ASIS International’s 70th Anniversary Highlights Global Reach of GSX 2025
ASIS International recently wrapped up its Global Security Exchange (GSX) 2025 conference in New Orleans, marking the organization’s 70th anniversary with a global showcase of security leadership and innovation. The three-day event drew nearly 15,000 registrants from 95 nations, featured more than 200 education sessions, and presented 500 exhibiting companies demonstrating the latest security solutions.
In an announcement, ASIS 2025 President Joe Olivarez Jr., MBA, described the milestone year as a pivotal moment for the profession. “The security profession has evolved from being primarily operational to increasingly strategic, with professionals now gaining more visibility in executive-level discussions and broader executive roles,” said Olivarez. “Today’s security leaders don’t just respond to threats, we anticipate them, and drive organizational resilience through them.”
Pre-conference activities included workshops, volunteer events, and awards programs such as the ASIS Awards of Excellence and the Outstanding Security Performance Awards (OSPAs). ASIS also hosted educational sessions on facility security design, Enterprise Security Risk Management (ESRM), and stakeholder communication.
The event’s keynote lineup featured prominent voices addressing global and technological challenges. Eurasia Group and GZERO Media President Ian Bremmer opened the conference with “The New Abnormal: Who are the Winners and Losers in a G-Zero World?” and emphasized global power shifts, noting, “China is rising and the Global South in general is becoming economically more powerful... But the United States is not declining, not at all.”
The following day, Sol Rashidi, author and former Amazon and IBM executive, discussed “The AI-Powered Security Paradigm,” highlighting the original intent of AI technology. “We never built Watson to replace people,” said Rashidi. “We built it to amplify us.”
Other program highlights included speed mentoring sessions connecting new professionals with 40 mentors from four continents and the ASIS Celebrates! event at the National WWII Museum, sponsored by Johnson Controls.
GSX concluded with Military and Law Enforcement Appreciation Day, honoring active-duty and retired professionals during a breakfast sponsored by Protos Security. The closing keynote was delivered by retired Gen. Paul M. Nakasone, former director of the National Security Agency and U.S. Cyber Command. His session, “Lasting Leadership Lessons from the World’s Second Oldest Profession,” addressed the convergence of physical and cyber security and the disruptive impact of artificial intelligence.
Attendees had opportunities to earn up to 22 Continuing Professional Education (CPE) credits and participate in Game Changer sessions on resilience and crisis management, as well as career development programming at Career HQ.
“Each year, ASIS refines GSX educational programming, demonstrating the fast-changing scope of our industry,” said Bill Tenney, CEO of ASIS International. “From the headlining keynotes to over 200 specialized education sessions... the dynamic nature of our industry was on full display.”
GSX also raised nearly $35,000 for the ASIS Foundation through activities such as the Virtual Fitness Challenge and the first-ever 5K Road Race. A blood drive held during the event collected donations sufficient to save up to 170 lives.
According to New Orleans & Company, the city’s official tourism organization, GSX 2025 generated an estimated $11 million in economic impact for New Orleans.
ASIS International will host GSX 2026 in Atlanta.