Page 7 - WBG July 2025

PRESIDENT’S

DESK

Members,

As I write this, we are only two months away from our Centennial
Conference in Chicago, Illinois. We are ecstatic about all the new things
that are taking place for this special event.

Presently, we have over 40 sponsors, 20 exhibitors, 25 sponsoring
associations, and are over 250+ attendees. In addition, we have over
a dozen speakers, 2 pre-conference events, NCISS’s annual meeting,
a killer welcome reception, boat cruise and 100th gala. If you have not
registered, I encourage you to do so now. We are filling up very quickly.
Chicago is a great city with lots of activity. The Drake Hotel, known by
many of you, is a historic venue not only to the city but, to WAD as well.

I can’t wait to see you all come back to Chicago where our beloved
association had its first meeting a 100 years ago. This will be a great
meeting that I hope you each will be at. We have some first-class
entertainment throughout the week including Jeffrey Simon, the
author of The Bulldog Detective, a historic novel about our first WAD
president, the Duluth Transit Authority, a Chicago style band, and
our 1920s themed Welcome Reception (with some surprises too!!!).
If you haven’t checked out the conference website please do so at
https://wad100conf.net/.

See you in Chicago!!!

Wes Bearden

President
World Association of Detectives.

“A Global Alliance of Investigators and Security Professionals”

www.wad.net | Ocktober 2025 5