The business of security

Nashauna Drummond, Lifestyle Coordinator

Not only is Renée Menzies-McCallum in the business of protecting people but she is a team player. Last October, she was appointed CEO of Guardsman Armoured. "I may be the face of the team but could not have accomplished anything without this team of highly capable managers and wonderful Cash in Transit, vault, administrative and maintenance staff who work so hard every day. Together we accomplish so much more than any one of us is capable of individually." Menzies-McCallum notes that they have produced results by having a united operating team with emphasis on client satisfaction - which has allowed them to increase their client base.

Before her appointment, Menzies-McCallum was general manager of Guardsman Armoured.

She joined the company in 1994 after returning home from completing her Bachelor of Arts degree with honours in English and Criminology. "I was first hired at then Brink's Jamaica Limited as the branch manager of Ocho Rios, and then later Montego Bay.I transferred to the alarm company (then Brinks Alarms Limited) as the general manager."

As CEO, McCallum manages four branch offices, all managers, all departments, more than 500 contractors and a fleet of 75 armoured trucks while reporting to the board of directors. Her duties also include preparation, presentation and pricing of proposals for new services and implementa-tion, conversion, training and redesign of now proprietary 'Track & Trace' Software, and among others conceptualising and implementing new products and processes, liaising with international clients and local agencies in order to bring new businesses to Jamaica. Her job is a very demanding one she conceded in an email interview with Flair. "It is a very demanding job and I'm not sure I always get the balance (between work and family) right, but I do try every day to find the balance. Some days I'm better at it than others."

Criminologist

Menzies-McCallum was interested in pursuing a career as a criminologist. "I wanted to know the psychology behind the criminal mind. You and I don't commit crimes, not out of a fear of being caught, but moreso because we find it morally repugnant. I wanted to understand the thought process where one actually mentally arrived at the place where crime was an acceptable alternative." But she notes that in 1994 it was a relatively new field and there were no openings for a criminologist in Jamaica.

One of the most challenging areas for her is the immediacy of all aspects of security. "In security everything is immediate and important.You can't ignore something or let it wait, because each day brings its own unique set of challenges."

But despite its challenges, Menzies-McCullum loves her job. She explains, "In security you're protecting people. Even though it may seem that we are protecting valuables, by transporting those valuables, we are protecting the people who would have been endangered by transporting it themselves.Our guards take that risk every day, and the most rewarding part of my day is when everyone returns home safely and I know that for one more day we have protected our clients and protected our staff ... and the cycle begins again the next day.

"I love my job and I love my 'big red trucks' (as we refer to them). I'm one of those fortunate few that love what I do every day. I fell in love with security at some point very early in my career. I continued my education to ensure that I became a better general manager and a better leader - and these are transportable skills across different companies, products and services.But security is about keeping people safe, and that is one of the best jobs you can ever have."

In 2004, she completed her executive master of business administration at Florida International University and the Duke Leadership Program - Fuqua school of Business, at Duke University, in June 2010.

In a male-dominated field, Menzies-McCallum is right at home. "My field is male-dominated, but I have been fortunate in that I was employed by Guardsman Group at the beginning of my career and Kenny Benjamin (executive chairman), had already employed strong women in leadership roles such as our Group Managing Director Valerie Juggan-Brown. When I was first employed I had to prove myself as a young woman just entering the security field straight out of university." She notes that the financial controller at Armoured is also a woman. "Our team is very supportive, and we work together to achieve our goals." she added.

nashauna.drummond@gleanerjm.com