Global Security Exchange Opens Annual Security Conference

Press Release Summary:

Original Press Release:

GSX 2019, The World’s Premier Security Conference, Opens in Chicago

Annual conference brings top security industry leaders together from 132 nations

Chicago, IL (September 9, 2019)—ASIS International, the world's largest association for security management professionals, opened their annual conference today—Global Security Exchange (GSX) 2019 in Chicago. The event continues through September 12, featuring an extensive program with more than 250 educational sessions, daily keynote speakers and general sessions, and a show floor with more than 550 exhibitors from the security industry. The show kicked off with a dynamic General Session presentation by Ian Bremmer, Ph.D., the renowned geopolitical expert and author, to an audience of more than 3,000 security professionals from around the globe.

Christina Duffey, President of ASIS International, set the tone for the entire conference by stating, “GSX ushers in a reimagined approach to education, exhibits, and networking, blending these aspects into new opportunities and events.” Ms. Duffey gave an update on association governance and the international makeup of the new global board, which is designed to capture and reflect the evolving, diverse nature of the global security landscape. She continued, “Only ASIS has the experience, global reach, and collective power and expertise of its members to convene an event of this magnitude and quality.”

Nóirín O’Sullivan, the Assistant Secretary-General for Safety and Security for the United Nations, described the challenges involved with protecting the 180,000 staff of the United Nations—and their 400,000 family members—in an environment where country and regional boundaries are losing some of their importance.

Ian Bremmer, Ph.D., President, Eurasia Group gave Monday’s keynote address. “We are in the midst of a Geopolitical Recession,” Dr. Bremmer proclaimed as he began his presentation. He described four key factors that are affecting global perceptions and can stoke conflict and uncertainty, including the decline of the ‘social contract’ (i.e., flat wages, scandals involving privileged class, and sense that government and employers no longer represent the needs of the people they serve), immigration, the ‘forever’ wars (i.e., the 18-year conflict in Afghanistan), and the role of social media in stoking division and fears. He also cited news headlines, including the consequences of Brexit, China’s global investments in Western Democracies, and the lack of a “Plan B” in dealing with Iran. “Our assumption has always been that as China gets bigger and richer, they will move to align more closely with our systems and viewpoint, or they will fail. But, they aren’t aligning with us—and they aren’t failing.”

‘Game Changer’ sessions throughout the day brought together multiple perspectives to capture and explore the latest security topics. For example, a morning session on the ever-changing drone landscape brought together Joseph Rios, Chief Engineer, UAS Traffic Management Project at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Angela Stubblefield, Deputy Associate Administrator for Security and Hazardous Materials Safety, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and Michael Rozin, President, Rosen Security Consulting, to provide their unique views in this rapidly evolving technology platform. The FAA has registered 5 times more drones (more than 1.5 million) in just 4 years, than all the commercial aircraft that have been registered up to now (300,000) in the history of the agency. The dramatic changes to the regulation of the drone industry parallel the increasing attention to the safety and security risks they bring.

The rest of the day’s educational lineup focused on a wealth of relevant global safety and security topics, including workplace violence, emergency operations plans, critical infrastructure resilience, cyber threats faced by government, corporations and citizens, women in security, online and social media investigation, and more. For example, a session on cybersecurity included a review of typical cyber attack types, and how to protect yourself from them. The emergence of 5G networking was a highlight in the session, as presenters pointed out that while the technology will bring new benefits from interconnected devices, it will also open new avenues for hackers. “Expect IoT devices to be a prime target of hackers in the next few years,” the presenters warned.

Tuesday’s agenda will include the opening of the exhibit hall at 10:00 am CST, with more than 550 exhibitors representing the most innovative security companies in the world.

Other key programs on Tuesday include:

• General session from Steve Demetriou, Chair and CEO of Jacobs. Jacobs is one of the world's premier design, engineering, construction and technical services firms, with more than 80,000 employees worldwide, and revenues exceeding $15B annually (8:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. CST)
• Drones 101: An Introduction to Unmanned Aircraft Systems (11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. CST)
• Game Changer session on the current and changing cannabis industry (2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. CST)
• Women in Security and Young Professionals Happy Hour from (5:30 – 7:00 p.m. CST)

20,000 security professionals are expected to attend the four-day event. For more information, please visit GSX.org.

About Global Security Exchange (GSX)

Entering its 65th year, Global Security Exchange (formerly the ASIS International Annual Seminar & Exhibits) is the world’s most comprehensive event for security professionals worldwide, dedicated to addressing fast-paced changes across the industry with a focus on immersive learning, revitalized networking, and a reimagined exhibit floor. Attendance at GSX directly supports scholarship programs and the development of education, certification, and standards and guideline year-round. ASIS International remains dedicated to expanding and enriching knowledge sharing, best practices, and peer-to-peer connections so security professionals across disciplines—and at all stages of their career—can get access to the information and resources they need to succeed. For more information, visit www.GSX.org

About ASIS International

Founded in 1955, ASIS International is the world's largest membership organization for security management professionals. With hundreds of chapters across the globe, ASIS is recognized as the premier source for learning, networking, standards, and research. Through its board certifications, award-winning Security Management magazine, and Global Security Exchange (formerly the Annual Seminar and Exhibits)—the most influential event in the profession—ASIS ensures its members and the security community have access to the intelligence and resources necessary to protect their people, property, and information assets.  Learn more about the work we do at www.asisonline.org.

Media Contact:

Andy Cutler
pr@asisonline.org
+1.703.518.1415