Get to know Shelley Stewart, Executive Director, Global Security for Cummins, Inc. The company is a Fortune 500 corporation that designs, manufactures, sells and services diesel engines, power generation systems and related products and technologies.

Though we deal with risk everyday, there is one risk that rarely makes it into our risk management plans – a change in organizational leadership. Whether the result of an internal structural shift, an external hiring decision or a merger/acquisition, a change in leadership and reporting can signal a challenging time for security.

A new report emphasizes that the need for determined and adept risk leaders to build risk management capabilities at every level of an organization has become an essential component to organizational success.

Bart Szafnicki follows the news every day. Mainly, it’s because his colleagues will be racing towards the action to break or report on a story. Szafnicki is Vice President Corporate Security for Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. (TBS, Inc.), which has brands and businesses all over the world, including CNN.

Jim Frankild sought out technology to improve his situational awareness. Timothy Phelps wanted security video for judge-pleasing evidence. Wes Hill created a unique metropolitan area network. J.B. Van Hollen rolled out a crime alerting system. In Chicago, at the NATO Summit earlier this year, one of the world’s most sophisticated integrated security systems bridged myriad transportation, school, street and even home cameras to safety contain protesters. And Bryant Garrett finally turned in his VCRs for state-of-art technology. Then there is Ken Deck, who had to concentrate on protecting a vulnerable perimeter.

“Forewarned, forearmed; to be prepared is half the victory.” - Miguel de Cervantes When unexpected security situations arise with travelers abroad, there is a marked difference in response between trained individuals and those who are untrained. When facing security or safety challenges, the trained traveler or expatriate responds in accordance with what they have been taught and learned; they have protocols and pre-briefed responses as threats present themselves.

Aurora, Colorado. Penn State. The Indiana State Fair. These recent tragedies were clearly driving the agendas of speakers and attendees at the 2012 National Sports Safety and Security Conference and Exhibition in New Orleans early last month. The conference, hosted by the National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security (NCS4), tailored its speaker lineup around some of these recent issues – active shooter protocol, sexual misconduct policy and weather risk mitigation.

The median compensation for security professionals in the United States increased 2 percent from 2011 to $102,000, while the average annual compensation increased 14 percent to  $121,000, according to the 2012 ASIS International U.S. Security Salary Survey.

Each year, Security magazine honors top security executives who positively impact the security industry, their organization, their colleagues and their peers. They change the security landscape for the better. They are nominated by their colleagues and associates, and they are chosen based upon their leadership qualities and the overall positive impact that their security projects, programs or departments have on their shareholders, organizations, colleagues and general public.

Afghanistan, Syria, North Korea, Yemen, Somalia. Remember that Barry McGuire 1965 song, “Eve of Destruction?” “The eastern world, it is exploding / Violence flarin', bullets loadin' / You don't believe in war, but what's that gun you're totin'?”