2002 Security Honor Roll

Sep 1, 2002 12:00 PM

FOSTERING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AT REVLON

By JENNIFER PERO

John Farley is a man of few words. He modestly lets the success of his security program speak for itself.

A retired, decorated detective for the New York Police Department, Farley joined Revlon Inc., New York, in 1988 as a member of the protective staff for top executives. “It wasn't long before John's professionalism and self-motivation propelled him through the ranks to the position he now has as director of corporate security,” says Revlon security manager Thomas Hillery.

Farley has held the position for nine years, and he says dedication and determination have brought him where he is today. He is responsible for overseeing the protective programs at all of Revlon's North American facilities and also has ancillary responsibility for overseas sites and special events involving corporate personalities. His title entails responsibility for the protection of employees and company assets worldwide. He is also the supervisor of approximately 40 employees.

Farley admits his job isn't always easy. Most days, he says, are challenging, but every day is rewarding. “Nothing in my job is day-to-day,” he says. “There is usually something that comes along that is new and has to be handled differently.”

Revlon's facilities require security ranging from guards, to cameras, VCRs and video printers, leaving Farley to constantly reevaluate his sites for enhancement. Recently, he was responsible for overseeing the conversion from a proprietary security work force to a contract work force at Revlon's Oxford, N.C., facility. Additionally, he has undertaken the automation of Revlon's trailer tracking, upgrades to technology and has served as the security team leader for restructuring and in-service training programs.

Above all, Farley says his highest priority is maintaining a safe work environment for Revlon employees. He attempts to get all the staff involved in projects and to obtain their feedback, and he takes an active role in fostering good relationships within the company.

“I believe one has to be able to interact with the entire population of a company to succeed in the security business,” he says. “You have to get the security force to realize that they are an important part of the success of the company.”

Farley is actively involved with the NYPD Area Police — Private Security Liaison, or APPL program. APPL unites corporate security professionals and law enforcement officials in the New York City area to foster workplace relationships. The program aids in the dissemination of critical information and the exchange of ideas.

Hillery recalls a specific instance in which Farley went out of his way to foster better relationships.

Several years ago, Farley began a program of assembling the chief security personnel from each of the domestic sites for an annual director's conference. “We had the conference at a different site each year to give everyone a chance to see the operations at different locales,” Hillery says. “John was the primary impetus behind getting the annual event up-and-running, and gave us all a chance to meet our peers and establish personal and professional relationships that endure today.”

Always seeking to keep the event timely and informative, Farley would assign a topic related to the security profession to each of the attendees. It was their responsibility to create a presentation that each attendee would give to an audience ranging from six to more than a dozen during Revlon's expansion period.

“Those presentations were some of the most educational sessions we've had as in-service professionals, and gave each of us a chance to shine in our particular specialties,” Hillery says. “The final year we had our conference in Canada, and John graciously arranged the sessions to give us enough free time to visit Niagara Falls as a group.”

Under Farley's leadership, Revlon's domestic sites have developed a number of best practices and standardized operating procedures. This could be attributed to his role in recruitment and in-service training. Farley interviews all security-related candidates before they are hired at Revlon's corporate headquarters, and he interacts with security officers daily, assisting them with resolving problems.

“[He] shares concerns and solutions with our counterparts, and has developed an invaluable knowledge base for helping each other address common issues,” Hillery says. “Most importantly, John is approachable. He has been a tremendous help to a number of us personally, while doing all he can to facilitate our professional development and further our protective services careers.”

In his effort to maintain a safe working environment at Revlon, Farley has also committed himself to his education. With a bachelor's degree in criminal justice, Farley also attends seminars and functions held by the American Society for Industrial Security (ASIS), as well as meetings with APPL. His dedication has kept him prepared for the unexpected. While shifts in priorities were a necessity for many security professionals after Sept. 11, Farley contends his priorities didn't change at all.

“I have always been a proactive security professional,” he says. “After Sept. 11, it made my job a little easier, because from that point, everyone was security-conscious. In my business, any heightened awareness is viewed with gratitude.”

When he's away from his office, Farley takes great pride in his growing collection of classic automobiles. He owns a 1956 Ford pick-up truck, a 1963 Chevy Impala Convertible and a 1970 Chevelle. He also collects Lionel trains — a gift passed down from his father. Above all, his greatest treasure is his grandchildren.

OVERCOMING ADVERSITY IS MORE THAN JUST A PHRASE AT THE GARDNER MUSEUM

By MICHAEL FICKES

Lyle W. Grindle, CPP, entered his fourth decade as a security professional in 1990. What happened that year could have destroyed his career. On the night of March 18, 1990, the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, where Grindle works as director of protective services, fell victim to the largest theft of private property in American history.

Grindle's response to that event transformed his career into a cautionary tale about security management, and a personal triumph.

Today, at age 61, Grindle continues to manage security for the Isabella Stewart Gardner facility. He works in a small office with no windows. Bookcases crammed with technical manuals line the walls. Above the bookcases, Grindle has developed a miniature collection of copies of the museum's art. His favorites are a Vermeer called “The Concert” and a Rembrandt entitled “The Storm On The Sea Of Galilee.”

Why are these paintings special to Grindle? “I guess because the originals were stolen,” he says wistfully.

As a young man in the early 1960s, Grindle served in Naval intelligence. Following an honorable discharge, he returned to school, studying law enforcement and security at Northeastern University, Stonehill College and Massachusetts Institute of Technology. In 1970, he joined the public affairs office of Arthur D. Little, a research firm based in Boston, as a criminal justice consultant.

In 1981, the director of the museum sought Grindle out as a security consultant. The director feared that the museum had been targeted for robbery.

One of Boston's premier cultural treasures, the museum resides in the four-story former home of Isabella Stewart Gardner, an art collector who opened her gallery in 1903. Three floors of galleries, which open onto a central courtyard, house collections of 320 paintings, 385 sculptures, 320 prints and drawings, 400 pieces of furniture, 340 textiles, 230 objects of ceramic and glass and more than 400 other objects. A large collection of manuscripts and rare books runs through the galleries. The value of the collections may be incalculable.

Grindle's consulting role at the museum grew into an appointment as director of protective services. “I was the first professional security person the museum hired,” Grindle says. “My assignment was to build a modern security organization.”

When Grindle reviewed the existing security arrangements, he found six battery-operated smoke detectors. “I don't know why the city even allowed us to open,” he says.

Despite the director's fears and the lax security, no thefts occurred.

Over the next 10 years, Grindle managed the design and installation of a modern fire detection system, videotape-based CCTV and card access control. He built a 40-person security department. Officers posted in every gallery would answer visitors' questions and watch for trouble during the museum's public hours of 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday. Approximately 200,000 visitors pass through the museum per year, both then and now.

After closing time each day, Grindle marshaled security people and technology to create a series of concentric perimeters to protect the collection: a locked and monitored front gate, locked and monitored doors and windows, and security officers on patrol throughout the galleries.

By the late 1980s, Grindle's efforts had reached a point that made it possible to plan a security center inside the building. The center would house monitoring stations for CCTV, fire and intrusion alarms and provide internal and external communication systems.

In addition, the security center would be a locked stronghold for the security officers themselves. In the event of a robbery, Grindle wanted to ensure the safety of his people while providing them with time to call the police and the ability to monitor events. “My policy has always been to protect the people that are protecting the property,” Grindle says.

A locked security center was a good idea, but funding proved problematic. Private museums depend on nominal visitors' fees, government grants and philanthropy to build collections and improve facilities. Developing successful grant applications and attracting donations for security are particularly difficult tasks. “People don't like to give money to upgrade fire and security,” Grindle says. “They feel more comfortable with gifts that build collections.”

That has changed.

“SOMETHING BAD HAS HAPPENED HERE”

On the night of March 18, 1990, two uniformed Boston police officers appeared in front of the security cameras monitoring the museum's front gate. Investigating a disturbance, they asked the security officers for admittance.

“The policy has always been that you don't open that door in the middle of the night for God,” Grindle says. “Why on this one night they opened the door no one can explain.” They may have looked like cops, but Grindle says, “We don't even let the police in.” It turned out Grindle's policy instincts were right. The men weren't cops, but thieves dressed as cops.

Several hours later, around 6:30 a.m., a phone call awakened Grindle at home. “Something bad has happened here,” said a security supervisor. “It looks like we've been robbed. I can't find the guards.”

“Find them,” Grindle said. “I'll be right there.” The officers were found bound and gagged in the basement of the museum.

The police, FBI and Grindle arrived in short order. What they discovered was heartbreaking. The thieves had stolen 13 pieces valued at $300 million. It remains the largest theft of private property in American history.

The CCTV system had recorded the events that night, but no record remained. The thieves found the unprotected VCR and stole the tape.

Nothing has ever been recovered and the thieves remain at large.

In the days following the theft, the media searched for someone to blame. Unlike so many politicians, corporate officials and other public figures under severe media pressure, the museum's board of trustees, the director and Grindle steadfastly refused to stonewall. Never defensive, they faced the media and answered questions as forthrightly and completely as they could, never giving into the temptation to point the finger of blame.

Grindle's explanation eventually took hold: “There is plenty of blame to go around,” he said. “The bottom line is that if we had done everything we were supposed to do, it wouldn't have happened. Security is built in layers. The thieves had to get through the gate and then through the door.”

When a policy failure let the thieves into the building, the security officers needed a haven, such as the security center that had been planned but never built. That was the key, Grindle says. “Once the thieves got through the door, the security officers had no way to stop them.”

An independent evaluation by a third party security consultant confirmed Grindle's evaluation and fueled the acquisition of funding for a dedicated security center. A few months later, the museum acquired a $500,000 grant from the National Endowment of the Arts, which represented matching funds for another $500,000 raised from the museum's patrons.

Grindle continues to build the museum's security, now with the benefits offered by a new control room that monitors more than 100 cameras connected to a digital video recording system.

In the end, though, it isn't Grindle's knowledge of security technology or his ability to formulate security policies that have earned him a place in the Security Honor Roll. Instead, it is the way he is willing to share information — by talking freely for this article about the devastating events of that night 12 years ago.

“Don't be an island,” he says. “Learn from your mistakes. Capitalize on every error along the way. Share your accomplishments and your failures. But don't go at it alone. That is a burden you don't want to carry.”

BUILDING SECURITY ON NEW IDEAS

By MICHAEL FICKES

People often resist the changes new ideas bring. Nevertheless, Marilyn W. Hollier, CPP, CHPA, has changed her security department with a flood of new ideas that have altered the way her department thinks about itself and security.

When Hollier signed on as director of security and entrance services for the Ann Arbor-based University of Michigan Medical Center in 1998, she took over a well-trained, capable department of 80 people and an annual operating budget of more than $3 million. Her responsibilities cover a nationally regarded 3.5 million-square-foot healthcare campus with a main hospital, a children's hospital, a women's hospital, an eye center, a cancer center and a hotel designed to accommodate incoming patients and family members. Security responsibilities also extend to the system's satellite facilities located throughout Ann Arbor.

Despite the scope of its duties, the security department had never been considered critical to the performance of the medical center — until Hollier came around. Security departments have only recently begun to gain levels of recognition commensurate with their responsibilities. Hollier found a security department in need of an attitude transplant.

“Our department was the Rodney Dangerfield of security when I got here,” Hollier says. “Our people felt like they got no respect and believed that few of the departments they served knew who they were or what they did.”

Hollier made it her goal to change perceptions on both sides by teaching the department to understand its value and by earning respect and recognition from the medical center. “My continuing goal is to make our department irreplaceable,” she says. “I'll have achieved that when our officers come to be known by their first names.”

An education major from Southern Illinois University, Hollier could not find a teaching job when she got out of school in the late 1970s. But she did find a job at an educational institution as a police officer at Emory University in Atlanta. While working at Emory, she attended Georgia State part time and earned a master's degree in human resources.

Her educational background and law enforcement experience led her to a security management position at Atlanta's Grady Hospital in 1989. As one of the city's primary trauma centers, Grady was at the center of the action in the aftermath of the Rodney King verdict and the 1996 Olympic bombings. By the time she left for the University of Michigan in 1998, Hollier had gained extensive security experience.

She put that experience to use in Michigan by immediately working to change the way the medical center's security department interacted with its companion departments. Among Hollier's first initiatives was to establish Community Oriented Patrols (COPs). “In the municipal world of police departments, COP stands for Community Oriented Policing,” Hollier says. “Of course, we're not the police, we're a security department, and so we call it patrolling. But the principle is the same. I've assigned officers to departments and buildings on our campus who act as liaisons with those departments. If there is a problem, departmental people know who to call. Our COP officers regularly attend monthly and quarterly department meetings and offer their thoughts when issues come up related to security.”

The idea, continues Hollier, is to enable security officers to have a more complete understanding of how each department runs. In turn, departmental personnel learn more about the contribution security can make to their operations. To date, Hollier has assigned 18 of her 60 security officers as departmental COPs. “We have received many positive comments from departments working with COP officers,” says Corbie L. Wells, loss prevention supervisor for the center.

Loss prevention, is another of Hollier's specialty areas. Established to investigate thefts and perform risk assessments, the unit has diverted a number of potential problems for the center.

For example, a nurse recently discovered a used syringe behind boxes in a supply room. A supervisor called Wells, who deduced that the supply room was probably more than a disposal area for whoever discarded the syringe.

Wells installed a camera in the supply room. Within 24 hours, a hospital technician came into the room, rummaged through some boxes, pulled out a stash of syringes and shot up on camera.

Hollier has also encouraged her employees to increase the range of their security-related knowledge through training. “I have a very bright staff,” she says. “I would say that 75 percent of my staff has an associate's degree or higher. About 58 percent have bachelor's degrees. I look at them as resources.”

To take advantage of her staff resources, Hollier has urged everyone to complete training courses in first aid, CPR, sexual harassment and rape prevention (SHARP) and pressure point and control tactics (PPCT). Trained officers now carry defibrillators in their vehicles.

To Hollier's delight, the security staff has embraced these new responsibilities. Many have signed up for further training and have qualified as instructors in these disciplines.

“Getting the recognition our department deserves was a matter of motivating our people to get involved with their communities and with training,” Hollier says.

While rebuilding the department's self-image, Hollier has also set out to upgrade the technology used by the security department. “With Marilyn's support, we have received approvals to renovate and upgrade the center's technology,” Wells says. Renovations will include new digital recording systems, a new audio recording system, new CCTV technology and a new key tracking system. Marilyn has also been instrumental in upgrading our card access system.”

Technology is invaluable to Hollier's department, which receives more than 100,000 officer-initiated calls for service each year.

“But cameras don't make decisions — people do,” Hollier says. “Technology provides tools that can help people be successful but cannot replace them, especially in a hospital setting where there are many gray areas. You're dealing with people who are losing a loved one or are under stress from trauma. Sometimes they do stupid things, and we have to understand that.”

Sometimes stupid things just happen. On a weekend night in the middle of July, for example, an alarm went off in the basement of the hotel. Investigating security officers found three feet of water already on the floor, with more coming fast. Within minutes, the water had risen another foot and fried the electrical system. The backup generator turned on, but quickly blew out. The flooding infected the steam heating system, and pipes in a mechanical room on the top floor of the hotel burst, releasing steam and activating the fire alarm system. Panic gripped the patients and family members in the hotel.

As the shift manager, Wells called Hollier to inform her of the trouble and then hustled outside to manage an evacuation of more than 100 people. The security team had already swung into action, literally carrying people from the hotel. Some were having trouble breathing and showing signs of serious medical distress, and security officers were administering first aid until the arrival of EMTs.

In the end, everyone got out safely. “All of our lieutenants had just finished an incident command training course,” Hollier recalls. “That was fresh in their minds. But most importantly, everyone had an inherent confidence in his or her ability to do what was necessary during this mini-disaster. And that, I think, is a reflection of what we've been working for in our department for the past four years.”

SMALL-TOWN VALUES DIRECT EFFORTS AT ST. MARY'S

By JENNIFER O'KEEFE

Amid the challenging and changeable industry of healthcare, security director Joe Lockman manages to retain small-town values while ensuring the safety of Saint Mary's Hospital in Athens, Ga.

Lockman grew up in Athens, and says his parents have always been his biggest supporters. “My dad is a minister and my mom has always helped him in the church,” he says. It was his parents' desire to help people that makes him the person he is today.

Kenny Kilgore, Saint Mary's security operations manager, says others can learn from Lockman by observing the way he deals with people — from every ethnic group and economic background — with kindness. “Joe has compassion for his fellow man,” he says.

Lockman deals sensitively with a diverse group of people, and has also held a variety of security jobs. “He has worked in every department at every level of security and understands the advantages and disadvantages of each,” Kilgore says. Lockman began his career at Saint Mary's in 1989 as an officer, then a supervisor, manager and eventually director. “I know what the officers are dealing with,” says Lockman. “I have walked in their shoes and understand.” Kilgore says Lockman is involved in every aspect of hospital operation. “He is dedicated and committed to public service and a great person to work with.”

Before joining the Saint Mary's team, Lockman worked in retail and industrial security, and says healthcare has been the most interesting and challenging of the three. “I don't know if there is a typical day,” he says. “I think that is one aspect of the job I enjoy — I don't know what the day may bring.” Kilgore says security at Saint Mary's deals with the same issues a police agency deals with, with the added responsibility of healthcare-specific issues, such as patients with psychological disorders. “Our security operation clears a high percentage of reported crimes because of experienced officers, our 115-camera system that records 24 hours a day, and because of Joe's leadership and dedication to make our operation the best it can be.”

Lockman's willingness to deal with difficult situations reaches beyond Saint Mary's to other members of the community. He serves on several disaster-preparedness committees for the University of Georgia and Athens-Clarke County, and makes presentations to nursing school classes covering topics such as workplace and domestic violence, general safety topics and various chemicals students might come into contact with as future hospital employees.

Within the community of the hospital, Lockman's skill as a security director provides for those who are sick. “The daily activities of our department are a very important part of the system,” he says. “We help provide a level of comfort so the patient can focus on getting well.” Even when patients do not heal, Kilgore says Lockman is there to console friends and family members who have lost loved ones. “His most outstanding characteristic is his ability to do and say the right thing in any given situation.”

When that level of comfort is threatened, Kilgore says Lockman manages the challenge with professionalism. “He has successfully handled violent mental patients and dealt with anthrax exposure,” he says. On a day-to-day basis, Lockman has been known to pursue criminal activity with determination. “Joe once chased down three subjects who were involved in theft from a vehicle parked on our property. He held the subjects until the police arrived to transport them to jail.” Lockman's black belt in martial arts also commands the respect of the hospital staff.

Like other security directors, Lockman has experienced the escalating threat of terrorism during recent months, but this small-town Southerner has risen to the task. “The most difficult challenge for me is getting ready to respond to all types of situations with limited resources,” he says. “The world has changed, our threats have changed.”

Kilgore says Lockman has responded by keeping abreast of opportunities for technological and educational advancement. “The [Code Alert alarm system for the prevention of infant abduction] has been ‘fine tuned’ under [his] direction and operates at full capacity with frequent and updated training for security and hospital staff,” Kilgore says. “Joe has implemented a biochemical hazardous materials team that is highly trained in decontamination procedures, CPR, search techniques for explosive devices and chemical identification procedures.

He has developed a plan of operation to include all local law enforcement agencies, fire department, bomb techs, canine units and search and rescue personnel, and provided all-inclusive training for these agencies.”

In addition, Lockman has facilitated the purchase of more than 100 CCTV cameras for the hospital. Kilgore says these cameras, along with Lockman's “aggressive recruitment of quality officers,” has cleared 83 percent of all reported cases in the last two years. Says Kilgore: “These are only a few examples of Joe's vision.”

Lockman's vision may be focused on technology, but he also knows how to bring contentment to his staff in a time of uncertainty. “Joe has the ability to mix a great sense of humor with his command, without giving up the fact that he is in control of every situation,” Kilgore says. “He is a good listener, a good communicator, a good instructor, a good worker and a great person. He combines these attributes to make other officers want to do their best for him.”

Lockman's skills and personality emanate, yet so does his modesty. “The most rewarding part of my job,” he says, “is knowing that in a small way what I do makes this a safer place to be a patient, visitor or employee.”

MANAGING A 400-PERSON DEPARTMENT REQUIRES A PERSONAL TOUCH

By MICHAEL FICKES

The supervisor slid his resignation letter across the oak desk toward his boss, Patrick Smith, director of security for Bally's Atlantic City Casino and Hotel. Smith then pushed a candy jar toward the supervisor, who took a piece of chewy chocolate and left the office. He was on his way to court, where he expected to receive a prison sentence for his most recent DUI arrest.

Smith had seen his employee endure marital difficulties related to alcoholism. He crumpled up the resignation and tossed it into the trash, pondering his latest and perhaps last attempt to help. Unbeknownst to the supervisor, Smith had visited the courthouse earlier in the week. He spoke to the clerk, the prosecutor and the presiding judge about his willingness to assist in the man's rehabilitation. Uncertain of how his efforts had been received, Smith left his office and went downtown, slipping into a seat in the back of the courtroom.

At the hearing, the judge berated the supervisor harshly, but released him into Smith's custody for transportation to an alcoholism treatment clinic. After three weeks, the supervisor returned to work at Bally's. “He has been dry for four years now and earned a promotion,” Smith says.

Smith routinely goes out on limbs few managers would hazard. The management style seems even more unusual considering he is responsible for one of the largest security departments in the gaming industry, with 400 employees and an annual budget of $14 million. Bally's spans 3.5 million square feet, including 150,000 square feet of gaming, 1,250 rooms, 12 kitchens and restaurants, a host of conference areas, a network of parking garages and almost two dozen entrances. Approximately 10,000 visitors pass through the complex every day. Smith's department covers every part of Bally's except surveillance of gaming tables, which is handled by specialists with a sophisticated knowledge of games and odds.

How is it possible to direct a department of this size and scope without becoming a distant administrator? The feat requires the knowledge of a manager who has worked his way up through the ranks and knows every nook and cranny of the organization. It also requires someone who genuinely likes people.

Smith joined Bally's 23 years ago, only a year after the Atlantic City, N.J., casino opened. He had spent two years in the Army and four years studying for an associate's degree in law enforcement and bachelor's degree in criminal justice. His education qualified him for an entry-level supervisory position.

For 18 years he worked his way up, becoming one of 36 supervisors, then one of six managers and then assistant director. In 1997, he earned a promotion to director.

His first action as director was altering the schedule that had been in place since he started at Bally's. Under that schedule, the security staff worked five days a week for three weeks. In the fourth week, they worked six days followed by two days off. “When that six-day week came, the sixth day was a drag, and it always fell into a different pay period, so you never received overtime,” Smith recalls. “We worked this way for 18 years, and it was the most controversial thing management did. It antagonized just about everyone. When I moved up to director, I changed the schedule right away. Now officers work straight fives and twos, and they can put in for whatever days off they want. The change gave a huge boost to morale.”

Rapport is important to Smith. “We have to listen effectively,” he says. “We hire people with different educational levels and from many different cultures. You have to listen carefully to understand what people are saying to you. This is extremely important today. I've heard officers say things that sound like complaints, but what they are really doing is asking a question that deserves an answer.”

Smith wants his employees to focus on their jobs and not on complaints, and to feel comfortable coming to him for advice. “We have an open door policy here,” he says. “Anyone can walk into my office at anytime. I insist that everyone be just as approachable.”

Managers that allow complaints to fester get a visit from Smith. Not long ago, six swing shift officers stepped into Smith's office to talk. “They had a collection of small complaints about two managers that added up to a problem,” Smith says.

Smith visited with each manager and discovered two of them disliked each other. He assigned one of the managers to a different shift, which changed the dynamics. “Now both swing-shift managers have a good rapport with the officers,” he says.

Smith also views technology through his personal lens. He purchased a state-of-the-art radio system to ensure closer communications. He bought a database that helped him to get to know the “bad guys,” as he calls them. “Sometimes the bad guys find a weakness in our coverage,” Smith says. “Suppose we see an increase in pickpocket incidents. By searching this database, I can find out where these incidents are centered. We can increase coverage in that area to solve the problem.”

Currently, Smith is replacing the VCRs connected to his 600-camera CCTV system with digital video recording devices. “We review tapes for every reported incident of theft and injury,” Smith says. “We receive reports on about 8,000 incidents per year. I think the digital system will save us as much as 100 hours per week in review time.” Smith believes the time saved is better spent catching bad guys and talking to people involved in incidents that carry potential liability for Bally's.

Despite the size of Smith's budget, his resources aren't unlimited. “I have to work to apply the budget in the best possible ways,” he says.

Solving conflict is what Smith loves most about his job. “I believe most personnel problems can be solved if confronted quickly,” he says. “Most issues can be worked out by giving people a second chance and then monitoring for improvement.”

Sometimes, there is no second chance. Not long ago, two of Bally's security officers died in a head-on collision with a car traveling the wrong direction on an expressway. The accident affected everyone at Bally's deeply, including Smith. “People began taking extended sick leave,” Smith recalls. “Others were teary-eyed or sobbing throughout their shifts.”

Deciding that it was part of his responsibility to help his grieving employees, Smith hired a team of counselors and instructed them to be available at all hours.

He also wrote a note and posted it on bulletin boards throughout Bally's saying: “We know death is certain, yet it remains hard to accept, and when it involves two of our friends, it is even more difficult. Remember them for their smiles, their cheerfulness, their thoughtfulness and what they each personally meant to you. Our memories will keep them close.”

Smith didn't sign the note, but the next day, one person after another dropped into Smith's office, took some chocolates from the candy jar on his desk, and thanked him for what he had written.

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