After a lengthy diplomatic security and law enforcement career within the U.S. Government, Mike Johnson entered the private sector in 2010 as an executive with a global risk consulting company.

In 2014, Johnson co-founded Clearpath EPM, and since then he and his firm have provided safety, security, emergency preparedness programs, and campus resiliency training to hundreds of schools, corporations, and other institutions in the U.S. and around the world.

Johnson deeply appreciates and understands diverse cultures gained from extensive international travel and permanent overseas operational assignments within complex and often high-stress environments.

He is a Certified Protection Professional as awarded by ASIS International. certified (American Society of Industrial Security International) and he has extensive expertise in the delivery and management of safety, security, emergency preparedness, and operational resiliency programs.

Johnson is a well-respected expert in the development of emergency preparedness plans and procedures, situational awareness activities, vulnerability and risk assessments, and high-threat security operations.

Johnson, a Fort Lauderdale, Florida, based business leader, serves on the Board of Directors for Winterfest Inc., and the Board of Trustees for the Center for Spiritual Living in Fort Lauderdale. He is also on the Advisory Boards of the National Association of School and Campus Police Chiefs.

Can you share with us your background and your career?

After serving in the U.S. Army Reserves, I became a Special Agent with the Naval Investigative Service in 1983, where I specialized in working counterintelligence and counterespionage investigations. After three years with NIS, I transferred to the U.S. State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service.

Over my 18 years with DSS, I served in U.S. and overseas assignments in Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Lebanon, Venezuela, Colombia, and more. My last assignment with DSS was as the Special Agent in Charge of the Miami Field Office. In 2004, I transferred to the U.S. Commerce Department’s Office of Export Enforcement, where I was assigned as the Special Agent in Charge of the Miami Field Office until I retired in 2010. After I retired from government service, I was the president of an international risk consulting firm for nine years.

What are the main takeaways and influences you’ve derived from your time in law enforcement to help build Clearpath EPM?

The importance of training and preparing people to respond to events rather than react.

Can you share with our readers how your company started and the mission behind it?

Clearpath EPM was initially created as a sister company to the one where I worked as president. We founded it in 2014 as a technology firm where we built our first school safety technology platform. In 2019, I left the risk consulting firm to lead Clearpath EPM on a full-time basis. Today we are a leading provider of safety and preparedness technology and consulting services to clients around the world.

Why is Clearpath EPM so important and how can people learn more about it?

At Clearpath EPM we like to focus on the social and emotional “human connection” part of safety and emergency preparedness. The human connection is about making sure that the people working in a school, business, house of worship, or a live event have situational awareness, know what to do, and how to respond when a disruptive event or incident impacts their organization. This can be anything from an active assailant on the premises to a tornado bearing down on the building. Historically we see that organizations facing threats handle them well when their people respond as trained. When they fail to respond (either through lack of training or a belief of complacency that it would never happen to them), the resulting unpleasant consequences can be deadly.

With all going on today locally, nationally, and in the world, how do you help people feel safer not only in their homes but also when out in schools, places of worship, and in their communities?

People are often immobilized by the fear of what might happen. If you accept that FEAR stands for “future events aren’t real” then the philosophy of planning and training for potential responses creates a belief and confidence that one is prepared to deal with any disruption.

How would you describe Clearpath EPM’s mission to someone who had never heard of the organization before?

Clearpath EPM’s approach to safety is distinct because it goes beyond traditional security measures to incorporate social and emotional solutions, creating a comprehensive safety ecosystem. By combining physical and procedural safety with psychological support, Clearpath EPM helps clients to be proactive rather than reactive in their response to disruptive events or incidents, making their communities safer and more resilient.

Our customized approach and proprietary technology, combined with Clearpath EPM’s commitment to continuous improvement and innovation, make us a valuable partner for organizations looking to create a safer environment for their stakeholders.

What tips and tactics can people use to feel safer when they go out? When they are traveling outside of where they live?

If everyone practiced situational awareness (know your surroundings and be alert to things/actions that are “out of place”), know what to do (have a plan), and how to respond when a disruptive event or incident impacts you or your family at home or when you are traveling.

Do you have any new projects you are working on?

We are excited about expanding our TOTALITY emergency planning management technology platform with a mobile app (situational awareness and emergency communication) and making it multilingual (initially adding Spanish and Portuguese text).

Please tell me about the six-hour safety training you are hosting for houses of worship in Oakland Park, Florida, on January 20.

Houses of worship are under attack around the world and their leaders often struggle with balancing the need for being open and inviting with being safe and secure. In this six-hour program, I will cover the key methodologies and practices to achieve this balance.

What are the takeaways from this Prepare My Church training that you hope will resonate with the participants?

Participants will walk away with the foundational knowledge to start their house of worship on a path to preparedness for and response to any potential disruptive event. It is an intense topic but my teaching style is both collaborative and fun.

Where would you like to see Clearpath EPM in 5 years?

In five years, I trust that Clearpath EPM will be a global safety technology brand that organizations turn to for their safety and preparedness planning needs and requirements and that our clients have created socially, emotionally, and physically safe environments.

How can people connect with you and follow you and Clearpath EPM – such as your website and social media links?

The Clearpath EPM Website can be found at clearpathepm.com and questions may be directed to info@clearpathepm.com

Go to original post.