Will Bernhjelm, Vice President of Security for Mall of America, will deliver the keynote address at the SECURITY 500 Conference in Washington, D.C. this November.

For 18 years, the SECURITY 500 Conference by Security magazine has gathered top security executives and government leaders for an engaging day of networking, panels and keynote presentations. 

In this keynote address, Bernhjelm will share how the Mall has implemented an enterprising, industry-forward security strategy to promote security from priority to mission-critical. Furthermore, Bernhjelm will discuss how integrating pioneering technologies with proven practices can help organizations to stay a step ahead of modern threats. 

Before Bernhjelm took his current role with the Mall of America, he held a range of pivotal positions within the Mall’s Security Department, including Director of Security, Patrol Captain, and Training Supervisor. He also has an A.A. in Law Enforcement from Alexandria Technical College and a B.A. in Criminal Justice from St. Cloud State University.

Previously, Bernhjelm spent 10 years serving in the Minnesota Army National Guard with deployments to Iraq and Kosovo. During this time, he was awarded the Bronze Star and Combat Infantry Badge. Now, he is involved in the National Retail Federation, SENTRY (a DHS Center of Excellence), and the American Society for Industrial Security. Moreover, he was listed as one of the Twin Cities Business Top 100 for 2025.

As the Vice President of Security for Mall of America, Bernhjelm protects 32 million visitors per year. By evolving the Mall’s security strategy, he has elevated the organization to a leader in the security space. He played a pivotal role in implementing facial recognition and expanding the abilities of the K9 Unit (including detection of firearms and explosives). Additionally, he constructed a comprehensive training program to prepare security officers for the job and cooperates with local, state, and federal officials to ensure the Mall’s safety. 

The 18th annual SECURITY 500 Conference will unite high-level security executives and their direct reports in Washington, D.C. on November 17, 2025. This one-day leadership conference is open exclusively to security executives, senior management, and their direct reports in both the private and public sectors.

Review the entire conference agenda to discover our full list of expert security speakers and register for the SECURITY 500 Conference today!