The 2022 award recipients of the Bill Zalud Memorial Award for Professional Excellence are Garry Bergin, pictured; and Paul Kellett, the International Foundation for Protection Officers (IFPO) reports. The memorial dates from 2017, and recognises the security professional, or organisation that has demonstrated professional excellence or outstanding service.
Garry Bergin PC; MSc; CSyP; CPP; CPOI; FSyI; F.ISRM has over two decades of security operations management experience across a variety of security industry sectors where he has managed some of the largest multi-national security contracts in Ireland. Garry holds an MSc in Security Management and is studying towards a Professional Doctorate at the University of Portsmouth focusing on the development of training for the security industry internationally. He is a Chartered Security Professional (CSyP) and an ASIS Board Certified CPP.
A Peace Commissioner appointed by the Irish Minister for Justice and Equality, he is a Fellow of the Security Institute and the Institute of Strategic Risk Management (ISRM) as well as an IFPO Certified Protection Officer Instructor CPOI. He is the Vice-Chair of ASIS Ireland Chapter and the ISRM Ireland Chapter. A Director, Board Member and Lecturer with the Security Institute of Ireland, Garry also serves as an Advisory Board Member to IFPO UK & Ireland. In 2021, Garry was ranked #11 by IFSEC in the Commercial Security (Thought Leader/ Academic/ Association Figure) category. Garry has also been selected as a judge for the new, Irish OSPAs for 2021/2022.
Paul Kellett DSM, PC, MSc; CPP, CPOI has some 33 years’ front-line uniformed service, including 15 years of strategic management experience in a leadership role. He also has 14 years military experience, during which he was decorated for bravery, awarded the Distinguished Service Medal (DSM) and the Spanish Cross of Naval Merit with White Distinction by the Spanish Ambassador to Ireland, on behalf of the King of Spain. He holds a MSc in Emergency Management from Dublin City University (DCU), ASIS Board Certified CPP and an IFPO Certified Protection Officer Instructor (CPOI®).
Paul was appointed by the Irish Minister for Justice and Equality as a Peace Commissioner. He is the Secretary of the ASIS Ireland Chapter, a Director and Lecturer with the Security Institute of Ireland and a Director of the Emergency Management Institute of Ireland (EMII). Paul also serves as an Advisory Board Member to IFPO UK & Ireland. Paul has also been selected as a judge for the Irish OSPA’s for 2021/2022.
Plans are under way for the sixth Annual Bill Zalud Memorial Award. Nomination applications will be available on the IFPO website by March 1, 2022. Deadline for applications will be October 31, 2022.
Sandi Davies, Executive Director of the IFPO said: “The nominations submitted were all outstanding supporters of professional excellence. We are very proud to have had Bill serve on the IFPO Board of Directors for more than a decade.
“His long and outstanding service to our organisation made a significant difference. Bill gave strategic direction and vision to the Foundation. As an industry insider, his leadership was instrumental in making the foundation the success it is today.”
Mike Hurst CPP CPOI, Director of IFPO UK and Ireland and a member of the IFPO Board of Directors said: “Both Garry and Paul have made a massive contribution to professional excellence in security in Ireland and the UK through their dedicated volunteer leadership across a range of associations and professional bodies. They are valued members of the IFPO UK & Ireland Advisory Board and have been instrumental in the successes we have achieved.”
