top of page
66AF36A1-06C0-4614-9BDD-938A24C32EC3 (1).PNG
ChatGPT Image Jan 30, 2026, 01_48_27 AM.png
ChatGPT Image Jan 30, 2026, 11_19_46 AM.png

Washington D.C.

James R. Levine
Founder / CEO

Our Founding, Our Journey

Levine Executive Operations is built on decades of real-world experience in law enforcement, executive protection, and security leadership. It is not the product of trend-driven security thinking, but the evolution of a career spent protecting people, places, and institutions where failure was never an option. That journey begins with Jim Levine.
 

Jim’s foundation in public safety was shaped by both education and frontline service. He earned a Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice from Kent State University and went on to serve with the Arlington County Police Department in Northern Virginia, one of the most complex law-enforcement environments in the country. During his tenure, he was selected to serve as a SWAT officer, operating in high-risk, time-sensitive situations that demanded precision, discipline, and sound judgment under pressure. Those years formed the law-enforcement backbone that continues to define his approach to protective operations.
 

Before private-sector executive protection had structure or uniform standards, Jim helped build them. As a co-founder of Vance International, he was at the forefront of shaping what professional executive protection would become. Under his leadership, the firm supported sensitive protective assignments involving government facilities, foreign dignitaries, corporate leaders, and critical infrastructure during periods of national significance. The disciplined, intelligence-led, low-profile protection models developed during the Vance years set benchmarks that still influence the industry today.
 

Following the sale of Vance International in 2008, Jim continued his commitment to public safety through law enforcement and institutional security leadership. He founded the Dignitary Protection Unit at Case Western Reserve University, establishing professional protective capabilities for visiting officials and senior leadership. He later founded Levine Security Solutions, expanding his work into vulnerability assessments, security consulting, and protective planning for corporations, houses of worship, educational institutions, and other traditionally soft targets. It was during this phase that Jim also developed the S.T.A.R.T. (School Transportation Active-Threat Response Training) program, extending law-enforcement threat recognition, decision-making, and response principles into civilian environments where trained security is rarely present but responsibility is exceptionally high.
 

Levine Executive Operations represents the modern evolution of that journey. Built on law-enforcement principles and decades of protective experience, L.E.O. delivers executive protection and security services defined by preparation rather than presence and intelligence rather than theatrics. Under Jim Levine’s executive authority, the organization operates with one standard: quiet professionalism, disciplined decision-making, and absolute respect for the responsibility that comes with protecting others.

“Real security isn’t built on equipment or titles — it’s built on people. The ones you trust without hesitation. The ones who show up, take ownership, and care deeply about the mission. When you surround yourself with the right people, everything else falls into place.”
~Jim Levine

LEO_logo_transparent.png

Levine Executive Operations 
Ohio PISGS# 20252100569056

35 East Gay Street, Columbus, Ohio 44235
216-245-3526

info@LevineExecutiveOperations.com

© 2026. All Rights Reserved

bottom of page