The Hall exists to recognize, celebrate, and reward those in and around the retail loss prevention industry, honoring achievement and excellence across a variety of categories. It is intended to celebrate the lifetime achievements of industry leaders who have contributed so much to benefit the industry they have served.
They have cut the path for those who have followed. They are leaders of innovation, design, process, and policy. They have led an exemplary career, been a master of mentoring, and they have shared with others to help elevate professionals in loss prevention, enhancing the industry, giving back, and paying it forward, to those who follow.
LP Leader of the Year
The LP Leader of the Year is driving success with their team and for their organization. They are making a positive impact in the lives of others and leading by example, whether through successful times or times of adversity.
The LP Leader of the Year category is intended to recognize outstanding performance by an individual, worthy of recognition during the calendar year of 2021, or some part thereof.
Watch here to learn the 2021-2022 LP Leader of the Year:
This Year’s Finalists
The 2021-2022 Finalists for the LP Leader of the Year include:
Alan Cote, Risk Management Director, Associated Grocers of New England (AGNE)
Alan previously served as the company’s Safety/EHS manager before becoming the Loss Prevention Manager. In late 2020, the Company lost its Safety Manager and Alan took on additional Safety duties in addition to his own responsibilities. He worked with his Senior Manager and created the framework and vision for the Company’s Risk Management Department – which came into being in April 2021. In recognition of his unique abilities in experience in both Safety/EHS and Loss Prevention, Cote was tapped to head the department which now oversaw both LP (AP) and Safety/EHS.
Cote’s leadership and example saw the LP team get a new manager, and assume numerous additional Safety/EHS tasks which truly do blend into a true Loss Prevention function. He creates and drives a culture within his areas of responsibility of hard work, professionalism and a culture of safety and protection.
His vision and direction have created partnerships with public safety and EMS personnel, and created a credible and far-reaching Active Aggressor/Workplace Violence protection program; a three year capital improvement project to convert all camera/CCTV system in the distribution center and twelve retail locations to one IP platform; continued training on First Aid/AED/CPR training at the corporate and retail levels; LP and Safety Inspection auditing programs, and a host of other initiatives. All of this has been done on the retail side with three FT employees (counting himself) through September of 2021, when the Safety Coordinator slot was filled, and a 4th FT employee was onboarded.
Cote was previously named LP Investigator of the Year in 2016 by the New England Organized Retail Crime Association (NEORCA).
Gianna Davis, National Director of Investigations, Albertsons Companies
Gianna started as Director of Investigations in March 2021, she immediately identified key priorities and created an action plan for success. She quickly built relationships with key stakeholders and peers in the Divisions.
One big area of focus was pharmacy investigations. She identified areas to improve upon collaboration, reporting, communication, and partnerships to drive results and improve standards and performance. She learned about areas of risk in the pharmacy and provided feedback on risk mitigation. She established herself as a critical partner in the PCAT process and collaborated with partners on best practices.
Gianna developed national programs, training, and standards for Organized Retail Crime investigations. She aligned herself with experts in ORC, joined organizations, and jumped on the opportunity to participate and gain hands on experience. She solicited feedback on existing programs, techniques, standards, and cases with a focus on growing successful concepts and gaining partner support.
Gianna’s participation and leadership with key partners in the Ecommerce team resulted in reduction of fraud transactions and improvements in sales. She identified repeat offenders abusing fraud tactics and implemented mitigation and new company policies to avoid loss.
Gianna served as the project manager on a large scope test initiative with a significant concept utilizing technology to creatively reduce the risk to customers and employees. She demonstrated exceptional exception to detail, flexibility, tenacity, and leveraged cross functional partnerships to achieve the necessary expectations for pilot.
Gianna has quickly established herself as a valuable team player, peer leader, and results driver.
Maurizio Scrofani / Director, Supply Chain Asset Protection/ The Home Depot
During our careers we have all worked for good and great leaders. Some have been blessed and given the opportunity to work for extraordinary leaders that not only make those around them better, but also create a ripple effect within the organization they lead. A quote from Benjamin Disraeli on leadership, “I must follow the people. Am I not their leader?”. This quote reflects the powerful servant leadership style of Maurizio Scrofani. While we can recognize him for his many accomplishments and contributions, we will focus on what he himself describes as his “Ministry” – People First, Mission Always. He is a servant leader first, utilizing the inverted pyramid to achieve significant accomplishments throughout his career and currently as the Director of Supply Chain Asset Protection at the Home Depot.
Maurizio develops through personal interaction with business leaders and the asset protection team at all levels a vision that breaks legacy paradigms. Also sets a clear course with defined roles for all, and through strategic collaboration and relationships with partners, provides the arsenal to achieve new levels of results.
Maurizio makes every conversation an opportunity to have a positive impact for the person or group of people he interacts with. He makes you understand your importance and impact to the organization regardless of your position. Maurizio models and inspires leading by example. As Maurizio often states, “lead with your Heart”, which results in dedication to your team members, the team of individuals you lead, and the goals and values of the company. And then he motivates you to “Pay it Forward”, the ripple effect.
Maurizio’s deep caring and interest for not only the professional careers of his team members but equally his concern for their personal fulfillment, has made him highly regarded and respected. Part of Maurizio’s professional legacy are the leaders he has mentored and developed throughout his career, which will have a perpetual positive influence for the future of Asset Protection.