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About Us
With The Lake Forest Group, you benefit from unrivaled experience in the security industry.
G. Michael Verden
Founder and Chief Executive Officer
After an extensive career as a police officer, Secret Service agent, Senior Director of Security for the NBA, and security advisor, G. Michael (Mike) Verden understands how to apply security best practices to your unique setting to safeguard people, property, and assets. Because Mike has led engagements across all industries, he can benchmark your operations against peer organizations and industry best practices to enhance your organization’s protective disciplines and security posture.
Mike employs methodologies learned in a 21-year career as an agent for the United States Secret Service protecting the President, First Lady, and other heads of state and large-scale events such as the Olympics and the Presidential Inauguration to identify vulnerabilities at your organization and offer proper risk management techniques that provide the appropriate level of protection—without adversely affecting your culture.
Throughout his career, Mike has gained unique perspectives on how to work with law enforcement, first responders, private sector partners, and internal stakeholders to create or enhance a best-in-class security program. He conducts needs assessments to evaluate physical, technical, procedural, and personnel security and determine what you’re doing well and where you’re exposed to risk.
As a Senior Vice President/Managing Director at Hillard Heintze, Mike directed the Strategic Security Services for the firm by providing strategic thought leadership, trusted counsel, and end-to-end services to public and private corporations as well as government agencies and major public service organizations.
In his capacity as Senior Director of Security for the NBA, Mike managed and coordinated global security, as well as designed and implemented site security measures, emergency evacuation programs, and contingency procedures. He was responsible for monitoring all NBA criminal investigations and security-related incidents throughout the league. He also implemented and supervised security for the NBA All-Star Game, NBA Finals, Summer Olympics, and the FIBA World Championships.
Mike was a Special Agent with the United States Secret Service for 21 years and finished his career as the Assistant Special Agent in Charge for the Dignitary Protective Division at USSS Headquarters in Washington, D.C. This assignment allowed him to be an event coordinator for the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City and a security adviser to the 2003 and 2004 Super Bowls. Other assignments in Washington, D.C. were to the Presidential Protective Division responsible for protecting the President and First Lady and the Counter Assault Team. His major event experience provides an institutional knowledge in securing and protecting facilities and people on a large scale. Additionally, he assisted with creating security plans for major events such as the Super Bowl, Kentucky Derby, Indianapolis 500, Breeders’ Cup, and the Women’s Soccer World Cup.
Mike is a member of the Underwriters Laboratories (UL) Security Council, American Society for Industrial Security (ASIS), Association of Former Agents of the United States Secret Service (AFAUSSS), Illinois Security Professionals Association (ISPA), International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC), and International Association for Healthcare Security and Safety (IAHSS).
Mike was born in Tipperary, Ireland, grew up in Chicago, and graduated from Western Illinois University with a degree in Law Enforcement Administration and Indiana State University with an M.S. in Criminology. He began his professional career with the Skokie, Illinois Police Department and then became a Secret Service agent in the Chicago Field Office.
The Lake Forest Group
Our business model focuses on trustworthy and dependable service to our clients by developing enduring strategic security relationships.
Through a holistic strategy, The Lake Forest Group helps organizations protect their people, property, and brand, reduce risk, and prepare for the unexpected through comprehensive risk assessments, tailored emergency management and active assailant plans, and training customized to their environment and culture.
As we dedicate ourselves to solving your security challenges, we also provide tailored solutions for independent security studies and executive protection assessments, program and policy development, security department design, investigations, healthcare security, higher education security, and cannabis security plans. We’ll help you identify what you’re doing well and where you’re exposed to risk based on our experiences with organizations of all sizes, challenges, and industries.
The Lake Forest Group keeps you not only apprised of emerging threats but also informed of industry trends in countering these risks. In this fast-paced and ever-changing environment, we maintain our market leadership with a steadfast emphasis on research, analysis, and continuous interaction with a global network of law enforcement and subject matter experts who are leaders in their field.
And to help you build or enhance your security posture, we’ll share best practices and what we’ve learned managing projects with Fortune 500 corporations, industrial and manufacturing sites, healthcare facilities, higher education institutions, and organizations like yours.
We provide trustworthy and dependable service to our clients to develop an enduring strategic security relationship with you.
With a strong commitment to service for our clients, we offer you an objective and independent voice and strategies that fit within your budget and support your business operations. We serve as your trusted advisor to bring you results to mitigate workplace violence, enhance physical and technical security, or solve whatever challenge you are currently facing.
We’ll help you determine next steps to ensure your security, safety and emergency preparedness measures safeguard your people and property while preserving an environment where your people can do their best work. The Lake Forest Group keeps you safe, secure, and compliant.
Meet our team
Jane Wallace
Director of Communications
Jane Wallace, Director of Communications of The Lake Forest Group, leverages her experiences with Write Now Communications, the St. Jude League, and Delta Communications to ensure concise, professional, value-added deliverables to The Lake Forest Group clients. As Jane translates technical security concepts and language into understandable and actionable information, our clients improve security at their locations.
Our deliverables help clients implement strategic considerations from assessments, execute recommended protocols from emergency management plans with employees, and share security best practices with employees through customized training that improves their situational awareness.
As President of Write Now Communications, Jane dedicated herself to providing quality marketing communications services to a variety of clients, ranging from a full-service agency to a diversity procurement firm. She wrote fundraising letters and direct mail pieces, edited and proofread reports, marketing collateral, and web content, and conducted marketing research.
Prior to Write Now, Jane served as Development Manager for the St. Jude League/Claretian Publications, a non-profit devotional organization and publishing company. While at SJL/CP, she developed and implemented the $11 million direct mail budget and marketing plan, managed and produced direct mail campaigns, and wrote and edited all direct mail copy and copy for the website. With more than 100 campaigns each year in both English and Spanish, nothing was mailed without her final approval for design, edits, and consistency to brand.
As Project Manager/Copywriter for Delta Communications Inc., a publisher of business-to-business trade magazines, Jane produced sales promotional materials, special issue brochures, house ads, industry newsletters, and media kits.
Jane graduated with distinction with a double major in English and Spanish from Indiana University, where she was elected to Phi Beta Kappa.
David J. O'Connor
Strategic Advisor
With more than 34 years of experience in the security industry, David J. O’Connor has worked in public and private leadership roles. He served as the Vice President and CSO, Director of Global Security for Thermo Fisher Scientific, where he oversaw global security for 120,000 employees and more than 400 sites worldwide. Prior to Thermo Fisher, David was the SVP and CSO at Bain Capital, overseeing the firm’s global security needs and 1,000 employees on four continents, and more than 40 portfolio companies.
Prior to entering his executive leadership roles in the private sector, David spent more than 26 years with the United States Secret Service, retiring in 2012 as the Assistant Director, Office of Investigations. During his tenure with the Secret Service, David’s assignments included the Presidential Protective Division, Dignitary Protective Division, and field offices where he conducted and led criminal investigations.
David graduated from Norwich University with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Government. He also completed the Harvard University National Preparedness Leadership Initiative at the John F. Kennedy School of Government.
Andrew J. Annes
General Counsel
As the longtime President of Schenk Annes Tepper Campbell and an Illinois managing real estate broker, Andrew J. Annes has the reputation of turning legal issues into business successes. His foundation in business training, coupled with extensive experience with a vast array of business and legal matters, allows him to provide a unique perspective to clients, many of whom have sought his advice for decades.
Over the course of his career, Andy has successfully navigated every facet of commercial real estate, including closing more than a quarter billion dollars of joint venture real estate development deals in a three-month period and crafting and negotiating commercial leases for high-end retail in downtown Chicago and beyond. He has also served as the long-standing outside general counsel to successful businesses through booming financial periods, as well as guiding them through challenging times.
Andy is a leader, trusted adviser, and advocate for his clients’ businesses, often working as a partner through decades of growth and opportunity. By leveraging his background in business law, commercial real estate, litigation and estate planning, he brings a holistic approach to clients’ business needs.
Andy regularly counsels on commercial real estate, including acquisition, disposition, development, joint venturing, construction, financing, leasing, management and litigation; corporate law, including business formations, succession planning, management and operational issues, employment issues, insurance, business transactions and planning; estate planning, probate, trust administration and related litigation; and commercial and general litigation in federal and state courts.
Andy graduated from Loyola University with a degree in Business Administration and with distinction from The John Marshall Law School. He is a member of the Illinois State Bar Association, Chicago Bar Association, and International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC). Andy is a frequent speaker and author on legal, business and real estate issues in formal settings, and on special request, to private companies.
Michael R. Novak
Strategic Advisor
Mike R. Novak is a security professional with more than 34 years of security experience. In his most recent role as Senior Vice President and Chief Security Officer for News Corp/FOX, Mike had oversight of executive protection, corporate investigations, business recovery, and crisis and risk management. Prior to his tenure with News Corp/FOX, Mike served as the Director of Corporate Security for the Comcast Corporation, the largest American multinational telecommunications conglomerate.
Before entering the private sector, Mike served in the United States Secret Service, retiring as the Deputy Special Agent in Charge of the Presidential Protective Division. Mike was then selected as the Deputy Director of the Federal Air Marshal Service before being named the Transportation Security Administration’s first Assistant Administrator of Training and Workforce Engagement.
Mike graduated from Michigan State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice and Psychology.
Still have questions? We’re here to help.
You are committed to protecting your employees. We can help you determine next steps to create or enhance your safe and secure workplace, especially as employees return to your businesses or continue to remain at home. Contact Mike at gmv@lakeforestgroup.com or 312.515.8747 to discuss whatever is on your mind in a free 30-minute consultation and together we can create a strategy that supports and prioritizes your employees.
Professional Memberships
