AFIMAC has created a video of a simulated active shooter incident for our experts to utilize for a training course.  The short video was created to offer general survival tips to the general public via social media.  Although the short version has some great tips, the full online course will be released in February which has Rob Shuster and Tom Dickel go into greater detail and explanation.

Anyone with a valid company email that pre-registers for the full online course for a time will receive the course FREE courtesy of AFIMAC.

The short video can be watched at this link or below:

Have a plan.  Stay safe.

Well, if anyone casually asks me at ASIS 2012 if anything is new since last year I hope they have an hour or so because I’ll have a lot to tell them!  AFI and IMAC merged and are now AFIMAC, AFIMAC acquired Brazil based MENA International, we have a new video Q & A system called Insights Under Two,  our expert team has been blogging, we made major enhancements to our incident tracking software called VERITAS, our on-line training courses have increased to include several excellent topics, and the company has grown tremendously over the last year and refocused its core service offerings.

It’s going to be a great show and year to follow!

North American Security and Crisis Response Leader Acquires Mena International Group, Extending its Expertise to Latin America

CLEVELAND, OH — August 14, 2012 — AFIMAC, a North American leader in corporate security and crisis response has announced its acquisition of Mena International Group, specialists in security, investigations and crisis response within Latin America. The buy-out comes just two weeks after AFIMAC announced its corporate merger of AFI International and IMAC Global, a move intended to streamline its services across North America. This flurry of alliance and acquisition activity signals a major growth and expansion phase for the well-recognized and elite group of security companies.

Through the acquisition of Mena International, AFIMAC will now further extend its reach into Latin America in order to better serve those companies with multi-regional operations. Latin America is a very important market for AFIMAC’s global clients and, based on its superior reputation, Mena was selected as the best security partner that could bring access, security expertise and experience across the region.

About AFIMAC
Combining the strengths of AFI International and International Management Assistance Corporation (IMAC), AFIMAC Global is a leader in the provision of comprehensive corporate security and contingency planning services through North and South America and also offers global services. Its diverse capabilities include executive protection, labor dispute planning & response, cargo security & escorts, disaster & emergency response, corporate investigations, workplace violence assessment & response. With a distinguished management team and highly skilled personnel, AFIMAC Global is well known for its high quality service delivery and immediate responsiveness. www.afimacglobal.com

About Mena International Group
With services spanning from investigations, crisis management, executive protection and emergency response, Mena International Group is recognized as the premier trusted security service provider for companies across Latin America. www.menasecurity.com

For media inquiries, please contact Kathy Hungerford, AFIMAC, 1-800-554-4622

AFI International Group Inc. (AFI) and International Management Assistance Corporation (IMAC) come together as one super firm to bring leading-edge security and crisis management services to clients across the globe

CLEVELAND, OH — August 1, 2012 — Five years after partnering to assist clients with their security operations, AFI, a leader in crisis management and response, and IMAC, with expertise in emergency response, risk management and business continuity services, have announced a merger into one company: AFIMAC. This new firm will deliver a stronger, more unified array of security services and will continue to provide the highest levels of customer service to its diverse client bases globally.

Through the merger, AFIMAC, becomes a single source solution for companies across the globe, no matter where they require top quality security and crisis services. Unifying the culture of the two companies has been an easy transition as employees in both firms have been interacting regularly on joint accounts.

By combining forces in this way, AFIMAC also brings together more than 55 years of industry-leading experience in emergency response, strike security, risk management, and business continuity services to protect its clients’ people and property, both during times of crisis and regular business operations.

“More and more clients have been turning to AFI and IMAC for a full range of services on both sides of the border,” says Peter Martin, AFIMAC president & CEO. “Merging the two companies streamlines how we can deliver this, with the highest quality levels and the greatest cost-effectiveness in the security industry.”

According to Martin, exceptional service will continue to be the hallmark of the new company:

“100 percent of our clients have been able to maintain their desired level of operation during a crisis … and 100 percent of client projects have been on budget, met projections, and delivered the promised services. The bottom line is clients come to us when they are facing significant risk and need operations executed flawlessly.”

With the security industry’s leading senior management team at the helm, AFIMAC promises to deliver unrivalled security and crisis expertise to its markets. The new firm offers an assortment of pre-crisis contingency planning and premium security and emergency response solutions to government and businesses in nearly every sector and industry with proven results.

“AFIMAC brings a refreshing cohesion in the corporate security sector,” says Stephen Anderson, AFIMAC vice president. “The new venture clearly shows that we have invested heavily in assembling a global group of services and experts, instead of informal partnerships, which is truly exceptional in our industry.”

About AFIMAC
Combining the strengths of AFI International and International Management Assistance Corporation (IMAC), AFIMAC is a leader in the provision of comprehensive corporate security and contingency planning services globally. Its diverse capabilities include labor dispute planning & response, cargo security & escorts, disaster & emergency response, corporate investigations, workplace violence assessment & response, and executive protection. With a distinguished management team and highly skilled personnel, AFIMAC is well known for its high quality service delivery and immediate responsiveness.

About AFI International Group Inc.
AFI International Group provides elite security, risk management, business continuity and investigative services to protect people and property both during labor disruption and regular business operations. AFI also offers an assortment of pre-crisis planning and premium security solutions to businesses representing nearly every industry.

About International Management Assistance Corporation
International Management Assistance Corporation (IMAC) offers elite security, risk management and business continuity services to image conscious companies across North America. IMAC has partnered with their clients to protect people and property both during times of crisis and regular business operations. The company also offers an assortment of pre-crisis planning and premium security solutions to businesses representing nearly every industry.

For media inquiries, please contact Kathy Hungerford, AFIMAC, 1-800-554-4622

By: Ohio Chamber of Commerce

When the International Management Assistance Corporation was founded in Marietta, Ohio, in 1983, it offered only support and security services for companies that were experiencing a labor dispute. Whatever the challenge was, from protecting assets to protecting executives, IMAC could handle it.

Over time, the company has expanded and in addition to its original premise, has become a turnkey operation to help a company that is facing any type of business impact — whether it is a natural disaster, industrial accident, plant closure or temporary labor service.

But one matter that hasn’t changed is the company’s home state. IMAC is located and headquartered in Strongsville, Ohio.

“We are trying to drive the kind of ‘buy Ohio’ initiative needed and keep the money in the state of Ohio,” says Senior Vice President Joseph Schollaert.

Customers, though, come from across the globe. More than 5,000 have been assisted since the company was founded.

“We’ve also just recently launched IMAC Global, which provides our services in South America and Mexico,” Schollaert says. “We also have a Canadian operation, AFI International, that is headquartered in Toronto and handles any Canadian work for customers.”

As for the majority of IMAC’s customers, they come from the manufacturing sector. A number are Fortune 100 companies, but IMAC serves both small and large clients.

“A company can contract with us on a per-event basis or have a North American agreement that covers multiple locations where they could engage our services based upon a specific event,” he says. “Our efforts have helped these companies prepare for business disruptions caused by labor disputes that threaten to shut down daily operations, potentially forever.”

IMAC can provide mobile kitchens, dormitory units, shower units and laundry facilities. “We have the capabilities to prepare meals — we have prepared meals for not only labor dispute situations but also natural disasters and environmental situations,” he says.

One of the added values of working with the company is it follows trends and reports them to clients so they can better know what issues may be ahead.

“We as an organization have to understand the needs of our customers and what is driving them for the next two to five years down the road — for instance, what legislative items are out there that are going to impact our customers,” Schollaert says. “This is one of the best ways for us to stay in tune with what is happening, not only in the state but with our clients, and help develop proactive solutions. And with that, we also are able to provide the Ohio Chamber with an additional resource for their members by being a member.”

As a member of the Ohio Chamber of Commerce, a company will receive preferred pricing from IMAC.

Another of the core services IMAC offers is supplying temporary workers to assist during an event.

“We can provide an organization that might be experiencing some type of business interruption and/ or temporary production spike with workers to continue to operate their facility — skilled trades as well as unskilled personnel,” Schollaert says. “There is a shortage right now for skilled trades, and we’ve got a large database of personnel that we have accumulated over the past 27-plus years.”

In addition, about a year ago, IMAC started offering physical and online training.

“We have an online training site that is geared toward security and human resources professionals that hosts a myriad of different topics,” Schollaert says. “About 30 different training modules are on our online training academy where someone can log on, purchase the online training module and take it at their own pace. They also get continuing education credits for completion of those modules as well as certification once they have completed the training.”

As a Gold Partner of the EAC and CME symposium on Workplace Safety, Health & Wellness – Claims Management, Fraud and Your Bottom Line: The Real Cost of Risk, AFI would like to invite and offer you a promo code to receive a discount.

Desmond Taljaard of AFI will also be in attendance and presenting Factors to Consider When Investigating Claims of Workplace Injuries

Please find further information here or contact aferguson@afi-international.com to have a brochure emailed to you.

To register simply click this link https://eac.cmemec.ca/mpower/event/loadevent.action?e=278 and enter promo code “afipromo” in small letters and you will receive the member price of $275 before June 1^st and $325 after June 1^st.

We look forward to seeing you there!

IMAC Online Training Academy is offering 50% off ‘Nonviolent Confrontation Management Training’  in the month of March.

IMAC Online Training has released three course bundles that yield savings of 50%.  Each bundle has courses that have been approved to receive HRCI credits.  Courses are relevant to workplace violence, strike preparation, crisis communications and more.

I received an excellent email this morning – I had won an iPad from HRmarketer after sending a tweet about their SocialEars service that we have been utilizing for IMAC and AFI and was entered into a draw.

While conducting marketing research for services related to our IMAC Labor Dispute and Work Stoppage conference, our Online Training Academy and services related to strike security we had used the SocialEars service.  It has paid off in more ways now with the iPad win!

The iPad will surely come in handy for our Creative Department to ensure compatibility on all client systems while developing our latest social media investigations, capability videos and other marketing media.

With a dedicated push to bring more courses to HR professionals, IMAC Online Training Academy has introduced three more HRCI accredited courses.  Guidelines for Crossing Picket Lines, Introduction to Lean and Mailroom Safeguards and Procedures to Identify and Handle Suspicious Packages are all posted on the HRCI Credit Classes link to review course descriptions and outcomes.

Introduction to Lean - Demo