International Foundation for Protection Officers (IFPO) and Security Magazine have announced Dr. Victoria Omonigho Ekhomu as recipient of 2023 Bill Zalud Memorial Award for Professional Excellence. 
 
Inaugurated in 2017, the award recognises distinguished individuals and organisations in the security profession.
 
Wife of late security czar, Dr. Ona Ekhomu, was born in Igueben, Edo State. She is Group Managing Director/CEO of Transworld Security, a foremost asset protection company, and President of School of Management & Security.
 
Ekhomu is also President of Association of Security & Safety Operators of Nigeria (AISSON).

She is a member of ASIS Foundation Board of Trustees. The awardee was ASIS International’s African Advisory Council Chairman, where she presided over Africa.

She earlier served as Senior Regional Vice President for West, Central & Northern Africa for ASIS International from 2010 to 2015.

Mrs. Ekhomu was equally Regional Vice President for West and Central Africa from 2008 to 2010. She was also Chapter Chairman for ASIS, after having served as Programme Chairman and Secretary.
 
Ekhomu is the first Nigerian to be appointed to the Awards Committee of ASIS International. She was recognised by the ASIS Certification Board as a Certified Protection Professional (CPP) in 2005, making her the first female to earn the certification in Africa.
 
Victoria earned a Lifetime Achievement Award from ASIS 206 Lagos & ASIS Region 11. ASIS International is the world’s largest professional security body, with over 38,000 members.

Ekhomu earned the Women in Security Global Community Karen Marquez Honours Award in 2015, which recognises a female security professional, who has consistently worked for betterment of the security industry over the years.

Victoria was honoured with Certificate of Appointment as Ambassador for World Peace (AMB) by the United Nations in 2020. She is the African Representative of IFPO.

As a Certified Protection Officer (CPO) Instructor, she has earned the CPOI certification from IFPO.

Ekhomu is a Trustee of AISSON. She was conferred with the Honorary Doctor of Science Honoris Causa (D.Sc.) in Industrial Security, Risk Management & Corporate Governance by European-American University.

She holds a Master’s from the University of Pittsburgh and a Bachelor’s degree from University of Lagos.  

Victoria also has a Harvard Business School Certificate in Entrepreneurship and Emerging Economies.

Dame Ekhomu equally holds Advanced Management Certificate from Lagos Business School. She is a Certified Management Consultant (CMC) and was honoured as a Fellow of the Institute of Management Consultants (FIMC).

Ekhomu also has a Fellowship Award from Institute of Security, Nigeria (FISN). She is a Fellow of Nigerian Institute of Industrial Security (NIIS).

She equally possed a Fellowship from Institute of Criminal Justice and Criminology Administration.

Bill Zalud served in the U.S. Army for many years.  In 1987, Zalud became the editor of SECURITY MAGAZINE and SDM Magazine. He spent over three decades covering and shaping the security industry.  His knowledge of the industry, his readers, the advertisers of the publications and their products and services brought great value to his contributions. 
 
In 2009, Zalud became editor emeritus working with Editor Diane Ritchey.  He continued to undertake research, writing insightful articles, columns and blogs.  

He wrote the Zalud Report, a popular column about technology and industry trends, up until a few years ago.