Excellence in Leadership
Robert “Bob” Caruso
Chief Business Development Officer, Metro One LPSG
“True leadership is not in the title you hold, it’s found through the respect and trust you earn from your team and peers,” said Caruso. “It’s being humble and reflecting inward to ask yourself what’s the greatest thing you can do for others. It’s relating to people by treating them the way you want to be treated. The title doesn’t make the leader—it is your integrity and how you conduct yourself.”
With more than forty-two years’ experience in loss prevention, Caruso feels that working with people has been his greatest calling. “Being able to have teaching moments and then passing them along to others—whether in life or business, has been my greatest joy. These are the things that feed my soul and allow me to be a better version of myself. Without it, any job would be mundane. By being able to pass the ‘fire in your belly’ allows us to have a more enriched outcome. This has allowed me to mentor and help others and I believe it to be the most important part of my job.”
Caruso has many important lessons to share with those looking to move up in leadership roles. “Learn all you can about the business in its entirety,” he said. “Only when you understand the entire job and the role, you’ll handle will you find success. Understand everything is a teaching moment and there is always room to learn and grow. Never stop learning—be humble and open enough to learn from everyone regardless of their stature. Build synergies with your colleagues by sharing knowledge. Always do the right thing especially when no one is looking. Have integrity—your word means everything. Above all else, always be a good human being. Be kind, have compassion, and never forget where you come from no matter your successes.”
Excellence in Partnerships
Sergeant Richard Rossman
Broward County Sheriff’s Department
“Partnerships are built with mutual respect, trust, two-way communication, and understanding we can achieve much more working together rather than as separate entities,” said Rossman. “Differing opinions need to be valued, with the understanding that partnerships between the public and private sectors need to respect how each works, supporting one another to achieve our common goals.”
As a third-generation law enforcement officer, there was never any doubt in Rossman’s mind that his career would take him into law enforcement. “With more than 225 years of service between my grandfather, father, uncles, cousins, and myself, our family has always been dedicated to serving the South Florida community,” he said. “I’ve been with the Broward Sheriff’s Office for more than twenty-five years. A majority of that time—twenty-three years—has been in investigations. I’ve been a sergeant overseeing investigations for the past nineteen years, which is exactly where I want to be. I’ve made the choice to remain a sergeant for the duration of my career. I feel it gives me the greatest opportunity to mentor, teach, and have a significant impact with the troops in the field.”
Rossman currently serves as president of the Florida Law Enforcement Property Recovery Unit (FLEPRU) and vice president for the Coalition of Law Enforcement and Retail (CLEAR). When navigating these partnerships, he feels sharing perspective is essential to meaningful success. “Law enforcement agencies must navigate the judicial system, adhering to rules of evidence, search and seizure, and their agency’s policies and procedures to build and successfully prosecute cases,” he said. “By the same respect, law enforcement needs to understand what’s important to retailers. Retailers are looking for transparency, open dialogue, and realistic timelines for case closures. Law enforcement also needs to understand and respect the resources and knowledge their retail partners can offer to investigations, working together to find meaningful results.”