The Belfry will be the venue for a virtual Women in Security (WiS) awards ceremony on Wednesday, February 10, from 7pm.
Here are the finalists in the five categories, with the person who nominated in brackets: security manager, Alison Isom-Leonard of Allied Universal (Europe) (Lindsay Batoryk), Laura Cockerill of Lodge Security (Oliver Ware), and Amy Stanley of FGH Security (Chris Stoves); contribution to the industry, Sarah Smith of Mitie (Jordan Marsden), Lisa Reilly of the the NGO group the Global Interagency Security Forum (Fredrik Palsson), and Karen Lass, regional security officer at the US embassy in London (Brendan Collins); business manager, Angela Bennett of the installer Diamond Systems (Stuart Bennett), Jackie Lambert of Retail Loss Prevention (Alison Ashley), and Sally Cadec of SafeGuard Security Consultants (Graeme Dow); technical, Melanie Sullivan of Knight Fire & Security Products (Mike Inker), Elaine Moran of Hanwha Techwin (Murielle Runnalls), and Lynn Zhang (Hikvision UK); and front-line, Gemma Myring of OCS Group UK (Andy Schulten), Hannah White of Veritech Systems (Paul Oldridge), and Dina Abreu of G4S Secure Solutions (Heike Butler).
Covid-secure event
Roy Cooper, Professional Security MD, will compere the ceremony at a converted exhibition room at the Birmingham venue, that now has stage, screen, lighting and camera for such covid-secure events. Sponsors (CIS Security, the NSI, FSA, Pyronix, QCIC, Security Institute and SSAIB) will read citations after an opening video by Yasmeen Stratton, as Master of the Worshipful Company of Security Professionals (WCoSP), this year’s industry body host; and Una Riley, the patron and founder of the awards.
Roy said: “We have had more nominations than we had last year. The quality of nominations is very high, and it’s going to be very difficult for the judges to decide, because they are all worthy winners. There’s some fantastic achievements.”
The ceremony is usually in the autumn at a London venue; this is the 2020 one, postponed from September due to coronavirus restrictions. The award judges were looking for women who have gone above and beyond their job spec.
Winners and more details in the March print edition of Professional Security magazine.
