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Celebrity Security

St. Paul entrepreneur turns protection into a career and a cause

Raised by a single mother in inner city Chicago, Elijah Shaw needed three jobs to fund his college education. He couldn’t have predicted at the time that one of those jobs, working security at a nightclub, would lead to successful company -and career. Some fifteen years later, Shaw is CEO of St. Paul-based Icon Services Corporation, a security and investigative firm specializing in executive and VIP protection.

With a diverse client roster that includes Usher, Naomi Campbell, And Ford Motor Co. among others, Shaw has developed the expertise to anticipate and minimize potential security threats all over the world. Shaw is also receiving calls from event planners for the 2008 Republican convention. What has been more rewarding to Shaw however is putting his knowledge to use in the Twin Cities by providing pro bono security services to local women’s shelters.

“Minnesota has been my home for over a decade, and it was time to give back,” Shaw said. “With our new program, ISC Safety Net, we can help some our most vulnerable neighbors get a fresh start. I knew that we could be a real asset to those shelters by providing an experience security eye. it’s rewarding, giving us a real sense of satisfaction and them a sense of security.”

source:  Minnesota Business Magazine

               October 2007