OUR STAFF

BAZZEL BAZ

CEO

1995-Present. For a local firm, carried out protection detail assignments for international clients, former U.S. Ambassador William Wilson, various celebrities and foreign dignitaries. Performed security assessments, developed security contingency plans, and tested security readiness. Founder and Operations Commander for ARC (Association for the Recovery of Children/ Missing & Exploited). CNN and MSNBC Advisor and Spokesperson on the War on Terrorism/Homeland Security. Member of AFIO (Association of Former Intelligence Officers).

1985-1995. Intelligence Paramilitary Case Officer, supporting Central Intelligence Agency and other U.S. Government agencies in field intelligence collection operations throughout the Far East, Middle East, Northern Europe, Central/South America, Mediterranean and Africa. Recipient of Intelligence Commendation Medal.

1978-1985. Infantry Officer with responsibilities as Curriculum Officer Staff Non-commissioned Offices Academy, Director Resident Instructor Teams, Terrorism Officer, Ground Defense Force Commander (Cuba), Legal Officer, Nuclear Biological Chemical Officer. S-3 Liaison, Platoon Commander, Navel Flight Student.

Participated in Hostage Negotiations, International Diplomacy, Agent Recruitment, and Foreign Liaison. Brokered matters of national and international interest between fighting fractions and successfully influenced military and political leadership in accepting and implementing policy and programs. Highly proficient with one-on-one and large group communications. Performed assessment and development of potential foreign assets.

Initiated deployment of anti-aircraft systems in support of U.S. Government covert initiatives. Trained foreign Presidential Security Forces, Special Forces and Combat police for the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul, South Korea. Trained Polish Counter-Terrorism Units in oil platform takedowns. Other areas of involvement included Counter Narcotics, Hostage Rescue, Personal Protection, Compound Protection, Asset Protection and Espionage.

Officer-in-charge of Central Intelligence Agency Maritime assets for collection missions in support of Presidential Findings in addition to Secretary of Defense and National Security Agency Signal Intelligence operations. Performed special operations, covert actions to include but not limited to, planning, infiltration, ex-filtration techniques, expertise in light/heavy weapons, unconventional warfare, anti-smuggling, small unit tactic, instructor skills, aerial delivery and cost analysis.

Supervised operational training in support of internal and field requirements responsible for NSPG mandated programs. Managed CIA contingency ordinance program and personnel to include acquisition, transportation, maintenance, research, and development. Planned coordinated and supervised the execution of covert paramilitary activities to include guerrilla warfare, sabotage, counter sabotage, escape, and evasion and evacuation. Liaison with U.S. Joint Task Military units and foreign political leaders for clandestine operations involving planning and coordination with senior U.S. Officials.

The Citadel. B.S. Physical Education, 1978. Commandant’s Distinguished Service List.

GEORGE CIGANIC

Chief Investigator

A former United States Marine in reconnaissance, Mr. Ciganic holds a MS, BS degree in human resource management and is an honors graduate with a decorated career in law enforcement that included tasking at the federal level. He has served 15+ years as a Pittsburgh police officer, tactical instructor, rescue diver, evidence gathering, explosive device recognition, undercover officer, crime scene investigator and was co-author of the Pittsburgh Bureau of  Police Sniper Policy.

Throughout his career he has balanced patrol, BEA, Swat, and FBI assignments…assigned in major Pittsburgh gang cases in San Francisco, CA. and frequently collaborated on legal issues, confessions, interrogations, and investigations. He has been selected on multiple occasions by the Allegheny County District Attorney’s office as an expert witness in gun, gang, and narcotic related national and international cases.

He maintains a Certificate of Forensic Science from the Cyril Wecht Institute of Forensic Science & Law at Duquesne School of Law, and was invited to complete advanced training in homicide investigation at the FBI academy in Quantico, VA. In 1998 he launched a cold case homicide squad and closed a 6-year gang related murder case, obtaining confessions in the first day and he solved 22 more cases on his own.

In March 2002, he was nominated for the Officer of the Month (December) and (May) and was nominated for Officer of the Year 2002. He has received the Justice Department Gold Team award 1998, ASIS Law Enforcement award 1998, DEA award 19997, Mayor’s Citation 1997, Bureau Citation (second highest award) 1996, Certificate of Commendation 2000, Letters of Commendation 1994-1996, DEA/Mayor/Governor/Justice Department Letters of Expeditionary Medal, Good Conduct Medal, Navy Citation, Battle Efficiency Ribbon, and Sea Service Ribbon with Meritorious mast for participation in cold weather exercises in Alaska.

PAUL FRENCH

Chief Investigator

During twenty-five years of experience in military, law enforcement, and corporate environments, Mr. French has provided security management expertise, established and managed personal protection programs, overseen project management and consulting assignments. He has developed and implemented security close protection training programs. Additionally, he has provided investigative support and advice to legal counsel and the senior management of domestic and international corporations in various situations ranging, from extortion and product tampering to planning and coordinating the security arrangements for overseas board meetings.

Mr. French has personally protected Royal Families, United States Presidents, numerous dignitaries, celebrities, and corporate executives throughout the world. He is a seasoned instructor, author, speaker and lecturer on executive protection, VIP security, workplace violence intervention, competitive intelligence, counter-espionage, travel security, fugitive apprehension and other security related subjects, his articles appear regularly in “informed Source” a professional security publication.

Mr. French is a sought after speaker by professional organizations including: The Tactical Response Organization, The Academy of Security Educators and Trainers, various Chambers of Commerce, The American Business Clubs, and the Rotary Club. He currently serves as the volunteer Director of Training and Professional Certification for the International Association of Professional Protection Specialists.

W. LOU CAMPBELL

Chief Analyst

Mr. Campbell has completed an MBA, works towards a Masters in Technology Management and has a B.S.B.A. He has thirty-seven years in the intelligence community with a background ranging from Intelligence Analyst, Special Forces Operator, Intelligence Operative, Corporate Security Manager, Financial Intelligence Analyst and Fraud Examiner, specializing in Fraud and White Collar Civil and Criminal Investigations. Mr. Campbell served at the White House with the Secret Service and is a graduate of the Secret Service Academy and the Special Forces Advanced Operations & Intelligence Program. Mr. Campbell is “S” qualified and has held a Top-Secret security clearance with various agencies.

For the past twenty years, Mr. Campbell has investigated financial crimes and fraud for several nationwide commercial finance companies and law offices, successfully incarcerating perpetrators and collecting millions of dollars in restitution. He conducted over 800 investigations annually. Duties included, but were not limited to, financial investigations, litigation support, collections, forensic financial audits, due diligence, strategy workouts establishing and maintaining, and “state-of-the-art” database systems.

He reviewed all financial applications, provided documentation and credit analysis, coordinated all legal investigations with the FBI and local law enforcement, and provided collateral intelligence to several national and international law enforcement agencies. He provided legal support for several law firms, both pre-trial and trial preparation of cases, and performed forensic audits and accounting for nationwide finance companies, The Department of Justice and Department of Treasury (IRS-CID). Mr. Campbell is a member of the Certified Fraud Examiners Association and the Society of Competitive Intelligence Professionals. Mr. Campbell is also a former member of OSAC – U.S. State Department Bureau of Diplomatic Security.

ARC Code Of Conduct:

• The true armor of a man is on the inside, not the outside.

• Be honest and just in all business and personal relationships.

• Discretion is the greater part of valor.

ADVISORY BOARD

FRANKLIN URTEAGA

Government/Corporate Liaison

Franklin Urteaga is CEO and founder of Digital Coast Advisors, Inc. (DCA), an internationally recognized business accelerator that assists emerging technology companies to establish global partnerships and secure capital investment. With almost two decades of experience, Franklin has helped his clients to successfully partner with industry leaders including IBM, AT&T, Dupont, Boeing, Sony, and Mitsubishi corporations, as well as Federal and state research laboratories.Franklin is also recognized for his prestigious public service career in Washington, DC, where he spent five years in the White House serving President Clinton in various capacities. During his tenure, Franklin served in the Office of the Chief of Staff to the President, working for political icon Harold Ickes; served on the prestigious White House Technology Working Group, playing a pivotal role in creating national programs involving science and technology policy; and completed his political appointment as a technology policy advisor, engaging our Members of Congress and nation’s top CEOs to support the Administration’s landmark technology initiatives that included banking, education, the Internet, and transportation issues. He graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Masters degree in Public Finance and U.S. Government from The George Washington University in Washington, D.C, and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Technology from California State University.

TOM FLORES

Tom Flores is responsible for worldwide corporate security for Fluor Corporation. He is accountable for directing and managing corporate security efforts across a wide spectrum of project types including oil and gas, mining, industrial, and government as well as corporate investigations concerning fraud, waste, and corruption throughout the world. Prior to his assignment as Senior Director, Corporate Security, Fluor Corporation, he was the Regional Security Manager, Southeast Asia, for Newmont Mining Company (NMC). Mr. Flores was a Foreign Affairs and Congressional Fellow at Johns Hopkins University where he was tasked with organizing POW/MIA Veteran’s Affairs Committee hearings for Senator Dennis DeConcini of Arizona (1986-87). He holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in History from Santa Clara University (1966), Master of Arts Degree in Political Science from the University of Louisville (1976), and a Master of Arts Degree in Management/Human Relations from Webster University (1979). He is also a graduate of the Centro de Academicos y Estudios Militares of the Escuela Superior de Guerra (Peruvian War College) in Lima, Peru (1983).

KATHERINE HABER

With her entertainment career beginning in England, Katy Haber worked with legendary Director Sam Peckinpah, for eight years on seven of his films was Head of Production at EMI Films and produced Blade Runner for Sir Ridley Scott. She is a founding member and a Board member for 19 years of BAFTA LA, the British Academy of Film and Television Arts in Los Angeles and was Managing Director for five years. As Chair of the Outreach Committee she spearheaded the Helen Keller Park screening facility, which enables inner city communities to see first run movies in their recreation center. She was Executive Director at the Dome Village Homeless Shelter for 13 years, and has been active in Gang Prevention, and Youth Programs.

MAYER NUDELL

Mayer Nudell, CSC, is an acknowledged authority on terrorism, crisis management, travel security, and related international political and national security affairs. A former U.S. diplomat, Mr. Nudell received two Group Meritorious Honor Awards from the U.S. Department of State. His last Foreign Service assignment was to the Office of Counterterrorism and Emergency Planning as Latin American and Middle Eastern specialist and liaison with the business, intelligence, and law enforcement communities. He has consulted to the U.S. Department of State (as a contractor for its Crisis Management Exercise Program and as a contract course developer and instructor in the Anti-Terrorism Assistance Program), the Calgary Police Service and the Olympics Integrated Intelligence Unit prior to the 1988 Winter Olympics, and to U.S. and foreign corporations and international organizations, including the Organization of American States and the Japanese government). Other projects include coordination of security matters for the official opening of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum and the President's Summit on the Future of America. Currently, he consults to businesses, government agencies, and other organizations on a variety of international security matters.

ALEXANDER Z. RIVKIN M.D

Alexander Z. Rivkin M.D. is a facial cosmetic surgeon and UCLA <http://www.ucla.edu/healthsci.html> faculty member who has focused his practice exclusively on non surgical aesthetic procedures. He has been featured on the TODAY show, the Tyra Banks Show, EXTRA, Univision, PBS and throughout the national and international media for the innovative procedures he has invented. As an international authority on non surgical cosmetic treatments, Dr. Rivkin divides his time between supporting efforts to rescue abducted children with ARC, patient care, clinical research, educating other physicians, media appearances, and lecturing at scientific conferences throughout the world. He holds a BA degree from Columbia University and an MD from the Yale School of Medicine<http://www.yale.edu/medical/>. Dr. Rivkin received training in Head and Neck Surgery / Facial Plastic Surgery at the University of California, San Diego and University of Texas, Houston.

PETER J. GRAVETTT, Major General, USA (Ret.)

Governmental Liaison

Major General Peter J. Gravett, has over 43 years of service with the United States Army and National Guard and is a graduate of the United States Army War College. He most recently served as the commander of the 40th Infantry Division (Merchandized), the nations largest reserve forces unit, headquarters at the Los Alamitos Joint Forces Training Center in California. General Garvett has had assignments throughout the worked and served as senior NATO military representative in Kiev, Ukraine. Additionally, he served twenty-two years with the Los Angles Police Department before returning to active duty in the US Army. He earned his bachelor’s degree at California State University, Long Beach and a master’s of Public Administration from the University of Southern California. In addition, he is a graduate of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s National Academy and holds a diploma in Executive Law Enforcement from the University of Virginia. General Gravett is a graduate if Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government and holds a diploma in International Security Affairs. General Gravett hold advanced security clearances. Peter serves as PFI’s Executive and Military liaison decision-maker.

DR. JOHN N. ELLISON

Governmental Liaison

John N. Ellison, DBA, has extensive senior executive experience in government, industry, and academia covering a wide span of national security public policy and strategic activities. In his government career, Dr. Ellison served as faculty member and Associate Dean of the Industrial College of the Armed Forces and as principle academic officer of the National Defense University, the nation’s highest level military institution. In these assignment his duties included responsibilities for leadership development, curriculum design, and teaching involving all aspects of national security policy, defense industry, and the nexus between global economics, technology, intelligence and defense strategy. He ha also served as Director of National Mobilization Concepts Development Center, an agency providing strategic advice to the Secretary of Defense and other national leaders. He has participated in many sensitive projects at top secret level and has served on numerous defense and civil agencies involved in policy formulation strategy including Department of Commerce, FEMA, NATO staff, and government-industry advisory counsels. Dr. Ellison’s business consulting has involved global strategy formulation and the application of technology to command control systems. Dr. Ellison hold BS and MS degrees form Virginia Tech, and a Doctor of Business Administration degree from George Air National Guard in Germany, and also is a noted public speaker and lecturer to professional audiences in the US, Europe, and Asia. John serves Executive Vice President and Chief Strategist of PFI.

PETER J. MCGUIRE

Law Enforcement Liaison

Twenty-seven years of Special Agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, primarily specializing in Fraud and White Collar Crime and Drug Investigations. For three years, Los Angeles FBI’s seven county principal Drug Forfeiture agent and the Western state drug interdiction representative to the National Narcotics Border Interdiction System. Created and directed the first Long Beach FBI Federal, State, and Local joint task force, and investigations into world–wide drug cartel leaders, Fraud, Public Corruption, and Money laundering. For ten Years investigated Public Corruption and Labor Racketeering throughout metropolitan Los Angeles, targeting Local, State, and Federal office holders, labor unions, such related maritime unions and the Teamsters, successfully probing Extortion/ Racketeering, Fraud and Embezzlement. Also was assigned and investigated other general criminal matter, such as three years specializing in Thefts from Interstate Shipments, Arson investigation, and to a lesser degree, Bank Robbery, Extortion, Kidnapping, and background investigations. Society of Former Special Agents of the FBI- Former Secretary, and Treasurer. Member – FBI Agents Association. Southern Illinois University , B.A., Political Science, 1967 FBI Academy New Agent’s Training, Quantico, Virginia, four months, and numerous in-service training sessions supporting above investigation assignments.

DR. BRUCE D. TEFFT

International Intelligence Liaison

Dr. Bruce Tefft served 21 years in the CIA, including 17 years abroad, many as CIA Chief of Station; and was a founding member of the CIA Counter Terrorism Center in 1985. He has more that 30 years experience in foreign affairs, intelligence and security and counter-terrorism. In addition to extensive research and teaching of counter-terrorism methods and techniques, he has also developed course material for Bachelor and Mater level degree programs. Dr. Tefft has traveled more than 300,000 miles, training more that ten thousand officers and first responders throughout the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. After 9/11 he served as the New York Police Department’s Counter-Terrorism and Intelligence Advisor. Bruce Tefft has his Master’s degree in History and Doctorate in International Law from the University of Denver.

SAMUEL A. STORM

Samuel A. Storm is a leading authority in the field of security. Currently, he is the President and CEO of Anti-Crime Technology, Inc. Prior to founding Anti-Crime Technology, Inc., Mr. Storm was the founder and President of Selective Security Inc. and Selective Security Patrol. The Selective companies provided all phases of residential and commercial security and protection. Under his direction, both corporations grew to be among the leading security companies in Southern California. Mr. Storm sold both companies to American Home Security in December 1989. He continued serving his clients with American Home Security as a consultant and Director of Marketing Services from 1990 to 1991.Mr. Storm has more than 30 years of experience in his field. He has been called upon to provide his services to political and high profile figures, foreign dignitaries, celebrities as well as major international corporations. He serves as on the Advisory Board of the St. Vincent de Paul Society. He is a Mason as well as a Shriner. Mr. Storm is a member of the Beverly Hills Rotary Club and the honored recipient of the Paul Harris Award. He served honorably in the United States Army stationed in Vietnam. He is also a member of the Orange County Sheriff’s Department Reserves and a WO2 Officer in the California State Military Reserve under the provost marshall.

BONNIE SHEPHERD

Ms. Shepherd, Vice President Northeast Marketing Director with Hatch Mott MacDonald (an international professional consulting engineering firm), specializes in the transportation industry including transit, freight, tunnels, aviation, ports, intermodal, ventilation and systems and signals.  Additionally she is involved in major water/wastewater tunnels and infrastructure projects throughout the country coordinating teaming partners, proposals and strategic pursuits and presentations. Bonnie resides in Washington DC and is a member of several transportation associations including American Public Transportation Authority (APTA), Women in Transportation (WTS) along with several other associations.   As a former Canadian board member of the Patrons in the Arts of the Vatican Museums, she has participated and volunteered in a fundraising capacity for both the Vatican and several outreach organizations throughout Canada and USA.  As an advocate of ARC, Bonnie is honored to be on the Advisory Board.

Note: We reserve the right to hire and terminate contracted staff personnel prior to, during, and after any operation involving the recovery of a missing and exploited child.