Michael Verden

Director of Security, National Basketball Association (NBA)

With an extensive career as a police officer, Secret Service agent, Director of Security for the NBA, and CEO of The Lake Forest Group, G. Michael Verden understands how to apply security best practices to unique settings to safeguard people, property, and assets.

At The Lake Forest Group, G. Michael Verden employs methodologies learned in a 21-year career as an agent for the United States Secret Service (USSS) protecting the President, First Lady, and other heads of state and designing comprehensive security plans for large-scale events such as the Olympics and the Super Bowl that identify potential vulnerabilities and implement proper risk management techniques to offer the appropriate level of protection—without adversely affecting his clients’ environment or culture.

Throughout his career, Mike has gained unique perspectives on how to work with law enforcement, first responders, and private sector partners to evaluate physical, technical, procedural, and personnel security disciplines and conduct comprehensive needs assessments to determine what his clients are doing well and where they’re exposed to risk, resulting in a best-in-class security program.

With decades of experience in the security industry, Mike offers insight from providing protective security for the private sector, such as Fortune 500 corporations, high net worth, financial, healthcare, hotels, law firms, industrial, casinos, commercial and residential high-rise buildings, and medical marijuana cultivation centers and dispensaries. Public sector experience includes government agencies, K-12 schools, higher education institutions, and hospitals.

He’s also assessed emergency preparedness and event security for venues and stadiums in professional golf, football, basketball, soccer, baseball, and horse racing.

As a Senior Vice President and Managing Director at Hillard Heintze, a security and investigations consultancy, Mike was in charge of the strategic security services for the firm, providing strategic thought leadership, trusted counsel, and end-to-end services to public and private corporations as well as government agencies and major public service organizations.

In his capacity as Senior Director of Security for the NBA, Mike managed and coordinated global security by designing and implementing site security measures, emergency evacuation programs, and contingency procedures. He was responsible for monitoring all NBA criminal investigations and security-related incidents throughout the league. He also implemented and supervised security for the NBA All-Star Game, NBA Finals, and the FIBA World Championships.

As a Special Agent with the United States Secret Service for 21 years, Mike served on the Presidential Protective Division, where he conducted security advances around the world for the President and First Lady; as Assistant Special Agent in Charge for the Dignitary Protective Division at USSS Headquarters, where he protected visiting heads of state and served as an event coordinator for the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City and a security adviser to the 2003 and 2004 Super Bowls; as a member of the Counter Assault Team, an exclusive and specially trained heavily armed tactical team with protective responsibilities; as a member of the USSS Rescue Swimmer Team that protected the President on the water; and in the Counterfeit Division, where he oversaw and managed international counterfeit investigations. Additionally, with major event experience providing an institutional knowledge in securing and protecting facilities and people on a large scale, he assisted with the creation of security plans for the Kentucky Derby, Indianapolis 500, Breeders’ Cup, and the Women’s Soccer World Cup.

Mike was born in Tipperary, Ireland, grew up in Chicago, and graduated from Western Illinois University with a degree in Law Enforcement Administration and from Indiana State University with an M.S. in Criminology. He began his professional career with the Skokie, Illinois Police Department and then became a Secret Service agent in the Chicago Field Office.