Winners of the inaugural Canada Outstanding Security Performance Awards (OSPAs), sponsored by TEAM Software by WorkWave, were announced on Thursday 8 December 2022. They were presented at a virtual awards ceremony which followed a Thought Leadership Webinar that discussed “What are the current challenges of the Canadian security sector and how good is the response?”
The independent awards are supported by ASIS, BOMA, CANASA, CASIS, IAHSS and IFPO and they each appointed the judges to represent them. All agreed to follow an ethics policy, marking independently, and declaring any conflict of interest on every mark sheet.
The founder of the OSPAs Professor Martin Gill said “we are extremely pleased by the response we have received in this first year of the Canada OSPAs. Thank you to all those entered, the judges and the supporting associations as well as our sponsor TEAM Software by WorkWave who sponsor the OSPAs in 8 countries.”
The 2022 winners are:
Outstanding In-House Security Manager/Director
Dwaine Nichol – City of Toronto
Outstanding Contract Security Manager/Director
Don Azcona – iGuard360
Outstanding Security Team
Global Security Operations Center Team – Suncor
Outstanding Contract Security Company (Guarding)
Paladin Security
Outstanding Security Training Initiative
Mental Health Awareness & Response Program – Cara & Gordon Miller – Stay Safe Instructional Programs Inc.
Outstanding New Security Product
Data Lab – TrackTik
Outstanding Young Security Professional
Serge Bergler – Canadian Association for Security and Intelligence Studies – Vancouver
Lifetime Achievement
Sean Sportun – GardaWorld
Winner’s comments:
I would like to humbly express my gratitude and appreciation for this award to Canada OSPA’s. I would like to say thank you to all the nominees and congratulate all winners of the 2022 Canada OSPA’s and finally give a big shout out to the iGuard360 Team as this could not have been possible without their hard work, support and dedication.
Moving forward, my desire is this award may put a spotlight on our team and the forward thinking work we are doing in the industry, additionally helping security professionals, clients and law enforcement come together in a more solutions-oriented manner in keeping our communities safer and healthier for Canadians.
Don Azcona, Regional Manager, iGuard 360
I am extremely humbled to receive this award and being the first Canadian to do so makes it even more special. Although an individual accolade, the success I have had throughout my career would have never been possible without the team members and mentors I have had the opportunity to work with over the years.
Sean Sportun, Garda World
Paladin Security is truly honoured to be named winner of the Outstanding Contract Security Company (Guarding) Award from the OSPAs.
We would like to send a big shout-out and a warm thank you to all the Paladin Family members for being part of this huge achievement! This showcases our commitment to making a difference and delivering exceptional service, highlighting our main differentiator: our people.Diego Viramontes, Communications Specialist, Paladin Security
My deepest appreciation to the judges, sponsors, and supporters of the Canadian OSPA awards. It was a honour to be nominated amongst my distinguished colleagues and a true privilege to receive the award. I am overjoyed in accepting the award, recognizing that any individual award is truly a reflection on being surrounded with a great team and support. Further, I am grateful that the OSPAs are now in Canada as there is an abundance of amazing security personnel who truly deserve further recognition for their on-going contributions.
Dwaine Nichol, Director, Corporate Security and Sergeant-at-Arms, City of Toronto
Cara and I were thrilled to find out our Mental Health Awareness and Response Program (MHAR) had won. It was humbling just to be included as a finalist. For us it was a journey of personal and professional growth. Without the invitation from Steve Summerville and Frank Simone (Stay Safe Instructional Programs) and support from the City of Toronto to create a MH program that could be effectively delivered to front line contract security, it probably never would have happened (at least not by us).
Creation does not happen in our comfort zones, to achieve anything risks must be taken, and that is where we found growth. Collaborating with my wife on this project was an amazing experience and has enhanced our relationship beyond measure. I had recently retired, but after receiving this challenge and creating this program then winning the 2022 OSPA award I found myself re-energized and have returned to doing what I enjoy most – teaching, training… making a difference.
Gordon Miller, APP, CHSS, SAS-AP
Winners’ summaries and a recording of the event can be accessed by pressing the buttons below.
