Dee McCown is the Director of Global Security & Loss Prevention at a Fortune 500 company with a proven track record of successful management in the private sector, US Army and FBI. He has extensive work experience in Latin America, Asia, Europe and the Middle East.
Dee McCown has a proven ability to develop and implement strategy focused on corporate security, national security, loss prevention, and global law enforcement initiatives in the areas of investigations, fraud, cyber, physical security, product theft, and violent crime (including kidnap/extortion) management. He is a collaborative leader with years of experience in building consensus across agencies, departments and public/private sector entities to achieve common goals.
Dee McCown has global experience in:
• Management Leadership
• Risk Management and Compliance
• Investigations Management
• Data Privacy & Cyber Security Support
• Legal Compliance
• Loss Prevention
• Special Events Security Management
• Strategic Planning
• Resource Management and Allocation
• Budgeting/Planning/Forecasting
• Personnel Security (kidnap and extortion case management)
• Physical/Facility Security
• Corporate Aviation Support
• Executive Protection
• Workplace Violence
• Global Threat/Risk Analysis
How did you get started in this business?
My professional life in security began in my early twenties when I was commissioned as an Infantry Officer in the U.S. Army with multiple leadership assignments in 9th Infantry Division, the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) and notably tours as an Airborne Ranger assigned to the 75th Ranger Regiment. I spent the first 10 years of my professional life in a series of demanding military roles in peacetime and combat that developed a strong foundational expertise in leadership, organizational management and problem-solving accompanied by an enhanced aptitude for physical and mental toughness. These skills were later refined and put to the test as an FBI Agent and Supervisor for the next 12 where I participated in and managed hundreds of criminal, counter terrorism, and counterintelligence investigations around the globe, also during peacetime and war.
How did you work your way up in this business?
My initial 22 years of government service laid the foundation for my success as a corporate security professional where I transitioned to 14 years ago; arguably preparing me to better negotiate the many present-day challenges we encounter in today’s complex global corporate security environment.
What made you want to work in this industry
I know this may sound cliché, but my life experiences have confirmed over the many years of working in security that there are three basic types of people when it comes to this topic; sheep, sheep dogs and wolves and I would argue that I fall into the sheep dog category. It is not an ego thing given everyone has a critical role to play in our society as a whole, it is just that wolves, or predators, are a ubiquitous presence among humankind and must be managed in order that a society of free and innocent people (sheep) go about their lives in a safe and prosperous manner; unmolested by those that would seek to do them harm. That is what sheep dogs do, they stand guard 24/7 and protect the innocent. In the world of corporate security this concept easily translates into a number or responsibilities that I presently manage, from guarding corporate secrets from the threat of economic espionage to jointly managing a workplace violence prevention program, with my Human Resources colleagues, to mitigate the risk of violence and protect our broader employee population.
What is it that you feel makes you good at your job?
I think my work ethic, personal integrity, EQ (emotional intelligence and understanding of people), and a lifetime of experience managing a variety of projects under difficult conditions around the globe have contributed to my success.
What are the perks of working in this type of business?
I have been fortunate to work for and with good people in a variety of assignments that gave me the opportunity to develop and mature as a leader and security professional.
What’s the most rewarding part of your work?
I have always felt a strong desire to serve and protect people, especially those among us that are the most vulnerable.
Where is your industry headed? What excites you about the future in this line of work?
The future of the corporate security profession is promising. Given the myriad of security threats corporations face domestically and globally, and the dynamic nature of the threat, the need for competent, trained, and professional corporate security leaders have never been greater. This need will be amplified in the years ahead.
What advice do you give people who want to get into your field of work?
When hiring new talent, there are a few things I look for. First, the person must possess unquestionable personal integrity and ethics. In the security field (and all fields I would argue) it is paramount that the staff possess unquestionable integrity given the nature of the work and therefore it is incumbent on our team to find team member that share this trait. Second, I look for a person with good judgment and decision-making skills and someone that is flexible when dealing with people. Third, I look for expertise and past experience in the position the person is being hired. I have no problem hiring a person with limited experience as long as I feel they have the potential to grow into the job and become better at it through training and experience.