Wicklander-Zulawski announces the promotion of Brett L. Ward, CFI, to SVP – Client Relations and Business Development.
Aurora, IL – (April 17, 2024)
Wicklander-Zulawski & Associates (WZ), an international training firm, is proud to announce the promotion of Brett L. Ward, CFI, to the role of Senior VP of Client Relations and Business Development. This role is an expansion of Ward’s previous responsibilities to include leadership over the WZ Business Development team in both the public and private sector divisions.
Brett L. Ward, CFI, has been a member of the WZ team since 1998, contributing in a variety of ways to the success of the organization and, most importantly, to the education of investigators across the globe. Ward, a highly requested instructor at WZ, has conducted hundreds of training seminars, keynote presentations, and one-on-one consulting sessions over the last two decades. He has had the ability to educate practitioners in law enforcement, federal agencies, loss prevention, legal professionals, auditors, and dozens of other verticals. Ward has also worked to support our human resources, employee relations, ethics, people and culture, and talent development professionals as he led the marketability of WZ’s customized training programs for this portion of the industry.
Shane Sturman, CEO, shared his excitement for the organization, “Ward’s dedication, work ethic, and passion for training and education has been well established over his 26 years with WZ. We are excited about his expanded role and confident his leadership will be instrumental in achieving our company’s vision of growth through professional relationships.”
Ward’s most recent role centered on relationship building and business development within the private sector. In addition to that role, Ward has also been responsible for conducting dozens of training programs annually – further building relationships with the community while spreading the knowledge of evidence-based practices. With the additional task of supporting our public-sector partners in law enforcement and state or federal agencies, Ward will be dedicating most of his time to relationship-building, meetings, and leading his team. Ward, who is known for rolling up his sleeves, will still be in the field working directly with investigators but will now have a reduced capacity to lead full-length training programs.
“Looking forward to the challenge of this final chapter of a truly blessed career with WZ. Somewhat of a ‘coming home’ after spending the vast majority of my first decade working within the law enforcement vertical. Personal and professional growth often comes with sacrifice, and although my time will lean away from something I truly love – speaking, I will remain a liaison and in contact with the hundreds of organizations and departments I’ve been fortunate enough to work with over the last 26 years with WZ. I have a great team, and together we’re going to continue to move the needle of advancement on education in moral and ethical investigative interviewing.” said Ward regarding this new venture.
The WZ Business Development team continues to build strong relationships with the investigative community. Within this team, Kole Cluxton continues to partner as a liaison and client relationship representative with private sector organizations, working diligently to listen to the field and deliver on expected objectives. Additionally, Kelly Pate continues working with our law enforcement partners in co-sponsored training programs and builds long-term relationships to provide value to their needs. Jake Alba, the newest addition to the WZ team, is focused on outreach to law enforcement or federal agencies to develop contractual or customized training sessions.
“Ward has been an established leader in this community for several years. The opportunity for him to focus on building relationships while leading our client relations team will allow us to have a more unified voice and presence in the industry,” says Dave Thompson, President of WZ.
About Wicklander-Zulawski: Wicklander-Zulawski has been a global leader in the field of investigative interviewing and interrogation techniques since 1982. With a commitment to providing the most effective and ethical interview strategies, Wicklander-Zulawski has trained professionals from various industries worldwide. Their techniques have proven invaluable for obtaining accurate information while preserving relationships.
