The Executive Protection Council, the newest addition to the ASIS International roster of 34 councils, has been approved by the ASIS Board of Directors, according to an ASIS International press release.

Members of the council work in executive protection (EP) full time, oversee EP departments, or advise clients on EP concerns, according to the council’s chair, Robert Oatman, CPP.  Senior managers from Fortune 500 companies as well as from privately-held companies that provide EP services to the private and government sectors serve on the council.

Impetus to form the council began in 2013, when ASIS offered a Certificate in Executive Protection. While Oatman had been teaching a two-day program for ASIS on executive protection since 1998, growing interest in the course and the certificate lead to the formation of an ad hoc council in 2014.

With its formal status now secured, council members will focus in earnest on their mission and goals, which include providing education and resources on professional executive protection and establishing EP as a business enabler to keep protectees safe and productive. In the short term, the council will foster its active leadership, add new members, enhance content to the council’s website, and present a webinar. Longer term, the council hopes to develop an executive protection standard, and has formed a subcommittee to look into that possibility.

International interest in EP is evident by the diverse backgrounds of the students that attend the ASIS EP programs. Many are currently working in the field, but all want to learn more about the art of executive protection. In addition, says Oatman, corporations have realized the value of EP services. As a result, EP has become a viable career path for individuals transitioning from law enforcement or government positions.    

Members of the ASIS Executive Protection Council represent professionals with recognized credentials in the field. To learn more about the council and its programs, visit the council’s website.