Strengthening Executive Security Posture Following an Industry Crisis

Following the high-profile murder of a major healthcare CEO, a Fortune 500 organization initiated a proactive review of its executive security strategy. Although the company had an established Executive Security Program, internal and board-level stakeholders sought independent, expert validation of its effectiveness—especially in the context of IRS 132-compliant assessments. The client's goal: rapidly evaluate risks across its Executive Committee while ensuring both fiscal and operational efficiency.

Our approach

CSA proposed a two-tiered engagement model to meet the client’s urgent needs while optimizing time and cost. Rather than defaulting to full Independent Security Studies (ISS) for every executive, CSA first conducted a series of Executive Risk Assessments (ERAs)—a strategic, less intrusive method to identify meaningful, business-aligned security risks.

Simultaneously, CSA completed a comprehensive Executive Security Program Review (ESPR) to benchmark the client’s existing protocols against peer organizations and industry best practices. This dual-path approach allowed CSA to recommend deeper investigations only where risk warranted further action.

What We Delivered

CSA delivered a comprehensive suite of reports and recommendations developed by seasoned executive security leaders.

Executive Security Program Review (ESPR)
‍The engagement began with an enterprise-level review of the company’s executive security program. This included:

• A top-down evaluation of current policies, protocols, support models, and documentation.
• Benchmarking against comparable organizations to identify governance gaps and opportunities for policy alignment.
• Clear, prioritized actions for enhancing executive protection—ranging from policy and procedure updates to event, travel, and staff coordination improvements.

Executive Risk Assessments (ERAs)
‍CSA completed in-depth risk assessments for each member of the executive committee. These reports synthesized threat intelligence, personal risk factors, and travel and workplace dynamics to identify potential physical, reputational, and digital vulnerabilities. Each assessment included practical recommendations tailored to the individual leader’s exposure and responsibilities.

Independent Security Studies (ISS)
‍For those executives with elevated risk profiles, CSA conducted IRS Section 132–compliant Independent Security Studies. These assessments covered residential, travel, and lifestyle factors, ensuring the defensibility of security-related benefits and aligning program design with regulatory expectations.

All work was completed on time and within budget, reinforcing board-level confidence in both program integrity and fiscal discipline.

The Impact

CSA’s adaptive, risk-prioritized methodology led to significant cost savings by avoiding unnecessary full studies for low-risk executives. More importantly, the organization is now implementing key upgrades, including enhanced travel protocols, clarified executive support roles, and formalized policies and standards. The engagement has elevated the internal credibility of the security function while directly supporting executive trust and board assurance.

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