Paul A. Guindon

Captain (N) Paul A. Guindon (Retired) served his country for more than 33 years in the Royal Canadian Navy, where he gained advanced knowledge of weapons, missile systems and a wide range of national security protocols. His leadership skills were strengthened during five command appointments.

In 2004, Paul transitioned to civilian life to become CEO of Commissionaires Ottawa. Under his leadership, the not-for-profit, private security company has quadrupled in size. It has also continually expanded and modernized its services—emerging as one of Ottawa’s largest private employers, a recognized market leader, and a repeat Consumer Choice Award winner for business excellence.

Throughout this period of unprecedented growth, the company has stayed true to its social mandate to promote the cause of commissionaires, many of whom are veterans, and to create meaningful employment opportunities for all of its employees.

Today, the company oversees the largest digital fingerprinting infrastructure in Canada, a full suite of background screening services, workplace investigations, threat risk assessments, and more.

Between 2018-2021, Paul led a series of acquisitions of four companies: ComNet Networks and Security Inc., DBP Systems, Extravision Security Technologies Inc. (Extravision), and ADGA Group Consultants Inc. (ADGA). DBP Systems and Extravision now operate as ComNet Networks and Security Inc. ADGA Group has retained its brand and operations. Moving forward in stride, Commissionaires Ottawa, ADGA and ComNet collectively offer a full spectrum of cyber, electronic and physical security solutions.

In the community, Paul has championed many social causes in support of veterans and military families. Within the past few years alone, Commissionaires Ottawa donated $1 million to the Multifaith Housing Initiative’s Veterans’ House project, a safe, secure home for veterans who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, located at the former site of CFB Rockcliffe.

In recent years, $1 million was donated to Perley’s Health’s Seniors Village, where up to 30% of the 139 units in the independent and assisted living apartments are reserved for Canadian Armed Forces veterans. Another $2 million was donated to Perley Health’s Centre of Excellence in Frailty-Informed Care to accelerate critical research and innovation in caring for Canada’s aging veterans and seniors. Other recipients of tens of thousands of dollars have included two Military Family Resource Centres, the Pepper Pod Retreat Centre for Women Veterans, and SportChek’s “Power of Sports 4 Kids” program.

Paul is a graduate of Dalhousie University in Halifax and Le collège interarmées de défense in Paris. He also obtained his Advanced Military Studies Course (AMSC) from the Military Command and Staff College in Toronto.

He is a past president and current member of the Association of Professional Security Agencies (APSA). He is also Chair of the National Business Management Committee (NBMC) representing all 15 divisions of the Canadian Corps of Commissionaires.