Paul Viollis has an impressive professional background, having held various leadership positions prior to becoming Chief Executive of Viollis Group International. He served as CEO of Risk Control Strategies, President & CEO of Corporate Risk Consulting, Senior Managing Director for Citigate Global Intelligence & Security, and Vice President at Kroll, where he was part of their post-September 11th Threat Assessment Team.
Throughout his career in law enforcement and security, Paul gained a wide range of skills and experiences. He worked as a supervisor for the Criminal Court Unit of the New York County District Attorney’s Office, a Security Specialist/Supervisor for the United States Space Command, and CO of a Florida State Police Academy. He is also a renowned public speaker and an expert in various areas, including private client security, workplace violence, behavioral analysis, workplace security, and counter-terrorism threat assessment. Additionally, he is certified as a Master Anti-Terrorism Specialist by the Anti-Terrorism Accreditation Board.
Government service at the city, state, and federal government level poured the VGI slab allowing for its blueprint to mirror the capabilities of the most sophisticated government law enforcement agency imaginable nestled within the private sector. Specifically, Viollis Group International is a global consultancy centered on validating integrity and eradicating challenging situations, expeditiously. With unfettered access to information in 245 countries and dependent territories, VGI can identify and mitigate human, cyber, integrity, operational, financial, environmental, social, and governance risks. VGI’s intelligence contains information on countries and regions, individuals, companies and banks, state-owned entities, criminal and terrorist groups, ports and airports, aircraft, vessels, international organizations, as well as other entities enabling it to protect the human, physical and financial assets of clients, worldwide.
Career Transition and Growth
Paul attributes his career success to the JJC internship program and the invaluable opportunity provided by Robert Morgatheau. Beginning his journey at the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office at the age of 20, Paul quickly rose to the position of supervisor in the Criminal Court Unit. This position allowed Paul to gain a comprehensive understanding of every aspect of the criminal justice system, as well as national and international security concerns. This foundational knowledge proved instrumental in his subsequent appointment to a national security role under the Department of Defense during the Desert Shield/Desert Storm era. After concluding his service to the country as the CO of a state Police Academy in Florida, the events of 9/11 changed the course of Paul’s career. Drawing on the skills and experience gained in government service, including at Ground Zero, he transitioned to private practice.
A Multi-faceted Professional
Paul is a highly accomplished author and editor, having written and edited several books for Jane’s Publishing, including “Workplace Security,” “School Safety Handbook,” “Teachers Safety Guide,” “Crisis Communications Handbook,” and co-authoring “Silent Safety: Best Practices for Protecting the Affluent.” He is also a sought-after public speaker and presents on a wide range of topics related to national security, private client security, and cyber-terrorism at various events each year.
In addition to his work as an author and speaker, Paul has also worked as a law enforcement and security analyst for CBS News and has been a regular contributor to FOX Business and FOX News. He has appeared in various media outlets, including CNN, INSIDE EDITION, MSNBC, Reuters, ABC, CNBC, CBS, ESPN, Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Entrepreneur Magazine, Wall Street Journal Radio, National Public Radio, CSO, Forbes, Robb Report, Worth, Business Insurance, and CFO magazine.
Paul’s most recent book, “Safeguarding America: – Blueprint to Protecting the American Family,” was released in March 2021. He is affiliated with several professional organizations, including the Anti-Terrorism Accreditation Board, Overseas Security Advisory Council, Florida Police Chiefs Association, lnfraGard, and Business Executives for National Security. Additionally, he holds the distinction of Honorary Assistant Attorney General for the State of Louisiana and has earned a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice, a Master of Public Administration, and a Ph.D. in Philosophy.
Making Client Satisfaction the Primary Goal
For Paul, leadership is not about conforming to industry standards, but about setting new benchmarks. He believes that in any vertical market, the key to success is understanding the unique needs of clients based on current global events and personal circumstances. This is particularly important when serving the affluent community, as they face a multitude of complex issues that require a high level of insight and attention. Armed with this understanding, Paul takes on the responsibility of ensuring his company is fully equipped to deliver effective solutions, utilizing both human and technological resources as required.
Proficiency in Resolving Challenges
Intelligence gathering is essential for any successful security consulting firm, as it helps validate the information and mitigate potential risks. With the most current technology and data access, firms can gather critical intelligence on global threats and potential risks to their clients. This information can then be used to develop proactive strategies to address and mitigate potential threats before they occur. Without reliable and up-to-date intelligence, firms are unable to make informed decisions and are at risk of missing critical information that could impact the safety and security of their clients. Therefore, intelligence gathering is indeed a cornerstone of any successful global security consulting firm.
Viollis Group’s commitment to investing in both human and technological assets is unwavering, ensuring that every problem is approached with the resources necessary to achieve success. Additionally, Paul’s role as a national security and law enforcement TV/radio personality allows him to provide the public with accurate, fact-based analysis while establishing Viollis Group’s professionalism to the viewing/listening audience, thereby setting the standard for the industry. The company’s unique skill set, combined with cutting-edge technology and intelligence platforms, enables them to provide a wide range of services, including Technical Surveillance Countermeasures, Cyber Crime forensics, covert surveillance, clandestine intelligence gathering, and various human protection deliverables. With such extensive resources and capabilities, the team can confidently assert that they are fully equipped to handle any challenge that comes their way.
Working to Educate, Innovate, and Designate
Looking ahead to the future, Paul’s vision for Viollis Group is to educate the global community through objective analysis of breaking news via their media presence. The company will stay ahead of the curve through innovation and pre-emptive threat mitigation, ensuring that their services reflect the current global threat trajectory. Additionally, Viollis Group will work to identify and designate the next generation of leaders in their respective fields, recognizing the importance of passing on knowledge and experience to those who will shape the future. As true leaders, it is essential to leave the future in better hands than those we inherited it from. Viollis Group will lead by example, demonstrating that unpreparedness is not an option when it comes to global security.
Keeping Integrity Align with Leadership
For Paul, being a leader means setting the tone and maintaining his faith in God as the cornerstone of all decision-making processes. He understands that leadership is demonstrated through action, and his actions must align with his beliefs. At times, this may require making difficult decisions, such as walking away from financial gain if it means compromising his values. When mistakes occur, as they inevitably will, Paul believes in taking ownership of them and handling them with integrity, as this is what ultimately builds character.
Paul believes in executing a direct involvement with delegation protocol, overseeing everything from intake to execution, while also allowing his professionals to do their jobs without unnecessary micromanagement. He recognizes that his team possesses a wealth of knowledge and expertise in their respective fields, and thus trusts them to handle their responsibilities effectively.
To construct a culture of integrity, Paul focuses on three main tasks:
- Assigning the right people to each specific project, who are intimately familiar with the “in-country” expectations and adhere to valid and reliable Rules of Engagement.
- Embracing the mantra that “Cheap IS Expensive” in everything they do, they thus cement the philosophy of doing it right or not at all.
- Providing viable solution options to the client, rather than attempting to sell them on a specific product or service. If a client needs convincing to protect themselves, they are better off speaking to another firm.
Viollis Group’s core values are centered around providing undivided attention to the client from intake to execution, ensuring that their needs and wants are fulfilled. The company firmly believes in the “Under Promise and Over Deliver” mantra at the start of each engagement, communicating accurately and frequently throughout the process, and working diligently until a successful conclusion is reached. By focusing on these core values, Viollis Group strives to establish a culture of integrity that sets them apart from other firms in the industry.
Paul’s favorite part of the day is bringing peace of mind to clients, knowing that he has made a difference in their lives. This is the ultimate goal of Viollis Group, and Paul takes great pride in being able to achieve this objective for his clients.
Leadership Insights
According to Paul, true leadership is earned through actions, and success can be measured by whether the client is better off for having engaged with you, not just financial benchmarks. He feels inspired to take ownership of the process, as he trusts himself to get the job done with the help of his world-class team. Paul pays close attention to global trends, listens to his team leaders, and trusts the intelligence provided by their global assets. He believes in always speaking the truth, even if it’s politically incorrect.
Paul places a high value on integrity and credibility in his team members. He also values experience and skill sets that are directly relevant to the work being done at Viollis Group. Additionally, prompt communication is a key factor in his decision-making process when considering potential team members.
Paul sees a lack of certain qualities among emerging leaders today, such as being more concerned with keeping their job than doing it, lacking decisiveness, and prioritizing saying what they think others want to hear over the truth.
Written by Steve Sanchez.
