Douglas R. Laird, CPP, President

Douglas R. Laird

Mr. Laird, President, Laird & Associates, Inc. is an expert in aviation security. He devotes the majority of his time consulting with the international aviation industry and governments, specializing in operational and technical issues involving security. He has published articles on aviation security in international venues, including Security Management Magazine and ASTM's Journal of Testing and Evaluation and provided editorial review to the National Research Council's National Materials Advisory Board. He was a contributing author of Protection, Security, and Safeguards by CRC Press and is a frequent presenter and/or panel member at international aviation security conferences.

Douglas R. Laird, CPP

Mr. Laird founded Laird & Associates, Inc., in 1995 and between 1997 and 2002 was the Vice President of BGI International Consulting Services, Inc., Washington, DC., a company providing counterterrorism and aviation security advice to a variety of public and private sector international clients. Prior to 1995 he had a successful career as the Security Director for Northwest Airlines, Inc., (NWA) where he was responsible for the overall planning, direction, and management of security for an airline serving 240 cities in 22 countries on four continents. His duties included coordinating the implementation of U. S. Federal Aviation Administration regulations and host country rules (ICAO Annex 17) at all locations served by the carrier. He supervised the audit of security procedures and was instrumental in developing contingency/disaster plans for Northwest Airlines, the world's fourth largest carrier with more than 46,000 employees. He coordinated consequence management activities at disaster sites. While at NWA he conceptualized the original CAPPS program and made the initial presentations to the FAA for approval. CAPPS, a profile system, operating with the airlines reservations system was mandated for use by all U. S. Flag carriers and identified 10 of the 19 hijackers on 9/11.

Mr. Laird enjoyed a distinguished twenty-year career with the U. S. Secret Service. During his career he served in a supervisory capacity in the Protective Intelligence Division, supporting all Secret Service Protective Divisions, as well as visiting Heads-of-State. Mr. Laird's protective assignments included the Vice Presidential Detail (two administrations) and Dr. Kissinger during his shuttle-diplomacy days.

The American Society of Industrial Security (ASIS) recognized Mr. Laird as a Certified Protection Professional (CPP) in 1983. He is a member of a number of professional organizations devoted to security, including the American Society for Industrial Security (ASIS International), the Association of Independent Aviation Security Professionals and the American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE). Mr. Laird serves as Assistant Regional Vice President for ASIS International, Region 2. He leads the Airlines/Airport Subcommittee of the ASIS Transportation Council and has chaired the Air Transport Association of America (ATA) security committee. He is an alumnus of the U. S. Department of State's Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC) Executive Board.

Mr. Laird has served as a technical advisor to the President of the National Safe Skies Alliance (NSSA) and has advised various working groups of the U. S. General Accounting Office and the Inspector General for the U. S. Department of Transportation. He has served as a subject matter expert on aviation security matters to corporations, including: Abacus Technology Corporation, Bechtel, Experian; Galaxy Scientific; Lockheed Martin; Science Applications International Corporation; Raytheon; and TASC.

Mr. Laird is called upon to comment on aviation security matters by The New Hour with Jim Lehrer, NBC's DateLine; ABC's World News, CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, Good Morning America, The BBC, the Voice of America, National Public Radio's All Things Considered, Radio Beijing, Security Director News, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Newsweek, Time Magazine, Financial Times and other leading newspapers and magazines.

Douglas R. Laird holds a Master's of Science degree from the George Washington University, Washington, DC and a B.S. degree from Minnesota State University, Mankato, Minnesota.

E-mail: Douglas.R.Laird@LairdAssoc.com