As one of the Founding Board Members of the International Protective Security Board (IPSB), I like to remind folks periodically of the value of attending our annual conference.
- Value: The value received attending the IPSB’s Close Protection Conference (CPC) is unmatched. For your ticket price you receive:
- An Opening Reception Mixer with Drinks and Buffet Hors d’oeuvres
- SWAG provided by our vendors and sponsors
- Continental Breakfast for two mornings
- Lunch for 2 days
- A Day Two Happy Hour Mixer
- An Opening Reception Mixer with Drinks and Buffet Hors d’oeuvres
- SWAG provided by our vendors and sponsors
- Continental Breakfast for two mornings
- Lunch for 2 days
- A Day Two Happy Hour Mixer
- Continuous Education: As a professional, especially in a competitive industry (as ours is), the conference speakers provide relevant education on the multiple segments of the industry and how to tackle some of its challenges. Conferences provide education while training courses provide training. Keep up with education.
- F2F Networking: F2F = Face to Face Networking. Social media, emails, phone calls, and even video calls are nice, but nothing beats meeting folks “face to face”. Conferences are a great place to network with those you know, those you don’t know, and those you want to know, and those you should know.
- Investment in Yourself: Attending the conference is in investment in yourself and your future to stay current and relevant. Prospective employers and take note of who stays current and attends professional conferences.
- Business Connections: This could come under networking but sometimes we don’t always get to network directly with potential business connections. Many lucrative business connections have come out of attending the CPC as businesses are growing and adding to their capabilities and capacity.
- Involvement in YOUR Industry: The IPSB Close Protection Conference offers attendees the opportunity to get involved in the industry either through panels or question and answer sessions and engaging in discussions. Consider this, you can either be a fan in the stands watching a game on the field, or you can be on the field as part of the team that represents the industry you are in.
- Meet Vendors and Identify New Products: The IPSB expanded the traditional EP role to include a full spectrum of protective services, and the CPC has vendors who have products specific to different areas of the protective mission. It’s a good opportunity to review products and services related to our overall industry.
- Alumni Gatherings: Many of the training schools that provide executive protection training have alumni gatherings with their graduates, which provides additional opportunities to meet with fellow classmates and alumni.
- Professional Development: Executive Protection Professionals should continue their professional development and the Close Protection Conference is THE opportunity do that within our industry.
- Fun: An instructor once said, if he goes to training, he should “have fun, learn somethi2g, and have fun”. I believe in that motto and the same should be true for attending conferences. Come to the Close Protection Conference and have FUN!! The socials, the conference, nightlife activities, and it’s in Vegas! Enjoy the conference and activities and don’t forget to have fun. You deserve it. Bring the family and take some time to enjoy the sites and city!
The Close Protection Conference is just one of the exciting protection events taking place in Las Vegas that week. Other industry professionals are holding shooting events, training, and other networking opportunities.
Hope to see you there!
Jerry Heying CPP, PPS
Founding IPSB Board Member