We are masters at our own game. We lead with a contagious level of vigilance, respect, integrity, and trust that connects our experienced community to those who trust us to lead theirs towards triumph. We prioritize involvement, initiative, and integrity because we know that trust is never given—only earned.
Leadership Team
Leadership is led by the courage of respect. It is the ability to deliver purpose and direction to those who need it through high level mastery and experience. The reach of GardaWorld Federal's leadership team extends further than mere surface level direction and management; our ability, vigilance, and skill become trusted pillars of loyalty that our people are proud to follow.
Pete Dordal Jr.
President
Pete Dordal Jr. is President of GardaWorld Federal Services and an accomplished business leader with over 40 years of experience gained in the U.S. military, private and public security, the intelligence community, and entrepreneurial commercial endeavors. He's been a senior executive at GardaWorld since 2008, having served in a number of progressive operational and leadership roles.
Pete joined GardaWorld from service with a select US government agency, where he provided highly specialized risk management services supporting the Global War on Terror. Earlier, Pete was the Director of Corporate Security at SPX Corporation, a multi-industrial Fortune 500 company, where he oversaw the security and risk management of 24,000 employees operating in 23 countries. In a dual role he was also the President of SPX Security & Investigations, a commercial business unit that provided a range of security and investigative services to global corporate customers, the U.S. government, and other friendly foreign nations. In 1995, Pete founded The Potomac Group & Associates (PG&A), a boutique international security firm he grew into a multi-million dollar business and sold five years later to SPX Corporation.
He entered the private security industry in 1989 with Vance International, the premier executive protection and high-end security consultancy of its time. His professional career began in 1981 with his enlistment in the U.S. Marine Corps, where he served eight years in special operations and training.
Pete has a master's degree in Business from the McColl Graduate School of Business, and a degree in Security Administration. He is also a graduate of the Harvard Kennedy School of Government International Security Program. Pete sits on the boards of the Kaba Mas, LLC, the US-Libya Business Association (USLBA) and the Business Executives for National Security (BENS).
Matthew Daake is the Chief Financial Officer at GardaWorld Federal. He is the senior executive responsible for all finance activities.
Matthew has over 20 years of Financial Analysis and Planning experience within the government contracting industry. Prior to joining GardaWorld, Matthew worked at AECOM acting as Director of Finance for their Federal Services division, responsible for financial planning, management, and analysis over a worldwide project portfolio.
Matthew is a graduate of University of Nebraska at Omaha with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Finance, Commercial Banking, Business Investment and Portfolio Management.
Mark DeWitt is the Chief Legal Officer, General Counsel & Secretary for GardaWorld Federal Services. He is the senior executive responsible for legal, compliance, contracts, and risk management.
Mark’s career spans 20 years working both in private practice and as in-house legal counsel. Prior to joining GardaWorld, Mark was Associate General Counsel at Booz Allen Hamilton, where he supported key business accounts in the defense and intelligence sectors that totaled $1B+ in revenue, and also assisted in the firm’s government relations efforts, meeting with members of Congress and working with various industry associations on key legislative issues. Mark also spent nine years as Vice President & Deputy General Counsel at Triple Canopy, where he oversaw legal, contracts, compliance, and government relations matters. Mark started his career in private practice, where he spent 8 years working at two leading Washington D.C. law firms, specializing in government contracting, procurement policy and legislation, compliance, and international law.
Mark holds a B.S. degree from the Pennsylvania State University in Finance and International Business, and a Juris Doctor degree from the Columbus School of Law, the Catholic University of America, in Washington, D.C., with a specialty certificate in International Law. Mark previously served on the Board of the International Stability Operations Association (ISOA), including a term as Vice-Chair and Chair. He also was a key participant in the drafting of the International Code of Conduct for Private Security Service Providers (ICoC), and was elected as the representative for U.S. industry to the ICoC Temporary Steering Committee, and subsequently to the Board of Directors of the ICoC Association, a multi-stakeholder organization based in Geneva, Switzerland. A frequent speaker and panelist, Mark is considered a leading industry legal expert on U.S contingency contracting and the role of private security providers operating in complex environments.
Dave Watson is the Senior Vice President of Contracts for GardaWorld Federal. He is responsible for the contracts administration and procurement activities of the organization.
Dave has been working in the federal contracting arena for over 30 years, almost exclusively in the areas of contract administration, procurement and pricing. Prior to joining GardaWorld, Dave held leadership positions with several federal contractors, most recently with AECOM and URS.
Dave holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from The Catholic University of America and has completed various graduate courses and programs specific to the areas of contract administration and procurement.
Jonathan Wilcoxon is the Vice President of Global Staffing at GardaWorld Federal. He is responsible for the complete staffing process, including recruitment and deployment of U.S., third country nationals, and local national personnel on all active contracts worldwide.
Jonathan has more than 15 years of experience in managing recruiting operations for U.S. Government contracting and commercial partners. He has overseen compliance with complex contract requirements such as arming authorization, security clearances, and specialized certifications. He has supported recruitment and deployment operations for personnel in 16 countries for contracts performed in the U.S., Europe, the Caribbean, the Middle East, Asia, and Africa.
Jonathan has obtained multiple certifications through AIRS, which sets the industry standard for recruitment operations. He attended Strayer University for Business Management.
Debbie Ray is the Vice President of Finance at GardaWorld Federal. She joined GardaWorld in 2006 and is responsible for the management of the finance, accounting, and payroll functions.
Prior to joining GardaWorld, Debbie worked in public accounting, security consulting and other professional services where she has been successful in the development and management of accounting departments, personnel and corporate policies and procedures.
Debbie attended Polk State College and majored in Accounting.
Matthew Twigg is the Vice President of Operations (DoS) of GardaWorld Federal Services overseeing the operations of the U.S. Embassy Kabul Security Forces.
He is a career security professional with over 27 years of extensive training and operational experience gained in law enforcement, private and public security. He’s been a senior manager in support of Department of State security services since 2007.
Matt began service in support of Diplomatic Security in 2004 in support of the U.S. Embassy, Baghdad with the close protection of Ambassadors Negroponte, Jeffrey, Khalilzad, and Crocker; ultimately, becoming the Project Manager of all U.S. Embassy Baghdad mobile security forces to include aviation, close protection, and emergency response teams. Prior to coming to GWFS, Matt was also responsible for the operations and security provision of 3,000 personnel performing force protection in support of the Department of State at U.S. Embassy Baghdad, Iraq. Previously, Matt is seasoned law enforcement professional with fifteen years specialization in weapons and tactics, training, and investigations. In service to the U.S. government, he resided in Iraq from 2003 to 2010.
Matt is a graduate of Coastal Carolina University and holds a degree in Interdisciplinary Studies with a focus on Business Management and Psychology.
Scott Elliott is the Vice President of Sales, Marketing & Capture for GardaWorld Federal Services. He is responsible for overseeing sales, capture, marketing, and growth efforts for all business verticals.
Scott has over 18 years of experience in the defense sector in support of national security and humanitarian efforts. Since joining GardaWorld in December of 2013, Scott has served in various operational leadership and business development roles.
Prior to joining GardaWorld, Scott held leadership positions with top firms specializing in Government Services and has led business development and program delivery efforts across North America, Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. Scott is a United States Marine Corps veteran and brings both military and private sector leadership expertise to the GardaWorld family. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from the Dr. Wallace E. Boston School of Business at American Public University.
Drew Ahearn is the Vice President of Proposal Development and Pricing. He is responsible for the proposal and pricing activities of the organization and oversees the management and development of proposals across all business verticals.
Drew has over 15 years of experience leading pricing and proposal efforts for new business pursuits and driving organizational growth in both government contracting and commercial industries. Prior to joining GardaWorld in 2016, Drew held various leadership roles in finance and pricing at multiple federal contracting organizations encompassing an extensive scope of service offerings. Most recently at Engility Corporation, he served as the Federal Civilian Account Lead developing competitive pricing and capture strategies for large opportunities identified as corporate priorities.
Drew is a graduate of the University of Delaware with a Bachelor’s degree in Business with a concentration in Finance and Economics.
Virginia Cleveland is the Director of Human Resources for GardaWorld Federal Services. She is responsible for supporting all business operations by overseeing HR Management and department operations by ensuring compliance with HR laws and regulations.
Prior to joining GardaWorld, Virginia’s Human Resources career encompassed over 17 years in the Human Resources field. She is an accomplished Human Resources professional with proven expertise in policy and procedure, personnel development, union avoidance, labor and employee relations, contract negotiations, arbitrations, and benefit programs. Her passion for people can be seen through her work with her employees.
Board of Directors
Mastery is delivered through accountability, experience, and a fierce loyalty to the cause. GardaWorld Federal Services' board of directors maintains relevance to our core mission of delivering trusted and turnkey medical, security and response logistics services at home and abroad. This strategic dedication directs future impact to our long-term vision of anytime, anywhere success.
Dr. Cavaiola is President of Cavaiola & Associates, a consulting and advisory services company focusing on the defense and security sectors, as well as corporate leadership and management. He serves on a number of company boards of directors, including board and committee leadership positions.
Dr. Cavaiola has more than 25 years of senior executive-level experience in the defense and security industry and served as Deputy Undersecretary of Defense and Special Assistant to the Secretary and Deputy Secretary of Defense after distinguished careers in both the Navy and as Deputy Staff Director of the House Armed Services Committee. He served for more than 20 years as a member of the Chief of Naval Operations Executive Panel and is a recipient of the Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public Service and the Department of the Navy Superior Public Service medal.
Dr. Cavaiola graduated with distinction from the U.S. Naval Academy and earned a Ph.D. in Operations Research from Johns Hopkins University.
Named Entrepreneur of the Decade by Profit Magazine in 2011 as one of eleven remarkable Canadian CEOs, Stephan Crétier is the founder, chairman, president and CEO of GardaWorld Security Corporation, a $5 billion integrated security services provider with more than 132,000 dedicated professionals operating worldwide.
Stephan Crétier founded GardaWorld in 1995 with an investment of $25,000 from a second mortgage on his house and grew it to become one of the largest global security providers. Today, GardaWorld is a renowned global champion not only in security services and cash automation solutions, but also in integrated risk management. Driven by his relentless entrepreneurial spirit, Crétier is always on the lookout for ways to grow his company’s reach and showcase Canada’s expertise abroad.
He extended his influence within the industry when he became the first Canadian appointed to the Board of Directors of the International Security League (2010-2021). Additionally, he plays an active role as a board member of several organizations, including the Hirshhorn Museum, a Smithsonian institution based in Washington, DC.
Active in the community, Crétier has presided over numerous successful charity events and in December of 2012, he received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal.
Pete joined GardaWorld from service with a select US government agency, where he provided highly specialized risk management services supporting the Global War on Terror. Earlier, Pete was the Director of Corporate Security at SPX Corporation, a multi-industrial Fortune 500 company, where he oversaw the security and risk management of 24,000 employees operating in 23 countries. In a dual role he was also the President of SPX Security & Investigations, a commercial business unit that provided a range of security and investigative services to global corporate customers, the U.S. government, and other friendly foreign nations. In 1995, Pete founded The Potomac Group & Associates (PG&A), a boutique international security firm he grew into a multi-million dollar business and sold five years later to SPX Corporation.
He entered the private security industry in 1989 with Vance International, the premier executive protection and high-end security consultancy of its time. His professional career began in 1981 with his enlistment in the U.S. Marine Corps, where he served eight years in special operations and training.
Pete has a master’s degree in Business from the McColl Graduate School of Business, and a degree in Security Administration. He is also a graduate of the Harvard Kennedy School of Government International Security Program. Pete sits on the boards of the Kaba Mas, LLC, the US-Libya Business Association (USLBA) and the Business Executives for National Security (BENS).
Doug Allison serves as Senior Executive Vice President and Managing Director for Xator Corporation, where he leads 3 divisions and has commercially and financially stabilized the $100 Million training business portfolio of the company following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Previously, Doug was a Senior Special Agent with the Bureau of Diplomatic Security (DS) for the U.S. Department of State and has over 28 years of service in overseas and domestic assignments. He served as Deputy Assistant Secretary (DAS) for High Threat Programs (HTP) Directorate where he was responsible for the oversight and management of the Regional Security Officers at 30 high-threat, high-risk posts.
Doug graduated from Bridgewater College with a bachelor’s degree in Economics and Business Administration. He received a master’s degree in International Commerce and Public Policy from George Mason University, and a master’s degree from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces, National Defense University in Strategic Resource Allocation. Doug is the recipient of several State Department awards, including Meritorious, Superior, and Special Agent of the Year awards.
Jean-Michel Filiatrault is Senior Vice President, Corporate Development, supporting GardaWorld’s mergers & acquisitions and corporate financings projects, as well as other strategic initiatives since 2013. In his role, Jean-Michel is responsible for leading project execution across our different segments and geographies, and coordinating any related work streams, including market assessment, opportunity sourcing, comprehensive due diligence and contract negotiation.
Before joining GardaWorld, Jean-Michel was Associate Director at UBS Securities Canada, advising on and executing a wide range of financing and merger transactions for clients such as Bombardier, la Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec, Alimentation Couche-Tard, BRP and GardaWorld.
Furthermore, he is a member of the CHU Sainte-Justine Foundation’s Young Leaders Circle since 2010. More recently Jean-Michel joined the Board of Directors of the Foundation of Stars, an organization founded over 40 years ago with the mission to support research into children’s diseases.
Jean-Michel holds an undergraduate degree in Finance from McGill University.
Eric Olson is an independent consultant who supports a wide range of private and public sector organizations. Currently, he serves as a member of the Board of Directors of several publicly traded and privately held companies as well as charitable organizations.
Eric retired from the United States Navy as an Admiral in 2011 after more than 38 years of military service. A Navy SEAL officer, he served in special operations units throughout his career, was engaged in several contingency operations, and commanded at every level. He received numerous U.S. and foreign military decorations.
Eric’s military career culminated as the head of the United States Special Operations Command where he was responsible for the mission readiness and deployment of all Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps special operations forces. In this capacity, he led over 60,000 people and managed an annual budget in excess of ten billion dollars.
Eric was named as a distinguished graduate of the United States Naval Academy and Naval Postgraduate School. He is a designated specialist in the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia.
Patrick Prince is the Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at GardaWorld Security, where he has brought more than twenty-five years of experience as CFO and senior executive since joining the company in 2009. Patrick is a seasoned finance professional with a proven track record of expanding and accelerating business growth that have contributed to exponentially increasing sales and profits.
Based in Montreal, Patrick oversees all financial aspects of GardaWorld’s international operations. He has negotiated and headed many financing deals, including the privatization of the company with Apax Partners in 2012 and the sale of Apax’s stake to Rhone Capital in 2016. These operations led to the acquisition of Rhone’s shares by BC Partners in 2019, which was the largest private acquisition in Canadian history and ensured GardaWorld’s competitive advantage, allowing the company to continue its superb entrepreneurial success story.
Prior to joining GardaWorld, Patrick held several leadership roles, including serving for ten years as CFO of Air Liquide Canada, where he handled several acquisitions and sat on Air Liquide Canada’s Board of Directors. Under his guidance, the multinational doubled its sales and tripled its profits. More recently, Patrick acted as Executive Vice President and General Manager of the Induspac Group, where he oversaw an important expansion and was responsible for launching five facilities in Mexico and three in Europe. Earlier in his career, he held auditing management positions at Ernst and Young and KPMG.
Patrick received a bachelor’s degree in business administration from HEC Montreal and is a chartered professional accountant. With his expertise in finance and his leadership skills, Patrick has played a crucial role in GardaWorld’s growth and success, and he continues to be a valuable member of the company’s leadership team.
John Sano is the former Deputy Director of the Central Intelligence Agency’s National Clandestine Service (NCS), having served in the CIA for 28 years. After retiring from the CIA, John spent 6 years as a Senior Director with Cisco Systems and is currently a professor of intelligence at both the Institute of World Politics and Johns Hopkins University in Washington, D.C. He is also Vice President of the Association of Former Intelligence Officers as well as a Senior Advisor with the Chertoff Group in Washington, D.C.
Prior to his government service, John earned a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and a Master’s in Asian Studies from St. John’s University in New York, as well as a Master of International Affairs from Columbia University.
