Who We Are: The Story of Northwest Enforcement
Every successful company has a story, but at Northwest Enforcement, ours is one of distinctiveness in an industry often characterized by uniformity. Ours starts with our remarkable co-founders, Karen and Chad Withrow, who envisioned a security company that defied norms and set a new standard of excellence. Their vision of transparency, integrity, and relationship-based service established NEI and continues to be the building blocks of our growth and success.
Building NEI’s Foundation
Northwest Enforcement wouldn’t be what it is today without the incredible bedrock laid by our founders, Karen and Chad Withrow. They founded NEI with a deep desire to do things right. Chad’s firsthand encounters working in the security industry taught him the detrimental effects of subpar business practices. They knew it was possible be ethical in all dealings, train and equip the best security officers, and provide top-quality service.
Today, Karen & Chad lead our executive team. As President, Karen provides strategic leadership and guides Northwest Enforcement’s direction, team development, and growth initiatives. She also is responsible for managing financial responsibilities and client agreements. As Vice-President, Chad leads NEI in delivering superior service while fostering a culture of leadership development among our team members. He believes in highlighting exceptional efforts and sharing success stories to inspire others.
Our Core Purpose: Be Valuable… Because Nothing Less Will Do
Our core purpose isn’t just a statement. We strive to be valuable in every aspect of our work. Our team members are immersed in a culture of continually striving to meet client needs. We believe in showing up positively for the communities we serve. They are the same communities where our team and their families live.
We recruit individuals from all backgrounds and provide extensive in-house training because we value diverse experiences that continue to inform our ever-evolving approach to security. We offer specialized trainings because we understand the environment we operate in and want to do right by all members of the community as well as our team members, ensuring the officers we place are well-equipped to handle situations they will encounter.
Our Core Values: Humble, Invested, Transparent, Resolve, We Eat Cake
It’s not about the bottom line at Northwest Enforcement. Our core values drive everything we do, from who we hire to how we make decisions. We believe in humility and transparency – it’s the key to building trust with our clients. That means being honest and reliable, always.
We know our team is our greatest asset. We invest in them because they’re the ones on the front lines, acting as your eyes and ears. They take ownership of their work, and we celebrate their successes as a family.
Investing in Team and Training
We believe in putting people above pay. It’s not just a slogan, it’s how we operate. We believe that our team and the work they do matter. Our officers can make all the difference for our clients and our whole community. We always look for opportunities to go the extra mile, not just for clients but also for our team and community.
We’re proud to say that 30% of our team has been with us for over two years – in an industry where turnover standards often exceed 100%. We’re on track to hit our 10-year goal of having 75% of our team with 3 years or more of tenure.
We invest in our team members in big and small ways. We’ve given away vehicles and paid out nearly $2 million in combined quarterly raises over the past five years. Team members receive a gym membership and boot stipend. But we also celebrate the everyday wins. We hand out candy bars, snacks, or cold drinks to team members at worksites for a job well done. Our leadership has regular raffle drawings and wheel spins with tickets and spins given for all kinds of things we want to thank them for. We share success stories on social media so families and friends know what great things team members are doing.
At Northwest Enforcement, who we are is also our way of life. We’re committed to providing superior service, safeguarding communities, and building lasting relationships. Contact us today and become part of our mission to change the security industry in the Pacific Northwest.