The BSIA Chairman’s Awards have run for several years now, rewarding worthy individuals for their outstanding contributions to private sector security in the previous 12-month period.
This year’s Chairman’s Award for Contribution to Partnership Working went to Charles Farr OBE, the director general at the Office for Security and Counter-Terrorism. Farr is responsible for overseeing the review and publication of the UK’s counter-terrorism strategy CONTEST. This document, of course, recognises the private security industry as a key partner in the development of protective security measures and capabilities.
The Contribution to the Community Award was bestowed upon Nigel Whiskin MBE, who started his career as a probation officer and subsequently went on to create the very first Victim Support Scheme here in the UK. He then founded Crime Concern, the pioneering community safety charity. Nigel’s contribution to securing the UK’s local communities through this work has been immense.
The Contribution to Standards Award went to Nick Sims for his dedication over more than ten years to developing industry standards. Nick is a former chairman of the BSIA’s Security Equipment Manufacturers Section, a current convenor of Working Group 4/TC 79 and has played a significant role in many technical Working Groups over the years. His most recent achievement involved chairing the BSIA’s Working Group on Open Interconnection Protocols.
The award for Promoting the Industry – won in 2005 by Security Management Today’s Editor Brian Sims – went to Pauline Norstrom, the well-known director of worldwide marketing at the AD Group and current chairman of the BSIA’s CCTV Section. An extremely committed advocate of CCTV technology when talking to industry, end users and members of the wider public. Pauline is a regular speaker at industry and end user-focused events, and has also undertaken a number of national and regional broadcast media interviews on behalf of the Association.
An additional Chairman’s Award for Services to Exporting was presented to Mohammed Farooq, commercial officer to Saudi Arabia, for his contribution to fostering good working relationships between the UK and Saudi. The award was presented during Farooq’s recent visit and attendance at IFSEC 2009.
Inspiration in HR Award
Sponsored by SSR Personnel and presented by the company’s managing director Peter French, the Inspiration in HR Award recognises the important role Human Resources managers can play in the security equation.
Service sectors rely on teams of people across a number of environments, from customer-focused settings through to those that require an in-depth knowledge of technology. Human Resources professionals play a key role in the selection, training and monitoring of thousands of individuals across these different spheres. Now in its third year, the Inspiration in HR Award provides these professionals with the recognition they very much deserve.
This year’s Judging Panel included Baroness Henig (chairman of the SIA), Skills for Security chief executive David Greer, Una Riley from The Worshipful Company of Security Professionals and Brian Sims (the Editor of SMT Online and group content editor of UBM Live Division’s security portfolio), and was chaired by the BSIA’s chief executive, John Bates.
Candidates in the frame this year included Advance Security (UK), Glevum Security and Telefonica O2. The winner for 2009 is VSG. Congratulations to all concerned from SMT Online and info4security.com!
Building The Future Award for 2009
The Infologue.com/SMT Online Building The Future Award is bestowed upon the person or organisation who, in the view of the majority of previous winners (among them Bill Muskin, David Beaton and Stuart Lowden), has created the most significant footprints towards a vibrant, professional and mutually profitable security guarding industry.
This award is presented jointly by Bobby Logue and Brian Sims, the Editors (respectively) of Infologue.com and SMT Online and sponsored by Interconnective.
Brian Sims’ presentation speech for the 2009 Award was as follows:
“The winner of this year’s Building The Future Award was elected chairman of the BSIA’s Cash and Valuables in Transit Section in 2006. Since that point in time, he has been instrumental in driving forward the Association’s ongoing campaign to reduce Cash-in-Transit attacks.”
Sims continued: “The individual in question has been tireless in working with his contacts across the police service and throughout Government to raise awareness of this particular brand of criminality. It’s a brand of criminality that blights the security industry, and continues to cause injury and severe distress both to the couriers themselves and their families.”
SMT Online’s Editor added: “Our winner has made a huge contribution to the SaferCash Campaign which finally obtained Home Office engagement, and led to the resulting Cash and Valuables in Transit Crime Reduction Charter. He has also presided over a change in recruitment policy at G4S Cash Services, commendably focusing on the use of internal candidates for promotional opportunities.”
Sims went on to say: “As a Board member of lead training body Skills for Security, he has contributed greatly to shaping the future of skills and training in the industry. Indeed, he has a clear dedication to the welfare of all those that work for him and, it must be said, of cash and valuables couriers right across the sector. This is borne out by the significant contribution he has made, and continues to make, towards reducing CIT crime.”
If you haven’t already guessed, let me tell you that the winner of the 2009 Building The Future Award is the managing director of G4S Cash Services in the UK and Ireland, Ian Nisbet. Congratulations Ian, from Bobby and I!
Dickinson honoured for services to the industry
The BSIA also used yesterday’s Annual Luncheon as the perfect platform to honour its former chief executive David Dickinson for his services to the industry over more than 20 years.
Speaking at the presentation of the BSIA’s Services to the Industry Special Award, new president Sir Keith Povey said: “David Dickinson has made a huge contribution to this industry. He joined Group 4 in 1988, where his experience covered marketing, sales, special events and operations. Eventually, David became the highly respected director and general manager of Group 4’s Immigration Detention Services operation.”
Sir Keith Povey continued: “Joining the BSIA in April 2002 as chief executive and successor to another David, David Fletcher, he was determined to push the Association forward as the authoritative voice of the security industry. He forged strong relationships at Government, ACPO and European levels that still hold true to this day. David was also instrumental in the implementation of regulation across the industry, and always remained committed to ensuring its success.”
David’s tireless efforts to reduce Cash-in-Transit attacks led to the very serious nature of this brand of criminality gaining the attentions of both the police service and the Home Office, and his commitment to this issue has been unstinting.
“David’s impact on the security industry was evidenced through the many tributes paid to him from key players in Government, the police service and the industry at his retirement dinner last December,” opined Sir Keith. “He has left behind a lasting legacy of which he should be proud, and from which the BSIA and the security industry continue to reap the benefits.”
In addition to picking up this well-deserved award, David has now been made an honorary member of the Association.
