many organizations were turned upside down and unfortunately went out of business or had to drastically cut personnel, Ben Dugan of CVS found a way to forge ahead. Ben worked tirelessly to show the impact of organized retail crime and managed to double the size of his team. Over the last year there have not been many significant ORC case closures until the Ben led his team to close a $50 million dollar case in one of the toughest markets in the country. I have been involved in hundreds of ORC investigations, and could not believe a case of this magnitude could be closed within 30 days is a true testimony of Ben’s leadership.
In addition to COVID-19, our country was dealing with civil unrest for several months last year which Ben assisted CVS in protecting his company’s assets. The reason for Ben’s success is his lifelong partnerships he has developed throughout the country with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies. I can attest to Ben’s dedication and professionalism is truly remarkable and unmatched with anyone else within the LP industry as it deals with developing the retail and law enforcement partnerships.
While managing his day-to-day responsibilities as the Director of ORC Investigations for CVS, dealing with COVID-19 related issues, civil unrest, Ben continued to promote the Coalition of Law Enforcement and Retail (CLEAR) in which he is the president. Once again Ben stepped up and held several virtual conferences, and is working tirelessly to pass federal legislation related to ORC. There are many organizations that we all rely on so much that have also been affected with what our nation has gone through; however due to Ben’s leadership as president CLEAR is here to stay and seen as the premier national organized retail crime association.
There is no doubt in my mind that the awareness Ben Dugan has brought about regarding ORC, and the partnerships he has forged has set the groundwork for so many others to follow. It my honor to nominate CVS Director Brendan Dugan as the LP Leader of the year.
FINALIST: David Lund, MA, CFI, LPC, Vice President of Loss Prevention at Dick’s Sporting Goods
The best leaders in our industry do a great job identifying awesome people who will contribute—not to surround themselves with, but to engage with. They recognize that adding value doesn’t always have a traditional look, but search for ways to expand our value and contribute more holistically to the business. These words exemplify David Lund.
David always takes advantage of opportunities to learn more, increase his responsibility, work in different retail environments, and live in different places. His leadership success includes many genres of retail to include department stores, specialty apparel, discount, music instrument, big box specialty, outlet, luxury, and sporting goods. He prides himself on people development, and polishing the gems within his own organization. Nearly 40% of the district LP team are promoted store managers, and the last 13 teammates appointed to director-level positions have all been promoted from within. He stresses the importance of education and training, remaining flexible, and carrying a winning attitude. David is also a champion of diversity and inclusion efforts supporting these efforts both within his organization and in the loss prevention community as a whole.
David also believes in giving back to the loss prevention community, serving as a Board Member with The Loss Prevention Foundation. His ability to motivate, look beyond the box, and work with others embodies what it takes to be LP Leader of the Year.
FINALIST: Mike Limauro, LPC, Senior Director of Asset Protection at Whole Foods Market
Since joining Whole Foods Market in 2017, Mike has effectively managed his team leading all aspects of loss prevention, safety, and risk management in addition to developing and enhancing food safety and quality control programs. His influence has extended well beyond the asset protection team, and through his ability to communicate and build strong partnerships he has successfully embedded a strong and consistent asset protection culture throughout the organization. However, his leadership abilities were underscored in 2020 during the COVID-19 crisis, when Mike and his team took charge of pandemic response efforts for the organization, showing tremendous support for the entire company and highlighting the value that his team could bring to the entire team at Whole Foods Market.
Mike and his team stepped up when the organization needed them most, taking charge and taking action to keep the company’s employees and customers safe through the development and implementation of tools, programs, and policies that helped our front-line employees serve the community with the trust and confidence that was needed most during these difficult times. This type of leadership sets Mike apart and is one of the many reasons we feel he is the LP Leader of the Year.
FINALIST: Lisa LaBruno, Esq., Senior EVP Retail Operations & Innovation at the Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA)
Everything that we have all gone through over the past year has been nothing short of surreal. As the retail industry has continued to tried to make sense of the current state of affairs tied to the COVID-19 pandemic, with everything from new terms like essential or non-essential, what does social distancing mean, what is a health screen, what is effective PPE and sanitation plans, what is the difference between fire code occupancy and the new rules of occupancy to support proper distancing per customer – bottom line is, nothing has been “normal”. Those with the best pandemic and crisis/enterprise mgmt. plans couldn’t have fully prepared for the chaos, extended time, and degree of unpredictability that has come from this event.
It has also clearly defined that being in a position of leadership doesn’t always mean you are a good leader – as we see with several of our governmental officials at every level of government.
Being a good leader means having the ability to navigate the uncertainty, provide clarity, communicate and guide, connect and align and provide confidence along the way. That has been the case with many of my AP peers over the last several months, however, there is one that clearly embodied this for our industry.
I want to nominate Lisa LaBruno for consideration for LP Leader of the Year for her ability to connect this industry in a way that has been the symbol of ‘normal leadership’. She has gotten AP leaders to collaborate, share insights, solve problems together, pose critical thinking, provide clarity to the state of affairs we are all facing (including the changes every 5 minutes) and being the ‘calm’ example we all needed. Her consistency, urgency, insights and availability has been nothing short of exceptional. From setting up a cadence of calls multiple times per week to compiling best practices for others to model from to asking for insights and connecting people together – it’s what was needed in a time like this.
While there is light at the end of the tunnel, we are not through the chaos, but we are definitely much further along and always guided by a ‘north star’ with her leadership and partnership within this industry.
You could not ask for a bigger advocate for this industry, a better voice of reason or even a better friend. Thank you for all you do Lisa for all of us.
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.