March 2026 EFS Moderator Bio - Verden

Michael Verden, Founder and CEO of The Lake Forest Group, helps organizations keep their employees safe from active shooters, workplace violence, and emergencies. He is a former police officer, retired Secret Service, and past Senior Director of Security for the NBA. Mike was born in Tipperary, Ireland, grew up in Chicago, began his professional career with the Skokie Police Department, became a Secret Service agent in the Chicago Field Office, and later moved on to serve on the Presidential Protective Division, Counter Assault Team, and Major Events Division to protect the President, First Lady, and large-scale events like the Olympics and Super Bowl. He graduated from Western Illinois with a degree in Law Enforcement Administration and Indiana State with an M.S. in Criminology. Mike is a 2025 Inductee into the William Howard Taft High School Hall of Fame. Michael is currently serving as the First Vice-President of the Illinois Security Professionals Association.