1. As a United States military veteran, please tell us a little bit your time in the military. For example, years served, branch, where you served, rank, etc.

I entered the service in October 1963 with a high school friend. We were both captains of our high school football team and joined under the "buddy system", which meant we were suppose to stay together during our three years although it didn't happen. I was in the Army Special Forces (5th Special Forces Group, 1st Special Forces Command) in Vietnam. I took basic training in Fort Knox, KY; paratrooper training in Fort Gordon, GA; jump school training in Fort Benning, GA; and Green Beret training in Fort Bragg, NC. I was officially an E-4 and, after my service overseas, I was in the Army Reserves from 1966-1969.

2. After completing your military service, you settled down along the North Shore of Chicago, Illinois and joined the Lake Bluff Police Department. Please tell a bit about that transition to municipal law enforcement along with your years working with the Lake Bluff PD, roles within the police department, and your rank upon retirement.

I was hired by the Village of Lake Bluff in October 1967 as a police officer after a recruitment call from their police department. Working as a patrolman, Sergeant, and eventually Lieutenant (second in charge of the Police Department), I retired in June 1995 with over twenty-five years of service to the community. During my time, I attended and graduated numerous training courses including the Traffic Institute - Northwestern University, the American Police Academy - Lake County College, and I held specialized roles such as Breathalyzer Operator, Evidence Technician (overseeing the Evidence Room), Shift Commander, Traffic Services Supervision, Scheduling Officer, and in charge of day to day department operations.

3. What year did the company begin operations and what motivated you to start Howe Security, Inc.? Did your service in the military and work a police officer influence the way you run the company?

I founded Howe Security, Inc. in 1967 after knowing a retired Lake Bluff Police Department Sergeant who would check in on homes in the area when residents would leave town. At the time, only a few homes had burglar alarms so, there was a need for house watching. I think my military and police background had a lot to do beginning Howe Security, Inc. as I knew "how to work" and how to talk to people. As time went on, the business grew and, back then, raising a family on a police officer's salary was difficult so, I continued to operate and grow the business.

4. Tell us a bit about your first client or clients of Howe Security, Inc.? What types of services did you provide and do you still serve that industry?

Our first clients were house watching customers. I would check their houses while they were away on vacation or left for the winter. Our services included plant watering, collecting mail and packages, check basements for water leaks, furnace/boilers checks, looked for frozen pipes, or animal/rodent infestation. We still provide those services, plus more, today and I continue to oversee the house watching division.

5. What do you believe sets Howe Security, Inc. apart from your competition?

I think the best thing that sets Howe Security apart is following a "do what you say you're going to do" attitude for our customers. As a small, family owned business, I would also add our employees are our best ambassadors. In recognition, we've always provided higher than industry average wages and provided our management team's support. In return, we expect a polite, well uniformed, knowledgable, and professional level of service to be delivered to our customers, as officers are representatives of the Howe family name.

6. How do you ensure your employees provide a high level of customer service to your clients?

Communication is very important. I try to speak to as many employees as I can and my two sons (Bill and Chuck) oversee our business operations so, they are in constant communication with our officers, supervisors, and customers. In addition, we deploy overnight mobile field supervision to not only ensure officers are where they need to be, are on time, and in uniform but they also see if the officers need anything from us to help them with their assignment. I feel if you treat your employees well, they will respond back to you by treating the job with respect and our customers see that.

7. Can you tell us about a particularly challenging security situation that the company has been involved in and how it was handled?

There are many situations we've handled over the last 50 years. We had an incident of a house we watched in Highland Park. I carry a police radio and heard the call for an alarm at a house I had just inspected hours earlier. There was a car in the driveway and a smashed window but the police said they went inside and saw no one. I called the Highland Park PD and returned to the home. I said the car was not previously there, the owners were away, and the home had several areas in the basement where one could easily hide include a secret room.  The police went back inside and eventually found and arrested a burglar. Our client was an attorney for a Fortune 500 company and was thrilled about our involvement and response.

More recently, we protect a low income housing development along the North Shore of Chicago. Trespassing, domestic violence, and robberies are common. We have a specially trained (armed) tactical unit working the account and we have a strong partnership with the local police department. One evening, a domestic disturbance escalated into a female being shot by a male. Our team tracked down and detained the offender within minutes while our onsite supervision performed life saving measures on the female, as they waited for emergency transport. While she succumbed to her injuries, our employees performed without hesitation, utilized their training, and acted heroically.

8. What do you think the future of the contract security industry looks like and how will Howe Security, Inc. position itself for continued success?

I think it gets tougher everyday. The big companies just keep getting bigger through acquisition, low wages to leverage volume, and there are more and more prospects who simply prefer that easier style of security commoditization. We're a certified small family business that's Veteran owned and we seek (and do best with) clients who prefer to deal with real people, at a fair price, and with a business committed to delivering flexible, reliable, and professional security services.  Our family is constantly on top of the business and the changes within the industry. We do see new firms entering the market but I wonder how long they can last and without the municipal, county, and state law enforcement relationships we developed over decades as emergency partners? Industry education, experience, and common sense are very important but hard to come by these days. I'm confident; however, after seeing my sons' abilities working with clients, employees, and their overall experience in business operations that we are in a strong position to continue to be successful and remain independent.

9. What advice would you give someone who is interested in starting their own contract security firm?

I don't give out advice to anyone trying to start up a security company. That person could come back and be one of your main competitors.

10. As CEO and Founder of Howe Security, Inc. what is the best part of your job?

Working with my two sons. It is very enlightening to see how they work and to watch their business efforts grow the company bigger and better each year. Second, I always love to talk to the people that hire our company. It doesn't matter who they are or how much money they make, I treat all of them with respect. I have never changed.