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REGIONAL
ROUNDUP
CENTRAL TEXAS REGION
Alan Trevino - President
The Central Texas Region held elections for regional officers Aug. 27, 2007. Congratulations to our new regional officers: Kent Morrison, vice president; Charlie Deckert, secretary; and Johnny Atkinson, treasurer. TPSB investigator Melinda Lowery attended the meeting and discussed the fines and fees list that the DPS goes by. Subsequently, at our request, the list was placed on the commission website temporarily and ultimately to be removed for improvements. As a result of our excellent working relationship with the commission, this list will eventually return with more clarity and guidelines.
In early October, several of our members attended the annual conference held this year in El Paso. Job well done by all of the El Paso region. It was my first conference and I can truly say I was highly impressed and strongly encourage all members to attend next year’s convention in Houston. Congratulations to the newly elected state board members.
We held our regular regional meeting in October. We hit the trifecta this time by not having only one, but three attendees from the TPSB. Lt. Renearl Bowie, Investigator Melinda Lowery and a TPSB tech were there to address the new Carrying of a Firearm by Commission Security law, and several rules and regulations that may not be interpreted the same across the state by companies and investigators.
We also had Sgt. Felicia Williams with the Austin Police Department in attendance. Williams participated in all discussion and was interested in starting a LEAPS chapter in Austin.
This chapter is a valuable part of this association with the ability and voice to help steer the direction of our future. If you are a non-active member or a potential member, please make an effort to get involved. Our regular meetings are held on the last Monday of every other month at GT Distributors.
For more information contact Alan Trevino at 512-206-0515 or e-mail alan.trevino@sbcglobal.net
EL PASO REGION
Jessie Ruelas - President
During our 2007 Convention in El Paso, our newly elected Presidents for all Texas Regions and ASSIST Board were all successfully voted for and we wish them all a great year in their new appointments. Along with the elections at the convention, the El Paso Region was able to give back $30,000 to ASSIST funds and an additional $10,000, which was donated by the El Paso Region for the Fallen Officer’s Fund.
El Paso would like to show their condolences once again for the fallen security officer who passed away on Tuesday, January 1, 2008 after being assaulted on the international bridge where he was posted for that evening. Security Officer Vite’s death has been ruled as the first homicide of the year in El Paso. The El Paso Region would like to encourage other companies, and individuals to donate to the Fallen Officer’s Fund, which will benefit the families left behind all across the State of Texas.
For additional information and monthly programs, contact me, Jessie Ruelas, 751-6811 or 588-4002. As an ASSIST member or non-member, license manager, owner, or private investigator, Letter of Authority or security officer, you are also invited to our meeting. Managers and owners may receive one credit hour of continuing education, approved by the Texas Private Security Bureau and ASSIST, which you may use for renewing your license. You will also receive a Certificate of Attendance. Non-members and guests are welcomed.
At our monthly luncheons we accomplish or feature the following:
• Promotion of local and state ASSIST region activities.
• Guest speaker(s) addressing topics of relevance and interest to members and guests.
• One hour of Continuing Education Unit (CEU) Credit applicable to Texas Private Security Bureau licensing requirements.
• Update on Texas Private Security Bureau and Board Rules and legislation and activities.
• Opportunity for professional networking, informal discussion and information sharing.
We encourage you to bring your clients to be involved with our meeting as our guest.
Schedule of Guest Speakers:
Wednesday • 26 March 2008
Guest Speaker State Representative – Andrew Neal – Neal Technology Corporation – Tel: (915) 544-2034
Class: Forensic Computers
Wednesday • 23 April 2008
Guest Speaker Dan Hernandez – Attorney Ray, Valdez, McChristian & Jeans, P.C. 5822 Cromo El Paso, Texas (915) 832-7200
Class: Discrimination of Employees in the workforce.
Wednesday • 22 May 2008
Guest Speaker Stephen Perry – Texas Mutual Insurance, Loss Prevention Consultant Austin, Austin Texas (806) 787-2540
Class: Workmen’s Compensation Insurance Why & what you need to know if you have it.
Wednesday • 25 June 2008
Guest Speaker Officer Stephen Plummer – El Police Auto Burglary & Thief Task Force, Tel: 298-9600
Class: Tactics of Auto Thief’s
Meetings are held regularly on the fourth Wednesday of every month at the Wyndham Hotels & Resorts 2027 Airway Blvd. (Formerly Airport Hilton), from 11:30 am - 1 pm, phone (915) 778-4241.
Future of Board Meetings Year 2008 • 27 February – 26 March – 23 April – 28 May – 25 June – 23 July – 27 August – 24 September – 22 October 2008 – November & December 2008 • No Meetings
Most importantly, as a professional group we are attaining our goals of promoting that our members continue to conduct their affairs with the highest of business ethics and dependability. Our goal is to provide competent and professional business support and services with the highest regard to the safety and security of our employers, employees, our client’s personnel, and the general public.
For more information contact me, Jessie Ruelas, President of ASSIST El Paso Region Tel: (915) 751-6811 or (915) 588-4002 or Dave Scepanski, Treasurer.
El Paso Region
Jessie Ruelas
President
Tel: (915) 7561-6811 or (915) 588-4002
E-mail: j.ruelas4022@sbcglobal.net
GULF COAST REGION
Kevin Galloway - President
The Gulf Coast Region hosted Chief Harold Hurtt from the Houston Police Department in January. Hurtt spoke about police working with security officers, and the abundance of property crimes in the greater Houston area. In February we will have the Harris County Department of Homeland Security as our guests, speaking about Disaster Preparedness.
Monthly meetings are always held at the Aramco Services building located at 9009 West Loop South from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Meetings are the second Tuesday of each month.
Our region is also diligently working on the 2008 convention. This year’s theme will be “Taking the Mystery Out Of Security.” We have several excellent keynote speakers lined up, as well as a Mystery Dinner Theater that I’m sure will be remembered for years to come!
The 2008 convention will be at the Houston Omni Westside hotel, Oct. 1-4. You may visit their website at
www.omnihotels.com to view the hotel and it’s amenities. Contact Kevin Galloway at 281-970-7768, or via
e-mail at kevin-galloway@sbcglobal.net, for rates on sponsorships, vendor information, rooms, and event times, and to volunteer for to help. We are currently seeking sponsorships for various events, as well as hole sponsorships for the golf tournament.
NORTH TEXAS REGION
Kathy McReynolds - President
The North Texas region recently hosted the second annual Law Enforcement/Security Symposium. It was the most successful meeting we had last year, and this year was even better. Three hours of continuing education were provided by officers from the Dallas Police Department as well as ASSIST members and members of the PSB. We were especially excited to be able to introduce the new manager of the agency, Capt. Leonard Hinojosa. Some of the topics were Legislative Changes, the Future of the Private Security Bureau, Law Enforcement and Security Cooperation, Terrorism, Gang Turf Wars, and Cheese: the new drug of choice. It was interesting, fun and is sure to be repeated.
The North Texas region normally has meetings the third Wednesday of each month, and alternating months offer one hour of continuing education.
For more information, e-mail Kathy McReynolds at northtexaspresident@assisttexas.org
RIO GRANDE VALLEY REGION
Jaime Ochoa - President
I would like to thank Senator Eddie Lucio and Brownsville Police Chief Carlos Garcia as our honored guests at the El Paso 2007 ASSIST convention. Lucio was a gracious guest with his fancy golf suite at the ASSIST Golf Tournament, but Garcia and his team came out victorious. I believe that it was one of the best conventions that I have attended and I would like to thank Dave Scepanski and Ben Bradford and all the El Paso region for all their hospitality.
I would like to congratulate the new board members and look forward to working together in promoting and elevating the security profession to meet the security needs of our respective communities.
We at RGV region held our annual shooting tournament in September and I am pleased to announce that Rochester Security Officer Israel Pena took first place for the region and by default first place in the state. Second place was American Investigation Security Officer John Deck, and third place Rochester Security Officer Robert Rodriguez.
The Houston Convention will be here before we know it and we would like to challenge the rest of the regions to send their officers to have an authentic “Texas Shootout.”
We had our quarterly meeting in November and our guests were our new Trooper George Martinez and Trooper Carlos Martinez. I would like to congratulate Trooper George Martinez in joining us in the RGV area and look forward to working together on various security issues.
Lastly, I will like to invite anyone that would like to attend the next RGV ASSIST meeting. It will be at the Valley Inn Country Club - 95 Country Club Road - Brownsville, TX at 11:30 a.m. For more information contact Jaime S. Ochoa, president of RGV ASSIST Region at (956) 544-4726 or e-mail
riograndepresident@assisttexas.org
SOUTH TEXAS ALAMO REGION
Pete LaBonte - President
We had several members from our region attend the 2007 annual convention in El Paso. It was nice to see some familiar faces enjoying the conference and improving their knowledge of our business. We each had an opportunity to personally interact with the PSB staff and board members, as well as several state representatives and senators. It was a good time and well worth the trip.
It was my pleasure to award the Security Officer of the Year Award to two well deserving individuals from IPC Int’l Corp. in Houston. Officers Eliseo Zavala and Ricardo Siva were co-winners of our prestigious annual award presented to security officers who perform above and beyond the call of duty. These individuals were selected from the nominees submitted from across our great state. Zavala and Siva were instrumental in saving the life of an individual at their post who was not breathing and had no pulse. They notified the authorities and administered CPR until EMS could respond. These officers not only represented their company well that day but were examples of the professionalism our security officers across the state exhibit on a daily basis.
We are planning to have a meeting in the near future with some of our ASSIST board members and other dignitaries to encourage our local members to get more involved in our organization. Notification of the event will be coming in the weeks to come.
For Information on when and where we will hold our meeting call (210) 681-8221 or e-mail
alamopresident@assistexas.org.
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