Desire for the greater good

Edward Levy entered the military directly after college. His time in the military spanned more than two decades, in which he rose through the ranks of the United States Army to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel as a Military Police officer.

“I had a diverse military career,” Levy reflects. “Partway through my military career, I started migrating toward assignments that were heavily focused on leading security and antiterrorism programs.”

Throughout the course of his expansive military career, Levy developed an appreciation for what he calls “the greater good.” This passion for continuing to uphold a service to others fueled his interest to continue in the security field after Army retirement.

“I believe most persons going into the military have a sense of service which further grows while learning the deep history and experiencing the traditions for duty and honor,” Levy states. “Obviously, people don’t go into the military to make a lot of money. What partly drives folks into the military is that desire to serve, whether on the home-front or around the globe. They want to serve a greater role that extends beyond just themselves.”

As a commissioned military police officer, Levy developed an understanding and appreciation for taking care of people.

“The roles I had in the military gave me a better appreciation for what it means to protect people, communities, organizations and critical assets.” Levy declares, “There are people out there that want to harm other people, nations who want to harm Americans and our allies. Being a protector gives me a great sense of fulfillment.”

Levy’s desire to protect made his transition from the military to private sector corporate positions a natural one. After leaving the military, Levy joined Shearer & Associates as a Senior Security Analyst. His career only grew from there, as he climbed to positions such as Director of Security Operations for Pfizer, Head of Security for Thomson Reuters, Vice President of Workplace Security at MetLife, Chief Security Officer at Lone Star Funds, and more.

In this culture, whether you're an operator, a practitioner or you're on the service side, most people have the same desire to do the right thing with you.

Today, Levy is the Director of Critical Infrastructure at Noble Supply & Logistics, which he considers a positive shift from his previous private sector roles. “It’s a shift from being a security leader or security practitioner,” he says, “but I wouldn’t call it a total shift, especially from part of my past experiences in the military.”

Levy remarks that his current role has brought him “full circle” from in-part of his career path in the military. “I spent three years working in the Pentagon and was part of the Army’s program for the research, development, and acquisition of anti-terrorism and security equipment for the Army worldwide. Now, I’m able to help shape and deliver security and antiterrorism protective systems into the private sector.”

With such an extensive career journey, Levy has grown to love many aspects of the industry. There are two in particular that he focuses on as his favorite parts of working in security.

The first aspect he mentions is the strong, supportive culture within the security industry. “In this culture, whether you're an operator, manufacturer or on the service side, most people have the same desire for teamwork and the same protective mindset.”

Another aspect of security Levy appreciates is the ability to attain fulfilling and measurable results. “I really like getting to see the results, as an individual and as a member of a team. Whether it’s protecting against an unwanted event, comforting victims, or responding to humanitarian incidents, when it comes to safeguarding the people or organizations that we’re a part of, there’s a strong sense of giving back and achievement.”

The idea of giving back is central to Levy’s sense of accomplishment within his career. Upon reflecting on his greatest professional accomplishment, Levy states, “I would probably say my greatest career accomplishment is being able to promote, support, coach, mentor and train the next generation as others have done for me.”

For the next generation of security professionals, Levy advocates the importance of continuing education, professional development, and volunteerism. “My advice is to seek opportunities for education, training, networking and taking on new and progressive opportunities as you navigate your career.” He also advises, “Peer groups are important, because they’re all about learning and growing.”

To security professionals at any juncture in their career journey, Levy offers the following advice: “Being a part of values-based organizations and a value-based cultures has kept my interest and drawn me into the security industry. Being a part of companies that have strong value systems that match your own is important, as practitioners and leaders, as we navigate the industry.”