Security firm EPG hires 50 new employees

EPG Security Group said Friday that it is quadrupling its staff to 65 officers after getting a contract to handle all security needs for the Brick, a new Twin Cities music venue.

Officers will collect tickets, screen customers, provide physical security and usher in guests and performers. While most of the jobs are part-time, EPG expects that 35 to 40 of the positions will be moved to full-time as early as July.

The Minneapolis firm said that its customer service puts it ahead of its competitors. CEO Erik Bergling prefers brains over brawn and despises terms like "bouncer." Instead of getting a glare or grunt from an ID-checker, he said his employees greet guests like a venue's general manager would, Bergling said.

"We're very approachable. We're not that stereotypical bouncer," Bergling said. "We look at ourselves as safety hosts or ambassadors of the ownership and the management of the venue. We're going to represent them in the best light possible."

The muscular size of employees doesn't matter, Bergling said.

"Anybody can do this. It's all about personal presence and how you carry yourself," Bergling said. "I've had outstanding agents, anyone from a 5-foot-4 male to a 6-foot female and anything in between. It really doesn't matter at all."

EPG's emphasis on customer service helped it land the contract for the Brick. Jeff Kehr, the Brick's general manager, said the venue wanted to give customers an intimate music experience and since security personnel are the first to interact with guests, it was important to choose a firm that was customer-oriented.

In the last few years, night clubs have been more careful in hiring, said Jeff Flint, executive director of the National Association of Security Companies. Lawsuits filed against bouncers who beat up on customers, forced venues to the to focus more on the overall customer experience and less on intimidation.

"You had to be a big muscle-bound guy," Flint said. "Now, it's you have to look professional and treat the customer professionally."

EPG was founded in 2007 by Bergling, who was in the Marine Corps. Gross revenues at the firm last year were about $450,000. The new contract is expected to help double that to $1 million this year.

EPG's clients include a number of Twin Cities venues such as Brave New Workshop's comedy theater and Cara Irish Pubs, which owns Kieran's Irish Pub, the Local, Cooper and the Liffey. The firm has also worked events at the 2008 Republican National Convention in the Twin Cities and provided services during President Obama's inauguration.

It was first known as Entertainment Protection Group, but has since branched out to provide security for the hospitality industry, political leaders and executives. It also does private investigations.