PREPAREDNESS IS NO LONGER OPTIONAL. IT IS CRITICAL.
Sorensen, Wilder & Associates (SWA) is a nationally recognized leader in safety and security, emergency preparedness/disaster management, and public safety consulting. Serving clients nationwide, we specialize in healthcare, education, churches/houses of worship, government, and manufacturing, and have proudly provided realistic, affordable solutions since 2001.
Steve Wilder
Steve Wilder, President and founder of Sorensen, Wilder & Associates (SWA), has built a career as a trusted expert in safety, security, and risk management. He has provided consultation services to hundreds of clients across multiple industries including government, education, manufacturing, retail, healthcare, and industry. An experienced trial expert, Wilder regularly consults for law firms and insurance companies and has become a nationally recognized subject matter expert in security vulnerability assessments, active shooter preparedness and response, emergency preparedness, and more.
Since starting SWA in 2001, he and his team have worked with over 500 clients in 49 states. Steve proudly served on the Illinois School Security and Standards Task Force as the only professional security consultant on that task force, appointed by the Governor of the State of Illinois. In 2019, he and his business partner Chris Sorensen were the recipients of the Excellence in Emergency Management Leadership Award presented by the Illinois Security Professionals Association.
Chris Sorensen
Chris Sorensen has spent over 40 years in safety and security management, including administrative positions in some of the largest, most prestigious organizations in the country. A recognized expert in system design-build, Mr. Sorensen has worked with some of the largest and most respected schools and hospitals in the Midwest, designing access control, CCTV, infant/child protection, and resident elopement prevention systems. In addition, he has consulted to hospitals, nursing homes, government agencies, schools, law enforcement, fire service, EMS, retailing, and industry in areas of safety and security management. Chris serves as Chief Operating Officer of SWA’s sister company, Midwest Integrated Solutions (midwestintegrated.com).
Dan WIlder
Dan Wilder has been with Sorensen, Wilder and Associates since graduating college in 2006 with a degree in Law Enforcement. He spent the first nine years as a staff consultant, performing security vulnerability and threat assessments in healthcare facilities and educational facilities. Serving as a master instructor in SWA’s nationally acclaimed program “The Essentials of Aggression Management in Healthcare: From Talkdown to Takedown”. In 2016, he was promoted to Director of Professional Services. In 2017, he was promoted to Vice-President of Operations.
Working with healthcare, educational, and manufacturing facilities, Dan has provided specialized services, including over 100 security vulnerability assessments, assessments of integrated security systems, design of access/egress control systems, and CCTV system design and layout. He has worked closely with clients and provides ongoing workplace safety training to clients across the nation. His training programs focus on employee health and safety and include topics such as back safety, lifting and transferring residents, needle sticks and bloodborne pathogens, fire safety and evacuations, and personal safety and security. Dan is also the product line leader for the Sorensen, Wilder & Associates Essentials of Aggression Management program and has trained thousands of professionals to recognize and defuse aggressive behavior.
Dan earned CPTED (Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design) certification, with major emphasis on healthcare facilities. He also holds HSEEP and CVI-CFATS certifications through the United States Department of Homeland Security. In addition to his role with Sorensen, Wilder & Associates, Dan is a firefighter/EMT and a certified fire science instructor through the Illinois State Fire Marshal’s Office.
Jocko Vermillion
Jocko Vermillion serves as Director of Safety Management Services for SWA. He is a nationally recognized expert in construction safety and compliance, and has extensive safety management expertise in healthcare, manufacturing, and more. Vermillion served for 10 years as a Compliance Safety and Health Officer (CSHO) with the US Department of Labor – Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA). He has investigated over 100 fatal construction accidents, served as a subject matter expert in countless hearings, and provided testimony on construction safety issues to the United States Congress.
Nick Trudeau
Nick Trudeau has been a Police Officer with the Arlington Heights (IL) Police Department since 2006. He is currently assigned to the Patrol Bureau as a Forensic Technician and arson investigator. He is an Illinois State Certified Arson Investigator with the Office of the State Fire Marshal and a member of the International Association of Arson Investigators. Trudeau previously worked at the Bradley (IL) Fire Department for 13 years before resigning as a Lieutenant to become a Police Officer. He was also licensed through the State of Illinois as a Paramedic for 15 years. Trudeau is trained in Active Shooter and Rapid Deployment. He assists as a Defensive Tactics Instructor and trains in the martial arts of Krav Maga and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Trudeau is one of the Arlington Heights Police Department’s lead instructors for other topics including Bloodborne Pathogens, Hazardous Materials safety and information, and Terrorism/Violent Criminal Extremist and Sovereign Citizens. He co-authored a Crime Scene Awareness course for the Arlington Heights Fire Department. Trudeau also trained at the National Fire Academy with the Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Bureau (ATF) in fire and arson investigations.
Stan Szpytek
Stan Szpytek is President and CEO of Fire & Life Safety, Inc. in Mesa, AZ and is a member of the Sorensen, Wilder & Associates network of public safety professionals. In addition, Szpytek joined Steve Wilder and several other industry professionals in forming the Emergence Management Alliance.
Tim Render
Tim Render serves as a senior safety consultant with SWA. With 10 years in construction safety management experience, Tim works with SWA clients on all areas of safety compliance.
In the spring of 2006, Tim became a Foreman in the painting department of a large Ohio construction company and was promoted to Assistant Production Manager in the fall of that year. In 2007, Mr. Render became a Service Manager for the roofing department, and in 2010, he was promoted to Safety Director.
In 2007, Mr. Render was the safety director overseeing a major painting project of a one-million-square-foot section of the International Exposition Center in Cleveland. The last time the I-X Center was painted was in 1984, and the previous paint jobs used lead-based paint. After lab testing confirmed the presence of lead, the job scope changed. Mr. Render was appointed to train all workers and oversee the entire project to ensure worker safety. He was involved in designing and staging the dirty rooms, decontamination rooms, and clean rooms. Mr. Render completed air sampling throughout all 4 phases of the project. He also completed all respirator fit tests prior to the start of the 3-month job. The job required 8-10 aerial lifts, so Mr. Render completed additional fall protection training and assisted with aerial lift refresher/practical training for all workers. For his leadership, Tim received the prestigious Diamond Safety Award.
Mr. Render attended Ohio State University and is an Authorized OSHA 10/30 Hour Trainer for the construction industry. He is also a Red Cross Instructor (Adult First Aid/CPR/AED).
trender@swa4safety.com(opens in new tab)
Brad Campbell
Brad Campbell served in the U.S. Army and worked as a correctional officer for 8 years. Brad has more than 17 years of experience as a proven leader in Healthcare Safety and Security. He serves as a Security Manager, Environment of Care Committee Chairperson, Hospital Safety Officer, and Emergency Preparedness Coordinator. He graduated from Indiana State University in 2020 with a Master of Science in Occupational Safety Management.
Brad has developed ongoing front-line staff and leadership training programs to effectively respond to and manage all-hazards events. He has served in various command and general staff positions during more than twenty exercises and real-world events. He works closely with local, state,= and federal agencies and other community partners to conduct planning and emergency response activities.
Brad is certified in security management, environment of care/life safety, and emergency preparedness, and is a Master Instructor for SWA’s “The Essentials of Aggression Management in Healthcare: From Talkdown to Takedown”. He specializes in policy development, risk assessments, security vulnerability analysis, and hazard vulnerability analysis. He leads the implementation of healthcare safety programs, including workplace violence prevention, active shooter response, and verbal de-escalation training.
Joe Ewers
Joe Ewers is the newest member of the SWA team of professional security consultants. He is an accomplished criminal justice and public safety professional with 35 years of experience in probation services, specialty court operations, offender supervision, and law enforcement-related program administration. He began his career with the Probation Division of the Kankakee County (IL) Sheriff’s Department in 1991 after earning a bachelor’s degree from Olivet Nazarene University, double-majoring in Criminal Justice and Psychology. Throughout his career, Mr. Ewers worked closely with courts, law enforcement agencies, treatment providers, hospitals, and community organizations to support public safety, offender accountability, and successful community reintegration.
Mr. Ewers founded the first Drug Court program in Illinois in 1995 and served as its Program Director for 19 years before becoming Administrator of Kankakee County Specialty Courts. In that role, he managed specialty court operations, grant funding, budgets, staffing, and interagency coordination while supervising probation and support personnel. His security-related experience includes serving as a certified trainer in handcuffing techniques, assisting with training in Natural Reflex Control Techniques, mentoring field staff, and providing statewide training and technical assistance to criminal justice professionals. His background brings a strong blend of law enforcement coordination, officer safety, offender management, and community-based public safety expertise to the SWA team.
OUR MISSION
Sorensen, Wilder & Associates is a for-profit corporation that helps organizations solve their safety and security management challenges.
Modern times require modern solutions to security and safety situations.
Unfortunately, employees, visitors, customers, vendors and intruders regularly create havoc and disruptions to our business. SWA has the experienced operational experts to help you prevent, prepare, mitigate, and recover from dangerous situations and deadly disasters.