Jason Guthaus · Principal Consultant
The Person
Behind the Plan
Local expertise. National-standard rigor. Built for the people Michigan depends on.
A Message From Jason Guthaus, Principal Consultant
Preparedness is not about fear. It is about capability.
For more than twenty years, I have worked across the public safety and emergency management landscape: State Emergency Operations Center response, FEMA grant administration, state-level school safety development and leadership, K-12 school and college campus safety, and direct service to schools, churches, nonprofits, and local organizations throughout Michigan. In every one of those roles, I saw the same pattern. People cared deeply about safety, but lacked trusted partnerships and a clear understanding of their facility’s vulnerabilities and their organization’s capabilities.
Not because they did not want to understand, but because traditional consulting is expensive, disruptive, and often out of reach. And because the people tasked with emergency preparedness and planning for the organization often are not emergency management professionals themselves.
I built Ascendant Security Standards to close that gap.
My goal is simple. I want to give you a clear, honest picture of where your facility and organization stands and what it would take to close the gaps. No alarmism. No jargon. Just capability, grounded in recognized standards rather than opinion and fear. Every engagement is measured the same way: is your organization more capable now than before we started?
Our work draws on CPTED principles, ASIS International standards and guidance, NFPA Life Safety Codes, and Michigan‑specific requirements. Having worked in school systems, local and state law enforcement, and the private sector in Michigan means I understand the landscape, the legislation, and the local context, especially the school safety requirements under P.A. 451 of 1976 and the Michigan School Safety Commission and Office of School Safety. Many districts are still working to meet these requirements; and nonprofits, faith-based organizations, and local businesses often do not know where to begin. I have seen firsthand how overwhelming that can feel.
This is not a national template applied locally. It is local expertise and firsthand experience delivered with national‑standard rigor.
Whether your engagement stays remote or brings me on site, my commitment is the same. I want to make real expertise reachable, practical, and genuinely useful for the people responsible for keeping others safe.
Why I Built Ascendant.
For years, I watched organizations struggle with a simple truth. They cared deeply about safety, but the tools available to them were either too expensive, too disruptive, or too disconnected from their real operating environment. Administrators, executives, principals, pastors, security leaders, and owners were being asked to make high‑stakes decisions without access to clear, grounded, relevant information about preparedness and hazard mitigation.
I built Ascendant Security Standards to change that.
My goal was to create a model that delivers the same rigor as a large security firm, but in a way that respects your time, your budget, and the realities of your day‑to‑day responsibilities. A model that gives you clarity without disruption, capability without overwhelm, and a roadmap that feels achievable rather than theoretical. A partnership with someone that has real, applicable experience from working in classrooms, on school and college campuses, with small businesses, and for nonprofit and faith-based organizations.
Ascendant exists because preparedness should not be out of reach. It should be accessible, practical, and built for the people who carry responsibility for others every single day.
My Commitment to You
When you trust me with your facility, your staff, or your students, I take that responsibility seriously. My commitment is simple.
Clarity over complexity. You will receive findings and recommendations that are honest, direct, and grounded in standards rather than jargon or fear.
Capability over compliance. Meeting statutory requirements matters, but true preparedness is about strengthening your organization, not just checking boxes.
Respect for your reality. Every recommendation is shaped by your actual operating context rather than products and services pushed by vendors and manufacturers.
Partnership over transactions. Whether your engagement is remote or on site, I am here to support you before, during, and after your selected service.
Preparedness is not a one‑time event. It is a capability we build together and align with the ongoing needs of your organization.
Thank you for considering Ascendant Security Standards. I look forward to partnering with you.
Jason Guthaus, BS, MA, PEM
Principal Consultant
Ascendant Security Standards
Ready to Know Where You Stand?
Start your assessment today and have a comprehensive report in hand within the week. Or schedule time with us to learn more about your investment before you begin. We are here to partner with you each step of the way.