40 under 40: Hector Rodriguez, district manager, Brosnan Risk Consultants

YARMOUTH, Maine—Hector Rodriguez, 37, is a district manager for Brosnan Risk Consultants, a full-service protective, investigative and intelligence firm to a global network of clients, based out of Pearl River, N.Y. Find out what inspired him to pursue a career in the security industry, what being a "40 under 40" winner means to him, what appeals to him about the security industry, and more. 

SSN: Describe your roles, duties, and tenure at your current job. 

RODRIGUEZ: I oversee the security operations in the following markets: Jacksonville, Orlando, Tampa, Fort Myers.  The markets include over 50 different sites and 200-plus security officers. I oversee the overall efforts of four operations managers and 12 site supervisors. I’ve been in this role since 2020.

SSN: What inspired you to pursue a career in the security industry?

RODRIGUEZ: Security is a field I fell in love with at the age of 19.  I utilized my size to penetrate the industry, but grew to love this industry because of the atmosphere, the constant need to be alert and the comradery built with others in the field.  I started as a bouncer in nightclubs and worked in NYC at over 15 different nightclubs over the next 14 years. I moved to Florida in 2018 and continued in the field and started my role in 2020. I am also in the executive protection field as well and work regularly with a major hip hop artist.   

SSN: What does being named a winner of SSN's 40 under 40 mean to you?

RODRIGUEZ: What an honor. I was surprised to be recognized. It’s an amazing thing to know my name will be linked with others in the field that are excelling and growing this industry. The future is bright for us all.

SSN: As a young leader, what appeals to you about the security industry?

RODRIGUEZ: I love the comradery. I enjoy learning different techniques and strategies that other security professionals are implementing and sharing my own for others to parse. 

SSN: With the hiring, recruitment and retention challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, how can the security industry engage young talent?

RODRIGUEZ: I believe we have to make the security field a potential lifelong career option. I feel young talent don’t see the field as a long-term option, more of a second job or temporary career choice until something else opens up. So, making the field more attractive by increasing wages, providing more benefits, and making career advancement a hot topic so talent can strive to better themselves.