This September, security professionals from nearly 100 countries will come together in Atlanta for the 2026 Global Security Exchange, presented by ASIS International, the world’s leading association for security management professionals.
It is one of the largest gatherings of its kind, but the setting matters as much as the size. Atlanta has spent decades becoming a place where safety, innovation, technology and growth intersect.
That is not an accident. The city is central to physical security, cybersecurity, financial technology, critical infrastructure, higher education and emerging technologies. Metro Atlanta’s “Transaction Alley” is tied to the processing of an estimated 70% of U.S. credit, debit and gift card transactions.
Georgia Tech’s acclaimed School of Cybersecurity and Privacy trains the experts now shaping Atlanta’s cybersecurity and privacy landscape and beyond. It has brought forth leading research and discoveries, startups and human-centric security experts by engaging faculty from varied disciplines.
Put simply, Atlanta is a natural place to talk about what it takes to prepare for risk before it becomes tragedy.
Midtown and Apalachee shootings provide painful reminders
Credit: Evergreen Creative Company
Credit: Evergreen Creative Company
Georgia has had painful reminders of that responsibility. In May 2023, an active shooter opened fire inside a Midtown Atlanta medical facility, killing one person and injuring others.
In September 2024, the shooting at Apalachee High School devastated families, educators, students and an entire community.
No tragedy of that kind can be explained by a single failure or prevented by a single product or approach. But each one reinforces a hard truth that prevention, preparation, communication and response protocols matter.
Security is often visible only after something goes wrong. The more important work happens earlier and quietly through identifying threats and vulnerabilities; training employees; strengthening access controls; testing emergency procedures; building relationships with law enforcement; and making sure people know what to do when seconds count.
While technology has a role in that work, it is not a substitute for judgment. Technological tools are most effective when they are part of a larger strategy guided by trained professionals, clear policies, accountability and trust. That distinction matters even more where security technologies are met with understandable caution.
The objective should never be surveillance for its own sake. The objective should be to recognize risk earlier, respond faster and protect people in a way that respects the communities they serve.
That is the real promise of professional security — reducing the chances of harm through planning, training, partnership and continuous improvement.
The challenges are becoming more connected. A cyberattack overseas can disrupt an Atlanta manufacturer or healthcare facility’s medical devices. Workplace violence concerns can affect hospitals, schools, offices and public spaces. Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool, but its value depends on trained professionals who bring sound judgment and make informed decisions alongside it.
Atlanta has a long history of securing major global events
Credit: Miguel Martinez/AJC
Credit: Miguel Martinez/AJC
Hospitals need safe environments to care for patients and their staff. Schools need reliable procedures when warning signs emerge. Businesses need confidence that their facilities, data, people and supply chains are protected from preventable disruption.
Governments and law enforcement remain essential, but they cannot carry this responsibility and burden alone. Effective prevention depends on public agencies, private organizations, schools, hospitals, technology providers and community leaders working together before a crisis. The best time to build trust, share information and agree on procedures is not during an emergency. It is well before one occurs.
Atlanta knows this. Nearly 30 years after the 1996 Olympic Games, the city still carries the legacy of securing major global events such as the recent World Cup. Since then, Atlanta’s growth in fintech, cybersecurity, transportation, logistics, healthcare, sports and technology has only made security more central to its future.
That is why GSX’s return to Atlanta is meaningful. The event will bring conversations on artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, workplace violence prevention, executive protection, critical infrastructure security, investigations, organizational resilience, school security and emerging threats to the global security profession. These topics are not abstract. They influence how organizations prepare, how leaders decide and how professionals build systems that can save lives.
Our profession is defined by people who help organizations prepare for uncertainty, protect lives and assets, strengthen resilience and move forward with greater confidence.
One way ASIS International is putting that commitment into action is by making the first ANSI-approved School Security Standard available to every school in Georgia at no cost. The standard offers a practical framework for developing, implementing and maintaining a proactive K-12 security program. Schools can request the e-book version by completing the form.
Security isn’t just about reacting to danger and threats; it’s about assessing risk, building prevention into everyday life and responding with resolve when it matters most. That’s the foundation on which safer, stronger communities are built. As leaders gather in Atlanta to shape the future of security, let’s not lose sight of the mission that matters most; stopping harm before it starts.
Eddie Sorrells, CPP, PSP, PCI, is CEO of DSI Security Services and the 2026 president of ASIS International, a global community of 34,000-plus security professionals across industries and disciplines.
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