INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATION FORCULTURAL PROPERTY PROTECTION
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Reposted from Ambient.ai
Ambient.ai
Whitepaper-The Business Case for Agentic Physical Security
What if your security operation could do more with less, not by cutting corners, but by fundamentally changing how threats are detected, triaged, and resolved?
Our new white paper makes the business case for agentic physical security and lays out a practical path to get there.
The white paper covers:
The compounding cost problem most security leaders underestimate How AI-driven operations reduce false alarms, speed response, and lower liability Why the shift from reactive to proactive security changes the ROI equation A 90-day implementation framework designed to prove value fast
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Reposted from ArtSentry
Museums Matter More Than Ever
Museums do far more than preserve artifacts, they help societies understand themselves. In a fast-moving world shaped by constant change, museums provide spaces where people can engage more deeply with history, culture, and the human experience.
3 Security Principles Every Museum Should Prioritize
The best museum security strategies do more than reduce risk. They support smoother operations, stronger visitor engagement, and long-term institutional success. Here are three essential concepts helping institutions improve protection while supporting their mission.
Reposted from Tim Richardson
Someone Took a Chance on You. Who Are You Going to Encourage?
At some point in your career, someone took a chance on you. Not because you had all the experience. Not because you were the safest choice. But because they saw something others didn’t. Today, that same opportunity is missing for many young professionals trying to get their start.
The challenge: Take a chance on someone today! At 29 years old, the future felt uncertain. A wedding was approaching. A master’s degree from Florida State University had been completed. A business had been launched. But the speaking engagements weren’t coming fast enough to support the next chapter of life. There was belief in the talent. Others weren’t so sure. In fact, one national seminar company had already decided otherwise. What was needed wasn’t more effort. It was opportunity. It was belief. It was someone willing to take a chance. That someone was Bob Pike CSP, CPAE, CPTD Fellow. Bob built a nationally recognized training organization now called The Bob Pike Group. Bob and was known for his innovative, high-energy, participant-centered approach. Many wanted to work with him. Not everyone got the opportunity. During the training process for a young experienced trainer, one senior trainer questioned whether the potential was there. That opinion eventually changed, but at the time, it could have ended the journey before it began. Instead, Bob chose to invest in a young person high on potential but low on experience. Fast forward to today, and the need for leaders like Bob has never been greater.
Recent data shows:
At the same time, organizations are struggling to find:
There’s a disconnect. Young professionals aren’t lacking talent or desire. They’re lacking opportunity, guidance, and someone willing to develop them. Mentorship is not just a “nice to have.” It is a competitive advantage. The best leaders don’t just hire experience. They develop potential. Some of the most successful professionals didn’t start fully formed. They started as:
What changed their trajectory? Someone paused long enough to notice them. Someone listened. Someone believed. Someone took a chance. In a world moving faster than ever, it’s easy to overlook emerging talent. It’s easier to hire the “safe” candidate. It’s easier to demand experience. It’s easier to move on. But leadership isn’t about doing what’s easiest. It’s about doing what matters. Look around your organization this week.
Then take one simple step: Have a conversation. Offer guidance. Give them a chance to grow. Because the next great leader in your organization may not be the most polished. They may just be waiting for someone to believe in them. Just like Bob Pike did for me many years ago. Happy heavenly 77th birthday, Bob and thank you for believing in me when no one else did.
The LAR team has deep product knowledge of audio solutions, video management systems, CCTV, video analytics, and smoke detectors. Its strong regional presence provides exceptional support to integrators, end users, and distributors. Within Zenitel Americas, LAR will be a key part of its Mexico and Latin America growth strategy for its intelligent critical communication solutions that consist of intercoms, IP speakers, and more that allow people to hear, be heard and be understood, in virtually any environment.
Reposted from AAM
Federal funding for museums and cultural institutions remains under threat. As part of AAM’s ongoing advocacy to protect and strengthen funding across agencies and programs, we’ve launched a national community letter to Congressional leadership calling for continued investment in museums.
Over 800 museums, companies, small businesses, and associations have signed on. If you have not yet signed your organization on, please help us reach our goal of 1,000 signatories by Thursday, April 30.
We urge museums of all types, associations, small businesses, and companies that value and engage with museums to sign on. Whether you are part of the field or benefit from it, your organizational voice helps show the broad, nationwide support for museums and the essential role they play in our communities.
Thank you for your advocacy on behalf of the entire museum field.
Reposted from SEMC
The Southeastern Museums Conference (SEMC) in partnership with the Association of Academic Museums and Galleries (AAMG) returns this spring with the next installment of The Launchpad Series.
We are kicking off the series with a Resume Review designed to help your skills stand out. Whether you are just beginning to build your resume or are simply looking for a fresh update, this is your chance to be paired with a seasoned museum professional for personalized feedback.
Reposted from AMM
Center—or challenge—your truths. Get creative. Dwell in the possibilities. Emerge stronger.
We’ve been working with our Chicago museum friends to develop a program for #AMM_2026, We Hold These Truths, that features perspectives from nearly 100 different Midwest museums. It's going to be awesome!
This year's conference won't shy away from the struggle. More importantly, it will provide a safe space to lean on and learn from your peers, explore possible solutions to your common challenges, and find a renewed sense of hope (with realism).
Register by July 13 to save on Virtual + In-Person and Virtual + Single Day rates. Check out our registration information page for details on what's included along with FAQs and detailed form instructions.
What's in store for We Hold These Truths
Join AMM and hundreds of your peers online for Virtual Day on Wednesday, July 22, for a robust day of programming. Virtual Day will feature an opening session titled “Whose Truths?” with a focus on the Chicago Monuments Project. We will virtually visit two Chicagoland museums, chat about hot topics in roundtable discussions, and take part in any of 4 live concurrent virtual sessions - all from the comfort of our homes or offices!
In Chicago on July 26-29, you’ll have access to your choice of 50+ sessions, posters and conversation stations presented by your peers, PLUS plenty of time for fellowship and visits to our exhibit hall featuring 40+ providers. This year’s workshops will provide in-depth skill and knowledge building in key areas of need: volunteer workforce development, repatriation, and emergency planning.
Central to the experience, of course, is the chance to explore at least a dozen unique Chicagoland museums through virtual tours and in-person programs. You'll see - there's truly a museum to satisfy every interest in Chicago!
Today is Tax Day. And for millions of Americans, it is a race to submit returns just in time. But here is the bigger question:
What happens when we start believing no one is watching?
Recently, The Wall Street Journal highlighted a troubling trend, suggesting that “the IRS isn’t going to catch me” has become a growing mindset in the United States. While I am not a proponent of paying more taxes than I owe, I do believe every American should pay their fair share. That belief traces back to something my father told me when I was young: “If you cheat on the small things, you’ll cheat on the big things.” That principle has stayed with me my entire life, even though I have not always lived up to it. As a teenager working at Publix Super Markets in Florida, I regularly took snack items without paying for them. At the time, it felt insignificant. Years later, it did not. About 15 years ago, I went back to that same store, which was still open. I met with the general manager and handed him $200 in cash to try to make things right. He hesitated to accept it. He told me that my apology was enough and that in 30 years of working in management, no one had ever apologized for stealing. But for me, it was a freeing moment. What seemed like a small mistake from a teenager had stayed with me, and making restitution lifted a weight I did not fully realize I was carrying. Cheating, cutting corners, and bending the rules are not new. But they do feel more normalized today.
In the business world, it shows up in subtle ways:
The common justification? “Everyone does it.” But that does not make it right. Early in my career at IBM, our team went through an internal audit. Instead of approaching it with integrity, we did the opposite.
We laughed as we:
At the time, it was dismissed as harmless because it was “internal.” But looking back, it was not harmless at all. It was a clear violation of the standard my father had set:
Cheating is cheating. Leaders set the tone. Employees follow what they see, not just what they are told. When integrity slips in small areas, it creates permission for larger compromises. But the opposite is also true. When you hold yourself to a higher standard, even when no one is watching, you create:
You sleep better. Just when I thought I had this lesson fully internalized, I was reminded again. Recently, I used an unauthorized image in a blog post and was called out by a copyright enforcement company. I could have justified it. I could have said:
But the truth is simple: It was wrong. And no amount of justification changes that. Maybe, like me, you have done something in the past that still lingers. Something small. Something easy to dismiss. But still there. An apology is a good place to start. But whenever possible, making it right is even better. Because integrity is not built in the big moments. It is built in the small ones.
Art Sentry- Take The Quiz: Are Your Security Functions Meeting Industry Standards? The Museum Security Scorecard offers a quick way to evaluate how your current security approach aligns with standard industry practices. Take a few minutes to assess where your museum stands and identify opportunities to strengthen it. 3 Questions That Reveal the True Cost of Your Museum Security Museum security spending is often viewed as a simple budget line item, but the real cost extends far beyond the obvious. Read on to explore the hidden expenses institutions should consider when evaluating their security strategy. Art Sentry 2026 Grant Guide Funding opportunities can feel especially difficult and confusing right now. Even so, support still exists through federal, state, and local governments, along with charitable foundations and businesses. The Art Sentry Grant Guide brings those options together and helps you understand where to start, what to look for, and how to move forward with confidence.
Is There Joy in Your Job? Why Leaders Must Reintroduce the Pause to Reignite Engagement and Retain Talent In a Wall Street Journal article this week, “There’s More Work and No Perks, but at Least the Vibes Are Bad,” highlights a growing reality. For many employees, work feels heavier and less rewarding than ever. Economic uncertainty, political tension, rapid AI adoption, and fewer workplace perks are all contributing to a noticeable decline in morale. In short, joy at work is fading. Research backs this up. Gallup continues to report declining employee engagement. Harvard Business Review has noted rising burnout and emotional fatigue. Forbes has highlighted how constant change and unclear expectations leave employees feeling overwhelmed and disconnected. So, what can leaders do? It may be time to become a “joy infuser” at work. It may not be a role you signed up for, but it is one your team needs now more than ever. This does not require grand gestures. It starts with small, intentional actions: Look for what is going right and share it Recognize effort, not just outcomes Understand how change, especially AI, is impacting your team Check in regularly and genuinely care about the response These are simple, but they are powerful. Early in my career, I experienced what it feels like to lose joy in a job. I was close to being fired in my first post-college role. Not because I lacked ability, but because I lacked connection and purpose. I eventually left in my mid-20s because the job drained my energy. I am not alone. Today, employees everywhere are making similar decisions. And it is not your weakest performers leaving. It is your most capable people. The ones who are adaptable, innovative, and have options. When joy disappears, they do not wait. They leave. Fast Company recently noted that employees are no longer just chasing compensation. They are seeking meaning, flexibility, and progress. When those are missing, disengagement follows quickly. Here is the challenge. You cannot afford to lose your best people. You might be thinking, “This is not my responsibility.” Or, “Someone else should handle culture.” But leadership today requires more. This is where the Power of the Pause becomes essential. A pause is not about slowing down. It is about creating space to: Think more clearly Connect more meaningfully Lead more intentionally When leaders pause, they reset the tone. They create clarity. They bring people back to what matters. And that is where joy begins to return. So here is the question: Is there joy in your job? And just as important: Is there joy in the jobs of the people you lead? Because when leaders create space for clarity, connection, and purpose, something powerful happens. People stay. Teams perform. And organizations thrive.
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