About
Protos Security
Protos Security provides technology enabled-security program management backed by a service first culture and an ongoing commitment to innovation.
Our Services
Protos Security's Commitments
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Protos Security was the first, and remains the only, security management company providing uniformity through its proprietary platform.
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With more than 4,000 vendors in our network, we have a surplus of officers for your staffing needs.
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Delivering the best possible service is central to everything we do, from our technology advancements to our operations center.
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With our 97% customer retention rate, Protos Security proves our team's commitment to the industry.
Team Protos
Mark Hjelle is the CEO of Security Services Holdings, LLC as well as Protos Security and its subsidiaries. Mark is an experienced Chief Executive Officer and Board Member who has led large national business and facilities services firms for nearly 25 years delivering strong top- and bottom-line growth while building high-performing teams with strong culture. Most recently, he was CEO for CSC ServiceWorks, a B2B2C provider of technology-enabled consumer services. Prior to CSC, Mark was President of Brickman/Valleycrest a national provider of exterior landscape and snow removal services. Over the course of his 18-year tenure at Brickman, he held numerous leadership positions in operations, finance and business development. Mark holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics from The Wharton School of Business, University of Pennsylvania, a Master of Government Administration from the University of Pennsylvania Fels Institute of Government and a Law Degree from Case Western Reserve School of Law.
Anthony “Tony” Escamilla joined Protos Security in 2018 as Chief Financial Officer. With over 35 years of diverse industry experience, Tony is an accomplished senior executive who brings significant expertise across all core operating functions after having led finance, accounting, HR, IT, legal and operations departments at numerous companies. He also has an extensive background in debt and equity capital markets transactions as well as mergers & acquisitions. Tony’s diverse corporate background includes investment & commercial banking, media & entertainment, financial consulting and public accounting. He is a Certified Public Accountant and a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. Tony holds a bachelor’s in accounting from The University of Connecticut and an MBA with a concentration in finance from The University of Texas at Austin.
Mike Jacobs joined Protos Security in 2023 and currently serves as the Chief Operating Officer. Before joining Protos, Mike served as Chief Operating Officer for an amenities provider to the multifamily housing industry. He has a diverse background in consulting for senior leaders of companies owned by private equity, leading continuous improvement efforts in manufacturing, distribution, financial services and food service. Prior to that, Mike was the Senior Vice President of Manufacturing for the Eastern Division of Simmons Bedding, drastically improving customer satisfaction and increasing profitability while supporting the introduction of new channels and the largest product redesign in the company’s history. Mike graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. He is a Certified Lean Six Sigma Sensei from Villanova University.
Peter Platten is the Chief Revenue Officer for Protos. Prior to joining the company in December 2020 as the Senior Vice President of Sales & Strategic Accounts, he spent a decade working for a large global security organization. During his tenure, he held various roles including Vice President of National Sales and Region Vice President of Sales & Operations. Peter has also held executive level positions with Fortune 500 companies in the financial and technology sector. Throughout his career, Peter has established a proven track record within enterprise sales, leadership and the security industry. Peter’s expertise includes optimizing processes throughout the sales journey as well as implementing innovative client retention programs. As a leader, he has developed and led highly successful sales teams while consistently exceeding targets. Peter holds degrees in finance and computer science from Ferris State University.
Alyssa Wilson joined Protos Security in 2020 and currently serves as the Senior Vice President of Marketing. With over 12 years of experience, she brings extensive knowledge in multichannel marketing. Alyssa is a data-driven marketing leader with a proven history in organizational digital transformation. Throughout her career, she has worked in B2B and B2C companies including security, consumer goods, software development, events and manufacturing. Alyssa is skilled in marketing strategy, digital marketing, email marketing, user experience, product-to-market project management and market research. She holds a bachelor’s degree in communications and public relations from Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania.
Angela Flood joined Protos Security in 2019 as the Corporate Controller. With over 18 years of diverse industry experience, she is an accomplished controller who brings significant expertise across all core accounting functions, including general, technical, and acquisition-related accounting as well as internal controls and accounting operations. Prior to joining Protos, Angela served as the Corporate Controller for HomeServe USA and as the Global Platform Controller for Louis Dreyfus Commodities. She is also a Certified Public Accountant in New York State. Angela holds a bachelor’s in accounting and finance from Marist College and a Master of Accountancy from the University of Connecticut.
Cameron Tabor joined Protos Security in 2014 and currently serves as the Senior Vice President of Software Engineering. With over 20 years of experience, Cameron has made a distinguished career of building and managing software systems. His past roles include Software Architect for companies including InnovaSystems International and Reynolds & Reynolds. Now, as the lead software architect for Protos, his contributions are essential as we continue to innovate, delivering new value-added benefits to our clients. Cameron holds a bachelor’s degree in computer science from the Virginia Military Institute.
Daniel “Dan” Arnold joined Protos in 2021 and currently serves as the Senior Vice President of National Operations. His industry experience includes ten years with a large security company, first as a District Manager and then as an Area Vice President. He also has six years of experience in the retail security industry working for a national retail chain. Dan is currently a member of ASIS International, the world’s largest association for security professionals and has held various board member positions for the Omaha chapter. He holds a MBM from Doane University and a bachelor’s in business administration from Nebraska Wesleyan University.
Matt Shedlock is the Senior Vice President of Sales & Enterprise Accounts at Protos Security, bringing over 20 years of transformative leadership experience to the role. Prior to joining Protos, Matt held the position of VP of Sales at ODP Business Solutions and served in various VP roles at XPO Logistics. Known for his inspirational leadership style and strategic sales planning, Matt has a proven track record of driving revenue growth through operational efficiency and organizational design for several multibillion-dollar companies. With expertise in enterprise sales leadership, commercial strategy, and sales operations, Matt excels in change management, employee engagement, and exceeding financial goals. He holds a degree in Business Management and Communication from Bryant University.
Ryan Wessendorf joined Protos Security in 2022 and is the Senior Vice President of Finance. Prior to joining the company, he served as Director of Commercial Finance for Rizing, where he was responsible for multiple aspects of the finance function for a private equity backed IT services and software firm. Ryan has a diverse background in accounting and finance holding multiple roles at other firms such as Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) and IBM. Ryan holds an MBA from Quinnipiac University and holds bachelor’s degrees in both accounting and management from the State University of New York at Plattsburgh.
Blake Vaughan joined Protos Security in early 2017 and is currently the Vice President of Finance. Prior to starting this role, he worked in a variety of capacities for Protos including finance, accounting, integration, operations and analytics. In his current role, Blake uses his experience with Protos and in the industry to oversee finance and accounting along with corporate strategy and integration through mergers and acquisitions. He holds a bachelor’s in finance from Virginia Tech.
Brian Stewart joined Off Duty Services, a Protos Company, in 2023 and currently serves as Vice President of Off-Duty Operations. With over 17 years of experience, he has an extensive background in operations management and service delivery specific to the security guarding and off-duty law enforcement industry. Brian has held various managerial roles for a Fortune 500 company operating as a managed services provider. He holds a degree in business management from Western Governors University and a degree in graphic design from Westwood College of Technology. Brian is Lean Six Sigma Green Belt certified.
Gail Funk is the Vice President of Guarding Operations for Protos. With over 18 years of both MSP and security industry operations experience, he brings extensive expertise to the Protos team. Prior to joining the company, he served as an executive with a large international security company, where he was responsible for leading an operations team of over 3,000 employees. He has also had an extensive career in healthcare administration, where he grew a provider network for a comprehensive enterprise health system. Gail holds a Masters of Healthcare Administration.
Glen Sider joined Protos Security in 2022 as the Vice President of Vendor Management, bringing with him over 25 years of operational and leadership experience in Vendor Relations, IT, Law Enforcement Support, Procurement, Security and Investigations. With significant start-up experience, Glen’s expertise in identifying efficiencies and deploying solutions brings an entrepreneurial approach to Protos’ Vendor Management team. Glen’s dedication to the security industry is evident in his maintaining a NY State Armed Guard license and standing a post when time permits. He has been awarded a citation by FBI Director Robert Mueller for Exceptional Service in the Public Interest.
Jennifer Araujo joined Protos Security in 2023 as the Vice President of Human Resources. With over 20 years of experience, Jennifer has an extensive background as a human resource leader who is skilled in aligning HR policies, programs and practices to engage employees and drive business success. Prior to joining Protos, Jennifer held various roles in human resources at Charter Communications where she led a national team of 39 people who delivered strategic and tactical support to 700 domestic locations. Jennifer holds a Master of Science in Education from Indiana University Bloomington.
Jeremy Costlow currently serves as Vice President of Enterprise Accounts. He is a senior leader with over a decade of experience in the surveillance and security industry. Jeremy has a proven track record of success in client relationship management, business growth and industry evolution. His commitment to building strong relationships and tireless dedication to clients have been hallmarks of his career. Prior to joining the security industry, Jeremy worked in the banking and automotive industries. Jeremy is actively involved in the security community, serving on several boards including the Robbery Investigators of Texas, Top Cop and Hiway 80 Missions Board of Directors.
John Culver currently serves as the Vice President of National Sales. John has more than 15 years of senior leadership experience in the security industry, and has previously led both operational and sales teams for a global security company. In his leadership roles, John has helped companies from numerous industries maximize their security effectiveness and spend. John holds a Bachelor of Science degree specializing in Public Relations from Texas A&M University.
Julie Fraser joined Protos in 2022 and serves as the Vice President and Deputy General Counsel. Prior to joining Protos, Julie gained extensive experience in commercial practice at law firms in both Massachusetts and Connecticut. She also worked on the commercial teams at a market leading legal research and publishing company as well as the largest global alternative legal service provider for several years. She holds a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Stonehill College and a law degree from Suffolk University Law School in Boston.
Kris Vece has worked within Protos companies since 2004, starting as a Client Relations Manager, and has been promoted three times to reach her current role as Vice President of Enterprise Accounts. In her current role, she is responsible for overseeing all aspects of sales and client relations. Through relationships cultivated over the years, and a dedicated focus on excellence, Kris has earned a reputation as a security and loss prevention expert. She is a member of the Loss Prevention Foundation (LPF) and NJ Food Council. Kris also holds an LPQ certification from LPF.
Regina has worked within Protos companies since 2012. She has performed in various roles within the organization that include networking & communications, human resources, investigations, client relations and project management. In her current role, Regina oversees network, communication and information systems and enterprise-wide cyber security. She also is responsible for implementation of Protos’ extensive IT Infrastructure Road Map which includes full-system integrations, software rollouts and management of cross-functional external teams to achieve IT deliverables within tight, client-focused timelines.
Prior to her career with Protos companies, Regina worked as an IT consultant on system migration projects for a large energy provider in Southern New Jersey and worked for PriceWaterhouseCoopers in Philadelphia as a member of their Global Technology Solutions group.
Regina holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications from Rowan University.
Vipin Kalra joined Protos Security in 2022 and currently serves as the Vice President of Mergers and Acquisitions. Prior to joining the company, he was part of the Mergers & Acquisitions team at Broadridge, where he executed over 20 transactions of mid-market businesses. Vipin has a diverse background as a seasoned M&A, finance and strategy leader across corporate and private equity backed businesses. Vipin holds an MBA from the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business and a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering from Columbia University.
Protos Guiding
Principles
Mission
To provide differentiated, best total-value security solutions that deliver world-class service to our customers.
Vision
To be the leading technology-driven security services company in North America, enhancing customer experience through innovative solutions. We empower customers through our proprietary software platforms which provide transparency and drive efficiency.
Values
We truly care about and recognize the hard-working people that are part of our business ecosystem. Integrity, accountability, innovation and excellence are at the center of what we do and define how we strive to grow the company:
Integrity
We provide opportunities for our team members to succeed and we provide value to our stakeholders. We do business the right way.
Innovation
We are a thought leader in the security industry. We are committed to continuing our innovation through software development, operating models and technology solutions that meet and predict customer needs.
Accountability
We hold ourselves responsible to our employees, vendors, customers and community members to earn their trust. We do what we say we are going to do.
Excellence
We pledge to provide world-class service and a differentiated customer experience through an integration of our business operations, technology and values. We create transparent solutions that customers can trust.
Protos Headquarters
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