Ventures Charlotte - Charlotte Chamber of Commerce

Entering U.S. ISS Agency, LCC,
(ISS) headquarters is like
stepping into a high-tech spy
novel or “Mission Impossible”
movie – fitting for a firm that counts
among its principals two former deputy
police chiefs and a retired two-star
Marine general. No sign is on the
impressive Ballantyne corporate building,
nor is there any mention of the company
on the lobby directory or the reinforced
metal door that serves as the entrance
to the ISS office. Once the visitor passes
through the security camera, twoway
intercom system, and biometric
fingerprint pad that guard the front
door, a second line of security awaits
in the form of an anteroom complete
with armored paneling, gun safes, a
magnetometer, and another reinforced
metal door. Through a bullet-resistant
glass wall, the visitor can glimpse the
secure ISS command center. One thing is
certain: If it is at ISS, it’s state-of-the-art
technology.
“We are not concerned with terrorists
in Ballantyne,” says ISS President
Robert Schurmeier, “but we are
concerned about protecting our clients’
data and intellectual property, along
with our own.” Schurmeier, a former
deputy police chief at the Charlotte-
Mecklenburg Police Department
(CMPD), knows first-hand the
importance of securing information.
Services Offered
Pre-Employment Background Investigations/
Post-Employment Investigations
Online security services tend to focus on databases that are
often outdated. They also use services that can only identify
criminals currently in jail, which significantly limits the value
of the service. “There are no shortcuts in this business,” says
Schurmeier, noting that ISS can ensure that a company is
hiring quality employees and contractors. Potential employees
may look good on paper, but professional investigations
can turn up questionable backgrounds – including criminal
histories, performance issues and violent behavior – before a
person is hired or a contract is signed.
Even employees with no prior indication of criminal activity
or inappropriate/violent behavior can develop problems. When
theft, fraud, abuse, mismanagement or other security concerns
occur with existing or previous employees, ISS will conduct
discrete, independent, and objective investigations to help resolve
the issue. The firm’s licensed private investigators have decades
of experience in criminal and administrative investigations, and
they understand the nuances of criminal and civil law that are so
important in conducting internal investigations.
Polygraph Testing and Biometric Fingerprinting
ISS handles some government sectors’ pre-employment
polygraph tests and due diligence work, taking advantage of
an on-site polygraph room. The company also fingerprints
using biometric technology, allowing computers to capture the
information, and portable units can be taken onsite. “This is a
much cleaner and faster process,” says Schurmeier, adding that
the ink pads of the past are no longer necessary.
Executive/Senior Level Management Due Diligence
The ISS team has handled a sizable number of preemployment
due diligence and background screenings for
North Carolina’s chiefs of police in the past two years. Using
a process modeled after the federal government’s top secret
clearance, this technique produces the most exhaustive
background reviews available.
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