Today we’d like to introduce you to Cory and Ashley Wenter.
Hi Cory and Ashley, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Meet Cory and Ashley Wenter—we are partners in business and life, navigating the entrepreneurial terrain and marriage hand in hand for the last 18 years. As a veteran with eight years in the United States Marine Corps and specialties in infantry, presidential security, and martial arts instruction, he brings a wealth of knowledge in safety and security to the table. His proficiency extends beyond the military, encompassing all facets of disaster planning, mitigation, response, and recovery. Cory has spent the last 17 years as the Strategic Director of Safety and Security for Wilshire Boulevard Temple, one of the largest Jewish synagogues in the country. In that time, he implemented cutting-edge safety and security measures. Using his specialized training with the USMC as well as with elite security forces in Israel, and being equipped with multiple certifications and advanced training from institutions such as the California Emergency Management Agency, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and the White House Military Office, Cory has become a formidable authority in the realm of emergency preparedness.
Meanwhile, a dedicated educator, Ashley infuses the partnership with her profound understanding of educational operations and dynamics and a commitment to fostering growth. Having served as a K-12 administrator, instructional coach, and secondary teacher, she possesses an intimate understanding of the multifaceted responsibilities carried by educators nationwide. Together, we are the driving force behind a bespoke consulting company, Pangaea Consulting, specializing in safety and security for schools and houses of worship. As co-owners, our synergy creates a harmonious blend of strategic thinking and nurturing guidance. In the ever-evolving landscape of our consultancy, our unique combination of skills enhances the services we provide. It sets a remarkable tone for collaborative success in our business and relationship.
Let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what challenges have you had to overcome?
Pangaea Consulting was created in 2010 out of necessity and passion: Cory was seeing school shootings and religious hate crimes increase and knew schools and houses of worship would need to continue to evolve to keep their communities safe. Without a background in business development, and while working a very full-time job as the Director of Safety and Security for a Jewish synagogue in Los Angeles, it came with many bumps in the road, but each one taught us something new about ourselves, our capabilities and the fantastic communities with which we serve. In times of crisis, we are the first call. One of the biggest lessons learned from this has been balancing providing support and solutions while finding time to recharge. This can be hard for us and our team – all of whom care deeply and have close relationships with each of our clients. This has also helped us reconsider how we have needed to build capacity within our team and bring on new employees whose expertise complements the work we do.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
From Cory: “After the Marine Corps, I entered an unfamiliar civilian world and began my career in safety and security for a Jewish institution with a synagogue, schools, and a larger community center. Throughout the last 17 years in this position, I have learned a lot about my profession, other cultures/religions, and what it means to keep people safe so they can authentically engage in their community (learning, growing, praying, playing) without fear. I am deeply proud of my work and feel a particular pride and calling to keep students safe so that they can attend school, develop curious minds and caring hearts, and not fear the worst. While my work has always felt purposeful, I was missing something for many years.
It took me a while to figure out that the bonds and brotherhood I developed in the military were a part of that vacancy. I created Pangaea Consulting to expand my work at the temple while also giving back to myself and my brothers in the military/first-responder community. Veterans and first responders are uniquely qualified to do this work because of their background, training, and experience. Not only are we the ones who run toward danger, but we also have an embedded desire to serve and seek to be a part of a community. Many of my fellow veterans are missing this when they leave the military and enter the civilian world, and it is a part of why so many struggle to re-integrate. While the issue is complex and multi-faceted, I am confident I can help make a difference to the veteran/first responder community and those at risk who need support improving their safety and security. ”
Pangaea Consulting provides specialized safety and security. We collaborate with businesses, homeowners, and private and public schools to develop, implement, and refine their emergency and safety programs. We are passionate about empowering our clients, from providing threat assessments and safety plans to delivering hands-on, comprehensive training.
The unparalleled level of expertise, as well as the close relationships we develop with our clients, is what sets us apart. We only take on purposeful work aligned with our company’s mission, which affords us depth and breadth with the organizations we support. Our mission is to create a safer future. We proudly empower our clients to be confident in their organization’s safety and security programming; they conduct their daily operations from a place of confidence and not fear. We can never prevent all tragedies from occurring, but we can prepare for them in very intentional and powerful ways.
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
Our team is incredible, and they deserve much credit for the work we do as an organization.
- Our Director of Security Technologies, Alejandra, oversees all physical, technical, and administrative controls for us and our clients. She supports security infrastructure, risk assessments, incident response and communications plans, security technologies, and more. She’s a powerful force who applies her passion to helping our clients develop and implement strategies to protect their organizations.
- Brian, who runs much of our operations, provides intimate support to our clients. He has both an analytical and creative mind and a supportive nature, which is helpful when providing practical solutions to our dynamic situations. Brian is an incredible problem-solver who takes great pride in supporting our clients through small and large challenges.
- Our Chief of Staff, Jeremiah, provides strategic support and operations management. He is one of our strategic advisors who helps to shape our organizational goals. His structured approach and remarkable leadership abilities ensure that we keep our priorities at the forefront of our work.
We also have several team members: full-time law enforcement officers, SWAT team members, and firefighters. They are a critical part of our team and provide exceptional training programs, from active shooter training to lesson learned and incident debriefs. Due to the nature of their work and to protect their anonymity, we don’t identify them by name, but we love them a lot. And, as cliche as it sounds, our clients deserve a lot of credit. For a significant amount of our work, our clients have to “show all of their cards” and make their vulnerabilities and weaknesses known to us so that we can help improve or mitigate them. That can be a very challenging task for an organization. We are so grateful that our clients are willing to go through this process to ensure their community’s safety is a top priority.
Contact Info:
- Website: pangaeaconsulting.org
- Instagram: @pangaeaconsulting
Image Credits
All photos were taken by Andrew Johnson Photography and Chris Dononhoe.
