Pohlad Companies Safeguards Over 35 Locations Globally With AlertMedia

Pohlad Companies Implements an Adaptable Security Solution Fit for Every Business in Its Portfolio

Founded by Carl Pohlad in the 1950s, Minneapolis-based Pohlad Companies is a family-owned holding company with interests in various industries, from sports and entertainment to commercial real estate, engineering, and more. One of the most well-known names in the company’s portfolio is the Minnesota Twins Major League Baseball team, which Pohlad Companies purchased in 1984. More recently, it acquired PAR Systems, a global leader with over 60 years of experience in intelligent manufacturing for the aerospace, nuclear, and life sciences industries.

Pohlad Companies has a strong presence in the U.S. and locations in Western Europe, the Dominican Republic, and more. Even with this global reach, Pohlad Companies maintains deep roots in the Twin Cities and is committed to making its employees—locally and globally—feel safe and secure about where they work. With a diverse range of organizations and over 3,000 employees to protect, Pohlad Companies needed to ensure it could effectively identify threats and communicate with employees, regardless of industry or location.

After evaluating several emergency communication platforms, Pohlad Companies chose AlertMedia for its reliability, adaptability, and ease of use. With AlertMedia, Pohlad Companies has equipped the organizations it owns with the threat intelligence and emergency communication capabilities they need to keep their people safe, informed, and connected during any kind of crisis.

Meeting the Unique Security and Communication Requirements of Diverse Businesses

When Mike Goldstein assumed the role of Vice President of Security and Information Technology at Pohlad Companies in 2021, he noticed a critical gap: The company relied on a rudimentary text-based notification system to communicate with employees during critical events. “While our previous emergency communication platform was simple to operate, it only offered one-way messaging,” says Goldstein. “Effective emergency communication demands a two-way channel so we can promptly respond to the needs of those we’re here to protect.”

Before Goldstein joined Pohlad Companies, there wasn’t a dedicated security team; however, Goldstein quickly created a small core security team and expanded it to include representatives from each operating company in the Pohlad Companies portfolio.

This team developed a strategic plan to implement a security solution suited to the parent company’s overall needs and each business’s nuanced safety and security requirements. “Emergency communication solutions are not one-size-fits-all—what works for one company may not fit another,” says Goldstein. They needed a system that allowed different security teams to collaborate and apply best practices across the broader enterprise. A case in point comes from two of Pohlad Companies’ best-known holdings: the Minnesota Twins and PAR Systems.

Major league security: Protecting the Minnesota Twins

Ensuring the safety of a Major League Baseball team’s players, fans, and staff is a huge undertaking. “The Minnesota Twins have to consider everything that goes along with hosting public events at our home and spring training ballparks—from fire and police protection to security and guest services,” explains Goldstein. “It’s making sure people are comfortable, that they feel safe, and that we have the right plans in place to respond to something that might occur inside or adjacent to the ballpark.”

To achieve this, Jeff Beahen, the Twins’ Senior Director of Security, employs a dynamic approach to preparedness that is flexible enough to manage any threat. “There are things set in stone that aren’t going to change: the buildings around Target Stadium, the rail line, and the freeway. But the people and security challenges change day to day and sometimes even hour to hour,” he says. “And that’s where we really have to stay ahead of the game.”

Additionally, out of the 162 games the Minnesota Twins play each year, 81 are away games, meaning Beahen and his security team need rapid access to relevant, localized threat intelligence as the players travel around the country.

While the Minnesota Twins had used an emergency communication platform in the past, the vendor went out of business, and the Twins needed an alternative—fast.

Engineering security excellence at PAR Systems

PAR Systems, on the other hand, needed a solution to help navigate a different array of threats. The organization designs and builds custom manufacturing solutions, with notable projects ranging from placing a robotic handling crane within the sarcophagus of the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant to creating the designs and technology used to support commercial space launches.

“We contract for Fortune 100 companies and government organizations such as the U.S. Department of Defense, and they often have specific security and quality control regulations we must adhere to,” says Luke Roloff, Senior Risk Manager at PAR Systems. “We needed a security solution flexible enough to meet these strict contractual obligations.”

“At PAR Systems, an emergency could be an enterprise-level risk like a cyberattack or a utility outage,” says Roloff. “It could also be a project-related emergency like a shipping delay or severe weather causing flight cancellations.” While occupational safety has been baked into the PAR Systems culture for decades, Roloff also wanted to drive the safety culture forward and enhance emergency preparedness.

Finding a single solution for every security challenge

With an extensive law enforcement background spanning three decades—including 17 years as a chief of police—Goldstein was keenly aware of the importance of a reliable, fit-for-purpose emergency communication solution at Pohlad Companies.

Goldstein began the search for an emergency communication system that could meet the varying needs of Pohlad Companies’ operating companies. “We needed an adaptable, reliable, and scalable security solution that could flex to meet the unique challenges and security maturity levels of the 35-plus locations operating under the Pohlad Companies umbrella,” he says.

Implementing a Robust Solution That Is Reliable and Easy to Use

When looking for an emergency communication solution, Pohlad Companies narrowed its shortlist to three top contenders. Through demos and opportunities to interact with each provider’s employees, AlertMedia quickly rose to the top. “AlertMedia is incredibly stable and reliable. And above all, the customer service is second to none,” says Goldstein.

Once Pohlad Companies solidified its initial onboarding of AlertMedia, Goldstein says it was easy for all of Pohlad Companies’ operating companies to start using the software. “They had a very short period to bring in a new platform,” says Goldstein, “And AlertMedia could not have made it any easier for them to onboard rapidly.”

Goldstein’s team planned and supported the companies’ software implementation, ensuring all employees were prepared to function at the highest level, no matter their area of responsibility. “Whether at the holding company or the operating businesses, we never want a technology solution to get in the way of anybody’s work,” he explains. “Whenever we bring in a new service, we don’t want there to be any pain points.”

AlertMedia’s intuitive interface made this easy to achieve. “If a platform isn’t easy to use, people won’t use it, and we can’t afford for people not to use it,” says Goldstein. “The way AlertMedia is designed, you can train anybody to operate it with success. Sending out mass communications to 1,000 people can be intimidating, but AlertMedia makes it hard to get wrong. It gives us the confidence we need—and a solution our employees truly appreciate.”

Within the corporate environment, Pohlad Companies also uses AlertMedia during fire and active shooter drills. “We use the platform during drills to share information and direct people where they need to go,” says Goldstein. “The security team uses the survey feature to confirm people are in a safe location, or if not, find out where they are so they can direct authorities.”

Emergency drills allow the security team to get familiar with the platform and ensure other employees know what to expect and how to respond to notifications. “The simplicity of AlertMedia means there’s one less thing to worry about in the heat of the moment,” adds Goldstein. “We can open the application, select the pre-built template, click send, and know that all the intended recipients will get the message. It’s not just about saving time—it’s about maintaining clarity and control when every second counts.”

Fulfilling Their Security Charter With Integrated Threat Intelligence

Pohlad Companies is headquartered in Minneapolis but helps protect its companies distributed around the world. AlertMedia’s full-featured mobile app gives the security team a global reach and the ability to geofence areas around facility and employee locations. With targeted threat monitoring, Goldstein and his team can receive timely updates wherever they may be and quickly notify employees in the proximity of a potential threat. “The mobile app and geofencing capabilities of AlertMedia are two features I really don’t know how I’d operate without,” adds Goldstein.

“AlertMedia’s threat intelligence capabilities allow us to provide accurate, vetted information to employees about critical incidents—and ensure they know the difference between real threats and false alarms,” says Goldstein. With a solution that combines global threat intelligence alerts and reliable, two-way emergency communication into one easy-to-use platform, Pohlad Companies and its holdings can access the critical, time-sensitive information they need to protect their employees and facilities.

For example, when extreme weather affected a PAR Systems location in Brunswick, Georgia, Roloff could easily communicate with employees and advise them on steps they needed to take to stay safe. “During hurricane season, our team in Georgia experiences significant storms,” explains Roloff. “AlertMedia allows us to instantly communicate with every employee in the path of the storm, even when they’re at home, when the local infrastructure could be down, or when our server network could be down. Having that backup is vital.”

Giving Employees a Greater Sense of Safety and Security All Around the World

“With AlertMedia, we’ve given our people a greater sense of security and confidence in their capabilities to manage in an emergency,” says Goldstein. “Now, they understand better how to keep themselves safe—and they know that we have the technology to feed them accurate information very quickly.”

AlertMedia is more than just an emergency communication provider for Pohlad Companies—they’re a proactive partner responsive to Pohlad Companies’ expansive and evolving needs. “My experience working with AlertMedia’s customer support team has been outstanding—from the demo to sales and the onboarding process,” says Goldstein. “I was even invited to meet the development team based on some ideas we had, which have since been embedded into the platform. To be a newer customer and have your feedback and input taken so seriously, that doesn’t happen very often.”

“If there isn’t a strong partnership, I don’t care how good the technology is,” he says. “I want to work with people who I trust, are responsive, and roll up their sleeves to tackle any challenges we may encounter. AlertMedia has exemplified these qualities at every turn.”

From ensuring the safety of baseball fans to protecting employees during severe weather events, AlertMedia has become synonymous with security and peace of mind. As Mike Goldstein aptly puts it, “We couldn’t do our jobs without AlertMedia. I couldn’t be more pleased with the technology, the people, and the support we receive, and we’re eager to see where AlertMedia takes their innovation next.”