Victoria Smith with Gateway85 Community Improvement District

July 22, 2020 by Mike

Victoria Smith/Gateway85 Community Improvement District

Gateway85 Community Improvement District is the state’s largest CID and represents more than 550 business owners, accounting for more than $1 billion in commercial property value in Gwinnett County. The district has 3,000 businesses that employ more than 30,000 workers, making it one of metro Atlanta’s most important employment centers.

Gateway85 CID is focused on improving the bottom line of businesses within the district by using funds paid by the property owners in the form of added millage rate. Those funds are then used to update infrastructure like bridges and sidewalks, study mobility and logistics improvements, and enhance security and beautification efforts over its 14-square mile district along the I-85 corridor about one mile north of I-285.

Rick Strawn serves as the President and CEO of Paradigm Security Services and Strawn Security Services. He retired from law enforcement in 1998 after 25 years of service with the Atlanta Police Department. During those years, Rick worked in many assignments ranging from patrol to Detective Sergeant and Day Commander over the White Collared Crimes Unit.

Rick started Strawn Security Services in 1988 to provide services of top quality off-duty law enforcement personnel to major construction firms throughout Atlanta. The company also provided traffic control and security for executives. He developed one of the largest resources of dedicated state, county and municipal law enforcement officers and deputies available in Georgia.

In 2006, after years of establishing their reputation as a provider of highly trained law enforcement personnel and at the repeated request of their clients, Rick and his wife Susan formed Paradigm Security Services to provide those clients with professional unarmed uniformed and plain-clothes safety and security personnel.

Contact Info:

rick@paradigmsecurity.net