A-LIST SECURITY
No Risks, All Rewards Jan Du Preez at RMA keeps us safe and secure By Den i s e K. Jame s
So what’s a typical day like for Jan now? Because he oversees a variety of security personnel on an array of posts, no two days are identical, and each day presents a new opportunity for solving problems and potential problems within the realm of security. From assessing the risk for a business, a factory, or even a school to the safeguarding of specialized production equipment, Risk Management of Atlanta does much more than just guarding an individual, although they do that, too. “Not all clients need to have a guard,” Jan notes. “There are multiple other solutions that are more cost- effective and sustainable than assigning a person to you. For example, some clients are technology-inclined, and they prefer massive amounts of cameras, but do they have someone to look at them—so it all depends on the clients.” Working with each client and finding out what exactly will suit their needs begins with a thorough risk analysis. The analysis can often yield potential risks the client had not considered, as well as simple methods to reduce said risks. “In the entertainment production industry, things we find [that jeopardize security] are how items con- stantly move around—one crew might put cables un- der the tree, for example, for the next crew to grab, but they might not know how many cables should be there. And simple procedures can reduce these risks. Another example: in studios, people love to open exterior doors to have access to the outside, and then they leave that door propped open the entire night instead of closing it,” Jan says. “We want to give our clients an exact idea of where these high-risk areas are,” he continues. “We want to analyze their risk profile and develop mitigations against these risks over time.” Jan points out that his experiences living in different countries and growing up in South Africa have given him a keen sense of how we need a better understanding of security, from our homes to our schools to our belongings. He also notes that today’s culture—the fact that many of us walk around wearing earbuds and looking at our individual screens—can make us susceptible to a myriad of security issues. “Security is everyone’s problem, not just the provider’s problem,” he says. “As a person who grew up in Africa, we are more security-conscious as part of our nature. Africa is tougher in terms of theft and so forth;
the culture there is just different. But here in America, there is a perceived sense of security that people live in; clients and people don’t suppose they need to secure things. Yet, the world has changed a lot—that perceived sense of security is not necessarily accurate anymore. We try to create security consciousness with our clients.” Jan embraces the challenges of opening everyone’s eyes—and has for the duration of his career in security. He values being able to shed light for every client and increase their knowledge as well as their safety. “We are a small company, not a corporate company,” he says. “We want to work with our clients, educate them, and develop relationships. RMA ownership is on the front line of all contracts, with our personal and custom approach. We will change the world, one day at a time.” “ …here in America, there is a perceived sense of security that people live in; clients and people don’t suppose they need to secure things. Yet, the world has changed a lot—that perceived sense of security is not necessarily accurate anymore. ”
Sheree and Jan Du Preez in Ghana
S outh African native Jan Du Preez met his wife, Sheree, an Atlanta native, while both were working in Ghana. After another move to Dubai—with Jan working in leadership consultation and management for school secu- rity and Sheree working in education admin- istration—the couple eventually relocated to Atlanta, where they’ve happily lived and thrived ever since. “She was born and bred in Decatur and dragged my butt here in 2017,” Jan laughs. As the new director of operations for Risk Manage- ment of Atlanta (RMA), Jan stays busy with a variety of projects, including security for big-name entertainment companies Warner Bros. and AMC, working on beloved shows such as The Walking Dead and Legacies , a spin-off of The Vampire Diaries . Having a wealth of security man- agement experience as a retired, 16-year combat veteran (Major) from the South African National Defence Force, Jan seamlessly pivoted into his current role. RMA started on the original version of The Vampire Diaries —a Warner Bros. production—and then its owners established themselves as a preferred provider for other projects the old-fashioned way, by “getting to know people and meeting new contacts.”
Twitter: @AtlantaRisk
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