Meet The Team

Lee Andrews manages daily operations in addition to leading acquisitions for the company. Lee is an accomplished entrepreneur who is equally at ease engaging with customers, building teams, and negotiating deals. He is leveraging these strengths to establish strong vertical market teams and capabilities for niche clients, with an initial focus on the Hollywood vertical.

Lee moves resources into place to respond to and ensure that the company scales efficiently and remains on the cutting edge of technology and best practices across its service offerings, which include uniformed security, special event staffing, K9 teams for bomb threats and narcotics, and equipment rentals. Lee also forms strategic partnerships and reseller relationships that enable AGS to offer branded solutions to customers.

Lee’s executive strategies are informed and influenced by day-to-day engagement with customers and account teams. With Lee, customers and security teams in the field have the ear of senior leadership, empowering the company to provide exceptional service, follow-through, and attention to detail. Lee is known for his dedication to putting client needs first and to working with clients to find the perfect solution. While Lee’s sales management and business development experience fill an important need on the AGS leadership team, his specialized expertise in team building and his commitment to customer service make him an equally valuable asset for AGS field teams and clients.

Prior to AGS, Lee founded Andrews Ammo, an ammunition sales and manufacturing company for small arms firearms, and served in executive Marketing and Sales roles with Kernel.com, The Crowdfunding Formula, When You Wish, and PageGrove. He has successfully delivered business value and demonstrated results for a diverse group of enterprise clients, including Dell, Whole Foods, Jane Goodall Foundation, Mike Tyson Foundation, Annenberg Foundation, and MoviesNow, among others.

Lee is active on the public speaking circuit and has recently spoken at Maker Fair, Digital Hollywood, and Silicon Beach Fest. He holds a BA in Entrepreneurship and an MBA in Finance and Marketing from Loyola Marymount University.

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John Adams provides strategic oversight of the Operations and Human Resources teams for AGS, a role that capitalizes on his greatest strengths: bringing private and public sectors together in successful partnerships and managing people operations compliance.  His responsibilities range from supporting clients and employees to overseeing licensing and training compliance.

John has 28 years of operations management and customer service experience and a proven track record of building and leading high-performing teams in the development of targeted solutions and the delivery of personalized, responsive service. He brings tremendous depth and breadth of expertise to the table, ranging from strategic planning and road mapping, facility operations oversight, and P&L analysis, to licensing and regulatory compliance, training program development and implementation, and crisis and disaster response.

John is active in several professional organizations including ASIS International and the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce. A former Firefighter with the Los Angeles Fire Department, John is a BSIS & NRA Firearm Instructor, with a Class B Contractor’s License, an active DRE license, and a private pilot’s license. He is also certified as a Training Instructor and Trainer’s Trainer for AHA and Red Cross CPR, First Aid, BLS, AED, and BBP.

Before joining AGS, John served as an Area Vice President for the Western region of Andrews International and U.S. Security Associates, focusing his efforts on strategic growth, district compliance, and organization. In this role, he provided oversight of five Southern California branch offices running over 50,000 hours per week of security services and producing $47M in annual revenue.

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Don Anderson is responsible for security officer training, special event operations, and client and employee support. He has decades of experience running security for high-profile events and individuals and providing instruction for security personnel, law enforcement, and military tactical teams from around the world.

Don's expertise in tactics and field procedures is recognized nationwide. He has provided dignitary protection for 6 United States presidents. He was the lead instructor for the LAPD’s Special Weapons and Tactics unit (SWAT). He has been an instructor for the International Association of Chiefs of Police and for the National Tactical Officers Association. He is a certified FBI and LAPD Range Master, a certified Simunitions Instructor, and a certified OC (pepper spray) Instructor.

Don has more than 33 years of experience with the LAPD, including 28 years as a scout and team leader of the SWAT unit. During his tenure with the LAPD, Don earned the Medal of Valor – LAPD’s highest award – as well as the National Top Cop Award, the SWAT Officer of the Year Award (2X), the Metropolitan Officer of the Year Award, the National Tactical Officers Association Valor Award, and many other citations.

Before AGS, Don served as Andrews International’s Senior Vice President of Special Events and Training, with responsibilities that included training a guard force of 2,000+ officers, planning and executing high-profile special events, and overseeing the company's information technology functions. Don was instrumental in developing security officer training curricula and materials for the company’s state-of-the-art training center.

Norman Lietz, as the Director of Special Events at AGS Protect, brings a dynamic blend of creativity and organizational prowess to the forefront of event planning and execution. With a keen eye for detail and a talent for orchestrating seamless events, Norman specializes in conceptualizing and delivering high-impact events that align with AGS Protect's mission and brand values. His role involves meticulous planning, coordination with various teams, and ensuring each event runs smoothly while achieving its intended objectives. Whether it's corporate gatherings, product launches, or large-scale conferences, Norman's expertise in managing diverse aspects of event planning – from budgeting to vendor negotiations – ensures that each event not only meets but exceeds expectations. His leadership and strategic planning skills are instrumental in elevating AGS Protect's presence and reputation through memorable and impactful special events.

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Garrick Nicols is a vision-driven physical security professional with over twenty years in military service and security business development. He is a conscientious and disciplined leader with excellent needs assessment aptitude and the ability to bring both private and public sectors together to work in successful partnerships. Committed to excellence; dedicated to maintaining a reputation built on quality, service, and uncompromising ethics. 

At AGS Protect, Nicols is responsible for overseeing and implementing all estate security and executive protection planning and execution. He leads a team of highly trained individuals and operators equally comfortable blending into a crowd observing a principal or fighting on the front lines. He has trained his team in soft tactics including de-escalation and customer service to make sure AGS Protect has the highest quality individuals for our Estate and Executive Protection teams.

Before AGS, Garrick Nicols served as President of Spec-Ops K9 Security where he planned and executed security sweeps for enterprise clients like Exxon, Universal Studios, Disney, and others. Nicols is a retired, Staff Sergeant and served roles as a Military Police Investigator, Military Police Patrol Supervisor, and Personal Security Detail Team Leader for the United States Marine Corps.

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Enzo Bettaglio is an accomplished leader with over 35 years of executive experience spanning contract security, facilities, project management, and distribution operations. Enzo brings AGS customers and employees the benefits of extensive working experience throughout Central America, a broad network of business, government, and diplomatic mission contacts, and strong communication skills, including fluency in English and Spanish.

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Maria Huizar is responsible for AGS Protect's human resources department handling all aspects of employment support. She has 15 years of experience in communicating with employees. Maria has risen in her career through on-the-job daily activities along with curricular education and training. She has gained extensive HR knowledge as she has climbed to her position and a unique skill set that enables her to empower both employees and management.