Will Baker has worked in Law Enforcement or Retail Loss Prevention for 17 years. Presently, Will is the Senior Director of Loss Prevention for Ross Stores, Inc., Leading Loss Prevention in the eastern half of the United States.

Will’s professional career began in Law Enforcement as a Deputy Sheriff at the Mesa County Sheriff’s Office, on the Western Slope of Colorado. In addition to patrol duties, Will specialized in Gang Resistance and Education. In 1999, Will moved on to retail Loss Prevention and Target Corporation, where he was promoted to a District Assets Protection Manager in the Kansas City Market. During his career with Target, Will also served as a Group Assets Protection Manager, A Regional Recruiting Manager, and in Store Operations, leading store teams within the Chicago Market.
Will received his Masters in Organizational Leadership from Fort Hays State University, in Hays, KS and has conducted numerous lectures and public speaking engagements at Colleges, Universities, Corporations, and in the Community on Leadership and Influence. Will combines his passion for athletics with his education and experience to teach lessons on leadership to students and business professionals. Will conducted one such lecture at the 2007 IOBSE annual meeting, where he was introduced to the organization’s recruiting and mentoring programs.

Since joining the board of IOBSE as a Director in 2010, Will has been an active member of both the Education and Conference planning committees.

Will resides in the Orlando, FL area with his wife of 17 years, Jennifer, and two children, Jackson and Wilson.

Venus Finley-Akins

First Vice President

Venus Finley-Akins is the Manager of Corporate Security Operations for Gap Inc. Previously she was the Director of Gap Brand Loss Prevention for the Western Zone, Central and Canada, based in San Francisco, Ca. Finley-Akins joined Gap Inc. in 2002 as a Regional Loss Prevention Manager for Banana Republic in the San Francisco Bay Area.

With more than 30 years of retail Loss Prevention Experience, Finley-Akins has successfully lead Loss Prevention initiatives and efforts at Mervyn’s, a middle market, California based retailer and part of Target Corporation. Venus is CFI certified. During her tenure, she has held positions of increased responsibility in Loss Prevention and Human Resources.

Venus is an active Volunteer in her Community, most notably at the Agnes Memorial Children’s Center in Oakland. Finley-Akins is the recipient of the 2007 YMCA Black Achievers’ award. Venus has been married to Terence Akins for 23 years.

Fanchon Barnes

Second Vice President

As an Assets Protection Business Partner, Fanchon Barnes’ core role as a multi-district leader is to enhance profitability, the guest experience, and our reputation by minimizing loss and business disruptions and providing safe and secure environments.

She is responsible for recruiting, training, and developing team members; ensuring execution of job responsibilities, planning the business, managing team member and guest issues, managing the Assets Protection programs that keep stores safe for guests, team members, shareholders and communities; driving profitability by reducing stock shortages, monitoring stores’ readiness for inventory, and all theft and fraud investigations.

Fanchon joined Target in 1994 with over 10 years of Retail Management and Leadership experience she has held numerous Executive roles within the company for over fourteen years. In addition to her core role, Fanchon currently captains the Assets Protection Women in Leadership Development Group and is a Regional Sponsor for the Managing Inclusion Committee. She also captains the Regional Assets Protection Diversity Recruitment strategies and serves on the Diversity Committee. Fanchon has been recognized for her countless efforts towards diversity executive recruitment and outstanding team development! In 2008, she was awarded the "George Logan Education Award" by the International Organization of Black Security Executives’ National Board of Directors.

Fanchon received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Concordia University in St. Paul, Minnesota in Organizational Management and Communications. She has a passion for education and often conducts educational presentations on campus, facilitates several training courses for Target, is a Certified Instructor of the Crisis Prevention Institute, Inc., resides on the Minneapolis Regional Committee for the Network of Executive Women, and is an active member of the International Organization of Black Security Executives (IOBSE) in which she holds the roles of Student Education Liaison and Board Secretary.

Don Knox is a security professional with 20 year of experience in the industry. Currently Don is a Global Security and Risk Analysis Manager with Caterpillar Inc, the world’s largest maker of construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas engines and industrial gas turbines. Some of Don’s responsibilities include providing support for Caterpillar’s enterprise crisis management program, international travel safety and security program and global risk compliance program.

Additionally Don serves as Director and Security for his church, St Paul Baptist. He manages all aspects of security operations including access control, intrusion detection, pastoral protection, security awareness training, parking and traffic as well as emergency management and life safety.

Prior to Caterpillar Don was a Security Specialist with State Farm Insurance, the country’s largest auto and property/
casualty insurer. Don coordinated various aspects of their enterprise security program including assisting with their crisis management and business continuity program as well as administering and maintaining the access control network. Prior to State Farm Don held positions in retail loss prevention for Best Buy, facility and event security for Illinois State University’s Redbird Arena and crime prevention for the Illinois State University Police and the Peoria Park District Police.

Don is a graduate of Illinois State University with Bachelor’s Degrees in Criminal Justice Science and Applied Computer Science. He earned his Certified Protection Professional (CPP) designation signifying board certification in security management as well as his Certified Identity Theft Risk Management Specialist (CITRMS).

In addition to serving the IOBSE Don is a member of ASIS International and serves as Past Chair of Crisis Management and Business Continuity Council and received the Outstanding Council Chair of the year award. He is currently Vice Chair of ASIS Houses of Worship Security Committee.

Levell Hedgspeth

Treasurer

Levell Hedgspeth is a Divisional Loss Prevention Manager for Cracker Barrel Old Country Store which is based out of Lebanon, TN

Levell successfully oversees the loss prevention and investigative functions for the southeast, mid-south, and western United States consisting of approximately 190 locations and 867 Million Dollars in annual revenue. He joined CBOCS in 2005 as a Regional Loss Prevention Investigator and was promoted to his current role of Divisional Loss Prevention Manager in 2008.

Levell served in the United States Army as a Correctional and Military Police Officer before beginning his civilian career as District Security Manager with Roses Stores, Inc. in 1987.

With more than 23 years in the loss prevention/asset protection profession, Levell has held various leadership positions including, District Loss Prevention Manager with Best Buy, Inc., Company Auditor with Shoe Show, Inc, and District Loss Prevention Manager and Regional Loss Prevention Manager with DSW/Retail Ventures, Inc.

Levell resides in Charlotte, NC with his lovely wife of almost 17 years, Renee. With a blended family they have five daughters; Shawn, Tiffany, Eboni, Whitney, and Lorin, and one granddaughter; Kaitlyn. They also have two son-in-laws; Brandon (Eboni) and Lester (Whitney).

Levell has been an active member of the IOBSE since June 2008 and currently takes part in the Education Committee, assisting with college seminars and the mentorship program.

Levell is bi-vocational. He is an ordained minister and founding church pastor of 13 years with a passion for the success of young people. He lives by the golden rule, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”

Michael Nelson has 12 years of retail Loss Prevention experience and is currently the Regional Director of Loss Prevention for Florida at Kohl's Stores Inc. Based out of Miami Fl, Michael drives best in class sales through strategic Loss Prevention initiative that minimize shortage, drive instocks, and create a safe secure environment for customers and associates.

Michael began his security career in 1998 with Target Corporation as an hourly undercover security officer. In 1999 he was promoted to an Executive of Assets Protection with Target Corporation. In 2003 Michael obtained a Bachelors of Science degree in Criminal Justice from the University of Central Florida. Upon graduation Michael was promoted to District Assets Protection Team Leader with Target Corporation. He held that position until transitioning to his current role in 2010.

Michael has been a member of IOBSE since 2006. During that time he has driven IOBSE initiatives through the facilitation of college classroom training, executive recruitment, conference seminars, and student mentorship. Michael has a passion for mentorship and attributes his own professional success to the mentorship he has received from IOBSE members. In 2010 Michael received the "Keith White Mentorship Award" from the International Organization of Black Security Executives.

Michael Rock is a Divisional Asset Protection Director for the Midwest Division at Wal-Mart Stores Inc. Based in Chicago Il, Michael sets the Asset Protection strategy for the Midwest Division and leads a team of Asset Protection professionals charged with reducing losses and protecting the customers, associates and facilities of Wal-Mart Stores in the Midwest Division.

Michael joined Wal-Mart in 1992 as an Assistant Manager in the Turnersville NJ area. In 1994 he joined the Loss Pre-vention department as a District Loss Prevention Supervisor. In this role he was responsible for managing, maintaining and supervising security issues and systems within his district of 15 stores. After 2 years Michael was promoted to Training Supervisor then to Regional Loss Prevention Director. He was then promoted to his current role.

Prior to joining Wal-Mart, Michael enjoyed an active duty career in the U.S. Air Force. He was a crew member on the
C-130E and EC-130E aircrafts and has over 4500 flying hours including combat time. He ended his active duty career as an Assistant Professor of Aerospace Studies at Tennessee State University in Nashville TN. He then joined the 193rd Special Operations Wing of the Pennsylvania Air National Guard in Harrisburg, PA where is finished his military career. During his career he earned three Air Medals as well as four Air Force Commendation medals.

Michael received his Bachelor of Science in Music Education degree from North Carolina A&T State University in Greensboro, NC , where he graduated Cum Laude. In 1992, he received his Masters degree in Security Management from Webster University in St Louis, MO.

Michael currently resides in the Chicago Ill area with his wife of 20 years, Sherry and their four children.