The LP Magazine Founders’ 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 who 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, people, and programs.
EXCELLENCE IN PARTNERSHIPS
“It’s extremely important to build partnerships at every level—which includes the companies and programs we work with as well as the individuals who are at the heart of every quality relationship,” says Peter Morello, Sr., president of CIS Security Solutions. “My journey in loss prevention has been truly amazing. I’ve seen so many loss prevention professionals climb the executive ladder over the years and understand the hard work and dedication it takes to get there. Those same executives have helped guide me—from the time when I was the newbie in the industry in 1990 up to and including today. We work together to find solutions to the problems that we face by listening and showing mutual respect and support.”
That same approach is what Morello sees as the key to his success. “Innovation is built around engaging with loss prevention leaders to identify new challenges,” he says. “We must remain committed to developing creative solutions and staying ahead of evolving retail security needs. Relationships built on communication and trust are of the utmost importance. We have to ask and listen. We have to follow up and complete the tasks before us. Our journey has been one of persistence, learning, and adaptation—principles that will continue to guide us in the years ahead.”
For those leaders looking to work their way up the career ladder, Morello stresses the importance of building successful relationships at every level. “It is so important to recognize every person on the team and the value they bring to the organization—from store detectives and security personnel monitoring cameras to the leaders in the home office,” he says. “We need to recognize and appreciate how difficult it is to move up in any organization—and remember where we came from. Never lose sight of what it takes to lead, and what it took to get there.”
