MONTREAL, CANADA--Garda World Security Corporation, a global leader in security and investigations services, today appointed Mr. Charles F. (Chuck) Vance as Chairman of Vance International, a Garda company.
Mr. Vance founded and led Vance International, a major security and consulting firm established in 1984 outside Washington, DC, and served as President and CEO of the company, building a complete range of professional security services, including executive protection, uniformed protection, investigations, labor unrest protection, training, risk consulting, and special event security. The company was acquired by SPX Corporation in 2002, merged with investigation firms Decision Strategies and The Fairfax Group, and was subsequently acquired by Garda World Security Corporation in January 2006, becoming the trusted security and investigation firm it is today.
As Chairman, Mr. Vance will actively contribute to strategy development for Vance International's business sectors. In addition, he will serve as Special Strategic Advisor to Garda World Security Corporation's Board of Directors.
"I am honored to welcome Chuck to Garda," said Stephan Cretier, Founder, President and CEO of Garda. "I am also delighted that he is returning to the company he established and contributed to building. Chuck is widely recognized as instrumental in the creation of modern executive protection for corporations as we know it today."
"I share Stephan's belief of the vision of a modern, high quality security and investigation company and am eager to work with Garda and Vance to realize that vision," Mr. Vance commented. "The need for highly strategic, integrated and well managed security and investigations has never been greater and Garda is leading the way in providing that offering to markets worldwide."
"Chuck will be a critical advisor as Garda continues to grow globally through businesses like ours," said LeMarque Sheppard, President of Vance International.
Prior to entering the private security field in September 1979, Mr. Vance served for 14 years as a special agent and supervisor in the U.S. Secret Service. During his tenure, Mr. Vance was assigned on a permanent basis to President Gerald R. Ford and Vice Presidents Hubert Humphrey and Spiro Agnew. He was also assigned to protect numerous foreign heads of state. Mr. Vance received many awards while in the Secret Service for his performance in leading and coordinating large, complex travels of protected dignitaries nationally and internationally.
Mr. Vance has appeared on more than 400 national and international television news programs and has been quoted as an expert in hundreds of articles in the print media. He has also testified as an expert witness on presidential security before the U.S. Senate. Mr. Vance has authored several articles, including a monograph entitled "Advance Survey Procedures for Dignitary Protection Details" in the Clandestine Tactics and Technology series published by the International Association of Chiefs of Police; and "Who Are the Terrorists?" in Leaders magazine. He co-authored the textbook Fighting Back: Winning the War Against Terrorism. He also received several awards and honors throughout the years. Mr. Vance is a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley with a B.A. in Criminal Justice, and the U.S. Secret Service Academy.
