ABOUT
Founded in 1949 as a simple security patrol company along the St. Louis riverfront, Whelan Security has enjoyed a rich heritage of service excellence rivaled by few in the contract security industry. While other security companies continue to merge, consolidate, or sell, Whelan is still owned by the same family and guided by the same business principles more than a half century after opening our doors. Today, headquartered in St. Louis, MO, Whelan Security ranks within the top one percent of all security companies in the United States and operates as the largest regional security provider in the Midwest and Central United States also offering coast to coast service through our national subsidiary, TransNational Security.
Whelan Security has extensive vertical market expertise across many industry sectors and continues to expand its geographical reach through organic growth as opposed to acquisitions.
The following timeline provides just a glimpse of our historical growth and development. Click on an era below for more information about the history of Whelan Security during that time period.
| 2009 |
Whelan Security begins operating in California and Arizona.
Catherine Ross joins Whelan Security as Vice President - Western Region & Customer Support.
Lori Perry, CPP, joins Whelan Security as Vice President - Western Region & Strategic Accounts.
Michael Basler, CTP, joins Whelan Security as Chief Financial Officer and Senior Vice President - Finance & Administration.
| 2008 |
Whelan Security is ranked within the Top 15 contract security companies operating within the United States.
Whelan Security begins operating in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.
Mark Porterfield, CPP, CHS-III joins Whelan Security as Senior Vice President & Chief Security Officer.
| 2007 |
Steve Lisle joins Whelan Security as Vice President - Sales (North Central Region).
Whelan Security opens office in Little Rock, Arkansas.
Whelan SFI expands into Delaware.
Whelan Security begins operating in Tulsa and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma as well as Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Whelan Security opens Denver office.
Whelan Security begins operating in Detroit.
Whelan Security is again ranked within the Top 20 contract security companies operating within the United States.
Patrick Smith, current Vice President - Operations & Customer Service (North Central Region), joins Whelan Security as Regional Vice President.
| 2006 |
Whelan Security opens office in Minneapolis-St Paul.
Whelan Security is ranked within the Top 20 contract security companies operating in the United States.
| 2005 |
Whelan Security partners with Security Forces, Inc. and invests in the formation of Whelan SFI, a joint venture company operating in the Mid-Atlantic. Whelan SFI opens an office in Washington DC and begins operating in Washington DC, Baltimore, MD, and Northern Virginia.
Whelan Security opens Nashville office.
Whelan Security begins operating in Mississippi.
Whelan Security is approved by the Department of Homeland Security and TSA as a qualified vendor in the Screening Partnership Program.
| 2004 |
Whelan Security opens Chicago office.
| 2003 |
Greg Twardowski is appointed President of Whelan Security.
Prentice Robertson, former Senior Vice President - Sales & Marketing at Barton Protective Services, joins Whelan Security as a Principal and Executive Vice President.
Whelan Security introduces the Truth Report and Whelan Warranty Program.
| 2002 |
David Justice, CPP, current Vice President, joins Whelan Security as a Business Development Manager in Dallas-Fort Worth.
| 2001 |
James Schwartz, current Vice President, joins Whelan Security as a Business Development Manager in St. Louis.
| 2000 |
Whelan Security begins operating in Wichita and Topeka, Kansas.
| 1997 |
Whelan Security invests in the establishment of TransNational Security Group LLC, a national partnership of leading regional security companies combined to form one of the top five contract security companies operating in the United States.
| 1993 |
Whelan Security opens offices in Dallas, Houston, and Baton Rouge/New Orleans.
| 1991 |
Dan Twardowski, current Vice President, joins Whelan Security.
| 1990 |
Whelan Security opens branch office in Kansas City.
| 1989 |
Greg Twardowski, current President, joins Whelan Security.
| 1978 |
Patrick Twardowski is elected President of Whelan Security.
| 1969 |
Patrick Twardowski joins Whelan Security at the request of Mrs. Whelan upon the death of James T. Whelan. Mr. Twardowski invests in the company and assumes management responsibility.
| 1949 |
Whelan Security is founded in St. Louis, Missouri by James T. Whelan, uncle of current Chairman, Patrick Twardowski.
