Markham Investigation & Protection – Delivering cost-effective security assessment and planning services to public and private enterprises worldwide

“We have reinvented our services, giving the best-in-class operators the best-in-class technology.”

Running and operating a business means you have a lot of assets to protect—between employees, money, and goods, the wellbeing of your business depends on giving the best experience to your consumers. When you want to protect your business and its assets, utilizing an integrated security system will help cover all your bases. Organizations all over the world are starting to realize that they need integrated security solutions to keep their businesses running, making money, and growing.

Markham Investigation & Protection (MIP) is one such Seattle-based company that has been ‘protecting our communities’ since 2005 by offering a wide range of security services. Its cost-effective solutions are focused on mitigating risk and can be customized to meet unique security needs, wherever you do business. The company consists of about 165 highly-trained security specialists, experienced in developing and implementing field-tested procedures for assessing and reducing risk.

1. Cory Markham, CEO of Markham Investigation & Protection, spoke exclusively to The Silicon Review about how his company is ‘protecting your future.’

Interview Highlights

Q. Kindly talk about the exclusive products or services offered by the company; how does that distinguish you from your competitors?

We have reinvented our services, giving the best-in-class operators the best-in-class technology. We have given considerable time to ensure not only client safety but also officer safety. Our services range from high-level protective measures to deployable relief teams for disasters and guard services such as armed and unarmed security and patrol, each of which is equipped with a robust set of unique tools. Our platform utilizes a bodycam system that streams a real-time video feed to our operations centers, where controllers can assist the officer, incident, or situation remotely while viewing the incident in real time. This provides enormous support to our officers and clientele by ensuring the incident is being recorded, but it also provides a second operator who can assist with the logistical challenges faced in emergent situations without a disconnect or delay. Adding a duress button in conjunction with the Bodycam system, once activated, sends out advanced notifications on a uniquely client-designated escalation list notifying all pertinent parties of the emergency situation and activates the Bodycam feature of our system. Each of our clients is provided with a client portal, which provides reports, photographs, videos, bodycam footage, officer tracks, client-specific message boards, and notifications letting clients know when requested actions are completed or not. Markham Investigation & Protection has implemented multiple systems that provide scalability in every facet of our operations, from automating invoicing for clients to implementing payroll systems that provide direct payment for both employees and vendors.

Q. Could you please share your noted milestones and accomplishments throughout your journey so far, along with company highlights and achievements under your leadership?

Markham Investigation & Protection began in late 2004 and operated as an owner-operator until July 27, 2009, when MIP hired its first four employees. By the end of 2009, I had accepted a position with the Tacoma Events Commission as their Director of Security and had developed many new relationships while providing security to the Tacoma area communities. In 2011, our company was named the best local business by KOMO regional news, and in 2012, MIP was named the best place to work, also by KOMO regional news. We continued to gain ground and learn the industry in the early years until 2016, and later on I entered the Goldman Sachs 10KSB program, where I enrolled for education at the prestigious business college, Babson College. I graduated with this program on November 18th, 2018, receiving a Micro-MBA certification. In January of 2019, Markham Investigation & Protection embarked on a four-year growth plan to take a company that was considered one of the best operations companies in Washington and turn it into an industry leader with national recognition by adding technological solutions to an already proven operations model. A few of our awards received over the past four years include being named the best security company in our local area for the past five years in a row (2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022) and being entered into our city’s business hall of fame. We have been named the best security and patrol company operating in Washington and the fastest-growing security company by percentage operating in the United States for three years in a row. We have been featured in magazines, received the Top Contract management company operating within the US Award for our work with the U.S. Forest Service in 2021 and 2022, and been aired on television, on CNBC and Bloomberg in 2022, as a company leading our industry through technological innovation. It has been a remarkable time for our company, and it is only the beginning.

Please share the most memorable and remarkable moment of your life.

This is a difficult one to answer, as I have been blessed my entire life. I could choose one of the numerous awards I’ve received throughout my career or the birth of one or all of my children. There would also be the beginning of my business or when we were named the best in the country or had grown three times faster than the second-place overall. Ultimately, if pinned, I would say the most remarkable moment of my life was my birth, and the second would likely be my passing. Each and every day in between should be made memorable, and each one should be remarkable.

Q. Where do you see yourself and the company in the future? What is your goal to mark its uniqueness in the future?

Markham Investigation & Protection’s goal is to offer our services, platform, and the progress we’ve made in the security industry to a wide range of clients, making sure they are safe and secure and have the tools to figure out what their security services really cost and how much they are worth.

Q. What is the one thing that is acting as your motivational tool?

I look inward at the people who operate daily for our company, and I am consistently impressed by the work being done. I am inspired by their dedication to understanding their professional world and improving every day. It is a requirement when working with Markham Investigation & Protection to improve and become more, and I can only hope to lead the way in this and provide a solid example while never letting down any of those I am responsible for.

About | D. Cory Markham

Cory Markham is the founder and CEO of Markham Investigation & Protection. Not only has his instrumental leadership transformed MIP, ranking the company as best-in-class and receiving multiple awards in several sectors provided to communities, but his level of leadership, knowledge, and care has also helped to reshape the way security is provided today.

“Our platform utilizes a bodycam system that streams a real-time video feed to our operations centers, where controllers can assist the officer, incident, or situation remotely while viewing the incident in real time.”