Prof. Leonard C. Holifield, CPS, is President and CEO of the International Academy of Executive Protection Agents, LLC. Known as the Harvard of Bodyguard Schools, he is an honor graduate of ESI – Executive Security International and former chief security officer and personal bodyguard to the former Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court, Chief Justice Roy S. Moore, aka the Ten Commandments Judge. With over 20 years in the security business, Prof. Holifield is one of the most sought after instructors in the United States.
He is the author of SOLO – Security Operations for the Lone Officer (Outskirts Press) and Close Quarter Combat “A Soldiers Guide to Hand-to-Hand Combat” (Paladin Press). He is a frequent lecturer on executive protection, national hate groups and gangs, unarmed self defense and one-man solo security operations. He has been recognized by several national and international organizations; to include Marquis Who’s Who in America, Who’s Who in the World, Who’s Who Among Executives and Professionals, WOMA’s Who’s Who in the Martial Arts and Combative Masters of the 20th Century (Lulu Press). As former Chief Combatives Instructor to the United States Army his work in the field of hand-to-hand combat has been featured in major military publications to include Army Trainer, Soldiers, KORUS and Military Police magazines. A former military police officer and highly decorated veteran of the Gulf War, he was credited with capturing the first Iraqi POW during Operation Desert Storm. He is the president and founder of the International Sikaron Karate Federation and holds 3rd, 6th, and 10th degree black belts in Judo, Hapkido and Sikaron Karate respectively.
BGC: How did you get started in the Executive Protection Field? What was your very first assignment?