Speaker Biography: Paul Sherwin was appointed by Department of Public Safety Secretary Eric Hooks as the director of PPS in June 2020. Prior to his appointment, he served as the agency’s Deputy Director.Sherwin previously worked in corporate security with DHL Global Forwarding, and in law enforcement with the Norfolk Southern Railway Police Department in Raleigh; the Durham County Sheriff’s Office; and the Washington County Sheriff’s Office in Hillsboro, Oregon. Sherwin is a veteran who served in the Oregon Army National Guard and the U.S. Army from 2002 to 2011, where he achieved the rank of captain and worked primarily in the infantry and field artillery branches. He completed one deployment to Mosul, Iraq, in 2008. Sherwin received a BS degree in journalism from the University of Oregon and a Master’s Degree in administration from Queens University of Charlotte.

Topic Overview: Discussing issues facing Private Investigators and PPS during 2022.
Topic: Running and Operating a Successful PI Business (2 hours)
Asset and Background Investigations (2 hours)
Speaker: Kelly Riddle
23119 West IH-10, Building #6
San Antonio, TX 78257
(210) 342-0509
[email protected]

Speaker Biography: Mr. Riddle is the President of Kelmar Global Investigations and has more than 42 years of investigative experience. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice from the University of North Alabama. He was chosen as the “PI of the Year” by the National Association of Investigative Specialists and the PI Magazine named Mr. Riddle as the “#1 PI in the United States”. He has been designated an expert in surveillance, insurance investigations, nursing home abuse and computer investigations. He was chosen as “One of the Top 25 PI’s of the 20th Century.” Kelly obtained his Texas Certified Investigator designation (less than 50 in TX.) Mr. Riddle is also the past President (2010-2012) for TALI - the Texas Association of Licensed Investigators; Board of Directors (2007-2010) for TALI as well as being on the Board of Directors for the Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas. Kelly is on the Advisory Board for FAPI - the Florida Association of Private Investigators and is on the Public Relations committee for the Council of International Investigators. Kelly is also on the Board of Directors for the Intellenet Board Accredited Investigator certification and the Membership Chair for the San Antonio Chapter of ASIS. He is a Founding Board Member and Board Advisor for the nonprofit organization “Can You Identify Me.” Mr. Riddle is on the Board of Directors for the National Council of Investigation and Security Services and the National Association for Missing and Exploited Children. Region 4 Director for National Association of Legal Investigators (NALI). Kelly was the recipient of the 2013 Investigator of the Year award, the highest recognition presented by the Texas Association of Licensed Investigators. Kelly was named one of America’s Top PIs of 2022 by PI Magazine. Mr. Riddle is the author of 14 books and has published more than 40 articles. Kelly has been the guest speaker at more than 850 events and has been featured in newspapers, magazines and on national TV, radio and podcast programs. Kelly was also presented the NALI EditorPublisher Award in 2004.
Prior law enforcement experience includes being a member of the SWAT team, a Training Officer, Emergency Medical Technician, Evidence Technician, Arson Investigator, Juvenile Specialist and Traffic Investigator. Mr. Riddle is the Founder and President of the PI Institute of Education, as well as the Association of Christian Investigators with more than 1500 members in the U.S. and 19 countries. Kelly is the Founder of the Coalition of Association Leaders comprised of past and present board members from state, national and international associations.
Mr. Riddle is a member of TALI,NAIS,INTELLENET,NALI,FAPI,CALI,ASIS, NCISS,USAPI, ACI,PICA,WIN,CII,NLLI,CTIP, CLEAR,IOPIA,TIDA,ASSIST,ISPL

Topic Overview (Running & Operating a Successful PI Business): Those attending this seminar will understand how to properly establish a PI agency, how to manage and grow a company and how to use technology to assist in daily operations. The attendee will learn ways to find a niche and how to be profitable. In addition, the seminar will provide information regarding the different types of marketing, the pros and cons of each marketing media, how to promote themselves and the agency and how to obtain new clients.

Topic Overview (Asset and Background Investigations): This seminar will provide attendees with an understanding of how to use public records for to prevent scams, uncover assets, conduct background checks, locate missing persons and track property. Records covered include municipal, county, state, federal and computer databases

Topic: Cold Case Investigations (1 hour)
Speaker: Joe Kennedy
Blue Line Training Group, LLC
308 Ryder Cup Lane
Clemmons, NC 27012
336-813-3299
[email protected]

Speaker Biography: Joey (Joe) D. Kennedy is the Executive Vice President for the BlueLine Training Group LLC. Joe retired as the Special Agent-in-Charge for the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) Carolinas Field Office in 2014 after 28+ years of service. He attended the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Glynco, GA and subsequently served in various offices around the world including, Virginia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Florida, Puerto Rico, Japan, Philippines, Iraq, Afghanistan, Bahrain, and Washington, DC. While with NCIS, Joe served in a variety of positions focusing on violent crimes and undercover operations. He was the Team Leader for the Virgin Islands Homicide Task Force. He participated as a member and supervisor in several homicide task forces and serial rape investigations. He served as a board member for the Department of Justice “Weed and Seed” Task Force in Charleston, SC and the North Carolina Homicide Investigators Association. Joe served as an Executive Board Member for the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force in the Caribbean and Territorial Crime Commission for the Governor of Puerto Rico. He was co-chair for the North Carolina Criminal Justice Information Network (CJIN) LiNX program and has served on several law enforcement advisory boards. Joe was the Primary Architect and First Program Manager for the internationally acclaimed NCIS Cold Case Homicide Unit. He wrote the methodology and protocol for NCIS Cold Case investigations, which has been adopted by numerous police agencies around the globe. Joe has provided cold case homicide consultation and training to various law enforcement agencies throughout North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Middle East, and the Caribbean. He is a Consulting Committee Member of the American Investigative Society of Cold Cases (AISOCC) and Founder of the Carolinas Cold Case Coalition. He is recognized as an International Cold Case Expert. Joe is a member of the International Homicide Investigators Association, North Carolina Homicide Investigators Association, North Carolina Association of Chiefs of Police, and Eastern Carolina Association of Law Enforcement Executives. He has been the recipient of numerous awards and commendations. Joe received the prestigious Order of the Long Leaf Pine Award from North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory in 2014 and he was recently profiled in the book “Delayed Justice: Inside Stories from America’s Best Cold Case Investigators” by Mary Bransom (2011). He was featured in the “Real NCIS” by Storyhouse Productions, Washington, DC. He is a Core Team Expert for the Starz TV “Wrong Man” Series. Joe has served as an expert witness for police investigative procedures and homicide investigations.

Topic Overview: This presentation is designed to provide investigators with a comprehensive overview of cold case homicide investigations. A brief history about cold cases and the concepts of time, technology, and tenacity will be explained. Methodology and established protocols as well as the latest investigative steps, will be fully explained and evaluated. Cold case pitfalls, lessons learned, and how to properly conduct a cold case will be discussed. Recent technological advancements and forensic techniques will also be reviewed and discussed. The utilization of non-traditional investigative strategies and undercover scenarios for cold cases will be further explored. Attendees will be provided with an overview of the Carolinas Cold Case Coalition.

Topic: Locating & Interviewing Witnesses (2 hours)
Speaker: Hal Humphreys
[email protected]

Speaker Biography: Thomas “Hal” Humphreys is co-owner and director of instruction at PI Education and executive editor of Pursuit Magazine. As a certified fraud examiner, certified general real estate appraiser, and licensed private investigator, Hal has spent nearly 30 years chasing down information by knocking on doors and digging into musty courthouse archives. As owner of [FIND] Investigations, a PI agency in Nashville, TN, Hal discovered the work he loves best: criminal defense investigations. He’s worked high-profile murder cases for private attorneys and post-conviction cases for the federal defender’s office. Hal is also a writer and radio producer whose work has appeared on Marketplace and WYNC’s On the Media and Fast Company.

Topic Overview: Conducting interviews is a crucial role performed by the investigator, one that must follow a thorough process. Hal will provide an overview of interviewing and investigative skills used by investigators to gather relevant information to assist the legal team in case preparation. Participants will learn to identify and find witnesses, use public and private sources of information, and prepare and conduct interviews of witnesses. Ethical considerations that affect the interviewing and investigating process will also be addressed.

Topic: How to Rank #1 on Google (1 hour)
How to Increase Your Hourly Rates Without Losing Clients (1 hour)
Speaker: Jimmie Mesis
USA Bug Sweeps
(732) 866-4110
[email protected]

Speaker Biography: Jimmie Mesis is recognized as an expert in the field of residential Technical Surveillance Countermeasures (TSCM) bug sweeps. He has been associated with the field of TSCM for more than 35 years and conducts several hundred sweeps every year throughout the United Sates and abroad. Jimmie is also a Board Accredited Investigator (BAI) and a Licensed Professional Investigator (LPI) with more than three decades of professional investigative experience. His international reputation as an experienced and talented investigator, a successful businessman, and his passion for TSCM and the investigative profession has made him a frequently requested coach, consultant, instructor, and keynote speaker. Jimmie started his career as a professional investigator after serving with the United States Marine Corps, S-2 Intelligence Unit. He has extensive TSCM training by both CIA and Department of Defense operators. Jimmie has been court recognized as an expert witness in the area of private investigative practices, surveillance, and covert video technology. Jimmie has a unique advantage over his competitors since he was the previous owner of an international company which supplied covert audio and video devices and he is completely familiar with the manufacturers of eavesdropping bugging devices offered for sale from around the world, especially those devices from Russia, Israel, Germany, Taiwan, China, and other countries. Jimmie has gained national recognition as a featured investigator for the History Channel television series, “Operation Reunion.” There, he located and reunited soldiers who had not seen each other since the battlefields of the Korean and Vietnam Wars given nothing more than the subject’s last names. He’s also been featured in the FX television series, P.I. and as a guest on various national radio and television shows including FOX News Network, CNN’s Larry King Live and ABC World News Tonight. Jimmie is often quoted by the Associated Press, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, New York Times, and many other national media outlets. His career as a professional investigator and bug sweep technician has been uniquely diverse. He and his investigator wife are the previous owners of several investigative related companies, including PI Magazine, the only international print trade magazine for private investigators; PI Bookstore.com; PI Gear.com, PI Directory.com, the largest free directory of private investigators in the world. Jimmie currently serves as an advisory Board Member to the University of Northern Texas – Professional Development Unit. He has lectured at several colleges and universities and has provided instruction to private investigators, police detectives, and US Postal Inspectors on the subject of covert video surveillance in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. He has also provided instructional training to more than 15,000 private investigators throughout the world at various conferences, seminars, mentoring programs and private consulting. Jimmie is the recipient of both a New Jersey State Senate and State Assembly Proclamation in recognition for his investigative accomplishments as well as numerous profession awards including the: New Jersey Licensed Private Investigators Association, Investigator of the Year; National Association of Investigative Specialists, Speaker of the Year; the Hal Lipset Award for Investigative Excellence presented by the World Association of Detectives, a Leadership Award, a Duffy Award and a Wunder Award by the National Council of Investigative and Security Services, which are their highest honors. Other awards include a Special Achievement Award from the World Investigators Network, a Person of the Year Award from the Professional Association of Wisconsin Licensed Investigators, and many other recognition awards from various investigative organizations throughout the United States, Canada, and England. Jimmie is the former Director and past Legislative Chairman for NCISS – National Council of Investigative and Security Services, where he lobbied and represented the investigative profession in Washington, DC. He is an Honorary Life Member of the Texas Association of Licensed Investigators, the Georgia Association of Professional Private Investigators and an Honorary Life Member of the World Association of Professional Investigators based in London, England.

Topic Overview (How to Rank #1 on Google): When people search something on Google, they often will only click on the first one or two sites that come up. It has been shown that the number one site that comes up will receive 31% more clicks than any of the others below it. This presentation will discuss various things you can do in order to ensure that your business website is the first one people will see when they search Google. We will discuss strategies and keywords that make your site the first people see on their search results.

Topic Overview (How to Increase Your Hourly Rate Without Losing Clients): Inflation and the rising costs of living has as much of an effect on your business as it does your private life. As the price of supplies, gasoline, database subscriptions, and other needed investigative tools increase, you find that your overall profit is not what it used to be. Eventually, you have to raise your hourly rates in order to make a profit. In this presentation, we will discuss various methods you can use to increase your hourly rate without losing clients in the process.

Topic: Covert Video Surveillance Systems (2 hours)
Speaker: Donald Kneece
Kneece Investigations
113West Eutaw Street
Saluda, SC 29138
(864) 445-3713
[email protected]

Speaker Biography: Donald E. Kneece was born in Bainbridge, Georgia, on February 26, 1955. He entered the U.S. Army in October 1973. He has attended Central Texas College and Hagerstown Junior College. His military education includes an Intermediate Leadership Course, Physical Security Inspectors Course, Criminal Investigators Course, Traffic Management and Accident Investigators Course, Instructor Training Course,
Military Police Advanced Non-Commissioned Officer’s Course, Leadership Management and Development Course, Drill Sergeant School, Security Manager’s Course, and Alarm Manager’s Course. He also received extensive training from Technical Surveillance Sciences, Inc. in Technical Surveillance Operations and Video Surveillance Operations. He has received the designation of Technical Surveillance Specialist. Also, he received the designation as the U.S. Army’s Training and Doctrine Command’s subject matter expert in the use and instruction of technical surveillance equipment. He was chosen to design, develop, and implement drug enforcement technical surveillance equipment training for drug enforcement personnel. Mr. Kneece has received training in Interview and Interrogation Techniques by Wicklander-Zulawski. Mr. Kneece was the primary instructor for Technical Surveillance Equipment Utilization in the Department of Defense’s Counterdrug Investigators Mobile Training Course. Mr. Kneece has trained over twenty-five hundred federal, state, county, and local law enforcement officers in surveillance techniques.
Since retiring from the U.S. Army, Mr. Kneece has obtained his Private Investigator’s License in both Georgia and South Carolina. He has owned and operated a successful Private Investigative Company, Kneece Investigations, LLC, since January 1995 and is continuing to provide these services to his clients. He has investigated cases that involved infidelity, child custody issues, litigation, workman’s compensation, Personal Injury, Insurance fraud, and criminal defense. Kneece Investigations possess the surveillance equipment to allow for covert surveillance as well as GPS tracking to be performed as part of investigative efforts used in many cases. He has worked with the Institute of Investigative Technologies as a senior instructor providing training to local, state, and federal law enforcement officers in the use of covert surveillance equipment. He also has provided training to Private Investigators in the use of this equipment in South Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, and North Carolina. Mr. Kneece has worked with a manufacturer of covert GPS vehicle tracking equipment and has been responsible for the research and development of GPS trackers manufactured by C.S.I. in San Mateo, CA. He has also been published in the internationally distributed “PI Magazine” for an article describing the acquisition and use of covert video surveillance equipment.
Classes taught by Mr. Kneece have been approved for continuing education credit by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division for both Private Investigators and Law Enforcement Officers. His courses have also been accepted for continuing education credit hours by Georgia, Tennessee, North Carolina, Florida, and New York. Topic Overview: The presentation will be on the selection and use of covert video surveillance equipment and covert enclosures. It will discuss how to look at your cases and decide which cases are suitable for the use of unmanned video surveillance, how to select the proper equipment and suggestions on deploying the equipment in different environments.