The Diamond's Best Friend

Sep 1, 2006 12:00 PM, By Michael Fickes

Toughness often isn't enough for a security director that deals with criminals almost every day. Take the case of David F. McGowan, vice president of World Wide Security Services for New York City-based Tiffany & Co. His job also requires civility, the ability to get along with and communicate with senior executives in a firm that sells the world's best jewelry to the world's wealthiest people.

“Our stores are always being cased,” says McGowan. “That's the way it is in this level of jewelry store.”

How does he know? “Usually, the people doing the casing aren't that good, and we'll notice them,” he says. “An individual might come in several days in a row but never ask to see something. Then again, the pros are pretty good. You may not notice them until you review the video after being hit.”

While all security directors must plan for the worst that might happen, few must worry about helping their security officers survive regular encounters with burglars or armed criminals the way McGowan does.

“I worry about our customers, our employees and my people, who are vulnerable standing at the door of a store,” says McGowan, who has been named 2006 Security Director of the Year by Access Control & Security Systems magazine. “So far, no one has been injured. I think that is because of the intensive training we provide our security people.”

Tiffany hired McGowan 10 years ago in 1996, when the chain operated about 70 stores. At the time, senior executives were laying plans to more than double the size of the company. They believed their security program, which had proven effective over the years, needed to be reorganized to handle the pressures and dangers inherent in selling the world's finest jewelry in stores all around the world.

Today, Tiffany operates 162 stores, occupies three corporate campuses, five distribution centers and seven manufacturing facilities. The company employs 8,000 people. McGowan's job is to look after everything and everyone.

At first glance, McGowan's background doesn't seem matched to his responsibilities. In fact, his background makes security seem an unlikely occupation.

He never served in the military. He has no experience as a police officer. He is the son of professional baseball player Frank “Beauty” McGowan. The nickname “Beauty” comes from the movie “Black Beauty,” which opened during Frank's playing career. Known for his speed on the field and around the bases, he came to be called “Beauty.”

Following in his father's footsteps, David McGowan was an excellent high school and college athlete, playing baseball and fencing. He was and remains a musician. Today, when he travels, he will occasionally find a band to sit in with. A few months ago, he hooked up with a band in Tokyo.

Several years ago, McGowan started a foundation in his father's name. The concept is to raise money to rebuild urban baseball fields that have fallen into disrepair. The foundation is currently exploring a program that will purchase first baseball gloves for kids.

McGowan graduated from Holy Cross with a degree in political science in 1986, the same year the Tom Cruise movie “Top Gun” came out. Like many other young men his age, he found himself enamored with the film and became interested in acquiring a flight commission. His application was one of thousands though, and he discovered that he would have to wait two years for a decision. While waiting, he responded to a help wanted ad for a security manager at Caldor, a now defunct discount retailer, and got the job.

“Caldor was an education in security for me,” he says. “While I had no idea about what a security department did when I started, my advantage was always that I could communicate well. I could articulate concerns and issues. That's why Caldor moved me through a number of positions even though I was very young.”

He was 26, for example, and managing finance for the company's security division, making decisions about security technologies used in new stores. He also gained field experience as a regional manager and investigator. “Over a half dozen years, I got hooked and decided to stay in security for the long run,” he says.

Eventually, McGowan moved from Caldor to Pergament, a Long Island, N.Y., home center retailer that was successful in the retail era before Home Depot and Lowe's appeared. The assignment was to clean house and build a security program from the ground up. Next, he went to Ralph Lauren's security department for two-and-a-half years.

In 1996, McGowan and Tiffany began to talk. His articulate nature, sense of humor, and formal bearing and attire — his civility — fit well with Tiffany's company culture. His broad background in retail security fit what would be a tough and demanding assignment.

Tiffany hired McGowan. He was 32-years-old and had a decade of experience in all areas of security across the real estate spectrum. Perhaps more important, he could think, write, speak, plan and work with senior corporate executives.

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© 2012 Penton Media Inc.

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