Michael A. Burns

Michael Burns

Michael Burns’ entire 38-year career has been in business management specializing in corporate safety and security. Most recently Burns has been engaged in security consulting assisting major corporations. Prior to his retirement, he served as Director of Security for Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation where his responsibilities included physical, technical, executive and information security as well as meeting security, background screening and compliance with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Prescription Drug Marketing Act (PDMA) and plant security. He managed a departmental budget exceeding $10 million and a staff of 20 plus and additional 60 contract personnel. He developed numerous and varied requests for proposals to engage outside firms for security services, projects and operations, such as contract guard force services, lock and key, technical security, background screening, consulting services, and investigating and meeting security.

Michael Burns’ Specialties
  • Security
  • Safety
  • Argentina
  • Brazil
  • Hong Kong
  • Indonesia
  • Kuwait
  • Malasia
  • Shanghai
  • Singapore

Burns’ professional career began at Union Carbide Corporation with responsibilities in health, safety, environmental and security. He became its Director of Security with worldwide responsibility. He developed policies and procedures for new corporate ventures in Malaysia and Kuwait and assisted with the implementation on site in those countries. He also worked with the Overseas Security Advisory Council and local Embassy’s to develop safety and security procedures for the expatriates living and working overseas.

Burns has overseen , directed and monitored investigations in many parts of the world including Hong Kong, Shanghai, Singapore, Indonesia, Brazil, and Argentina utilizing local police and investigators in a varied of cases including fraud and embezzlement.

Burns holds a Bachelor of Sciences degree in business management. He is Board Certified by the American Society of Industrial Security as a CPP (Certified Protection Professional).ASIS is the premier international security organization for the security professional. A past chairman of local Chapters of ASIS, the American Red Cross and he has also served on the Board of a Community Association. Burns continues to volunteer with the American Red Cross, Delaware Emergency Management Agency (DEMA) providing emergency preparedness training, Meals On Wheels as a delivery driver and serves on their Board. MERR, a marine education rehabilitation and release agency, and the Friends Of Cape Henlopen State Park. He is an avid tennis player and loves bicycling and gardening.