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Hello, I'm Ken Carrasco.
Ken Carrasco is a Senior Security Executive with over 20 years of physical security experience, working in multiple industries including High Technology, Consumer Goods, Professional Services, and Higher Education. Employed by Fortune 500 companies in the San Francisco Bay Area, his career began in retail loss prevention then transitioned to the high technology sector in Silicon Valley.
Ken most recently (2025) served as the Director of Risk Management, Safety, and Security at Samuel Merritt University. Ken implemented strategic initiatives that foster a culture of safety while also ensuring regulatory compliance with Workplace Violence Prevention, Injury and Illness Prevention Program, Clery Act, and the California Environmental Reporting System (CERS).
At an enterprise level, Ken has managed protective services, event security, crisis management, corporate investigations, security operations and security systems. In his last corporate position, he was responsible for the protection and safety of a Fortune 100 (Cisco Systems, Inc.), multinational, corporation’s employees. Managing a team of security professionals, he oversaw executive protection, travel safety, event security, workplace violence investigations and technical security countermeasures. He was also the lead representative for the Americas region regarding both crisis and threat management teams. Ken also contributed to the development of several enterprise-wide programs including pre-employment background investigations, workplace violence prevention and the design of a global incident reporting system.
Ken has traveled extensively and personally provided executive protection and event security management services internationally in the following countries: Mexico, Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, Peru, Argentina, Chile, Australia, Singapore, China, India, Bahrain and England (2012 London Olympics).
Ken is a former ASIS Certified Protection Professional (CPP), a physical security subject matter expert and a physical security industry speaker. Ken has also founded and led his own businesses with over 12 years of experience including consulting, operations, and business management. He attended Golden Gate University for business and has an associate degree in marketing management from DeAnza College. He was trained in the Reid Technique of Behavior Analysis Interviewing, WAVR-21 Threat Assessment, and previously held a GIAC Information Security Awareness Certification.
Details
Professional CategoryConsulting & Advisory
Location
Years of Relevant Experience20+ years
Seniority LevelExecutive
Consulting Rate (Hourly)175
Level of EducationDegree
Headline
Trust & Safety Executive | Leadership and Program Development | Speaker | Former President, Director, Senior Manager | 408 966-3217
Experience
Director of Risk Management, Safety, and Security
Samuel Merritt UniversityApril 2024 - January 2025Proven leader with extensive experience in developing and implementing comprehensive safety and security programs to protect campus operations, personnel, and assets. Successfully fostered a safety-first culture across the university, advancing proactive prevention, early intervention, and rapid response strategies. Expert in compliance, policy development, and program management, with a strong record of collaboration across departments and external partnerships to achieve regulatory adherence and optimize operational efficiency.
Key Achievements:
Established “Culture of Safety” across four campuses through prevention, early intervention, and response reducing incidents by over 50% (YoY).
Developed event security plan for Commencement Ceremonies (2,000+ attendees), successfully mitigating political activism during event.
Developed Workplace Violence Prevention Program and revised Injury Illness Prevention Program policy to update university to 100% regulatory compliance.
Led continuous improvement initiatives in Risk Management through ongoing training and certifications, including emergency response and threat assessment.
Managed a proactive hiring process, revising job descriptions and onboarding new team members to meet the department’s evolving needs.
Collaborated closely with internal and external stakeholders, including Facilities, IT, and external risk management and legal partners, to enhance cross-functional alignment and support a safe, resilient campus environment.
President and Executive Advisor
Global Secure 3, Inc.November 2022 - December 2023In the first 90 days, completed SWOT analysis of company and championed company vision, driving strategy and operational goals to successfully retain 100% of the client base and grow the business by over 25%.
Developed and executed a comprehensive compensation analysis of management employees to ensure company compensation strategy remained competitive in the market which resulted in 100% retention of key staff.
Mitigated challenges brought by clients to ensure 100% client retention. Developed and implemented process improvements to mitigate repetition of mistakes.
Created and implemented new company policies to achieve 100% compliance with client Third Party Risk Management requirements (SOC 2) and audits.
Mentored and coached Operations Manager and Business Manager to effectively lead their teams, develop goals, and manage employee performance.
Founder and Chief Executive Officer
Carrasco Sports Gear LLCOctober 2013 - December 2021Strategic Business Leadership: As a seasoned General Manager, I have overseen all facets of business operations, including strategy formulation, budgeting, planning, business development, marketing, sales, and customer relations. My comprehensive approach ensures all aspects of the business align with our overarching goals.
Innovative Revenue Diversification: Within the first 90 days, I initiated a strategic plan to diversify revenue streams, introducing custom services that broadened our market reach and fortified our financial stability.
Technology-Driven Expansion (2014): Realigned resources and invested in technology to streamline labor costs, enabling the successful opening of a second location in a high-growth market. I spearheaded a team of skilled independent contractors to deliver top-tier service and products.
Market Leadership and Customer Excellence (2015-2016): Following the loss of a major customer, I refocused our efforts on our most profitable service, achieving market-leading status and top customer ratings. By 2016, we were the top-rated service provider in our sector, consistently earning Five Star Ratings on Yelp and Facebook.
Adaptive Product Strategy (2018): After the closure of our manufacturer, I skillfully transitioned our product line to Ready-to-Wear activewear, showcasing agility and market responsiveness.
E-Commerce Transformation (2019): Pivoted from a traditional brick & mortar model to a fully integrated E-Commerce operation utilizing Shopify. I harnessed the power of social media marketing and business-to-business referrals to acquire new customers, demonstrating a keen ability to adapt to changing market dynamics.
Senior Manager, Global Protective Services
Relevant/Notable employerCisco Systems, Inc.May 2006 - October 2013Personally travelled with and provided executive protection for the CEO and senior executives during domestic and high-risk global travel without incident for 7+ years.
Managed and developed the (Americas Region) Protective Services Program and Team.
During crisis management activations, safely accounted for and supported the safe return of numerous employees in the US and foreign countries.
Collaborated weekly with HR Employee Relations to assess potential threats, support investigations, conduct interviews, and deliver workplace violence de-escalation training.
Planned and Managed event security for Cisco’s highest profile and largest events (200 to 20,000 attendees) at major convention centers across the US and Globally, ensuring safety through risk assessments and emergency procedures.
Achieved over 30% cost reductions across event security program through strategic program development, budget, and vendor management.
Fostered strong partnerships across HR Employee Relations, Safety & Security, Corporate Event Marketing, Legal, and Finance departments, enhancing organizational security and efficiency.
Recognition and Certification: Achieved two promotions, three exceptional, and four outstanding annual performance reviews. ASIS Certified Protection Professional (CPP) #15957 (2012 - 2015).
Senior Loss Prevention Specialist
Relevant/Notable employerCisco Systems, Inc.May 1995 - January 2001Investigations - Managed Investigations related to Property Crimes, Crimes Against People, Policy Violations and Workplace Violence Training. Managed Pre-Employment Background and Vendor Background Investigations Program. Responsible for Budget, Background Vendor Management and Independent Contractors onsite.
Security Operations - Managed Physical Security Standards, Guidelines, Training and Security Officer Staff at San Jose Headquarters (30+ buildings, 20k+ Cisco employees).
Security Systems - Managed vendor deployment of Access Control and Video Surveillance Security Technology for New Construction and Projects.
Executive Protection - Supported Personnel Protection and Executive Protection for Shareholder, Board Meetings and Events.
Earned two promotions and a Cisco IT Award for leading my team on the development of a global incident reporting enterprise system on budget and on time.
GIAC Certified Information Security Awareness (2000)
Industry
Education
Financial Services
Professional Services
Retail
Technology, Information and Media
Specific Jurisdictions That I'm Qualified In or Can Cover
United States: California
Language(s)
English
Professional Membership / Certification
ASIS (San Francisco Bay Area Chapter)
ATAP (Northern California Chapter)
ASIS CPP (2012-2015)
Your Skills
Professional Skills: Security Management | Workplace Violence Prevention | Risk Management & Threat Assessment | Crisis Management & Emergency Preparedness | Executive Protection & Travel Risk Management | Event Security | Investigations & Protective Intelligence | Strategic Planning & Budget Management | Regulatory Compliance | Cross-Functional Collaboration & Leadership | Vendor Management
Technical Skills: Microsoft Office | Teams | SharePoint | Workday | Access Control Systems | CCTV Systems | Mass Notification Systems | Incident Reporting Systems
