2023 Chapter Leadership
Eric Grist, CPP, PMP, CSEIP
Chapter Chairperson
As founder and president of Grist Security Consulting (GSC), Eric Grist sets the company’s vision
and strategy, oversees the operations, finance, and business development functions, and works
closely with customers.
Before founding GSC, Mr. Grist served as Director of Application Engineering at S2 Security,
where he led the team in system design, integrations, and project management. Prior to that,
he was the Director of Product Management for S2 Security’s Access Control and Video
Surveillance lines. In that role, he worked directly with S2 Security’s CEO and founder, assisting
with the development of a vision for S2 Security and the security industry overall.
Before moving to manufacturing, Mr. Grist worked in the security integrator space where he
learned many of the technical, design, and personal skills he uses today at GSC. Fresh out of the
Air Force, he worked as a fire alarm system design engineer, moved to a field technical position,
and soon was running field operations; all while pursuing a degree in electrical engineering. His
final position in the integrator space was the design and project management of large-scale
security system installations. Mr. Grist regularly attends local and national code classes to
maintain his technician and contractor electrical licenses.
Mr. Grist is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) through the Project
Management Institute, and is a Certified Protection Professional (CPP) through ASIS
International. He has been certified at the federal level to design ICAM PACS certified security
systems (CSEIP). He has completed training and is certified in Crime Prevention Through
Environmental Design (CPTED) by the American Crime Prevention Institute.
Mr. Grist is an active member of the International Association of Security Contractors and his
local chapter of ASIS. He is a frequent speaker at security, business, and consulting association
events throughout the US on issues related to physical security trends and policies.
Stephen Lombardi
Chapter Treasurer
At the Rhode Island Municipal Police Training Academy, Steve is a Senior Training Specialist and Director of Continuing Education. Steve is responsible for assessing the training needs of law enforcement across the state and planning and developing training to fit these needs. Prior to the police academy, Steve was the Director of Corporate Investigations at Spartan International Consulting Group (SICG), where he led a team of retired veteran law enforcement officers who were uniquely qualified to handle all aspects of an investigation, from Computer Forensics to conventional surveillance procedures. Steve also served as a Use of Force Master Instructor at SICG, conducting self-protection training for both law enforcement/security professionals and private citizens, especially in the areas of unarmed combative and handgun retention. Prior to SICG, Steve served 20 years with the Warwick, R.I. Police Department (WPD), earning the reputation of being versatile both operationally and as a training facilitator. Steve played a key role in multi-disciplinary team investigations in the areas of elder abuse and sex offender compliance investigations. Steve also served as a Special Deputy U.S. Marshal assigned to the Violent Fugitive Task Force, and as a senior operator on the WPD SWAT Team React Unit. On the training side, Steve was a statewide trainer for law enforcement in Active Threat response and in elder abuse and domestic violence investigation. Steve retired from the WPD in July of 2017 as a Patrol Sergeant.