We are pleased to announce that Brian Connelly is running for the National Association for Information Destruction (NAID) Board of Directors this year. As part of the process, NAID is asking a series of questions for each the candidates to answer for the benefit of NAID’s voting members.

As each question is asked by NAID, we would like to share Brian’s answers here. We hope it will provide some insight into his passion for information destruction, being an independent shredding and destruction provider, and running a local business.

Candidate Question #1: Why do you want to serve on the NAID Board of Directors?

Brian: This is the first of the questions posed to those running for a position on the NAID Board of Directors. Respondents should be clear regarding which role they are running for in this election.

I am running for a seat on the NAID Board of Directors to be a voice for “us” – the individual shredding businesses. I plan to work with NAID to have a template for a safety manual we can all use. Recently, when we reached out to the 30+ Mastermind Members in the 3 weekly calls my wife leads to ask for a sample safety manual, we were surprised to learn that, while we all know we need one, no one had one! This manual would include steps our drivers need to take to ensure their safety (e.g., not use their hands or feet to push paper down that’s stuck inside the shredder, wearing back braces, ear plugs, protective eye gear and much more).

Another objective is to work with NAID to educate the commercial auto insurance industry about what document shredders actually do and the low level of risk we carry. The goal is to increase awareness that our industry carries very little risk so that more carriers will offer us insurance at much more competitive prices.

Candidate Question #2: Which NAID initiative do you believe has the most potential value to members and the industry?

Brian: The NAID initiative I think has the most value for us is the NAID AAA certification. NAID has done a great job educating and promoting the value of its certification process to consumers, regulators and the public in general. NAID has also provided excellent tools and resources for us to use to educate our current and potential clients about why they want to select a NAID AAA Certified vendor. Using these tools, NAID AAA Certified companies can explain the process we must go through and the standards we are held to in order to become and remain NAID AAA certified. It’s not an easy process. And, it proves we take our clients’ security seriously. This not only creates a feeling of trust and legitimacy, but it also informs our clients that we are not just “paper shredders.” Rather, we are security experts that are essential to keeping their business safe and legally compliant.

Candidate Question #3: What would you include in NAID’s government relations goals over the next 5 years?

Brian: All Federal, State & local Government information destruction contracts should require the provider to be NAID AAA Certified. All NAID AAA Certified companies must use equipment which is approved to shred material to certain maximum shred size. Government contracts should eliminate any reference to shred particle size. Requirements would only need to state that all shredded material must be unreadable and not be able to be reconstructed.

In addition to Federal government shredding solicitations requiring the vendor to be NAID AAA Certified, they should also require the vendor to be actively engaged in the professional secure information destruction/protection industry for at least 24-months and demonstrate past performance history on other similar contracts. By taking these steps, it should eliminate/prevent the possibility of a company not active in our industry, being able to win government contracts and then turnaround and hire professional information management company subcontractors to do the actual work. Companies with no experience in our industry, who win these types of contracts by only having the cheapest prices, have no subject matter expertise and demean the professionalism and reputation of NAID and our industry.

Candidate Question #4: Association/Industry Responsibility vs. Self

Brian: For me this was the easiest of the four questions asked of us. The answer is simple…ALWAYS DO WHAT IS RIGHT!! I believe your character is defined not by what you do when someone is looking but by what you do when no one is looking. If anyone is seeking personal gain by running for a board position in any organization, then he or she is not he right person for the responsibility that is entrusted to them.