This past week LP Magazine celebrated its 15th year anniversary during the magazine’s annual board meeting, which was held this year in Sanibel Island, Florida. While the time seems to have gone by in a blink of an eye since the magazine was first announced at the NRF Conference in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada in 2001, it also feels like LP Magazine has been the voice of the loss prevention community for much longer.
Since King Rogers penned the first cover story on organized retail crime, LP Magazine has covered the stories that have mattered most to the loss prevention community. We have seen each other through great tragedies such as the events of September 11, 2001, the latest trends in tools and technology, the birth and maturation of the LP industry’s certification programs, and a glimpse of what is yet to come as loss prevention continues to grow and evolve as a profession.
This year’s meeting featured honored guests, magazine mainstays, seasoned professionals, and the premier loss prevention solution providers that have worked together to bring you the news, innovations, and information that have driven retail loss prevention over the past 15 years. Naturally, with this comes stories of humble beginnings, lasting partnerships, long-term friendships, and loss prevention trivia.
Dave Zulawski spent a few minutes discussing the humble beginnings of Wicklander-Zulawski as they embarked on their journey to become the global leader in interview and interrogation training. Dr. Richard Hollinger briefly reviewed his background with the magazine, and how working in a grocery store where employees stocking shelves were pilphering snacks helped put him on the path as a leader in research and development for the loss prevention industry. Several solution providers shared their involvement and contributions to the magazine. We also took some time to honor Bob MacLea as he retires following 41 years with TJX loss prevention.
Presentations were offered by our solution provider partners including a discussion on “The Silver Tsunami: Are You Ready for the Millennials?’ with Ryan Carter from InstaKey. Ryan discussed the importance of adjusting to this growing demographic within the workforce and how this helps evolve within our customers and our workforce. This was followed by a presentation on “When Are You Using Too Much Technology” with Chris Copenhaver & Patrick Henderson from Protos Security and the importance of managing these changes intelligently and with appropriate care and discretion.
We also received updates from John Wilson with LP Magazine EU, Lisa LaBruno with the Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA), and Gene Smith with the Loss Prevention Foundation. This was followed by a group discussion on “Having a Seat at the Table” which included what it is, how to achieve it, how to maintain it, and the importance of having a seat at the table as retail moves forward.
Serving the Needs of the LP Community
While there was much to commemorate, the real celebration focused on what is yet to come. These meetings also provide an opportunity to share what LP Magazine has in store for today’s loss prevention professional. We discussed the transformation of LP Magazine from a magazine to a media platform. With expanding digital resources, new authors, new columns and features, and a commitment to quality content, the magazine team shared in-depth analysis of readership growth and engagement.
With readers in more than 175 countries across the world, LP Magazine has shown significant increases in new visitors and return visitors to our digital platforms, there has been strong performance in open rates, email retention rates, social media engagement, and an impressive Email Sender Score of 97, which far exceeds industry competitors. What this means is that we are delivering quality original content to our readers, and they are responding. We are continuing an upward trend in brand performance, and delivering value to our sponsors.
Special Guests
The event also featured outstanding presentation by two very special guests. Superintendent-in-Chief William Gross of the Boston Police Department shared his personal story as a police officer, and how the department has worked with the community—often those in depressed areas who have historically maintained a conflicted relationship with the police—to create a winning culture and a strong, positive relationship between the community and the police department. The first African-American chief in the history of the Boston Police Department, Gross gave a powerful message on the importance of working together as a community and how understanding and cooperation can lead to tremendous opportunities for the entire community.
The evening was capped by a discussion with Mike Eruzione, the captain of the 1980 US Olympic “Miracle on Ice” hockey team that won the gold medal. This inspiring story of hard work, dedication, and a positive attitude offered tremendous insights leading up to that incredible victory, and left the audience buzzing in the aftermath of Eruzione’s tale of preparation, drive, and teamwork.
“This was an exciting event to be at. As my first time to this conference, and in a new senior role, this gave me a chance to network with my peers and make so many new contacts. The format is outstanding and interactive and it really gave me an opportunity to participate and demonstrate myself as a thought leader in this industry.” – Industry Solution Provider
As we look ahead to the next fifteen years at LP Magazine, we look forward to your thoughts, ideas, and opinions to help us continue to bring you the very best news and information pertaining to the retail loss prevention industry. From everyone at LP Magazine, please accept our sincere gratitude for your interest and participation in making LP Magazine the first-in-class choice as the voice of the loss prevention community.
Image caption: The LPM team at the 2016 Annual Meeting.