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JAMES C. HOLT
Managing Director -
Senior Consultant 

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Jim Holt served as a Special Agent in the US Secret Service for 20 years, his career highlighted by assignments to the Presidential Protective Division, the White House, the Secret Service’s Training Academy, and the Department of Justice Organized Crime Strike Force.  Jim’s duties on the Presidential Protective Detail included service as an advance agent responsible for directing protective security for the President and his family’s domestic and foreign travel.  At the Secret Service Training Academy, he served as an instructor and course director for protective and investigative courses, including the management of surveillance and counter-surveillance, the management of security surveys, and protective driving. 

Since leaving government service in 1988, Jim served as the Director of Training for Ackerman & Palumbo, Inc., Miami; was one of the original directors and consultant partners with Palumbo Partners, Inc., Miami; and served for many years as a senior consultant for Vance International, Inc.  In connection with these positions, Jim responded to the security needs of over 50 multi-national corporations around the globe.  Presently, in his capacity as Managing Director of Security Services International, Inc., Jim serves as a consultant to many multi-national corporations and directs a staff of selected associate consultants throughout the U.S. and abroad.  

Jim is a graduate of West Chester University, where he specialized in Foreign Languages.  He speaks Spanish fluently,  Italian, and some Portuguese.  He is also board certified in security management (CPP) by the American Society for Industrial Security (ASIS).

ANDREW F. HARVELL
Senior Consultant

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Andy Harvell comes to SSI after a distinguished 24-year career in the United States Army, which included service in a variety of combat troop unit leadership roles and special political-military assignments.  These assignments included extensive overseas service in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, most of which were in sensitive diplomatic capacities operating out of U.S. embassies as well as NATO and United Nations military missions.  During his military service, Andy was directly responsible for the security of many key government facilities worldwide.  He developed extensive anti-terrorist training programs and implemented effective operational security plans for both foreign and US security forces operating in challenging and dangerous threat environments.

Since retiring from the Army in 1992 at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, Andy has held regional security director positions for three multi-national corporations - one in Europe and two in Latin America.  While serving in these capacities he developed special expertise in the protection of corporate installations and persons in middle- to high-threat environments worldwide by employing cost effective threat-based risk management practices. 

Andy is a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy, West Point; holds a Master's Degree from the University of Kansas; and speaks four languages - French, German, Spanish, and English.

J. BRANCH WALTON
Senior Consultant

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J. Branch Walton is the recent past President of the National Association for Bank Security - Profit Protection, LLC located at Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, a company specializing in educational services for the financial industry. Branch had a 21-year career with the United States Secret Service, retiring as the Special Agent-in-Charge of a domestic field office. Other assignments included instructing at the Office of Training, investigative and protective assignments at three other field offices and duties on the security details for three Presidents.

Since retiring from the Secret Service, Branch served as Director of Corporate Security for Cummins Inc., Columbus, Indiana, where he was responsible for worldwide security operations.  He also served as chief of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center’s Management Institute and was a criminal justice instructor at Indiana University at Bloomington in Indiana.   

Branch served as a commissioned officer in the U.S. Marine Corps immediately after obtaining his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Nebraska.  During his tenure with the Marine Corps, Branch served as a criminal investigator special agent with the Office of Naval Intelligence (now called NCIS).  Branch has a Master's Degree from Wichita State University and is a doctoral candidate at Indiana University.

Branch is a well-known speaker and author on workplace violence and other security topics and develops and delivers security training seminars throughout the country. He also continues to instruct at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center at Glynco, Georgia.