Launch of a new partnership with Blindside Risk Advisors and MAORCA

Many of our members have shared concerns about rising risks from shoplifting, organized retail crime, and employee theft. We also heard powerful insights at our Retail Matters Summit from our member Deepak Nachnani from Coastal Edge, Corporal Colgan Wilson (Hampton PD), and Attorney General ORC Director Angela Green, on how the risk landscape is changing for small retailers.

That’s why we are excited to announce new initiatives we are taking to support our members:

A new partnership with Blindside Risk Advisors* – a new small business consulting firm, from right here in Virginia, created specifically to help smaller format retailers face these challenges without the benefit of a corporate loss prevention department. Blindside’s team brings decades of experience working with some of the nation’s largest retailers, and now they are bringing that expertise directly to you.

Expanded partnership with the Mid-Atlantic Organized Retail Crime Alliance (aka MAORCA) – During our Retail Matters Summit, Corporal Wilson also highlighted the work of the Mid-Atlantic ORC Alliance – a 501(c)(4) nonprofit that unites law enforcement, retail, and prosecutors to address organized retail crime across the region.

What this means for Retail Alliance members:

Retail Risk Pulse (Monthly Assessment): Each month you’ll be invited to complete a short assessment on a key risk topic. This assessment will ask you key self-guided questions related to the risk topic, then Blindside Risk Advisors will send you tailored feedback and training tips for you and your staff related to the topic. The topics will change each month to stay relevant to your business. Click here for November’s Retail Risk Pulse.

Blindside Risk's Education Corner: Coupled with the monthly risk assessment, our members will receive free access to a monthly training topic, consisting of various topics throughout the year, after they complete the assessment. This will guide you in having inspection points and training talking points for your staff, to strengthen their awareness to mitigating risks.

Taking risk awareness even further, periodically Blindside Risk will send our members risk advisories – alerts you will want to be aware of. To sign up for the Risk Alert Network, click here!

Major Theft & ORC Support: If you experience a major theft or organized retail crime incident, Blindside Risk Advisors will provide a secure form to submit details (including subject and vehicle images) about the event and share the details directly with law enforcement and retail investigators with a goal of identifying and prosecuting the perpetrators. Blindside will review submissions, communicate with you directly and connect the information to law enforcement and retail investigators through the Virginia’s ORC Portal (which is limited to investigators).

This tool is intended for significant theft incidents such as organized retail crime, repeat offenders, or high-dollar thefts.

It is not intended for minor or isolated shoplifting incidents.

Blindside Risk Advisors will use its discretion to determine which events are shared through investigative channels. If a submission does not meet criteria, Blindside will communicate directly with the submitting business and provide guidance on next steps. Incomplete reports may delay sharing until sufficient information is available.

*These services are a free benefit to all Retail Alliance members, and Blindside also offers optional consulting services for businesses with greater needs.

The form can be found here.

4. MAORCA has developed a training document for small business owners on how to avoid purchasing stolen goods and unintentionally contributing to organized retail crime, or finding themselves the subject of a criminal investigation. This training is located here and outlines:

• How to detect stolen goods and avoid buying them

• The risks of procuring goods from others which may be stolen

Additionally, MAORCA offers membership to their organization, which is free, and open to all retailers.

• While small retailers do not gain access to the investigative portal, they do gain the opportunity to learn, attend trainings, and build awareness.

• Investigator members (law enforcement, asset protection, loss prevention) actively use MAORCA to share intelligence and coordinate cases.

We are excited for these additional partnerships and expanding our member benefits. Please take advantage of these resources.

Links to go to and save:

1. Complete your November’s “Retail Risk Pulse” Assessment

2. Sign up for the Risk Alert Network

3. PSA to Small Business Owners – Print and share

4. Blindside Risk Advisors – Save the link

5. ORC Alert Portal – Use when needed

6. The Mid-Atlantic ORC Alliance

* Bio: Meet Jeff, Managing Partner & Senior Risk Advisor @ Blindside Risk Advisors

Jeff is the Managing Partner and Senior Risk Advisor at Blindside Risk Advisors, a consulting firm dedicated to helping businesses strengthen their operations, prevent losses, and prepare for emerging threats. With over two decades of experience leading complex retail operations and investigations, Jeff specializes in assessing organizational vulnerabilities, guiding leadership teams through crisis response, and building sustainable strategies that balance operational integrity with business growth.

Throughout his career, Jeff has worked across multiple sectors of retail and corporate operations, including big-box, specialty, and membership-based formats. His investigative background spans organized retail crime, employee fraud, financial loss, and risk management. At Blindside, Jeff brings that expertise to clients of all sizes—helping them build smarter systems, train their teams, and respond decisively when issues arise.

Known for his direct approach, operator partnership, and strategic clarity, Jeff has developed programs that connect business leaders, law enforcement, and industry partners to combat retail risks of all kind and elevate standards. His mission through Blindside Risk Advisors is simple: to protect what business owners have built, and empower them with the tools and insight to see risk before it strikes.