The Unsung Hero and "Best Kept Secret" of the LP Industry

Professor Robert Hanson and Northern Michigan University's
Loss Prevention Management Program

With the merging of cybersecurity, loss prevention and security industries, there comes a greater need for an expansion of knowledge and education in these fields. While many organizations routinely promote certificate programs and Loss Prevention/Security related events, little is said or published about degree programs for these industries. One of the most renowned, but possibly undervalued educational programs is Northern Michigan University's Loss Prevention Management Program run by Professor Robert Hanson. NMU's formal program in loss prevention management is offered completely online (as well as on campus), a perfect choice for traditional and non-traditional students alike and is a tremendous asset for those already in the field who are looking to expand upon their skill sets or those just starting out in the industry.

"At any given time, there can be 35 to 40 students taking one or more of the courses offered in a given semester. Some of the LP professionals transfer in enough credits to make it more efficient and less costly to pursue a Loss Prevention Minor with a Criminal Justice or other major. We provide personalized advising by faculty members to our students. Northern offers a liberal transfer policy and up to 94 credits from accredited institutions can be applied to our Bachelor of Science degree. We have partnered with retailers such as Target whose associates have been through a rigorous certification through Assets Protection that allow us to waive the introductory class requirement for the major or minor," explained Professor Hanson.

"Just as loss prevention professionals need to anticipate a variety of potential threats and cope with rapidly changing business conditions, our academic content must stay current. We accomplish this in 3 ways:

First, our instructors have extensive professional fulltime paid experience in the field and they are content experts in their specialty. While a course title such as retail investigation or legal issues in loss prevention doesn't change, the some of the course content changes to include current threats and trends.

Secondly, we regularly review and revise an entire course to take advantage of technical enhancements to our course management software. For example, students can now leave audio comments on the discussion boards and upload their PowerPoint presentations for the class to view.

Lastly, we look for new course topics based on feedback from graduates or emerging topics of interest as reflected in conference themes at NRF Protect or RILA. We are currently looking into a course or certificate in cybercrime and cybersecurity. The State of Michigan recently designated NMU as a regional cyber hub with enhanced access to a cyber range, which is a secure internet separate from normal public access internet.

I strongly believe in the importance of recruiting talented traditional students to seek a challenging and rewarding career in loss prevention as their first choice after graduation. We promote internships and offer loss prevention as a minor. We have agreements with four community colleges in two states to facilitate the transition from an Associate degree there to a Baccalaureate from us. I am working on a plan that would bring a few college students to the June 2019 NRF Protect conference."
 

"At any given time we have 20-25 enrolled in classes," Hanson said. "Students working full time will take longer to complete a degree even if we can transfer up to 90 credits."

This program is the brainchild of Professor Robert Hanson and Dan Faketty. Professor Hanson first began looking into the concept of creating a loss prevention management program when former students began returning to NMU to recruit soon-to-be-graduates from the Criminal Justice department; at the time, they were looking for traditional students to follow traditional career paths.

Through further discussions with leaders in the industry, it soon became apparent that there was a significant percentage of the workforce that was professionally competent yet simply did not have the credentials to continue moving forward in their careers. When it comes to this type of professional stagnation, the primary issue is the inability to attend school to gain the necessary credentials while continuing to work full-time. As Professor Hanson made trips into the field, managers who were making advances within a variety of retail environments consistently mentioned a desire to have taken courses relating to loss prevention. Professor Hanson quickly recognized this as an opportunity for NMU to get involved and make a difference.

Jodie Murphy, Adjunct Professor for Professor Hanson and Northern Michigan University had this to say about the Loss Prevention Program at NMU, and how much passion and dedication Professor Hanson has for this program and his students' education:

After researching several programs in hopes of completing my degree, I was put in touch with Prof. Hanson at NMU who eventually helped me achieve my academic goals while working full time within the LP industry. Professor Hanson went above and beyond to ensure I was able to apply previously earned college credits towards completing a degree at NMU. The online program was critical to my success, as at the time I was traveling frequently for work. The flexibility that the online courses provided made a daunting task of returning to school manageable and enjoyable, and I would highly recommend the program to not only those considering Loss Prevention as a career but also to the many LP employees that let life get in the way of completing their degree.

After graduating from the program I went on to receive my Master's in Criminal Justice from ASU and was invited by Prof. Hanson to join NMU as an Adjunct Professor teaching the Legal Aspects of LP class. It's now been 4 years that I have been associated with the University and have seen firsthand the passion and energy that Prof. Hanson has for the program as he mentors and encourages students to consider a career in LP. He works tirelessly as an advocate for the LP industry and has provided a path of academia to so many who have given up on hopes of a college degree in lieu of a full time job.

Tina Sellers, now Director of AP for Retail Business Services LLC, an Ahold-Delhaize Company, was also an Adjunct Professor for NMU and shared her experience and memories of NMU and its LP Program:

I think the NMU program was the first of its kind and really changed our industry by turning something from a “job” into a “profession”. Since this program began at NMU, we’ve seen other colleges recognize Loss Prevention as a degree and we’ve seen numerous certification programs come to life, all of which is exciting and revolutionary in our industry. The ability for a mid-career Loss Prevention professional to finish an online degree in their chosen line of work has been an absolute game-changer!

When I visited the campus of NMU, I was impressed by the students and the questions they asked about our company. They were very in tune with the challenges we face as retailers while operating within the legal parameters which bind us. The classes I spoke to were enthusiastic and welcoming!

When students complete the NMU program they have their choice of retailers to go work for. We value their education and their communications skills. They are often ahead of the game when it comes to social media investigations and analytics and are in high demand by retail LP teams.

Ned Ludlow, Vice President of Loss Prevention for Williams-Sonoma Inc., also taught some classes for Dr. Hanson and shared his thoughts about the university and how this particular program paves the way for all those in the LP industry:

I had the pleasure of teaching a number of classes for Dr. Hanson and the NMU business school a few years ago. I found Bob and the other professors there to be very welcoming, interested and invested both in their student’s education as well as in their longer term career success. I had a truly enjoyable visit. I found the students to be very engaged, interested in what I had to say, and dedicated to their program.

As I was coming up in the industry, many of my peers and the people I interviewed were entering our field through classes or degrees in law enforcement. While a great learning experience, I always felt that this wasn’t necessarily the best introduction or preparation for our profession. While we do many things that are related to law enforcement, we are primarily business people, dedicated to helping our companies provide a good return on their owner’s or shareholder’s investment. I’ve been excited to see Bob and others work to help change the focus of the loss prevention industry toward a more business oriented one. They help prepare their students to bring with them into their LP roles the basic business skills and understanding needed to add value to their organization - things like, reading a P&L report, budgeting, inventory accounting, or simply understanding an organization’s profit driven perspective. I hope to see other universities offer similar programs to help prepare the next generation of LP leaders for this specific business.

"While he would never admit it, Hanson is somewhat on an island in the continuous education/professional development world of our industry," remarked Dan Faketty, VP of Asset Protection and Safety for Southeastern Grocers LLC. "While he lobbied for, built and eventually implemented the only Loss Prevention Management Degree Program in the country, he gets little recognition for all of his hard work and efforts in pushing the loss prevention and security industries to get higher education. In some respects the NMU Loss Prevention Degree program is one of the best kept secrets in our industry!"

Recently, the National Retail Federation invited Professor Hanson to join their LP Advisory Council, a very rare experience for someone not in the retail field. "The Addition of Professor Robert Hanson to the NRF LP Council is a real win-win for our Asset Protection Community! Dr Hanson brings a wealth of academic research, concepts and ideas to the table as well as a direct connection to our future youth and emerging LP leaders. He has built a “First Class” program that enhances the entire profession,” commented Bob Moraca, VP of Loss Prevention for the National Retail Federation. nmu.edu d-ddaily.com

For more information on NMU's Loss Prevention Management program, click here

Check out this 2014 LPNN Interview with both Dan Faketty and Bob Hanson "Leading the way with higher education"