In early 2021, a bold vision took root as the founding partners of SEMM Holdings came together to create a dynamic force in compliance, safety, and profit protection—one that would bring together complementing products, services, and industry-leading solutions, all under one banner to serve the growing needs of an evolving industry. With a collective focus on driving change, the primary goal was to partner cutting-edge solutions with strong relationships and customer satisfaction. This winning combination would create meaningful alliances that would serve both the immediate needs of the client as well as their long-term corporate objectives impacting positive profit performance.
A Team Built on Trust and Experience
While a relatively new brand, the leaders and divisions of SEMM Holdings have a long history of industry-specific experience, expertise, and success. Created in the founding of SEMM, The Integritus Group is led by Kevin O’Brien, a seasoned leader with more than 35 years of experience in loss prevention, safety, risk mitigation, and operations. O’Brien partnered with long-time collaborator Mark Simson, who himself has an extensive 20-year background in the security industry working across different successful start-ups and established organizations, leveraging his specialty in driving investment and finance. Together, Kevin and Mark found guidance in the experience and wisdom of industry icon, mentor, and advisor Steven May, former owner and CEO of LPI, who brings decades of expertise in the very services The Integritus Group planned to expand.
Combining Kevin’s deep roots in loss prevention, shrink reduction, investigations, audits, and compliance with Steven and Mark’s diverse background and experience working with senior lenders across multiple verticals, The Integritus Group understands the crucial role that these critical components play in a profitable company. These industry leaders share the vision of providing a complete outsource solution, or a co-source model, to support existing departments—best accomplished by offering a holistic approach to total retail loss.
It was this vision that also attracted investor Ezri Silver who, from the very first discussion about forming SEMM, offered both his financial and operational commitment as a firm believer in the outsourced service model that The Integritus Group would come to represent. As a former client of O’Brien’s for over 12 years, Ezri knew firsthand both the benefits and the limitations of Kevin’s former employer’s business model and believed in the strong relationships forged by the leadership team—and in evolving the suite of services to be offered in the new venture.
“From day one, we wanted to create a company that offered a unique, customer-centric approach to loss prevention,” O’Brien recalls. “It wasn’t just about providing services—it was about building relationships that last. Building authentic partnerships means a shared mission, supporting common goals, driven by service, and all built on a foundation of trust.”
Complementing Compliance Across Multiple Verticals
In establishing SEMM Holdings and the formation of its core division as The Integritus Group, SEMM also leveraged an acquisition of the Pharma Compliance Group. This furthers its brand strategy and builds on the successful delivery of compliance and due diligence support, expanding this to companies in the pharmaceutical, medical, and pharma-transportation industries.
Led by Matt Murphy, Pharma Compliance Group brings more than 30 years of experience in the regulatory world, primarily focusing on DEA audits and drug diversion compliance for pharmacies and pharmaceutical products. As a former Assistant Special Agent in Charge with the New England Field Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Matt brings his subject matter expertise to the team. As the former Chief of Pharmaceutical Investigations, he was instrumental in developing and implementing the DEA’s strategy to dismantle drug trafficking organizations illicitly distributing pharmaceutical controlled substances. As an organization, PCG strives to ensure clients remain compliant in this critical field, avoiding costly fines and contributing to social support and responsibility by tackling issues like opioid addiction.
With a shared focus on safety, compliance, and profit protection and a commitment to regulatory standards, outsourced compliance audits, investigations, interviews, and related professional services, this alliance not only drove the immediate success of these individual divisions, but also fueled further expansion of the SEMM Holdings brand.
The Next Step: “Training” for Success
Compliance and safety benefit from the proactive efforts of looking for potential issues before they can have a negative impact. An even bigger benefit is leveraging training and awareness to bring attention to opportunities of concern, to educate on how to handle situations if they should occur, and to avoid issues altogether.
To complement the services of The Integritus Group and Pharma Compliance, SEMM looked to LPM Media Group as their partner to provide the training component of their offerings. LPM Media Group, which also owned the award-winning, e-learning division of Learn It Solutions, has stood as the industry leader in training communications since 1999. The company creates custom campaigns and programs delivered in print, digital, and mobile solutions, driving education and awareness across a diverse and distributed workforce with a reach expanding across the entire retail loss prevention industry. This partnership evolved in June of 2023 as SEMM Holdings took the next step in their journey, acquiring and adding LPM Media Group to their impressive portfolio, rebranding LPM Media Group as Learn It Media.
Learn It Media is led by industry veteran Kevin McMenimen, the creator of Learn It Solutions, co-founder of The Loss Prevention Foundation, and respected technologist creating analytic, biometric, data management, and data sharing applications used widely throughout retail, hospitality, and banking industries. The team at Learn It Media has worked with leaders across nearly every major retailer both in the U.S. and globally as experts in developing and delivering effective communication solutions, providing critical education and certification, and elevating the loss prevention profession as a whole.
“The vision for SEMM became clear as we expanded,” explains McMenimen. “We saw the value in combining our services and expertise to offer a more complete solution for our collective client base.”
With a rich history of success in creating award-winning brands and industry initiatives, and a collective legacy of leaders and subject matter experts, the pioneers that encompass the SEMM Holdings family believe in continuously evolving to discover new, engaging solutions that have an impact on corporate performance and profitability. Combine this with deep industry relationships and extensive law enforcement and compliance expertise, and add a dash of financial proficiency—SEMM quickly becomes the definition of a “recipe for success.”
A Culture Rooted in Family and Innovation
At SEMM Holdings, the culture is inviting, thoughtful, and engaging. The team works remotely, relying on the latest tools of technology to stay connected. Yet despite the digital distance, the company has maintained a strong sense of family. “We hire people into our family, not just as employees,” says Simson. “We work hard, but we also care deeply about the well-being of the entire team.”
This commitment to caring extends beyond the internal team—it is also a hallmark of SEMM’s customer relationships. Every division is focused on providing real solutions to real problems, not just selling services.
“Offering innovative solutions that reduce shrink, mitigate risk, and prevent fines, lawsuits, and legal issues that can cost millions is among our core goals,” stresses O’Brien. “But our objectives as an organization reach much deeper. Everything we do is designed to protect businesses, their profits, and their reputations while accomplishing this in a way that complements the culture, vision, and mission of the companies we serve. This is embedded in our values and a critical aspect of everything we do.”
“We are constantly exploring new ways to deliver quality services at a lower cost, and innovation is key to accomplishing that,” adds McMenimen. “But innovation is not just a buzzword—it’s a commitment. Whether exploring new solutions or leveraging existing resources and opportunities in new and creative ways, SEMM strives to stay ahead of the curve to meet your needs and drive results.”
“But while we are embracing these essential aspects of ongoing growth and development, we never forget the importance of hands-on service,” reveals Simson. “What sets us apart is that we still provide traditional on-site services, like audits, which many of our competitors no longer offer. If it’s important to our clients, it’s important to us.”
The Horizon and Beyond
The vision for SEMM Holdings is clear: continued growth, expansion into new, but complementing services and industries, and remaining a trusted resource for all things that drive operational excellence in compliance, safety, training and development, and profit protection.
“We want SEMM to be recognized for more than just our services,” says O’Brien. “We want our innovative, relationship-focused approach to be at the heart of every client interaction.
Whatever service you need, from audits and investigations to exception-based reporting analysis, training, and awareness, we are committed to being the go-to solution, driving success. Your success is our success.”
At SEMM Holdings, we understand the road ahead relies on our ongoing commitment to deliver world-class service and innovative solutions for our clients. Whether it’s through outsourced loss prevention, regulatory compliance, or training, it is our mission to protect what matters most: your business. So, if you’re looking for a partner who strives first to understand your needs, then to partner to address them—and that has the experience to back it up—look no further than SEMM Holdings, where innovation, experience, and customer care meet.
Visit the SEMM Holdings website to learn more.
