ASE May 14 2026.
Columbus Chapter 27 of ASIS conducted another successful ASE at the Hollywood Casino on May 14, 2026. Brandon Wilson the Chapter Vice Chair began the event by welcoming all participants and thanking the ASE planning committee. There were 28 exhibitors and numerous attendees.
There were four speakers, each preceded by four Diamond Elite Sponsors who were:
· Axis Communications represented by Ken Minard
· Hanwha Vision America represented by Kyle Finefrock
· Convergint represented by Kari Chadd
· ASSA ABLOY represented by Jammie Taylor
The first speaker was an Intelligence Analyst with Homeland Security who asked not to be named due to the sensitivity of their work. This presentation covered the threat of A.I., the dark web and “How to do videos” which are being used by foreign actors or criminals to enhance their abilities to contact attacks, bombings, swatting, counterfeiting, hijackings, and promoting suicide. The speaker stressed the need to watch for and adapt to changing threats, and that private sector and government law enforcement need to work together to ensure security.
The next speaker was Jonathan Richeson, a Protective Security Analyst with the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) of Homeland Security. He spoke about physical security and gave examples of numerous attacks and how to protect against them. For example, how driveway routing, in-road obstacles and bollards can be used to prevent cars from ramming into buildings – which is happening with increasing frequency. His second topic was the threat of drones, crashing into people, dropping explosives or delivering drugs and weapons into prisons. He mentioned the FAA developed a new regulation this month (May 2026) to better manage drone activity.
The keynote luncheon speaker was Mark Porter, the Executive Director of Ohio Homeland Security. His topic was the state’s new A.I. Chat Bot (application) known as “Safeguard Ohio” used to report tips to law enforcement from members of the public who may have witnessed a crime. Mark gave a complete live demonstration of the software which asks numerous questions in numerous languages in order to obtain a comprehensive view of a situation so it can be stored and analyzed. He noted that it should not be used for cyber related tips or events. This advanced tool manages “See something / say something” information.
The final speaker was “Colonel” John DiPietro, President of the Ohio Crime Prevention Association (OCPA). John’s topic was “House of Worship Security”. It covered threats and attacks on churches and synagogues including take-overs of religious services in progress. John gave numerous examples of this increasing threat going back 90 years. He mentioned shootings, burnings, assaults and car ramming. John mentioned the need to develop Emergency Operation Plans, conducting Risk Management Assessments and forming Safety and Security teams with appropriate policies and procedures. These are necessary to save lives and prevent litigation. He also mentioned to mark the 50th anniversary of OCPA (1977-2027), there would be a joint conference with Crime Stoppers next year in Dublin.
The Casino did an excellent job of providing breakfast, afternoon snacks, and a lunch which included Roast Beef, Chicken and a variety of sides, salads and pastas.
Brandon and Chad Parris concluded the meeting by thanking all Speakers, Sponsors, Exhibitors and Attendees for coming, and announced the recipients of the door prizes and contributed gifts from the Vendors. (article by Ed Sachs)
35 members attended the February 19, 2026 ASIS meeting at the Draft Day Restaurant in Grandview Heights. This was the largest attendance the Chapter has had in a long time. A Double Cheeseburger was the luncheon item today and they were well received. The meeting commenced with Chapter Chair Chad Parris having all the members present introduce themselves and Tim Beverly leading the group in the Pledge of Allegiance and a benediction.
This month’s sponsor was Hanwha Vision America. Brandon Wilson, who also serves as Vice Chair, gave a summary of Hanwha’s business lines. They are known for “much more than camera systems”. They are a National and International company that manufactures numerous products in their own factories and they are among America’s top 300 companies. One of their latest projects will be building two new Battleships for the US Navy. These will be bigger than the 890-foot-long WWII Iowa and Missouri class battleships, and will be designed to withstand modern threats such as drone attacks.
The speaker for today was Bill Swank, who is known to many of us in the Chapter. Bill is a Senior Special Agent with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, who he has served with DHS since shortly after 9/11. Bill was previously a detective with the Columbus Airport and other law enforcement agencies. He has received countless awards from city, county, state and federal agencies for his dedication and excellence in service to law enforcement.
Bill spoke about the importance of Public Agency /Private cooperation in delivery of law enforcement and security. He named ASIS as an organization which represents and supports this collaborative effort. Bill coordinates the security for the Arnold Sports and Fitness Competition, the largest event of its type with athletes from 68 countries. He applauded the dozens of law enforcement, safety and first response agencies which work together to make this event a success every year. The event is the largest tourist revenue generator for the city of Columbus, and this year, there will be a “World’s Strongest Firefighter Contest and Fire Engine Pull”.
The meeting concluded with announcements including about the ASE on May 14 at the Columbus Casino which will have 5 speakers including two from Homeland Security and the keynote speaker, who will be Director Andy Wilson, Department of Public Safety. Continue to attend ASIS meetings and watch the website for further announcements.
