A Decade of GSX: A New Milestone for Safeguards Consulting
/For over 13 years, our team has attended the Global Security Exchange (GSX) Conference by ASIS International. This conference brings together security professionals, manufacturers, and integrators to build connections across the industry. It also features a large exhibition hall showcasing emerging technology, educational sessions, and networking events. For the first time, Safeguards Consulting was honored to sponsor the GSX Conference for its 2026 gathering. Our President and Principal Consultant, Mark Schreiber, also had the honor of speaking during his pre-conference session as well as a session during the conference, and our team had the largest attendance at GSX in our firm’s history.
For many members of our team, participating in GSX has been a longstanding tradition. For others, the experience was just beginning. To provide an inside perspective on the conference from our first-time team members, we asked them to share some thoughts about their experience.
Our Team's Introduction to ASIS International, GSX, and The Security Industry
We began the first day with “Building Your Future in Security: GSX Student Welcome & Networking Experience.”
During the event, our younger team members were introduced to members of ASIS International and had the opportunity to begin building connections within the industry. They also received valuable advice and insights about networking, professional development, and how to make the most of their GSX experience as students and first-time conference attendees.
One of our first-time team members, Reyna, remarked that, “It was a great time to meet other students who were also just beginning their careers and taking their first steps in the industry. We also had the unique opportunity to meet some of the leadership team at ASIS International, which was especially exciting.”
For team members who were experiencing a professional conference for the first time, this session provided an important introduction to the value of engaging with industry professionals and stepping outside of the familiar environments of college and the workplace.
Exploring the Exhibit Hall: Connecting New Technologies to Our Firm's Role
Following the student networking experience, our team participated in a tour of the GSX exhibit hall alongside our consultants.
Throughout the tour, our consultants introduced our younger team members to various industry connections while also allowing them to explore the wide range of security technologies represented throughout the exhibit hall. Rather than simply walking through the exhibits, our consultants used the experience as an opportunity to explain the technologies our team encountered and provide context about how different products and systems can be applied within the security industry.
Our team also had the opportunity to participate in several demonstrations, allowing our younger professionals to see firsthand how different technologies operate and how they may be incorporated into real-world security environments.
One of our part-time employees stated this walking into the Exhibit Hall for the first time, "Personally, I feel that the most helpful thing I learned was the connection to the companies and what products they offer/sell and how they connect to Safeguards. I think that being able to see all the different types of security products helped me understand the service our company provides!”
For our interns and newer employees, this part of the conference provided a hands-on introduction to an industry that they are only beginning to explore professionally.
A Quick Detour of The Peach State: Beyond the Conference Floor
After completing our exhibit hall tour, the team took some time away from the conference floor for lunch and team bonding at Ted's Montana Grill, followed by a brief walk through Centennial Olympic Park.
While these moments were not directly related to the educational programming at GSX, they were an important part of the overall experience. Conferences provide opportunities not only to learn and network, but also to strengthen relationships among the people we work alongside every day.
Investing in Our Future Security Operations and Marketing Industry Leaders
Once we returned to the conference, our team split into different groups based on their roles and objectives for the remainder of the day.
Our marketing staff continued exploring the exhibit hall, visiting various booths and learning more about the products and organizations represented at GSX. The team also explored opportunities for branded content and began brainstorming and filming material for post-conference content creation.
Meanwhile, our operations team members continued through the exhibit hall on a more in-depth tour, spending additional time learning about the technologies and solutions relevant to their areas of work.
This allowed each member of our team to experience GSX in a way that was relevant to their individual role while still participating in the broader Safeguards Consulting experience.
A First GSX Through a Mentor’s Perspective
In the words of our Marketing Operations Lead, Parker Stalvey, "This week’s conference marked a significant milestone not only for our firm, but also for our team members individually. We were proud to provide our team with the opportunity to attend the Global Security Exchange (GSX) Conference, particularly because it represented a first for many of our employees.
For several of our younger team members, GSX served as an introduction to professional networking, industry conferences, and the broader security profession. As many of them are college students and early-career professionals beginning to explore and establish themselves within their respective fields, the experience provided a valuable opportunity to step outside of their typical work and academic environments, connect with industry professionals, and begin developing the professional skills and confidence that will support them throughout their careers.
As a mentor and the team’s Marketing Operations Lead, it was especially rewarding for me to watch my peers experience so many firsts throughout the conference. Seeing them engage with professionals, participate in conference activities, ask questions, and gain a better understanding of the security industry was a proud moment. These experiences are an important part of professional development, and I am grateful that I was able to witness and support their growth firsthand.
The experience was also personally meaningful for me, as GSX was my first security industry conference. While I was able to experience many of these firsts alongside our team, I also gained a deeper understanding of the industry, expanded my own professional network, and learned more about the role we play as a firm within the security profession.
Overall, I am incredibly proud of our team and everything we accomplished during this year’s GSX Conference. I am especially excited to continue witnessing the growth and development of our employees, our marketing team, and Safeguards Consulting as a whole. I look forward to seeing how the experiences and connections we gained this week continue to shape our team and contribute to our firm’s continued growth."
More Than Attendees: Serving GSX and Our Team Through Mentorship and Volunteerism
We were also proud to be active participants in this year’s conference. Several members of our team served as volunteers directing traffic flow within the building and assisting with registration and questions. Overall, our team served in numerous mentorship and volunteer roles throughout this year's conference; both internally and externally.
Signing Off with a Sweet Finish in the Peach State
For Safeguards Consulting, GSX 2026 was about more than attending another industry conference. It was an opportunity to learn, build relationships, explore new technologies, contribute to the broader security community, and provide our team with experiences that will continue to shape their professional development.
For our first-time attendees, the conference offered an introduction to an industry that many are just beginning to explore. For our more experienced team members, it provided another opportunity to strengthen existing relationships, expand their knowledge, and share their experience with the next generation of professionals.
As we reflect on this year’s conference, we are proud of the role our team played at GSX and grateful for the opportunity to experience it together. From the exhibit hall and educational sessions to networking opportunities, volunteer roles, and time spent together as a team, each experience contributed to a memorable week in Atlanta.
We are excited to carry the connections, knowledge, and experiences from GSX 2026 forward as we continue serving our clients, supporting our industry, and investing in the growth of our team.
From Peaches to Oranges: We Look Forward to Seeing You in Orlando, FL, in 2027
As we trade the peach state, Georgia, for the orange state, Florida, we look forward to continuing our GSX experience in Orlando, Florida next year!
To learn more about the GSX Conference, visit:
To learn more about our involvement with ASIS and GSX, visit our GSX webpage:
