Our People and Leadership

Drew Levine

Skills and experience: Drew Levine is responsible for continuing to drive growth and excellence in our core guarding business. Prior to joining Allied Universal®, Drew was President of G4S Secure Solutions (USA) where he spearheaded the company’s operational improvements, managed relationships with marquee clients and provided hands-on involvement in new business initiatives. 
 

Career experience: Drew began his career with the Wackenhut Corporation in 1987 and was consistently promoted to various leadership roles prior to becoming President of G4S Secure Solutions (USA) in 2008. Drew holds an associate degree in Criminal Justice. 
 

Current external commitments: Drew has been active in various security industry organizations. He has served as board member and chairman of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Private Investigation, the Recovery and Security Advisory Council and is a member of ASIS International. 

Mike Smidt

About: Mike Smidt has been with the company since 2003. As COO of Allied Universal®, he has oversight of more than 100 offices, 150,000 plus Security Professionals and over $6.5 billion in annual revenue.

Skills and experience: He previously served as President, Northwest Region for Allied Universal®. Prior to that post, he held senior-level roles at various security companies, including Securitas and American Protective Services, Inc. 

Current external commitments: Mike is an executive board member of the California Association of Licensed Security Agencies, Guards and Associates (CALSAGA), and serves as Allied Universal’s licensing manager in California for the Bureau of Security and Investigative Services (BSIS). He has also been a member of ASIS International since 1992. 

Caress Kennedy

Skills and experience: Caress Kennedy oversees more than 26,000 Security Professionals in eight states. Caress previously was Managing Partner for the Northeast Region at AlliedBarton Security Services, which merged with Universal Services of America to form Allied Universal in 2016. 

Career experience: Prior to joining the company in 2011, Caress held senior-level positions where she was responsible for regional and national operations at COMSYS, Global Employment Solutions, Norrell Corporation, Thomson Financial and Xerox. 

Current external commitments: Caress is a Board Member of the NYPD Law Enforcement Explorers and the Citizens Crime Commission of New York City. She also serves on the Executive Committee of NYC Workforce Development Board and is an Advisory Board Member of St. John’s University Homeland Security Academic Program. Caress was selected as an inaugural honoree for the Security Industry Association (SIA) 2022 Women in Security Forum Power 100. She earned her Certified Protection Professional (CPP) security management designation from ASIS International in 2016. 

Steve Claton

Skills and experience: Steve Claton has proven leadership experience in both the security and commercial real estate industries. At Allied Universal®, he leads one of the company’s largest regions and directs many of the company’s procedural best practices and technology advancements on a national scale

Career experience: Prior to joining Allied Universal® in 2008, Steve served as Vice President for the Irvine Company, where he oversaw various functions, such as property 
operations, acquisitions, development, security, engineering, and landscaping. Additionally, he held senior-level positions at Insignia/ESG and The Shorenstein Company

Current external commitments: Steve’s industry affiliations include Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA), Institute of Real Estate Managers, ASIS International, the ASIS Chief Security Officers Roundtable, and Touchstone—an exclusive think-tank of security industry executives. He serves on the Advisory Board for BOMA-Greater Los Angeles, and is a proud member of the Board of Directors for both Community Service Programs and Friends of Fragile X. He is also an avid supporter of Autism Speaks

DelMar Laury

About: DelMar entered the security industry as a manager trainee for Allied Security, Inc. in 1986, and since then, has moved up the ranks to hold several senior-level positions such as District Manager, Vice President, and Managing Partner, as the company evolved. 

Skills and experience: Delmar Laury has extensive experience managing startups, corporate, city, large operations and government contracts and boasts a consistent record of meeting financial and customer service goals. Currently, as President of the Southeast Region, he has responsibility for more than 21,000 Security Professionals.

Current external commitments: He has received numerous awards and recognition, such as the Dr. Mortimer Feinberg Leadership Award, President Award, Budget Achievement Award (20-times), and the National Service Excellence Award for three years.

Alberto Marquez

About: In his current role at Allied Universal®, Alberto leads the company's operations in Mexico, including Security Personnel, Allied Universal® Risk Advisory and Consulting Services and Allied Universal® Technology Services. Based in Mexico City, Alberto has been heading the Mexico organization since 2019 and brings over 25 years of professional experience, with over 10 years of experience managing multinational service companies.

Skills and experience: Alberto is skilled in developing and executing comprehensive business strategies, as well as promoting best practices in service quality, operational improvement, and financial discipline. He is committed to fostering effective work teams and ensuring the highest standards of customer service and reliability. Throughout his career, he has worked for companies such as Procter & Gamble, Sodexo, Rentokil, and Finantech.

Education and Involvement:  Alberto holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Instituto Tecnologico de Monterrey, a Master of Business Administration from the same institution, and a top management certification from the Instituto Panamericano de Alta Direccion de Empresas (IPADE). He is a member of Young Presidents' Organization (YPO), the world's largest community of CEO leaders who have achieved significant leadership success at an early stage in their careers. 

Eric McGarty

Skills and experience: Eric McGarty has been with Allied Universal® since 2002. Since joining Allied Universal®, Eric has held various roles in the Northwestern Region. In his current role as Regional President of the Northwest Region, Eric is responsible for all operational, financial, and administrative functions in his region.

Career experience: Before joining Allied Universal®, Eric was the Fire Protection and Construction Specialist with HILTI, and was the General Manager with Aramark Uniform Services. 

Current external commitments: Eric earned his Certified Protection Professional (CPP) security management designation from ASIS in 2002. He is also a certified trainer for both CPR/EAD, First Aid, and Times Mirror for customer service. Eric is an active member of the American Society of Industrial Security (ASIS), Building Owners Management Association (BOMA), and IFMA. 
 

Darren Pedersen

Skills and experience: Appointed in February 2022, Darren Pedersen is responsible for the manned guarding, aviation and technology integration lines of business in the Canadian market. 

Career experience: Darren joined G4S Cash Solutions in 1997 starting as Operations Supervisor and worked his way up to General Manager Mississauga/Greater Toronto Area (GTA). On the sale of the cash business in February 2014, Darren remained with manned guarding and was appointed to Director Commercial Operations GTA and Durham Region. In March 2015, he was promoted to Regional Vice President, GTA. In December 2016, he took up the position of Regional Vice President Central, Eastern and Operations Support and in 2017 was promoted into his current role as Senior Vice President, Manned Guarding. 

Jose Ubieta

About: Jose Ubieta joined Allied Universal® in 2009. As Regional President, he is responsible for the operational leadership of security operations in the Mid-Atlantic region. In his prior role as Senior Regional Vice President, Jose supported three general managers in the Miami market with 4000 employees and over 300 clients. 

Skills and experience: Jose has managed top-tier security programs for national clients such as Merck, Johnson & Johnson, and VISA. He supports local government entities such as Miami-Dade County, Miami International Airport, the Miami Parking Authority, the City of Coral Gables, the City of Surfside, and the City of North Miami Beach. Several local commercial customers that he supports include the Adrienne Arts Center of the Performing Arts, the Perez Arts Museum of Miami, Carnival Cruise Headquarters, Barry University, and Brickell City Center.

Career experience: His previous experience includes working as an Operations Manager for Burns International, as a Branch Manager for U.S. Security Associates, and as a Vice President for AlliedBarton. His tenure in the industry and his experience in servicing both commercial and government agencies provide him a unique, well-rounded background to serve his client’s needs. 

Current external commitments: Jose earned a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice Administration from Florida International University. He holds certifications in Surveillance Detection from the Department of Homeland Security and in National Incident Management System from FEMA, and he is a certified instructor for Incident Response to Terrorist Bombings. He has maintained professional affiliation with ASIS International since 2014. 

Brian Webber

Skills and experience: As Midwest Regional President, Brian oversees the financial and operational success of more than 21 offices, 24,000-plus security professionals, with over $1.1 billion in annual revenue.

Career experience: Brian first joined Allied Universal in September 2016, following the company’s acquisition of Apollo International, Inc., where he held a variety of roles, including Chief Operating Officer and Vice President of Operations during his 12-year tenure with Apollo.

Current external commitments: Brian is active in numerous industry associations, including ASIS International, International Association for Healthcare Security and Safety and Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA). Additionally, he serves on the Board of Directors for RB Foundation.

Bob Wood

About: Bob Wood joined Allied Universal® in 2012 as Senior Vice President before being promoted to President of the Northeast Region. He now leads the Florida Region. 

Career experience: Previously, Bob was Vice President of the Security Officer Services Division, T&M Protection Resources in New York from 2004 to 2012. Prior to that role, he held key management positions at one of the largest protective services firms in the United States, with responsibility for operations in the Mid-Atlantic, New England and New York regional markets. 

Current external commitments: Bob earned board certification as a Certified Protection Professional from ASIS International and his Certified Fraud Examiners designation from the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners. He was selected as “Enlisted Man of the Year” in 1985 while serving in the Army National Guard’s 114th Infantry 50th Armored Division and earned the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 2009.