A New York-based security firm celebrated the grand opening of its first satellite location in Flushing.
Empire Security & Protection cut the ribbon on its new Queens headquarters at 70-64 Kissena Blvd. on Friday, Sept. 12.
Attendees included Brendan Levy of the Queens Chamber of Commerce, Council Member Sandra Ung and representatives of the Dominican Chamber of Commerce.
In addition to celebrating the expansion of its Flushing operations, Joel Pennyfeather, CEO and founder of Empire, announced the development of the Empire Training Group, a training facility opening in Jamaica. They also celebrated their recent certification as a Minority Business Enterprise.
The Empire Training Group is a new, in-house training hub that will provide comprehensive workforce development and professional advancement opportunities for New Yorkers interested in the security field. Trainees will receive an initial guard licensure course, license renewal classes, instructor certification programs, and workshops mirroring real-life situations and practices related to site safety and de-escalation strategies.
Founded over 20 years ago, Empire Security and Protection began at Pennyfeather’s kitchen table.
“It started as a vision and became a reality,” said Pennyfeather. “It was all about tenacity. We were at that kitchen table, my office was my car, we didn’t even have a brick-and-mortar, and it was about getting the trust of the security guards to work for me when I didn’t even have an office.”
Pennyfeather, who is Dominican-American, has built a name for himself throughout the boroughs as the owner of a local security enterprise.
Since 2003, Pennyfeather has been in the security field. He started working in nightclubs as a security guard, with dreams of creating a scalable business for himself and for those who wanted a different career path. His firm has notably worked security for 50 Cent, the Tribeca Film Festival, the MTV awards and more. He said, however, that local contracts are just as important, if not more.
“Everybody wants that, but it’s more about sustaining contracts and sustaining longevity, and that’s why my day-to-day contracts are more important to me,” he said.
Pennyfeather said that he decided to locate his headquarters in Queens due to his established relationship with the borough.
“I love Queens due to the fact that they gave me my start. I am a Bronx kid at heart and I stafrted my career in the Bronx but as things progressed and shifted I got a job in Queens…and Queens became home honesty,” he said.
He added that he was motivated to be successful in memory of his mother, who immigrated to New York from the Dominican Republic in search of better opportunities.
“My mother passed away when I was seventeen… I didn’t want to make it where she didn’t come here in vain,” he said.
Penneyfeather said he is working with the Dominican Chamber of Commerce to strengthen the business relationship between the U.S. and the Dominican Republic.
Ung shared that she looked forward to Empire Security using their services to help small businesses in Flushing.
“There are a lot of small businesses in Flushing, and I think we all know a lot of them struggle with security issues, and that is one of the reasons why they are not as successful as they can be. A big thank you to [Empire Security], it will help small businesses in that community and all communities to be successful,” she said.
