Tyson Robertson has more than twenty years of progressive retail experience in loss prevention, physical security, risk management, and multiunit management with a few of the world’s fastest-growing organizations, including Marshalls, TJ Maxx, and currently Amazon fulfillment centers. He is also a certified forensic interviewer (CFI) and Wicklander-Zulawski (WZ) interviewing certified. He is vice chair for the Loss Prevention Foundation Advisory Council.
Why did you decide to pursue your LPC certification?
I firmly believe that with every profession and/or passion a person should never stop learning and being curious. I have found the LPC certification to be one of the most educational and comprehensive developmental experiences in building my business acumen. The curriculum provides a great snapshot and refresher of the professional experiences I have had over the past two decades of my retail career.
Was the coursework what you expected?
The coursework was highly informative. I found the reading material and concepts introduced in each module to be very interesting. Much of the content is relevant and applicable, which is no easy task considering the volatility of the business environment.
Talk about the process of going through the coursework and taking the exam.
While the LPC coursework definitely prepares you for the proctored exam, it helps to have a few years of field experience. I found that my personal experiences helped me relate and retain the reading material much better than digesting the content for the first time. Throughout the course and prior to diving in, you are reminded of the most effective study techniques, and my recommendations are consistent with the feedback-read more of what is not already familiar and/or what you are particularly interested in.
What information in the course helped you the most?
As previously mentioned, I dove into areas I was least familiar with or at least it had been awhile since I was involved in it. Areas such as certain regulatory guidelines, labor unions, and pharmacy are outside of my expertise. I think these areas helped round off my acumen. I found this information very useful in preparing for and passing the proctored exam.
What was the most eye-opening information that was part of the curriculum?
Risk management and crisis preparedness were probably the most eye-opening sections for me and mainly due to how it helped me realize my organization’s gaps and strengths. I found these sections to be immediately applicable in identifying standard work and leveling up to industry recommendations.
What benefits have you seen from taking the course?
The benefits are definitely most notable in developing a better understanding of how each cross-functional team supports and works in tandem. I also found the material to be a great resource for expanding the business acumen and internal career interests of an employee facing tremendous company growth or constantly diversifying its business model.
If you could offer one key takeaway to someone currently considering getting certified, what would it be?
Most LPC participants tend to be nontraditional students or individuals who have been out of the educational environment for a few years. I mentioned earlier the benefit in years of work experience, but there is also a downside to this. As a corporate administrator for my organization, I have found that some may find it challenging to approach the content with the level of discipline and time management needed to complete the course in a timely fashion. That means reading, studying, and testing your knowledge during your downtime and in between conference calls or while traveling on business. The LPC course can easily take eight to twelve months to complete, but it should not. Schedule time to get it done.
How would you compare the foundation certifications to other educational courses that you’ve taken?
Over the course of my career, I have achieved my CFI and have taken all levels of WZ, including advance interrogation and interviewing techniques. The LPC course provides a much broader curriculum than what I have experienced. I realize there are other credentials to consider such as CPP and CFE. In full transparency, additional certifications are on my radar to continue supplementing my education and work experience. The cool thing is that the Loss Prevention Foundation acknowledges other certifications as continuing education units to maintain LPC/LPQ certification.
How has certification changed your expectations of loss prevention as a career, for yourself and for others?
Although professional credentials are noteworthy and add credibility, investing in the LPC course offers far more than three letters to your name. It keeps you engaged and holds you accountable to a world of continued education and networking opportunities.
I would absolutely recommend the LPC course to anyone serious about a career in retail. I think there is tremendous value in the
LPC/LPQ course beyond the pursuit of an LP career. The content in this course helps build a greater understanding of how to effectively engage and leverage multiple business partners and functions. It is also very important for today’s leaders to understand how to effectively utilize their people resources.
Newly Certified
Following are individuals who recently earned their certifications.
Recent LPC Recipients
Ryan Clifton Adams, LPC, Amazon.com
Matthew Barnett, LPC, Belk Department Stores
Emily Buck, LPC, Walmart Stores
Sheldon Carlson, LPC, Rent-A-Center
Ryan Collins, LPC, Walmart Stores
Ernesto Contreras, LPC, Loss Prevention
Bruce Couling, LPC, 7-Eleven
Joshua Daniels, LPC, Walmart Stores
Deanna DeCourcy, LPC, Walmart Stores
Christy Dennis, LPC, Walmart Stores
John Gosciejew, LPC, Amazon.com
John Higgs, LPC, Walmart Stores
Michelle Langford, LPC, Albertsons
James Lapcevic, LPC, Luxottica
Josiah Leite, LPC, Sears Holdings
Kevin Lemons, LPC, Walmart Stores
William Macaulay, LPC, PETCO
Ryan Mogel, LPC, Ralph Lauren
Robert Repka, III, LPC, Walmart Stores
Jeffrey Rickey, LPC, Walmart Stores
Michael Rock, LPC, Walmart Stores
Zachary Ryan, LPC, Amazon.com
Mark Shorney, LPC, John Lewis PLC
Rocky Smith, LPC, Walmart Stores
Randall Sneed, LPC, PETCO
Keith Snyder, LPC, Walmart Stores
Eric Stone, LPC, Amazon.com
Mark Tow, LPC, CFI, PETCO
Antonio Van Hise, LPC, Amazon.com
Barbara Weaver, LPC, Best Buy
Shayla Werner, LPC, Walmart Stores
Jared Wesselman, LPC, Walmart Stores
Christopher Willis, LPC, Walmart Stores
Recent LPQ Recipients
Theresa Ajayi, LPQ, ORIS Media
Amy Allen, LPQ, Best Buy
Michelle Baldwin, LPQ, Yum! Brands
Jeffrey Cashman, LPQ, TJX
Pauline Garcia, LPQ, Vector Security
Jakob Grun, LPQ, ORIS Media
Ron Houk, LPQ, Mattel American Girl
Abigail Jagger, LPQ, ORIS Media
Donald Lauritsen, LPQ, 7-Eleven
Michael McRoberts, LPQ, Law Enforcement
Francis Ortiz, LPQ, Walmart Stores
Kylie Rudy, LPQ, Kennesaw State University
Steven Ryall, LPQ, Goodwill Industries of Sacramento Valley & N. Nevada
Mohammadsami Shaikh, LPQ, Bloomingdale’s
Nigel Sutliffe, LPQ, ORIS Media
Zbigniew Trendak, LPQ, Levi Strauss & Co.
Gregory Watts, LPQ, Caffe Nero
Allison Wyatt, LPQ, Walmart Stores