The Ontic Connected Intelligence Podcast

Protection is most effective when it enables the mission rather than simply restricting it. In this episode, Fred Burton speaks with Jonathan Wackrow, managing director of Sentinel Resource Group, former U.S. Secret Service special agent, CNN law enforcement analyst, and co-author of The Protector’s Edge. Drawing on his experience with the Presidential Protective Division, Jonathan explains how leaders make consequential decisions with imperfect information, adapt plans as threat conditions change, and establish clear thresholds before a crisis. He also explores the shift from tactical protection to strategic leadership, including the importance of trust, cross-functional coordination, and understanding the principal’s objectives. The conversation closes with a powerful view of Connected Intelligence as the link between people, functions, context, and decisions that creates real decision advantage.
You'll learn:
• How protective leaders make consequential decisions with imperfect information
• Why adaptability, predefined thresholds, and trusted relationships matter in volatile environments
• How Connected Intelligence turns siloed information into decision advantage
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AI is creating new possibilities for corporate security, but readiness depends on far more than adopting a new tool. Ontic CEO and co-founder Lukas Quanstrom joins Manish to explain why connected, governed data and clearly defined workflows are essential for trustworthy AI outcomes. They discuss the difference between using AI for efficiency and using it to achieve foresight at scale, where systems continuously identify patterns and surface risks before teams think to ask. Lukas also shares practical steps security leaders can take now, from choosing a focused use case to measuring whether teams can reach evidence-backed decisions faster. Their conversation offers a grounded look at how generative and agentic AI could reshape security operations while keeping governance, accountability, and human judgment at the center.

You'll learn:

Why connected, governed data is the foundation of AI readiness

How foresight at scale differs from simply making existing work faster

Practical steps for building trusted, evidence-backed AI workflows

Take Ontic's AI Readiness Assessment here.

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A mature GSOC does far more than monitor alarms. Manish speaks with Nick Saroka, Vice President of Operations at Exlog Global, about turning the GSOC into an enterprise nerve center that supports decisions across the business. Nick explains how teams can connect threat monitoring to organizational objectives, determine when to escalate with incomplete information, and earn credibility through relationships and repeated performance. He also explores AI’s role as a force multiplier for intelligence collection and dissemination while keeping human validation and judgment in the loop. The conversation closes with practical career advice for analysts who want to understand the businesses they protect and create greater organizational value.

You'll learn:

How to align GSOC intelligence with business objectives and operational decisions

What to weigh when moving from monitoring to escalation and action

Where AI can accelerate intelligence workflows without replacing human judgment

Similar episodes:

Building Next-Gen GSOCs with Visa’s Niall Herlehy

A Modern Approach to Managing GSOCs with Jesse Leeds

Fail Forward: Lessons in Leadership and Innovation with Jacob Valdez

Embracing Change in Corporate Security: Strategies for Modernization with Ryan Schonfeld of HiveWatch

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Frank Rodman, CEO and co-founder of Torchstone Global, joins Fred Burton to discuss what it takes to protect people, events, and organizations in an increasingly complex threat environment. Drawing on more than 30 years of experience across the Diplomatic Security Service, corporate security, executive protection, GSOC operations, and major global events, Frank shares lessons from the 1993 World Trade Center bombing investigation, the Tokyo subway sarin attack, Olympic Games, and Super Bowls. The conversation explores why private-sector security depends on influence, coordination, and clear communication, not just authority. Frank also explains how Connected Intelligence helps teams turn fragmented information into the context needed to make better security decisions before risk becomes crisis. 

 

You'll learn:

How protective intelligence helps teams connect weak signals before a crisis

Why major event security requires coordination, red teaming, and thoughtful trade-offs

How security leaders can build stronger teams by combining expertise, communication, and business acumen

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Modern executive protection requires far more than a physical presence. In this episode, Fred Burton speaks with Bryan Niederhelm, Senior Vice President of Threat Assessment and Management at Gavin de Becker & Associates, about the evolving landscape of protective intelligence, threat assessment, and violence prevention. Bryan shares why the fundamentals of human behavior, preparation, and disciplined observation remain critical, even as AI and emerging technologies reshape the security conversation. The discussion also explores how protectors can avoid over-reliance on tools, build curiosity into their work, and better communicate risk to the people they protect.

What you'll learn:

Why modern protection depends on preparation, mindset, and understanding human behavior

How AI, drones, and emerging technologies may influence protective intelligence

Why curiosity and humility are essential skills for the next generation of protectors

Learn more in Ontic Resources.

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