The loss prevention industry is a generous one. Individuals and companies give of their time and money to support a wide array of charities and causes to better the communities they serve. Over the years, organized events associated with annual meetings or conferences have generated donations to organizations like the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, the Make-A-Wish Foundation, and many other worthy causes. This year, the generosity turned inward.
Dating back to the ’90s, a golf tournament has been associated with the National Retail Federation’s annual loss prevention conference. The sponsoring organization has changed a couple of times over the year as companies come and go. This year, the Loss Prevention Foundation (LPF) took charge of the event.
As most everyone in the industry knows, the Foundation is a not-for-profit organization whose primary mission is providing education and certification for loss prevention professionals. Launched in 2006, the organization built two certification programs—the LPQualified for entry-level loss prevention associates that provides a baseline introduction to the business of retail LP and the LPCertified program for more experienced LP professionals that offers an in-depth look at the retail enterprise and the many associated areas of expertise necessary for career advancement into management roles. To date, over 2,000 individuals have taken the online coursework and passed the exams to now have LPQ or LPC after their names.
In keeping with their mission to educate our industry, the LPF board of directors decided that the dollars raised at this fund-raising event would be used to fund scholarships for worthy loss prevention associates who wanted to continue their educations and advance their careers. Thus, the Swing for Certification golf tournament was born.
On Sunday June 10, preceding the Monday start of the NRF PROTECT conference in Dallas, over 120 LP retail practitioners and solution partners assembled in the 98-degree Texas heat for a day of networking and fun. Thanks to the generosity of the participants and over twenty corporate sponsors, the event raised over $35,000 that will fund more than fifty scholarships—designated the Bob MacLea Scholarships in remembrance of the recently deceased TJX executive who contributed much to his company as well as the industry.
Another $5,000 was raised for the Foundation’s Loss Prevention Benevolent Fund (LPBF) that provides critical relief to help support colleagues and their families in times of exceptional need, such as injury or death in the line of duty. In addition, $7,000 was donated to the USS Foundation, the legacy sponsor of the golf tournament.
“On behalf of everyone at the Loss Prevention Foundation, we want to thank all of the guests that participated in this tremendous event and especially our generous sponsors that were so instrumental in making our vision for this day a reality,” said Terry Sullivan, LPC, president of the foundation. “We’re very excited for the many opportunities that these Bob MacLea Scholarships will provide to the loss prevention community and the support that our efforts can bring to those in need through the LPBF.”
Now that the scholarships have been funded, it’s up to those loss prevention professionals who strive to continue their educations and advance their careers to take advantage of this opportunity. Individuals may apply for a Bob MacLea Scholarship by going to the website yourLPF.org.
Jack Trlica
Managing Editor