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Executive Team
Joseph Schollaert - President and CEO
Mr. Schollaert has more than 34 years of experience in the security and business continuity services industry. After graduation from college, Mr. Schollaert started his career with Allied Security, Inc. and progressed rapidly to become one of the youngest regional managers within the company. After eight years with Allied Security, Mr. Schollaert joined AFIMAC as director of operations.
As President, Schollaert has direct oversight of AFIMAC's strategic growth, sales and marketing, and operational planning and implementation. He is a member of the following associations: American Management Association (AMA), Chief Executive Network, American Society of Industrial Security (ASIS), Business Industry Continuity Emergency Planning and Preparedness (BICEPP), Ohio Association of Security and Investigative Services (OASIS), Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), Sandler Sales Institute, Sales Concepts Presidents Club, and Ohio Association of Private Detective Agencies (OAPDA).
Mr. Schollaert earned bachelor degrees in criminal justice and psychology from Duquesne University.
Ruben E. Mena - Sr. Vice President
Ruben Mena served over 24 years on the Miami Police Department, retiring as the Lieutenant in charge of a major operational special unit. His civic career was highlighted by service as a senior officer and lead training instructor for the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Team, Command helicopter pilot in the Aviation Division, and a certified Firearms Instructor. As a special operations supervisor, Ruben gained extensive executive protection experience as a result of his numerous protective operations in conjunction with the U.S. Secret Service in the protection of U.S. Presidents and foreign heads of state.
Ruben's special expertise includes intricate knowledge of Latin America which he acquired while directing inter-police agency training exercises on behalf of the Miami P.D. Besides his excellent police and private security contacts throughout Latin American, Ruben has developed and directed comprehensive security and training programs for U.S. multi-national Fortune 500 corporations in the U.S. and throughout Latin America. He is an accomplished instructor in evasive driving, firearms, and executive protection operations.
Ruben is an expert in conducting detailed vulnerability assessments and developing crisis management plans for high-profile events. He has an extensive background in planning for the prevention of terrorist acts, including those involving weapons of mass destruction.
Ruben Mena is a graduate of LaSalle University with a Bachelors of Science Degree in Criminal Justice Management. He is fluent in Spanish and Portuguese. As well as being a member of the Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC) and American Society for Industrial Security (ASIS), he is also certified in Homeland Security and a board Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE).
Jim Rovers - Senior Vice President
Mr. Rovers has been actively involved in the fields of security, investigations and labour dispute for nearly two decades. With a background in manufacturing engineering, he has assisted many Fortune 500 companies in the development of contingency plans regarding security, transportation and temporary staffing. He has worked extensively throughout Canada and the United States on investigation of theft and narcotic issues in the workplace.
Mr. Rovers joined AFIMAC in 2004 as Vice President of Sales and Marketing. A former executive of HRPLD (Human Resource Professionals of London) and he is a member of ASIS, the American Society of Industrial Security. Mr. Rovers is in the process of completing his CHRP (Canadian Human Resources Professional) accreditation.
Agnaldo de Oliveira - Brazil Operations Director
Agnaldo de Oliveira is a security professional with over 23 years of experience and five thousand international security operations. As the Vice President of Operations for AFIMAC Global in Brazil, Mr. de Oliveira specializes in providing asset protection and loss prevention strategies for corporations with global operations. His responsibilities include providing leadership and strategic management for all client operations.
Agnaldo is proficient in conducting facility and residential security surveys, detailed vulnerability assessments, and developing crisis management plans for high-profile events. He has an extensive background in executive protection for multi-national clients and high-profile individuals, along with surveillance and physical security for residential and commercial condominiums. Mr. de Oliveira is also an expert in vehicle armoring and a seasoned evasive-defensive driving Instructor, having personally conducted training nationally and internationally.
Through the years, Agnaldo implemented canine explosive detection services (k-9) in Brazil’s major international airports. He is also knowledgeable in explosives, including TNT, C-4, dynamite, ammonium nitrate, water-gel /Tovex, Semtex (RDX and PETN), detonation rope (wick), black gunpowder and gunpowder, potassium and Sodium Chloride.
Mr. de Oliveira has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Sao Paulo (UNIP) in Security Management, an MBA in Strategic Management Services from the FGV teaching institution, and completed the Management Essentials course from Harvard Business School.
Agnaldo is a member of the OSAC Latin America Group and the American Society for Industrial Security.
Maria Teresa Septien - Managing Director – Mexico & LATAM
Maria Teresa Septien is the Managing Director for AFIMAC Global in Latin America and Chair of the Board of Trustees of ASIS Foundation.
She has over 25 years of experience in corporate security. She has collaborated as a consultant in several strategic security, crisis management, and emergency projects in Latin America’s public and private sectors.
Maria Teresa has received several national and international awards. She has been recognized as one of "The 100 Most Influential Private Security Professionals in Mexico" in 2017 and 2022. Internationally, she received the Karen Marquez Award from ASIS International's Global Women in Safety Community for her contributions and leadership, as well as her support for the development and inclusion of more women in the security industry. In October 2022, she received the "Women in Security LATAM 2022 Award” for her regional leadership and contributions.
Ms. Septien has a degree in Computer Science and a postgraduate degree in Corporate Security Management from the University of Comillas in Madrid, Spain. She holds a CPP certification from ASIS International. Ms. Septien collaborates actively as a professor in several diplomat degrees on leadership and security management, and as a facilitator in CPP preparation programs in Latin America, and mentor in ASIS and OSAC mentoring initiatives.
She is a founding member of the National Council of Women Entrepreneurs in Mexico and the ASIS WIS LATAM Council. Maria Teresa also actively participates in the Security Committees of various Chambers of Commerce in Mexico, including Spain, Canada, Germany, and the United States.
Maria Teresa is a frequent speaker and has presented seminars in several countries, including Canada, the United States, Colombia, Panama, Peru, Guatemala, and Mexico.
John Opron - Global Vice President of Human Resources
Tasked with building continuous human resource stability across AFIMAC, John Opron, Global Vice President of Human Resources at AFIMAC Global, is an accomplished human resources and organization development executive pushing to grow HR policies, systems, and culture into AFIMAC.
Mr. Opron brings a vast knowledge of HR policies specific to the manufacturing sector, including training and development, HR policy deployment, talent management, and mergers and acquisitions.
John has pushed organizational effectiveness, performance improvement, and talent management for a number of well-known international manufacturing companies. Bringing along with him his passion for identifying, selecting, and developing talent to help facilitate the long-term vision of AFIMAC. As a bilingual HR executive, he aims to improve and grow AFIMAC’s valuation through front-end and operational efficiency and customer satisfaction.
He focuses on creating a corporate culture that will attract and retain top talent with continuous community involvement, managing brand image, and putting the AFIMAC employer brand on the map.
John holds a Bachelor of Arts and a master's in industrial and organizational psychology.
David Brainard - Chief Financial Officer of AFIMAC Global
Dave Brainard brings a wealth of finance experience to AFIMAC as the company’s Chief Financial Officer. Tasked with addressing the overall financial performance of AFIMAC, Mr. Brainard’s classical finance background includes reporting, forecasting, budgeting, and banking for five private equity-owned businesses.
As a senior financial executive and CPA with 40 years of experience, Dave has been successful throughout his career by fine-tuning and optimizing financial and operational functions for businesses, improving profitability, and providing accurate and informative reports that predict and forecast market conditions.
Mr. Brainard’s specialties include working capital management, financial modeling, reporting, planning and analysis, mergers, acquisitions, investor relations, and strategic planning. His knowledge in finance, along with a detail-orientated approach, stands as a great fit for AFIMAC, helping the company pivot, plan for, and address market conditions in the most optimal way possible.
Dave holds a Bachelor of Science in accounting and economics from the University of Indianapolis.
Nick Frangias - VP of Sales at AFIMAC Global
Mr. Nick Frangias brings over 18 years of combined sales and military experience to his role as AFIMAC’s VP of Sales. Serving more than ten years in the US Army as a Medical Logistics Officer, his deployment and humanitarian experience is invaluable.
As an incredibly detail-oriented sales executive, Mr. Frangias is dedicated to providing enhanced customer service, exceptional productivity, and measurable results that will further propel AFIMAC's ongoing growth.
Currently serving in the US Army Reserves, Nick is a graduate of Kent State University with a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Walsh University. He also holds a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt certification.
Cindy Nash - Chief Operating Officer at AFIMAC Global
As AFIMAC Global’s Chief Operating Officer, Cindy Nash is responsible for all aspects of the company’s operations, including information technology, customer service, and field operations.
With over 25 years of tech and executive leadership experience, including time at several well-known major brands and Fortune 500 companies, Ms. Nash brings a wealth of professional knowledge to AFIMAC as the company strives for greater efficiency and productivity.
Cindy has specialized in areas such as P&L management, information technology strategy, and M&A, facilitating over 30 different acquisitions across her career. She also spent extensive time at one of the nation’s well-known home security brands, where she focused on customer satisfaction and operational excellence in an effort to secure long-lasting customer growth and retention.
Ms. Nash holds a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Texas at Dallas and a bachelor's degree in Computer Information Systems from Northeast Louisiana University.
Jane Graber - Director of Information Technology at AFIMAC Global
Responsible for all aspects related to IT for AFIMAC Global, Jane Graber brings her wealth of professional experience as the company’s latest Director of Information Technology. As an IT leader who has reinvented organizations and their IT environments for well over 20 years, Ms. Graber has been successful at modernizing everything from a company’s digital infrastructure, implementing enterprise applications, conducting business intelligence, along with ongoing reporting of key metrics to senior leaders. Jane’s experience includes serving logistics companies, FedEx, and YRC Freight.
Regularly called upon to address IT needs for large and small corporations, she has been responsible for every element of managing corporate IT environments, including infrastructure, applications, support, personnel, and financial management.
Ms. Graber holds three degrees, including a Master of Business Administration from Baldwin Wallace University.
Joseph Schollaert - President and CEO
Mr. Schollaert has more than 21 years of experience in the security and business continuity services industry. After graduation from college, Mr. Schollaert started his career with Allied Security, Inc. and progressed rapidly to become one of the youngest regional managers within the company. After eight years with Allied Security, Mr. Schollaert joined AFIMAC as director of operations.
As President, Schollaert has direct oversight of AFIMAC's strategic growth, sales and marketing, and operational planning and implementation. He is a member of the following associations: American Management Association (AMA), Chief Executive Network, American Society of Industrial Security (ASIS), Business Industry Continuity Emergency Planning and Preparedness (BICEPP), Ohio Association of Security and Investigative Services (OASIS), Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), Sandler Sales Institute, Sales Concepts Presidents Club, and Ohio Association of Private Detective Agencies (OAPDA).
Mr. Schollaert earned bachelor degrees in criminal justice and psychology from Duquesne University.
Ruben E. Mena - Sr. Vice President
Ruben Mena served over 24 years on the Miami Police Department, retiring as the Lieutenant in charge of a major operational special unit. His civic career was highlighted by service as a senior officer and lead training instructor for the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Team, Command helicopter pilot in the Aviation Division, and a certified Firearms Instructor. As a special operations supervisor, Ruben gained extensive executive protection experience as a result of his numerous protective operations in conjunction with the U.S. Secret Service in the protection of U.S. Presidents and foreign heads of state.
Ruben's special expertise includes intricate knowledge of Latin America which he acquired while directing inter-police agency training exercises on behalf of the Miami P.D. Besides his excellent police and private security contacts throughout Latin American, Ruben has developed and directed comprehensive security and training programs for U.S. multi-national Fortune 500 corporations in the U.S. and throughout Latin America. He is an accomplished instructor in evasive driving, firearms, and executive protection operations.
Ruben is an expert in conducting detailed vulnerability assessments and developing crisis management plans for high-profile events. He has an extensive background in planning for the prevention of terrorist acts, including those involving weapons of mass destruction.
Ruben Mena is a graduate of LaSalle University with a Bachelors of Science Degree in Criminal Justice Management. He is fluent in Spanish and Portuguese. As well as being a member of the Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC) and American Society for Industrial Security (ASIS), he is also certified in Homeland Security and a board Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE).
Jim Rovers - Senior Vice President
Mr. Rovers has been actively involved in the fields of security, investigations and labour dispute for nearly two decades. With a background in manufacturing engineering, he has assisted many Fortune 500 companies in the development of contingency plans regarding security, transportation and temporary staffing. He has worked extensively throughout Canada and the United States on investigation of theft and narcotic issues in the workplace.
Mr. Rovers joined AFIMAC in 2004 as Vice President of Sales and Marketing. A former executive of HRPLD (Human Resource Professionals of London) and he is a member of ASIS, the American Society of Industrial Security. Mr. Rovers is in the process of completing his CHRP (Canadian Human Resources Professional) accreditation.
Agnaldo de Oliveira - Brazil Operations Director
Agnaldo de Oliveira is a security professional with over 23 years of experience and five thousand international security operations. As the Vice President of Operations for AFIMAC Global in Brazil, Mr. de Oliveira specializes in providing asset protection and loss prevention strategies for corporations with global operations. His responsibilities include providing leadership and strategic management for all client operations.
Agnaldo is proficient in conducting facility and residential security surveys, detailed vulnerability assessments, and developing crisis management plans for high-profile events. He has an extensive background in executive protection for multi-national clients and high-profile individuals, along with surveillance and physical security for residential and commercial condominiums. Mr. de Oliveira is also an expert in vehicle armoring and a seasoned evasive-defensive driving Instructor, having personally conducted training nationally and internationally.
Through the years, Agnaldo implemented canine explosive detection services (k-9) in Brazil’s major international airports. He is also knowledgeable in explosives, including TNT, C-4, dynamite, ammonium nitrate, water-gel /Tovex, Semtex (RDX and PETN), detonation rope (wick), black gunpowder and gunpowder, potassium and Sodium Chloride.
Mr. de Oliveira has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Sao Paulo (UNIP) in Security Management, an MBA in Strategic Management Services from the FGV teaching institution, and completed the Management Essentials course from Harvard Business School.
Agnaldo is a member of the OSAC Latin America Group and the American Society for Industrial Security.
Maria Teresa Septien - Managing Director – Mexico & LATAM
Maria Teresa Septien is the Managing Director for AFIMAC Global in Latin America and Chair of the Board of Trustees of ASIS Foundation.
She has over 25 years of experience in corporate security. She has collaborated as a consultant in several strategic security, crisis management, and emergency projects in Latin America’s public and private sectors.
Maria Teresa has received several national and international awards. She has been recognized as one of "The 100 Most Influential Private Security Professionals in Mexico" in 2017 and 2022. Internationally, she received the Karen Marquez Award from ASIS International's Global Women in Safety Community for her contributions and leadership, as well as her support for the development and inclusion of more women in the security industry. In October 2022, she received the "Women in Security LATAM 2022 Award” for her regional leadership and contributions.
Ms. Septien has a degree in Computer Science and a postgraduate degree in Corporate Security Management from the University of Comillas in Madrid, Spain. She holds a CPP certification from ASIS International. Ms. Septien collaborates actively as a professor in several diplomat degrees on leadership and security management, and as a facilitator in CPP preparation programs in Latin America, and mentor in ASIS and OSAC mentoring initiatives.
She is a founding member of the National Council of Women Entrepreneurs in Mexico and the ASIS WIS LATAM Council. Maria Teresa also actively participates in the Security Committees of various Chambers of Commerce in Mexico, including Spain, Canada, Germany, and the United States.
Maria Teresa is a frequent speaker and has presented seminars in several countries, including Canada, the United States, Colombia, Panama, Peru, Guatemala, and Mexico.
John Opron - Global Vice President of Human Resources
Tasked with building continuous human resource stability across AFIMAC, John Opron, Global Vice President of Human Resources at AFIMAC Global, is an accomplished human resources and organization development executive pushing to grow HR policies, systems, and culture into AFIMAC.
Mr. Opron brings a vast knowledge of HR policies specific to the manufacturing sector, including training and development, HR policy deployment, talent management, and mergers and acquisitions.
John has pushed organizational effectiveness, performance improvement, and talent management for a number of well-known international manufacturing companies. Bringing along with him his passion for identifying, selecting, and developing talent to help facilitate the long-term vision of AFIMAC. As a bilingual HR executive, he aims to improve and grow AFIMAC’s valuation through front-end and operational efficiency and customer satisfaction.
He focuses on creating a corporate culture that will attract and retain top talent with continuous community involvement, managing brand image, and putting the AFIMAC employer brand on the map.
John holds a Bachelor of Arts and a master's in industrial and organizational psychology.
David Brainard - Chief Financial Officer of AFIMAC Global
Dave Brainard brings a wealth of finance experience to AFIMAC as the company’s Chief Financial Officer. Tasked with addressing the overall financial performance of AFIMAC, Mr. Brainard’s classical finance background includes reporting, forecasting, budgeting, and banking for five private equity-owned businesses.
As a senior financial executive and CPA with 40 years of experience, Dave has been successful throughout his career by fine-tuning and optimizing financial and operational functions for businesses, improving profitability, and providing accurate and informative reports that predict and forecast market conditions.
Mr. Brainard’s specialties include working capital management, financial modeling, reporting, planning and analysis, mergers, acquisitions, investor relations, and strategic planning. His knowledge in finance, along with a detail-orientated approach, stands as a great fit for AFIMAC, helping the company pivot, plan for, and address market conditions in the most optimal way possible.
Dave holds a Bachelor of Science in accounting and economics from the University of Indianapolis.
Nick Frangias - VP of Sales at AFIMAC Global
Mr. Nick Frangias brings over 18 years of combined sales and military experience to his role as AFIMAC’s VP of Sales. Serving more than ten years in the US Army as a Medical Logistics Officer, his deployment and humanitarian experience is invaluable.
As an incredibly detail-oriented sales executive, Mr. Frangias is dedicated to providing enhanced customer service, exceptional productivity, and measurable results that will further propel AFIMAC's ongoing growth.
Currently serving in the US Army Reserves, Nick is a graduate of Kent State University with a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Walsh University. He also holds a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt certification.
Cindy Nash - Chief Operating Officer at AFIMAC Global
As AFIMAC Global’s Chief Operating Officer, Cindy Nash is responsible for all aspects of the company’s operations, including information technology, customer service, and field operations.
With over 25 years of tech and executive leadership experience, including time at several well-known major brands and Fortune 500 companies, Ms. Nash brings a wealth of professional knowledge to AFIMAC as the company strives for greater efficiency and productivity.
Cindy has specialized in areas such as P&L management, information technology strategy, and M&A, facilitating over 30 different acquisitions across her career. She also spent extensive time at one of the nation’s well-known home security brands, where she focused on customer satisfaction and operational excellence in an effort to secure long-lasting customer growth and retention.
Ms. Nash holds a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Texas at Dallas and a bachelor's degree in Computer Information Systems from Northeast Louisiana University.
Jane Graber - Director of Information Technology at AFIMAC Global
Responsible for all aspects related to IT for AFIMAC Global, Jane Graber brings her wealth of professional experience as the company’s latest Director of Information Technology. As an IT leader who has reinvented organizations and their IT environments for well over 20 years, Ms. Graber has been successful at modernizing everything from a company’s digital infrastructure, implementing enterprise applications, conducting business intelligence, along with ongoing reporting of key metrics to senior leaders. Jane’s experience includes serving logistics companies, FedEx, and YRC Freight.
Regularly called upon to address IT needs for large and small corporations, she has been responsible for every element of managing corporate IT environments, including infrastructure, applications, support, personnel, and financial management.
Ms. Graber holds three degrees, including a Master of Business Administration from Baldwin Wallace University.