SDY Honor Roll 2005: Sean Williams, Diverse Experience

Sep 1, 2005 12:00 PM, By Erin Semple

Sean Williams, security director for Greater Richmond Convention Center, gets high marks from fellow employees for his leadership and accomplishments.

Williams has served 12 years in security in roles including: assistant security director for Chelsea Tiers, a sports and entertainment facility in New York; assistant security director for Chesley-Brown International, a contract security company in Richmond, Va.; project manager for Allied Security, private security company in Richmond; account manager for Capital One, a finance company; and deputy for the city of Richmond for five years. The native of New York City currently contracts for Global Spectrum, a Philadelphia-based company that is part of one of the world's largest sports and entertainment firms Comcast-Spectacor.

“I try to elevate to the next level,” he says. “I work to be proactive with educational programs and I always seek opportunities to enhance my knowledge in security services and techniques.”

Every year more than 5 million visitors come to the Richmond region. The Greater Richmond Convention Center is located near the Richmond International Airport. The 700,000-square-foot facility's interior accommodations include 178,159 square feet of exhibit space, 32 meeting rooms and the 30,550-square foot Grand Ballroom. The Greater Richmond Convention Center was built as a result of regional cooperation between the City of Richmond and the surrounding counties of Henrico, Chesterfield and Hanover. It is owned by the Greater Richmond Convention Center Authority, which is composed of these governmental entities and the Retail Merchants Association of Greater Richmond.

During his security career, Williams has always been in a supervisor role. “I try to implement a very structured security plan. My job is to guarantee the safety of the facility and the department,” Williams says. “I am completely responsible for the well-being of the staff, property and guests of the building.”

Williams is establishing his own private security company. “I also like to keep up with security and management organizations and make sure I enlighten my staff about security changes since Sept. 11,” he says. “Security is a dynamic field. You have to be proactive.”

His duties include planning, developing and implementing security initiatives for the facility, protecting the staff, property and attendees, participating in customer service training, coordinating schedules for concerts and security and checking certifications of his department. Williams says his job is exciting.

“I see a diverse side of entertainment, and it is exciting to come here everyday because it is never the same,” he says.

He recommends that other security directors should continue to network, seek additional training and keep up with society changes.

Williams “has developed written policies and procedures for security and event staff. His policies have greatly reduced the number of staff call-outs and give us a sense of standard operating procedures,” says Herb Boyd Jr., security officer. “He is in the process of obtaining training for our staff in the writing of reports, certification as unarmed security staff and other areas. He has raised the level of morale among our staff.”

Williams graduated from Bridgewater University with a bachelor of science in criminal justice in London in 2003 and is a certified CPR instructor and AED automated defibrillator trainer. He is in the process of earning a masters of public administration in organizational management from Christopher Newport University in Newport News, Va., and becoming a certified protection professional (CPP). He serves as Little League baseball coach in Beaver Dam, Va., and participates in Virginia Special Olympics and community cleanup functions.

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