Andrews International Executive Addresses ICSC Shopping Center Security Conference

Richmond Highlights the Positive Impact of Assessment, Planning and Partnering for Crisis Response and Recovery

Los Angeles, Calif. (April 17, 2008) — Ty Richmond, Andrews International Co-President and COO, recently led an interactive session on Preparing For and Managing Crisis Events in the Shopping Center Industry at the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) Annual Shopping Center Security Conference. The session, before two packed rooms of 100 plus mall and shopping center security professionals, focused on the importance of proactively assessing risks and developing plans for response and recovery that involve many stakeholders, including tenants, service providers and first-responders.

"Proactive companies need to force themselves to confront training on crisis events they've never experienced or can imagine experiencing," said Richmond, "These organizations, through a more intense assessment of their preparedness and response capabilities, tend to encounter fewer calamities and recover faster when a crisis strikes."
"Studies demonstrate an amazing correlation between crisis preparedness and corporate success," states Richmond, "Crisis-prepared companies:

1. Reduces the number of calamities because planning for problems reduces incidents.
2. Stay in business 24% longer than reactive companies. 1
3. Average a return on assets of 6% - double the average return of crisis prone companies

Andrews International, a leading provider of uniformed security and risk management services, provides security services for many of the largest shopping complexes throughout the United States and partners with large retail property management companies to develop and implement crisis management and response plans.

The session was particularly relevant based on the recent high-profile incidents outside of Chicago and in Omaha, NE, as well as shootings at Virginia Tech and Northern Illinois University. These events highlight the threats associated with public-access environments that require more sophisticated security measures and increased interoperable communications to deter, detect and particularly respond to crisis.

Richmond's discussion focused heavily on situation assessment or crisis audit and creating a plan for response. "As evidenced in the recent Northern Illinois University shooting," said Richmond, "They learned from the Virginia Tech attacks to develop and implement a crisis response and communication plan that resulted in saving lives and improving recovery. Not having a plan creates psychological and financial costs that often force companies out of business."

Andrews International experts are frequently asked to participate in educational programs relating to a wide range of security and mitigation areas. Anton Bommersbach, Vice President, Midwest Operations Consulting & Investigations, recently participated in several panels on assessing, planning and integrating security measures at the National Facility Management & Technology (NFM&T) Conference in Baltimore and Total Facility Management (TFM) Conference in Chicago. Richmond is scheduled to speak at ASIS International's Annual Seminar and International Facility Management Association's (IFMA) World Workplace in the fall 2008.

About Andrews International

Andrews International, headquartered in Los Angeles, California, is a full service provider of security and risk mitigation services with operations throughout the United States and internationally. As one of the largest privately-held, American-owned security firms, Andrews International employs more than 4,000 security personnel providing uniformed security, consulting and investigative services, personal protection, special event security, training and alarm monitoring and response, and disaster emergency response services. The company is owned by executive and management team members with investment backing from DFW Capital Partners, Meridian Venture Partners, Theo Capital Partners and affiliates of New York Life. For more information, please visit the Andrews International Web site at www.andrewsinternational.com.

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