ISS Alumni Spotlight | Daniel Brunner
What are you currently doing professionally, and how are you applying what you learned in ISS in your current role or field?
Currently, I am the Chief Operating Officer for the Brunner Sierra Group, a company I co-founded with my wife. She is a forensic accountant who provides litigation support for attorneys worldwide, while I provide "white glove" security consulting for high-net-worth individuals and private family offices.
My approach is personal: I prefer to deal directly with the individual to tailor a "security bubble" around them, ensuring they are safe and secure. I generally avoid working with large corporations, as I prefer the one-on-one nature of private client work. In this role, I frequently assist clients who travel internationally by providing security assessments and identifying global risks. Additionally, I maintain a network of specialized companies that can provide emergency services at a moment's notice.
A recent example of this was the uprising in Mexico following the operation against El Mencho. As violence erupted across the country, many of my clients became concerned, and I coordinated extraction services for them. Beyond consulting, I am a regular contributor to various news outlets, including international television and radio stations in Mexico, Spain, Argentina, Chile, Canada, England, and Australia. I provide expert insight into major ongoing incidents or active FBI investigations.
What skills do you think are most important for students interested in pursuing a similar career path?
I believe there are several vital traits a student needs to pursue a career in either federal law enforcement or private security. Chief among them is the ability to multitask without getting "bogged down." You cannot afford to fixate on a single problem and lose focus on other emerging threats or situational changes. Hyper-focusing on one issue is dangerous; it can derail an entire operation simply because you lost sight of the bigger picture.
Can you share a project, course, or faculty interaction from ISS that had a lasting impact on you?
One of the things I treasure most about my time at the University of Arizona is my friendship with Col. Mike Burgoyne. Because we both share military and Latin American backgrounds, I was able to connect with him and truly appreciate his curriculum. His classes, especially those on Transnational Criminal Organizations, resonated with me, as that was my area of expertise as a Special Agent for the FBI.
What’s one piece of advice you wish you had received as an ISS student?
The best piece of advice I can provide any student is to always look at the bigger picture. Focus on your goals, identify the steps necessary to achieve them, and create a framework to execute that plan.
If you want to become an FBI Special Agent, determine what will make you stand out from the tens of thousands of other applicants. If you want to be a security consultant in the international realm, decide which region of the world you want to specialize in and take relevant language classes. I am a native Spanish speaker, and my ability to open doors in Latin America has increased exponentially because of that skill. Your first step should always be keeping your options open and defining your plan.