Security Industry Association Announces Bonnie Michelman As The Recipient Of The 2021 SIA Insightful Practitioner Award

The Security Industry Association (SIA) has named Bonnie Michelman as the 2021 recipient of the SIA Insightful Practitioner Award, an honor recognizing excellence in promoting the implementation of innovative security solutions.

Bonnie Michelman is the Executive Director of Police, Security, and Outside Services at Massachusetts General Hospital (Mass General) and for Mass General Brigham Corporation. SIA will present her with the award on Wednesday, Nov. 17, during the 2021 SIA Honors cocktail reception.

Corporate security leadership veteran

She has 30+ years of corporate security leadership experience, and along with her roles with Mass General and Mass General Brigham Corporation, she also serves as President of the Board of International Association for Healthcare Security & Safety (IAHSS) Foundation.

Bonnie Michelman has previously served as President of the International Security Management Association, ASIS International and IAHSS. She is on the Regional Board of Directors for the Anti-Defamation League and also serves on the Advisory Council for Hostage US. Under Michelman’s direction, Mass General won the Lindberg Bell Award for the nation’s finest health care security program, in 1999, 2007, and 2018.

Advocate for increasing diversity in the security industry

She has also been an advocate for increasing diversity within the security industry

She was appointed in 2010, by Secretary of Homeland Security, Janet Napolitano to the Homeland Security Advisory Council, holding that position until 2015, and chaired the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s faith-based Security Advisory Committee. She has also been an advocate for increasing diversity within the security industry.

Bonnie Michelman holds an MBA from Bentley College, an M.S. in Criminal Justice from Northeastern University, and a B.A. in Government and Sociology from Clark University, as well as the Certified Protection Professional and Certified Healthcare Protection Administrator certifications.

SIA’s 2021 Insightful Practitioner Award recipient

“I was totally humbled and honored in learning that I was the recipient of the 2021 Insightful Practitioner Award,” said Bonnie Michelman, adding “The greatest compliment one can experience is to be recognized by colleagues and one of the best industry associations that exists.”

She adds, “I am so grateful to SIA, for not only this honor, but for all the work that SIA does and has done for a long time, to professionalize and advance the security industry and profession. SIA helps chart the course for this amazing industry.”

Health Care Security Interest Group

Bonnie Michelman is prominent security thought leader and has spoken at a variety of industry conferences and events, including SIA’s Securing New Ground virtual conference and the 2021 Vertical Insights Health Care Security Symposium (Vertical Insights Symposium: Health Care Security). She helped the Security Industry Association is launching its Health Care Security Interest Group and has supported several of its projects, including a white paper on mitigating the risk of workplace violence in health care settings.

“SIA is proud to announce Bonnie Michelman as the 2021 recipient of the SIA Insightful Practitioner Award,” said Security Industry Association (SIA) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Don Erickson.

Health care security expert

We commend Bonnie for her outstanding accomplishments and contributions to the industry"

He adds, “Bonnie is an industry luminary, whose leadership has grown Mass General’s security department into one of the top programs in the country, and she has been a dedicated and influential volunteer with SIA, lending her expertise on health care security issues. We commend Bonnie for her outstanding accomplishments and contributions to the industry, and look forward to presenting her with this special award, at SIA Honors 2021.”

SIA’s Insightful Practitioner Award is presented annually to a security practitioner, who demonstrates leadership and excellence, in promoting the implementation of innovative security solutions, through education, advocacy, and teamwork with the security industry, and other stakeholders.

SIA Honors 2021

Each year, SIA Honors, held concurrently with ISC East, the Northeast’s largest security trade show, hosted in collaboration with the premier sponsor, Security Industry Association (SIA), features a gala cocktail reception and an award ceremony that recognizes industry leaders.

At SIA Honors 2021, in addition to presenting the Insightful Practitioner Award, the Security Industry Association will also honor industry leaders, with the George R. Lippert Memorial Award and the SIA Progress Award, sponsored by SIA’s Women in Security Forum. SIA Honors 2021 will be held on November 17, at Glasshouse Chelsea, in New York City, USA.