OSAC Quarterly Bulletin
Quarter 1, 2020 | Issue 1: COVID-19 Special Edition
Your Public-Private Partnership Security Source
A Message from Executive Director Jason Kight

 This is not the greeting I imagined writing for our inaugural OSAC Quarterly Bulletin, but we are facing a unique and unprecedented time. In the course of a few short months, we have gone from “business as usual” to business as we’ve never seen it before in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Here at OSAC, we are now teleworking full-time, but we continue to operate at full speed in meeting your needs during this crisis. From conducting benchmarking surveys to managing our various Google Group platforms where you have been actively sharing real-time information, we are committed to ensuring you have the support you need to assist your personnel and organizations overseas. We are also continuing to monitor threats worldwide. While many of our planned events have been postponed or canceled, we are finding other direct ways to reach out and share information, particularly via our new COVID-19 Resource Hub on OSAC.gov, as well as webinars and our Twitter feed. 

We are grateful for your partnership at this time, as we rely on each other for assistance, information, and support. If there is but one small bit of comfort in this discomforting scenario, it is the resilience, commitment, and resolve within the OSAC community, and I would like to thank each of you for your contributions to this dynamic network. We will continue to be there for you in the coming months and into the future – so stay well, stay strong, and we’ll get through this together.
The COVID-19 Global Pandemic: OSAC Offers Support & Resources

When news first started to emerge on the COVID-19 coronavirus, it seemed like a problem that might start and end in Asia, similar to past viruses that had limited lifespans. However, we quickly realized that COVID-19's impact would be far greater. OSAC’s strength has always been the feedback and direction we take from the private sector, so when the virus began to move beyond China’s borders, and demand for information exceeded the Pan-Asia Regional Council (PARC) Google Group’s reach, we set up our globally-relevant COVID-19 Resource Hub on OSAC.gov. It provides a one-stop shop for worldwide resources focused on the outbreak, to include benchmarking surveys, daily reports, links to other U.S. government and third-party resources, and travel/repatriation information for U.S. citizens seeking to return home. 

We also continue to facilitate topical COVID-19 discussions through our 13 OSAC Common Interest Council (CIC) Google Groups, which offer real-time regional and sector-specific information sharing. Please click here and log-in to apply for membership to our Common Interest Councils, including our regional groups, so you're able to get the most relevant information about the countries where you operate.

In the past month, we have been communicating with the private sector at much higher rates than usual, doubling our communications with members when compared with 2019 figures. The highest number of inquiries have involved border closures and flight cancellations for affected U.S.-national employees, students, and other travelers abroad, and the most frequent regional inquiries have recently centered on Italy, Morocco, and Peru. We also experienced more than a seven-fold increase in the number of Consular Alerts posted to our website, from 108 in March a year ago to nearly 900 in March 2020. Some of the Alerts, particularly those directing U.S. citizens abroad to appropriate ACS services at post, have garnered more than 1,000 hits each.
OSAC Executive Board Winter Session

The OSAC Council and Executive Board (EB) met February 27 and 28 in Washington, DC for its Winter Session, where we were pleased to welcome Claude Nebel (Cargill) as the OSAC Executive Board Private Sector Chair.

In addition to standard business, Boeing hosted a plenary session that featured Dr. Steven Grubbe, epidemiologist from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, who spoke about COVID-19 and its associated risks. In other discussions, the EB focused heavily on governance and standardization issues, including the development of broader overarching policies.
Q&A with RSO Sean McClanahan, U.S. Embassy Beijin g
Many of us have become familiar with the name Sean McClanahan, Regional Security Officer (RSO) at U.S. Embassy Beijing and author of the Mission China COVID-19 Daily Situational Report (SITREP). Working together with Beijing’s Minister Counselor for Diplomatic Security Andrew Wroblewski and coordinating with OSAC East Asia Pacific Analyst Anna Macdonald, he was one of the first voices to provide ongoing, behind-the-scenes, real-time information from the epicenter of the crisis. In part due to these reports, the Pan-Asia Regional Council’s (PARC) membership increased 36% in February. We wanted to hear a little more from Sean -- so here he is in his own words:

How long have you been posted in China?  
I have been in China for 5 years: 3 years in Shanghai and 2 so far in Beijing. 

How many OSAC members are in China?  
We have 340, plus many of our members are regional and cover mainland China from Singapore, the United States, and other countries. We're also followed by hundreds in the PARC community who regularly monitor what we do.

What are the key industries?   
China is mostly centered around manufacturing although the service economy is rising. The spectrum ranges from pharmaceuticals, electronics, technology sector, automobiles, and more. There is also a sizable R&D component from American companies present in China. 

What prompted you to start writing the daily SITREPS? 
When the COVID-19 virus started spreading in China, RSOs in Mission China were inundated with phone calls and emails from OSAC members asking for information on the COVID-19 situation. They wanted to know how it would affect their business operations, supply chains, and personnel. At the end of January, when Hubei Province was locked down by the Chinese government, the U.S. and other countries started to evacuate their personnel from China. At that point, all posts in Mission China were receiving thousands of inquiries each day from American citizens and OSAC members and given our own work within the Mission, there was no way we could individually respond to every inquiry.
  
The situation was changing so rapidly that by the time post, RSO, or the State Department drafted and cleared an informational document, the information was no longer relevant. Additionally, Beijing is 12 hours ahead of DC so it was difficult to have real-time information coming to Asia. In order to provide timely information and reduce the number of individual inquiries, we decided to collect COVID-19 related information, actions the Chinese government were implementing, U.S. government travel warnings from our posts in Mission China, and information from OSAC contacts and put it into a daily Situation Report (SITREP). The SITREP was sent out to all Mission China OSAC members, the PARC, and RSOs in neighboring countries. Bangkok and Singapore were especially big users, with 560 OSAC members in those two countries. As more and more OSAC members requested to be added to the distribution list, we had close to 2,000 email addresses within a week.   

How did members respond?
The feedback has been nothing but positive. Many OSAC members told us the information we provided allowed the security community to make timely, accurate, and informed decisions regarding their operations in China. 

What has been the most challenging time during this situation for you?
Within a week of the crisis starting, all the posts in Mission China lost about 75% of their American staff and family members. Several offices were either shut down or were down to minimal staffing. As a precautionary measure, we allowed most of our local staff to stay home for several weeks. However, operations at post did not stop, and it required those of us remaining to help process the departure of our own personnel, support five charter flights that evacuated over 1,000 American and Canadian citizens from Wuhan, and respond to requests from American citizens, OSAC members, and HQ.

How do you manage stress?
I like to exercise and feel that it is a great tool to manage stress and stay focused. Early on, we were cognizant that the COVID-19 crisis was going to last for several months. By emphasizing resiliency and mitigation measures, the team here has stayed healthy and positive.

Any lessons learned or advice for corporate security officers and staff facing the current crisis?  
During my time in DSS, I have always been impressed with OSAC, both as an organization and by the strength and commitment of its members. During this crisis, I have been proud of how OSAC members have come together to both request and share best practices on how to deal with this crisis -- everything from staffing and operations to cleaning procedures. This ability to share/receive information has allowed many organizations to highlight and emulate best practices from other OSAC members. During a crisis, it is not the time to reinvent the wheel, and I think the OSAC community is a great forum that allows for the rapid and effective sharing of security related information and requests for assistance.
Update on OSAC Events and Training

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to the cancelation of all “in-person” OSAC Common Interest Council (CIC) and Major Events seminars, meetings, and training activities this spring and for the foreseeable future. In addition, many RSOs have canceled or postponed upcoming Country Council meetings.  

OSAC is committed to promoting security dialogue and interaction in this new environment through webinars , and Zoom is helping meet that demand. Some webinars are open to all members, while others are more tailored in scope and limited to CIC or specific group members only.  We welcome creative ideas from our membership on how we can best maximize our virtual platforms during this unique time.
Recent Webinars

  In March, we hosted the following COVID-19 relevant webinars for our membership, which are both available to view on the OSAC website:

“Security Planning in the Face of A Pandemic” (March 25): The OSAC Council's Committee on Threats & Risk hosted a webinar featuring two expert speakers: Fil Maes, Director for Global Security & Safety at Visa, Inc., and Dr. Robert Quigley, Senior VP and Regional Medical Director at International SOS. A total of 280 OSAC members listened to their presentations on pandemic planning and COVID-19 updates and forecasting, followed by active Q&A. All OSAC members may now view the recorded webinar on our website .

"Successful Strategies for Work From Home" (March 27): The Women in Security (WiS) group held a webinar for its members featuring WiS Vice Chair Kathy Lavinder of SI Placements, who presented tips and resources for maximizing productivity and efficiency while working from home. A total of 58 WiS participants logged in. All OSAC members may now view the recorded webinar on our website (log-in required).
Upcoming Webinars

Here's what's coming soon:

“The USAID COVID-19 Task Force” (April 2):  The International Development Working Group (IDWG) is hosting a members-only webinar with OSAC Technical Advisor John Voorhees, Director of the USAID Office of Security. He will provide an overview of USAID’s efforts to support the safety, security, and continuity of its operations overseas and will answer questions about its resources and support during the pandemic.

We are planning more webinars in the coming weeks. If you would like to host or present a webinar, or if you'd like to see a webinar on a specific topic, please email and let us know at OSACCCO@state.gov.

Please continue to check our website and your OSAC CIC and Country Council emails for more webinars to be advertised this spring.
Canceled 2nd Quarter OSAC HQ Events & Training

Due to social distancing restrictions, the following OSAC events have been canceled:

MEETINGS
  • Hotel Security Working Group (HSWG) Annual Training Seminar: Istanbul, Turkey, March 10-11
  • Tokyo Olympics Security Symposium: Tokyo, Japan, March 19
  • Europe Regional Council (ERC) Meeting: New York City, April 6-7
  • Latin America Regional Council (LARC) Meeting: Miami, FL, April 28-29
  • Academic (AWG) Travel Safety and Security Seminar: UC Irvine, CA May 7 
  • Media & Entertainment (MEWG) Meeting: Los Angeles, CA, May 12 
  • Faith-Based Organizations (FBOWG) Meeting: Silver Spring, MD, May 12-14
  • Central America Regional Conference: Antigua, Guatemala, May 14-15
  • Women in Security Seminar and Reception (with MENA-RC): Boston, MA, May 18
  • Middle East/North Africa Regional Council (MENA-RC) Meeting: Boston, MA, May 19-20

TRAINING
  • Introduction to Analytical Methodologies, Briefings, & Tools: April 7-9 
  • OSAC Security Overseas Seminar (SOS): Foreign Service Training Institute: April 15-17 
  • OSAC SOS: IO/NGO Security: May 14-15 
OSAC Country Councils Offer Localized COVID-19 Info Sharing

OSAC Country Councils are evolving and adapting in order to fulfill their duty of sharing vital on-the-ground security information among the public and private sectors during lockdowns. While some were able to meet in person to discuss COVID-19 concerns before restrictions took place, others have gone virtual to continue supporting their membership while maintaining social distance. A few notable examples include:

  • Phnom Penh (March 10): Just prior to social distancing restrictions, the RSO convened a COVID-19 specific meeting at the request of the private sector in order to squelch rumors and provide accurate information. The Embassy’s Medical Provider, a local CDC representative, and an epidemiological specialist from the Naval Medical Research Unit working with the Cambodian Ministry of Health presented briefings to more than 60 attendees from international schools, the manufacturing, tech, tourism, and energy sectors, and NGOs and USAID implementing partners. 

  • Dubai (March 22): Post hosted a recent, virtual Country Council webinar to discuss regional security concerns in the Middle East, including the rise of COVID-19 and sustaining private sector operations during the virus-driven societal lockdowns.

  • Shanghai (March 26): Given restrictions in China on holding in-person meetings, the Country Council convened a virtual Zoom meeting with regional CDC representatives to provide 52 of its members real-time information on the current status of the COVID-19 pandemic in China.

  • Bogota (Weekly): With a country-wide lockdown in Colombia, the Country Council is holding weekly virtual meetings to follow the spread of COVID-19 in Colombia and security concerns associated with it. The first virtual meeting the Council held on March 25 included a presentation by the Secretary of Security of Bogota.

Please continue to check the OSAC.gov events page for specific Country Council meeting updates, including virtual opportunities for Country Council members.
In Other News
This past quarter was not entirely marked by the COVID-19 pandemic. We were still able to facilitate several sector- and region-specific events prior to the mandated shutdowns:
ASWG and Bogota Country Council Joint Meeting

 The Aviation Security Working Group (ASWG) and the Bogota Country Council held their first joint meeting for 91 OSAC members on February 19-20. The event showcased the expansive information-sharing network of both groups across the Latin America region. Participants also attended a reception sponsored by American Airlines at U.S. Ambassador Philip Goldberg’s residence, where he delivered remarks alongside OSAC Executive Director Jason Kight.
OSAC Represents at United Nations Global Program

On February 3-4, OSAC assisted with the launch of the UN Global Program on Security of Major Sporting Events at United Nations headquarters in New York. Along with private-sector security representatives from Adidas and Visa, OSAC advocated for stronger public-private cooperation and information sharing between host governments and private entities in the planning and execution phases of major sporting events.  
ESWG Semiannual Meeting

Despite the looming presence of a COVID-19 shutdown, the Energy Security Working Group (ESWG) was determined to host its semi-annual meeting in Houston on March 11 at Shell HQ. More than 60 attendees came to discuss important sector-specific topics from drone security to insider threats. Although OSAC staff were unable to travel from Washington, DC, the ESWG Steering Committee successfully handled all on-site logistics for the meeting.
IDWG Monthly Security Exchanges

The OSAC International Development Working Group (IDWG) continued to host virtual monthly webinars and snap calls for its membership in response to demand. It co-hosted a snap call on Iran for 317 participants in early January with the Middle East North Africa Regional Council (MENA-RC), a webinar on COVID-19 in mid-February with 261 participants, and another webinar for 45 participants in March on training for budget-minded organizations. 
Other Recent Analytical Reports
While COVID-19 dominated much of OSAC's work, the Research and Analysis Unit (RAU) continued to produce an array of products and reports across world regions (OSAC website log-in required for viewing):

OSAC Leadership and Staffing Updates
OSAC Executive Board and Council

Claude Nebel (Cargill) is now the OSAC Executive Board Private Sector Chair, replacing Sandy Cowie (Principal Financial).

In other Council news, Christina Johnson (Chemonics) joined the OSAC Executive Board, and three new members came onto the Council: Jerry Marshall (AmCham), Joe Olivarez (Jacobs), and Jerome Pickett (NBA).
OSAC Staff

Welcome, BryAna Stearns , to the Outreach and Engagement Team! BryAna is helping manage Country Council administration and special projects. Also welcome, Sara Hovis, to our front office admin staff, where she is assisting with general membership.

Several of OSAC's staff recently departed, including Jason Fishter and Chelsea Rose (RAU), and Courtney Leach (GSU). We wish them the best of luck in their new roles.
Common Interest Councils

Welcome to our newly elected Common Interest Council Chairs and Vice Chairs this quarter: 

Africa Regional Council (ARC)
Chris Daniel , Private Sector Chair (Michigan State University) and David Jesson , Private Sector Vice Chair (Royal Caribbean)

Academia Working Group (AWG)
Christine Sprovieri , Chair (Brown University) and Jaime Signoracci , Vice Chair (Notre Dame University)

Hotel Security Working Group (HSWG)
Erik Antons , Chair (Hyatt) and James Gooding , Vice Chair (IHG)

International Development Working Group (IDWG)
Lisa Oliveri , Chair (EDC) and Jake Trees , Vice Chair (Internews)

Women in Security (WiS)
Margaret Levine , Chair (Bridgestone) and Kathy Lavinder , Vice Chair (SI Placement)
OSAC is hiring an External Communications Coordinator!
This new position will promote OSAC's brand. Please spread the word and share this job posting .
Join us as we commemorate OSAC’s 35th Anniversary...

The Overseas Security Advisory Council is commemorating its 35th anniversary. Our dynamic public-private partnership has never been more important to us. Help us reflect on the last 35 years by sharing your OSAC story, whether relying on regional groups for benchmarking, calling OSAC staff for critical assistance, or using our analysis to adjust your organizational response.

* ** Tell us how OSAC helped you or your organization in a crisis ***
Just use the subject line "OSAC Thanks" in your email to OSACCCO@state.gov.

We will use these stories, quotes and your organizational affiliation in materials throughout our Anniversary Year to demonstrate our #35YearsofPartnership.
Any questions or feedback on this publication's content? Have an idea for next quarter's news bulletin? Please contact Kit Bartels, Team Lead for Outreach & Engagement at BartelsKV2@state.gov.
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