The LPM “Magpie” Awards offer a means to celebrate industry accomplishments on an ongoing basis, recognizing the loss prevention professionals, teams, solution providers, law enforcement partners, and others that demonstrate a stellar contribution to the profession.
The ability to influence change is a product of drive, creativity, and determination, but it also requires a unique ability to create a shared vision that others will understand, respect, support, and pursue. Each of the following recipients reflects that standard of excellence, representing the quality and spirit of leadership that makes a difference in our lives, our people, and our programs. Please join us in celebrating the accomplishments of our latest honorees.
Excellence in Leadership
Jim Carr, CFI, CCIP, Senior Director of Global Asset Protection, Rent-A-Center
Carr has steadily climbed the loss prevention career ladder throughout his career, working for Jamesway, TJX companies, and Pep Boys prior to joining Rent-A-Center in 2009. As senior director of global asset protection, he currently serves on LP Magazine’s editorial board, is a member of the Certified Forensic Interviewer Continuing Education Committee, serves as ASIS Retail Loss Prevention Council membership chairman, and is a member of the ASIS CSO Center for Leadership.
Carr believes that true leadership requires a dedication beyond the limits of our basic skills and abilities. The capability to be flexible, adaptable, and open-minded heightens our career potential.
“Demonstrate your learning agility and commit yourself to a life of continuous learning,” said Carr. “We must always remain adaptable and ready for change. Bounce back from professional setbacks, learn from them, reinvent yourself, and stay relevant in a changing industry. Businesses are changing more frequently than ever. With these changes come new business strategies, priorities, and initiatives. With every change you must recalibrate your team’s strategy and initiatives to insure you’re properly aligned to support the new business. The key is to keep your team relevant and focused on what’s most important to your organization.”
Carr feels that genuine transparency, humility, self-awareness, and a curiosity to stay current with business trends and technology are hallmarks of leadership. However, he also believes that strong relationships-having the support of our families as well as those we work with-are the pillars that everything else is built upon.
“Emotional intelligence is the foundation of relationship building and collaboration,” said Carr. “People like to partner with coworkers whom they know and enjoy working with. Put your smartphone in your pocket, get out from behind that monitor, and get to know your colleagues and business partners.”
Excellence in Community Service
Chris Duke, LPC, Corporate Loss Prevention Manager, Heinen’s Grocery Store
“I’ve witnessed firsthand the emotional and financial turmoil that a sudden loss can cause,” said Duke, the committee chair of the Loss Prevention Benevolent Fund (LPBF). “After a colleague and good friend of mine passed away, I vividly recall the helpless feeling as his family was dealing with this tragic loss. While he did have life insurance, in the short term his family was facing no income, no health-care benefits, funeral costs, mortgage payments, and monthly bills-all adding great anxiety to the grief they were already experiencing. If our assistance can help a loss prevention professional or their family in their time of need and help relieve some of that anxiety, it’s well worth it.”
The benevolent fund was established by the Loss Prevention Foundation to provide financial assistance to surviving families who have lost a loved one while preforming the duties of the loss prevention/asset protection profession. LPBF also provides financial grants to eligible participants who experience a verifiable economic hardship as a result of qualifying circumstances. Support for the program has been outstanding with contributions coming from industry associations such as the Retail Industry Leaders Association and the National Retail Federation, solution providers, and retailers that have adopted the LPBF as a charity of choice. Duke has proudly served with the LPBF since its inception.
“It’s not easy for any of us to balance all of the many priorities that we have in our lives,” said Duke. “But once you’re engaged in something that you’re truly passionate about-something that’s in your heart and you truly believe in-you find the time and keep going back for more. It’s a humbling and emotional experience to see the gratitude and relief that these donations can bring. It’s all the motivation I need. We are all blessed to be involved in such a giving and caring community, and I’m honored to be a part of it.”
Nominate Your Peers
We want this to be your program. Those of you working as LP practitioners witness these exceptional performances on a regular and ongoing basis, and we strongly encourage you to provide us with nominees for each of the award categories. We encourage creative nominations and want the program to cast a positive light on the many tremendous contributions of the loss prevention community. Nominations can be submitted via email to excellence [at] LPportal.com.