FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Gordon Graham engages and enlightens—sharing insight into risk management topics and ethical decision-making principles RICHMOND, VA (April 5, 2007) – Southwest Airlines has the best safety record of any commercial airline in the United States. According to Gordon Graham, that’s because Southwest understands the principles of risk management—knowing what risk management means, managing risks through systems, providing exceptional customer service, being accountable in all aspects of corporate operations, and expecting integrity and ethical behavior from the top to the bottom of an organization. What is the biggest problem America faces today? Graham says it’s our propensity to focus on post-incident correction instead of pre-incident prevention. Thirty years on-the-job training as a California law enforcement officer, coupled with multiple degrees and extensive research in risk management systems, Graham—who is also an attorney—was more than qualified to discuss public safety issues with the faculty, staff, students and local public safety officials gathered at the inaugural Public Safety Symposium hosted today by the J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College Police and Security Services department. During his tenure as a law enforcement professional, he was awarded his teaching credential from California State University, Long Beach. He later earned a Master's Degree in Safety and Systems Management from University of Southern California and a Juris Doctorate from Western State University. “He is one of the most engaging and thought-provoking speakers I have heard in 30+ years,” said Reynolds president Gary Rhodes. “It would be time-well-spent to…hear him speak.” An expert in the art of storytelling, Graham weaved personal exploits of his career as a law enforcement officer with current events and solid theory, resulting in a plot that presented a clear analysis of why things generally go wrong, and how to prevent those unfortunate situations from occurring in the first place. He concluded his presentation by sharing several pearls of wisdom with the audience: always obey the law and follow the policy; if it smells bad, it probably is bad; always be up front and honest; and ethical actions speak louder than ethical words. Principles we all can live by! Serving over 17,000 students annually, J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College is the youngest and third largest of 23 community colleges in Virginia. The College operates three campuses serving residents in the City of Richmond and the counties of Henrico, Hanover, Goochland, Powhatan and Louisa. ### J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College | Press Center |
