A Fresh Approach To Maximizing Your Security Strategy
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An live, highly-interactive, workshop that pushes proactive - rather than reactive - strategic approaches to your organization, utilizing the time-tested CARVER Methodology. Â
Dates
November 4-5, 2025
Status
Annual Event
Format
In-person
Location
Stanton Hotel, Miami Beach, FL
Fee
$1200 - Before August 01
$1500 - After August 01
Application Due
October 15, 2025
Certification
Certificate of Completion from the University of South Florida’s Security Training Collaborative and the CARVER Training Institute
Dates
November 4-5, 2025
Status
Annual Event
Format
In-Person
Location
Stanton Hotel, Miami Beach
Fee
$1200 - Before August 01
$1500 - After August 01
Application Due
October 15, 2025
Certification
Certificate of Completion from the University of South Florida’s Security Training Collaborative and the CARVER Training Institute
ABOUT THE COURSE
The CARVER Strategy Course is a fresh approach to the antiquated security methods no longer useful to organizations in a post-pandemic world. Security departments have erroneously functioned in a reactionary – rather than proactive – role for decades. Much like a combat mission or intelligence operation, security strategy needs to be organic. Decisions are based upon the fluidity of the threat environment and the on-the-ground realities involved. As conditions change (whether that means an escalation or de-escalation of a crisis) the organization - and subsequent teams responsible - must dictate the pace and direction of the event. They cannot be spectators and they must break out of the mindset that they are solely operating in a responder role. At the same time, managers must resist the temptation to micro-manage tactical situations rather than providing direction from the strategic level. CARVER Strategy is meant to help you quickly decipher your security posture and provide an actionable roadmap for how your organization makes decisions about security.
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WHO WILL BENEFIT
- Leaders: Demonstrates how successful leaders behave, communicate, and implement sound judgement and decision making
- Security Professionals:Â Provides a useful framework for security teams to better utilize their resources and be more proactive with their preparedness.
- Operational Planners:Â A valuable tool for those individuals tasked with designing operational and/or emergency response plans.
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PROGRAM STRUCTUREÂ
The CARVER Strategy Course is a 1.5 day executive education workshop, which goes deep into proactive strategic planning.
Emphasis is placed on the relationship between an organization's cognizance (awareness to surrounding threats) and its overall preparedness and responsiveness to threats.
Moreover, the CARVER Strategy Course focuses on a more proactive, rather than reactive, approach to security, while recognizing that there will always be an ever-changing amount of information that is both known and unknown.
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CURRICULUM
- Module 1:Â Course Introduction
- Module 2: Understanding Strategy
- Module 3: The CARVER Strategist
- Module 4: Understanding Organization Threats
- Module 5:Â Practical Threat Recognition Planning
- Module 6: Strategic Preparedness
- Module 7: Case Study: Apollo 13
- Module 8: The Art of War
- Module 9: Strategic Leadership
- Video 10: Case Study: Post "Dream Team"
- Module 11: Cognizant Thinking
- Module 12: Pulling Your Strategy Together
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WHO SHOULD ATTEND
Students who will benefit from this intensive course include: Senior Business Executives, Chief Security Officers, security directors, homeland security agents, infrastructure protection professionals, law enforcement officers, anti-terrorism officers, intelligence analysts, risk management professionals, security engineers, security vulnerability assessment consultants
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REVIEWS
I thought I had a pretty good grasp of strategy coming into the course, but this was an eye-opener. Very well presented and immediately useful content."
- Bruce B., Chief Security Officer
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A strong primer for those looking to increase their knowledge about big picture thinking."
- Lynn M, Chief Technology Officer for tech firm
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PROGRAM CALENDAR
Meet Your Primary Instructors
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LUKE BENCIE is the Managing Director of Security Management International (SMI) and the author of seven books on security, including “The CARVER Mindset: How to Think Like a Spy!” Mr. Bencie has been a consultant to the U.S. Department of State, U.S. Department of Defense, Fortune 500 companies, as well as foreign governments. He has worked in over 100 countries and has trained thousands of police, intelligence and military officers in the U.S. and abroad in the fields of counterterrorism, counterintelligence and security strategy. Prior to establishing SMI, Mr. Bencie was a senior security consultant for Raytheon Company in the Intelligence and Information Systems Division. Mr. Bencie previously served as a representative from the CIA's Office of Special Activities on the U.S. Department of State's Foreign Emergency Support Team. In this capacity, he was responsible for immediately responding to terrorist attacks carried out against U.S. targets overseas; subsequently serving in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya and other global hotspots.
JENNI HESTERMANÂ retired as a Colonel in the U.S. Air Force. Her last assignment was Vice Commander at Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland, where she led installation security, including security for Air Force One, base support, and the 1st Helicopter Squadron. She regularly escorted POTUS and other heads of state on the ramp. After retiring in 2007, she began working as a cleared contractor, studying international and domestic terrorist organizations, transnational threats, organized crime and the terrorist and criminal exploitation of the Internet. She currently consults on security strategy to both the National Basketball Association (NBA) and Major League Baseball (MLB). She holds a doctoral degree from Benedictine University, master of science degrees from both Johns Hopkins University and Air University, and a bachelor of science from Penn State University. She was a National Defense Fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, D.C. where she studied the terror-crime nexus, and was a senior fellow at the Center for Cyber and Homeland Security at George Washington University. She is an alumnus of the Harvard Senior Executive Fellows program. An award-winning author, her book Soft Target Hardening: Protecting People from Attack, was the ASIS Security Industry Book of the Year in 2015.
CARVERÂ Strategy Certificate
Enhance your decision-making skills, build your credentials and learn that important difference between strategic and tactical thinking, as it relates to your organization’s security posture, as well as business in general. This highly informative course utilizes lecture, case study and PowerPoint format to deliver the principles of CARVER Strategy. Certification is granted through the CARVER Training Institute and the University of South Florida Office of Corporate Training and Professional Education.
Watch a FREE 16-Minute Video on the Difference Between Strategy and Tactics
In this free 16-minute sample video, instructor, Luke Bencie, provides you with a simple explanation on the difference between strategy and tactics. This short demonstration serves a teaser for the type of content that you will find inside the CARVER Strategy Course.
Money Back Guarantee
Rest Assured
We are so sure that you will enjoy your experience with our products and services that we have proudly offered all of our clients a 30-day, full money back, guarantee on all our training courses since we opened the business in 2010. If you are not completely satisfied with you purchase, send us an email and we will refund your money. Now, you have no reason not to try our services.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is my hotel room included with the cost of the course?
Is this an accredited course from the University of South Florida?
Can I put the course on my resume?
Contact SMI with any Questions about CARVER Training.
We'll be in touch as soon as possible to learn more about how we can help your organization adopt the CARVER Methodology.
