Hanover Security, Inc.

Hanover Security Inc. was founded as a corporation in 1973. Hanover Security is a Private Security Services Business licensed by the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services. Serving the Commonwealth of Virginia for the past 39 years, Hanover Security offers armed and unarmed security, executive and personal protection, and investigations. All security personnel are fingerprinted and must be nationally cleared by the FBI. All security personnel complete Virginia-mandated training, are approved for Virginia Registration and also receive Photo ID cards through the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services. Hanover Security Inc. has been directly involved in strengthening the regulation of private security in Virginia over the past 34 years. In 1989, Elizabeth Townsend, the President and Compliance Officer for the firm, was appointed to the Virginia Private Security Board. As past chairman for that board, she assisted in the development of tougher legislation and tighter regulation for the industry. In 1993, Ms. Townsend received a gubernatorial appointment to the Criminal Justice Services Board, the regulatory board for the industry. As a result of her work with these boards, she understands very well the challenges that face private security today. In 1989, Hanover Security was named a finalist in the Chamber of Commerce Small Business Entrepreneur of the Year competition. In 1990, Ms. Townsend earned the designation of Certified Protection Professional, awarded by the internationally-recognized American Society for Industrial Security. Since its origin in 1973, Hanover Security Inc. has achieved a delicate balance between growth and quality. Over the years, extensive growth enabled the company to satisfy the needs of customers, both large and small, and "controlled growth" allowed Hanover Security to monitor and maintain the level of quality necessary for sound security programs, and allowed the firm to bring to the customer the personal touch that makes the difference. As a result of being the most reputable and oldest-established small business, woman-owned private security service in the Richmond metropolitan area, local and national prestigious firms continue to seek out the services of Hanover Security Inc. Hanover Security Inc. has been around for 19 years now, but the night of October 15 will probably be marked in red letters for years to come. On that night, the security firm located in Mechanicsville joined with the Secret Service, State Police and Henrico and Richmond police to provide protection for President Bush, Gov. Bill Clinton and Ross Perot for the presidential debate at the University of Richmond. Hanover Security got the choice assignment because of a longstanding relationship with the university's police force. Hanover Security has staffed UR athletic contests for years. This, of course, was a much bigger ballgame, and Hanover Security president Elizabeth B. Townsend admits she was anxious. Highest Level of Quality "It was different in that we wanted to bring to it the highest level of quality we could possibly bring," she says. "We wanted to send our finest troops." About 25 of Hanover Security's 100-plus employees worked the debate, led by Sgt. Robert P. Beisheim and Sgt. Michael T. Hamm. "They were available, and I didn't want their time to be divided between doing that and something else," says Townsend. "But they would have been two of my choice people anyway." It wasn't the first time Beisheim, who has worked at Hanover Security for three years, has been around a president. He also staffed the White House during Jimmy Carter's administration when he was in the Army. All-Night Vigils Hanover Security officers basically patrolled the grounds of the university, kept the public away from restricted areas and controlled access. They also guarded the equipment of the TV stations: CBS, NBC, ABC, CNN and C-Span.