Contemporary Services Corporation
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Securing the Games
Out of the three companies awarded security bids for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Vancouver, ABJ caught up with the only American company with a winning bid. Find out how Contemporary Services Corporation pioneered the ‘peer security approach’ that revolutionized the entire crowd management industry, starting from rock bands to major international sporting events.
It all began in the summer of 1967.
The music was epic, drugs were rampant and social revolution was a sign of the times. The late 1960s was a time of transition in the entertainment industry known as the rock and roll era of music. Behind the scenes, however, there was a dire need for an alternative approach to crowd security, most especially in the emerging rock and roll business.
As the evening news often reported during this time, the rock and roll era created a lot of tension between police and other authorities who tried to figure out how to deal with the young crowds that came in droves to see rock concerts. One prime example of this problem—the authorities lacked ability to control the crowds—is when the famed rockers The Rolling Stones hired some of the Hells Angels for security at their 1968 concert on the recommendation of the Grateful Dead (although this has been denied by all parties directly involved).
In an effort to fill this need for an alternative approach to security, a college student by the name of Damon Zumwalt came up with a new concept. Little did he realize at the time, however, it was the beginning of his own business, as well as the creation of an industry. At the ripe age of 18, Zumwalt’s journey as an entrepreneur began in his hometown of San Diego, California, where he brought together young athletes from various ethnic communities—something he still refers to as a “rainbow coalition.” “Nothing had really worked right with previous security methods, but I had the opportunity; I was at the right place in the right time to come up with a different approach to doing security for the entertainment world,” tells Zumwalt, now chairman and CEO of Contemporary Services Corporation, a member of Contemporary Group based out of California.
While receiving his degree from UCLA, where he was well known for both his athletic and leadership skills, Zumwalt was first approached by a disc jockey/promoter of a club in the area who asked him to help after hearing he had an uncanny ability to stop fights peacefully. “These young men were all champions from different sports, physically impressive and leaders in their communities. They were also in the same age group as the patrons attending the rock and roll shows. Thus, we coined the phrase ‘peer group security,’” explains Zumwalt, who eventually expanded his company into a full-service corporation.
Paving the path for the industry
Prior to CSC, the traditional concept of security—be it ushers or guards—was a person wearing a police-type uniform or a doormen in formal wear. “I wanted a more low-key, unobtrusive look in order to work with the crowds, so we put yellow jackets on the guys. These were visible but non-threatening,” explains Zumwalt.
After a few years, the global community began to notice and many began to copy CSC’s ‘peer group approach.’ “It was called that because I went out and hired athletes that were the same age as the people coming the dances and concerts. I felt that these athletes—peers of the attendees—could get the job done more peacefully and for a variety of different reasons,” explains Zumwalt.
And he turned out to be right.
About the company
Contemporary Services Corporation (CSC) pioneered the use of peer group security and crowd management in 1967 and has since emerged as the industry leader. With more than 45 branch offices and 50,000 employees serving over 200 cities within the United States and Canada, CSC’s presence in the event security industry remains unmatched. America’s finest venues continually rely on CSC for its performance, experience and expertise in ensuring the safety of the nation’s largest events. The company is now in the security planning business and has a very loyal client base, including an upwards of 100 stadiums and arenas, 70 universities and colleges, 20 convention centers and big clients in the NBA, NFL, NHL and NASCAR. CSC does an upwards of 8,000 events a year and has done 29 Superbowls.
Although CSC and its affiliates have provided specialized services to six previous Olympic Games, this is the first time that they have been awarded the security bid.
The big challenge for CSC is not only being a service provider but also assisting the planners with the overall process, such as creating the templates for what needs to be done. Planning for the Olympics is unlike weekend events, where the planning process lasts for a few days. For the Olympics, the entire process started two years prior to the big event.
But CSC has been busy laying down the groundwork.
Global success attracts intelligence experts to work on Olympic security bid
With the global success of CSC, Zumwalt started another six sister companies under the Contemporary Group umbrella, one of which is APEX Group. The APEX Group is an executive protection firm that provides high level security (many of its employees carry arms and are retired law enforcement officers) and recently hired Mark Camillio, former Deputy Assistant Director of the Secret Service to serve as president.
Camillo met Zumwalt at the Olympics in Salt Lake City, where he was in charge of all of the government efforts in protecting the host city. These days, however, Camillo splits his time between APEX Group and CSC as vice-president of strategic planning. The intelligence expert is actively involved in the security planning for the 2010 Olympics and is on the board of directors for Contemporary Security Canada, another sister company of Contemporary Group. The president and CEO of Contemporary Security Canada, Steve Mirabile, Camillo, and Zumwalt have been working closely in the security planning for Vancouver 2010.
The important players
Mirabile is the lead executive overseeing all business endeavors related to the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. He joined the company in 1997 with over 20 years of experience in the global event industry and has held management roles on six previous Olympic and Paralympic Games, and has served as an expert advisor to the International Olympic Committee for event operations.
Due to privacy considerations, specific information about the securities bid has been withheld. However, the company was awarded an estimated $120 million combined for three separate proposals. Contemporary Services Corporation, in cooperation with Contemporary Security Canada, will provide: spectator services, a provision of security, asset protection (24-hour security to protect whatever is being moved in and out of the facilities), as well as a partnership with the Canadian Royal Mounted Police and the Government of Canada to assist with screening procedures required for all patrons coming in and out of airports. When asked about future plans, Mirabile said:
“No rest, bring on the next Olympic Games in London 2012 and Sochi, Russia in 2014.” As one can expect, he and the company executives are working on their “legacy strategy to support our existing and new clients in Canada.”
Changes in the industry
Since its establishment, there have been some significant changes that have impacted how CSC does business. “The times have changed, the music has changed, kids’ attitudes have changed and we have to change along with that. But the thing that doesn’t change is our commitment to be as professional as possible to provide a safe environment,” explains Zumwalt. After 9/11 the company had to use more technology in certain instances like metal detectors, perimeter security in facilities, more training and education about terror threats.
“I never really liked the name Contemporary but it describes what you have to do to stay in tune with the times—you have to change with the times. In other words, keep your message and approaches current,” adds Zumwalt. Perhaps what is most rewarding after a large event is the comfort in knowing you’ve provided your best service. The people at CSC think so anyway.
“Sometimes, the actual functions aren’t as difficult as the logistics of putting a 1,000 people on different posts with their guidelines, instructions, and so on,” explains Zumwalt. He adds logistical planning is the biggest hurdle to jump in the lead up to large-scale international events. “That’s why the Olympics takes so long to plan, because it’s the logistics of dealing with 15,000 staff—most companies just can’t do that,” he says.
Jumping over hurdles by inventing new technology
Through their experience, CSC found that one of the best ways to overcome such obstacles in your course is to simply build your own technology. “We built our own workforce technology program that deals with staffing from the day they apply to time of training, background checks to payroll. Now, it’s a critical part of the infrastructure that makes sure all the t’s are crossed and i’s are dotted, if you know what I’m saying,” Zumwalt explains.
As one can imagine, every action has to leave a paper trail in order to make sure you’ve executed the function at a high level. “Whether it is special assets or just putting in documentation that a certain person speaks three languages, all that information is useful when the time comes,” he adds. CSC values all the assets of its employees and thinks of each as a member of the larger team.
Work culture simulates that of a sports team
The company believes the key to an outstanding performance is to hire appropriately and motivate the people just like a coach would do to his team—to have high standards, push them to work hard—all of which are a big part of CSC’s work culture. This sense of a team goes back the roots of the company, when Zumwalt gathered his peer athletes who were already stars to help with security at a concert. Not only did these guys have the desire to do well but they had the discipline and focus to do well, in whatever they tried to accomplish.
When asking Zumwalt how he motivates his team, one cannot help but notice his coach-like inspirational talk. “If you want to do something enough and you’re willing to commit to being the best you can be, you can achieve almost anything. And that’s exactly what we try to do in motivating people, to make sure they are on the same channel as we are—that they have the same standards,” he says proudly.
The company is particularly proud of its work culture, which has “every nationality you can ever imagine integrated into its team. “It’s just like a football team, everyone has certain talents. The quarterback, the receivers and linebackers; it’s our responsibility [as management] to analyze each of these talents to make sure that they’re placed in position out there where they can excel,” explains Zumwalt. “And that’s the difference between us and traditional industrial guard companies. We’ve studied the functionalities and applied talents to those particular personalities in a stringent manner.”
Indeed, they are taking the Games to whole new level.
www.csc-usa.com
Out of the three companies awarded security bids for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Vancouver, ABJ caught up with the only American company with a winning bid. Find out how Contemporary Services Corporation pioneered the ‘peer security approach’ that revolutionized the entire crowd management industry, starting from rock bands to major international sporting events.
It all began in the summer of 1967.
The music was epic, drugs were rampant and social revolution was a sign of the times. The late 1960s was a time of transition in the entertainment industry known as the rock and roll era of music. Behind the scenes, however, there was a dire need for an alternative approach to crowd security, most especially in the emerging rock and roll business.
As the evening news often reported during this time, the rock and roll era created a lot of tension between police and other authorities who tried to figure out how to deal with the young crowds that came in droves to see rock concerts. One prime example of this problem—the authorities lacked ability to control the crowds—is when the famed rockers The Rolling Stones hired some of the Hells Angels for security at their 1968 concert on the recommendation of the Grateful Dead (although this has been denied by all parties directly involved).
In an effort to fill this need for an alternative approach to security, a college student by the name of Damon Zumwalt came up with a new concept. Little did he realize at the time, however, it was the beginning of his own business, as well as the creation of an industry. At the ripe age of 18, Zumwalt’s journey as an entrepreneur began in his hometown of San Diego, California, where he brought together young athletes from various ethnic communities—something he still refers to as a “rainbow coalition.” “Nothing had really worked right with previous security methods, but I had the opportunity; I was at the right place in the right time to come up with a different approach to doing security for the entertainment world,” tells Zumwalt, now chairman and CEO of Contemporary Services Corporation, a member of Contemporary Group based out of California.
While receiving his degree from UCLA, where he was well known for both his athletic and leadership skills, Zumwalt was first approached by a disc jockey/promoter of a club in the area who asked him to help after hearing he had an uncanny ability to stop fights peacefully. “These young men were all champions from different sports, physically impressive and leaders in their communities. They were also in the same age group as the patrons attending the rock and roll shows. Thus, we coined the phrase ‘peer group security,’” explains Zumwalt, who eventually expanded his company into a full-service corporation.
Paving the path for the industry
Prior to CSC, the traditional concept of security—be it ushers or guards—was a person wearing a police-type uniform or a doormen in formal wear. “I wanted a more low-key, unobtrusive look in order to work with the crowds, so we put yellow jackets on the guys. These were visible but non-threatening,” explains Zumwalt.
After a few years, the global community began to notice and many began to copy CSC’s ‘peer group approach.’ “It was called that because I went out and hired athletes that were the same age as the people coming the dances and concerts. I felt that these athletes—peers of the attendees—could get the job done more peacefully and for a variety of different reasons,” explains Zumwalt.
And he turned out to be right.
About the company
Contemporary Services Corporation (CSC) pioneered the use of peer group security and crowd management in 1967 and has since emerged as the industry leader. With more than 45 branch offices and 50,000 employees serving over 200 cities within the United States and Canada, CSC’s presence in the event security industry remains unmatched. America’s finest venues continually rely on CSC for its performance, experience and expertise in ensuring the safety of the nation’s largest events. The company is now in the security planning business and has a very loyal client base, including an upwards of 100 stadiums and arenas, 70 universities and colleges, 20 convention centers and big clients in the NBA, NFL, NHL and NASCAR. CSC does an upwards of 8,000 events a year and has done 29 Superbowls.
Although CSC and its affiliates have provided specialized services to six previous Olympic Games, this is the first time that they have been awarded the security bid.
The big challenge for CSC is not only being a service provider but also assisting the planners with the overall process, such as creating the templates for what needs to be done. Planning for the Olympics is unlike weekend events, where the planning process lasts for a few days. For the Olympics, the entire process started two years prior to the big event.
But CSC has been busy laying down the groundwork.
Global success attracts intelligence experts to work on Olympic security bid
With the global success of CSC, Zumwalt started another six sister companies under the Contemporary Group umbrella, one of which is APEX Group. The APEX Group is an executive protection firm that provides high level security (many of its employees carry arms and are retired law enforcement officers) and recently hired Mark Camillio, former Deputy Assistant Director of the Secret Service to serve as president.
Camillo met Zumwalt at the Olympics in Salt Lake City, where he was in charge of all of the government efforts in protecting the host city. These days, however, Camillo splits his time between APEX Group and CSC as vice-president of strategic planning. The intelligence expert is actively involved in the security planning for the 2010 Olympics and is on the board of directors for Contemporary Security Canada, another sister company of Contemporary Group. The president and CEO of Contemporary Security Canada, Steve Mirabile, Camillo, and Zumwalt have been working closely in the security planning for Vancouver 2010.
The important players
Mirabile is the lead executive overseeing all business endeavors related to the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. He joined the company in 1997 with over 20 years of experience in the global event industry and has held management roles on six previous Olympic and Paralympic Games, and has served as an expert advisor to the International Olympic Committee for event operations.
Due to privacy considerations, specific information about the securities bid has been withheld. However, the company was awarded an estimated $120 million combined for three separate proposals. Contemporary Services Corporation, in cooperation with Contemporary Security Canada, will provide: spectator services, a provision of security, asset protection (24-hour security to protect whatever is being moved in and out of the facilities), as well as a partnership with the Canadian Royal Mounted Police and the Government of Canada to assist with screening procedures required for all patrons coming in and out of airports. When asked about future plans, Mirabile said:
“No rest, bring on the next Olympic Games in London 2012 and Sochi, Russia in 2014.” As one can expect, he and the company executives are working on their “legacy strategy to support our existing and new clients in Canada.”
Changes in the industry
Since its establishment, there have been some significant changes that have impacted how CSC does business. “The times have changed, the music has changed, kids’ attitudes have changed and we have to change along with that. But the thing that doesn’t change is our commitment to be as professional as possible to provide a safe environment,” explains Zumwalt. After 9/11 the company had to use more technology in certain instances like metal detectors, perimeter security in facilities, more training and education about terror threats.
“I never really liked the name Contemporary but it describes what you have to do to stay in tune with the times—you have to change with the times. In other words, keep your message and approaches current,” adds Zumwalt. Perhaps what is most rewarding after a large event is the comfort in knowing you’ve provided your best service. The people at CSC think so anyway.
“Sometimes, the actual functions aren’t as difficult as the logistics of putting a 1,000 people on different posts with their guidelines, instructions, and so on,” explains Zumwalt. He adds logistical planning is the biggest hurdle to jump in the lead up to large-scale international events. “That’s why the Olympics takes so long to plan, because it’s the logistics of dealing with 15,000 staff—most companies just can’t do that,” he says.
Jumping over hurdles by inventing new technology
Through their experience, CSC found that one of the best ways to overcome such obstacles in your course is to simply build your own technology. “We built our own workforce technology program that deals with staffing from the day they apply to time of training, background checks to payroll. Now, it’s a critical part of the infrastructure that makes sure all the t’s are crossed and i’s are dotted, if you know what I’m saying,” Zumwalt explains.
As one can imagine, every action has to leave a paper trail in order to make sure you’ve executed the function at a high level. “Whether it is special assets or just putting in documentation that a certain person speaks three languages, all that information is useful when the time comes,” he adds. CSC values all the assets of its employees and thinks of each as a member of the larger team.
Work culture simulates that of a sports team
The company believes the key to an outstanding performance is to hire appropriately and motivate the people just like a coach would do to his team—to have high standards, push them to work hard—all of which are a big part of CSC’s work culture. This sense of a team goes back the roots of the company, when Zumwalt gathered his peer athletes who were already stars to help with security at a concert. Not only did these guys have the desire to do well but they had the discipline and focus to do well, in whatever they tried to accomplish.
When asking Zumwalt how he motivates his team, one cannot help but notice his coach-like inspirational talk. “If you want to do something enough and you’re willing to commit to being the best you can be, you can achieve almost anything. And that’s exactly what we try to do in motivating people, to make sure they are on the same channel as we are—that they have the same standards,” he says proudly.
The company is particularly proud of its work culture, which has “every nationality you can ever imagine integrated into its team. “It’s just like a football team, everyone has certain talents. The quarterback, the receivers and linebackers; it’s our responsibility [as management] to analyze each of these talents to make sure that they’re placed in position out there where they can excel,” explains Zumwalt. “And that’s the difference between us and traditional industrial guard companies. We’ve studied the functionalities and applied talents to those particular personalities in a stringent manner.”
Indeed, they are taking the Games to whole new level.
www.csc-usa.com
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