Asset Protection and Recovery for

Construction Facilities and Jobsites in the

21st Century
By Keith J. Bowen
If a contractor owns something of value and it is left unprotected for long enough, there is a high possibility
someone else will target it. Whether a laborer on a construction site or owner of a high tech company,
people are always looking to profit from a potential lack of security.

The first layer of protection always should be physical security of the facility or jobsite, with protection of
human assets coming first and physical property second. The primary concern at this level is controlled
access points. Limited access points, in combination with active controlled assess, will greatly reduce the
likelihood of unauthorized persons accessing the facility or jobsite.

For the perimeter security system to be effective, the purpose for the system and the need for compliance
should be explained to all staff. Doors that have been propped open or magnetic locks that have been
bypassed in some way defeat the purpose of controlled access points.

Consider additional layers of exterior security such as closed circuit television (CCTV) coverage of as much
of the exterior of the facility as possible and roving and stationary security details. While a security guard
provides visual deterrence to most people looking to cause harm, the CCTV system provides evidence in
the event a breach does occur.

But beyond the physical security of protecting a companys assets from theft, consider the cost of recovery
of property in the event it is ever stolen. Many companies offer asset recovery products which are typically
GPS based. With the application of a small, easily hid tracking devices and easy-to-download software, it
is simple to pinpoint the locations of equipment quickly and notify law enforcement of its location.

For large assets such as heavy equipment, tractor trailers or portable industrial equipment, a wide array of
products can track equipment or other high value assets via GPS tracking; notifications of vehicle
movement, excessive speed, hard cornering, hard breaking, hard acceleration and fuel economy; and
electronic log compliance for over-the-road trucking operations.

Smaller, more portable assets such laptops, computer hardware and cell phones could have valuable
company data or proprietary information on them that could eventually be hacked. These devices should
be encrypted, but if not, they need to be tracked and recovered quickly in order to prevent the data from
being compromised.

Numerous vendors offer tracking hardware and software to help businesses and law enforcement track and
locate property. One company provides small, easily concealed tracking devices that can be hidden in the
smallest device.

The chances of recovering stolen devices without the use of tracking software is almost zero. With GPS
tracking software and the cooperation of law enforcement, assets stand a better chance of being recovered
quickly and safely.
Keith J. Bowen is a Senior Risk Consultant for Hub International. He serves as a resource for the insurance brokerage
operations, providing risk control, safety, regulatory compliance and workers compensation reduction guidance.
 Contact Our Construction Leadership Team
Mike Karlins, Construction Lead
mkarlins@calvettiferguson.com
Lori Morales, Tax Partner
lmorales@calvettiferguson.com
Chin Yu, CAS Managing Director
cyu@calvettiferguson.com
CPA with more than 30 year experience.
Expertise includes audit and review services, agreed-upon procedures, financial services,
operational improvement, and mergers and acquisitions.
Extensive experience in financial reporting for a wide range of clients in the real estate
and construction, technology, manufacturing, and distribution industries.
At Large Director for the Construction Industry CPAs/Consultants Association (CICPAC).
National tax and legislative committee for CFMA.
Campaign Treasurer for Brady for Congress and Brady Victory Fund.
Served on the Board of Directors for organizations including The Woodlands Area Economic
Development Partnership and, the The Woodlands Area Chamber of Commerce.
Graduate of the University of Illinois.
Lori has over 15 years of public accounting experience, specializing in the areas of
corporate and partnership tax, with an emphasis in closely-held businesses.
She has significant experience with clients in the construction, energy, healthcare, and
manufacturing industries.
Prior to joining Calvetti Ferguson, Lori worked with a renewable energy start-up company,
assisting them with all aspects of accounting, finance and business development.
She holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from the University of Missouri St. Louis.
Lori is a member of the Womens Energy Network and the Womens Finance Exchange.
Chin is the Managing Director of the firms Corporate Advisory Services, providing advisory
services in the areas of valuation, mergers and acquisitions, fraud and forensic accounting,
commercial and intellectual property damages.
With over 15 years of experience, Chin blends his years of consulting expertise with real
world corporate experience as CFO, Vice President of Finance, Treasurer and Assistant
Corporate Secretary for a publicly traded oilfield service company and an engineering ser-
vices firm.
Chin is a Certified Valuation Analyst and a Certified Fraud Examiner with a Bachelor of
Science degree in Political Science and Economics from the University of Houston and a
Masters of Business Administration from the University of St. Thomas.