At age 19, Stephen Weed joined the Lilburn (Georgia) Police Department. Becoming a police officer seemed like a no-brainer for Weed. After his mother passed away, he spent a lot of time on ride-alongs, learning what it takes to be an officer and getting some emotional support as well. That’s the kind of thing one finds in a small, tight-knit community like Lilburn.
“My mom passed away when I was 15,” Weed explained. “Before school would start, I would grab Chick-fil-A and one morning [after she passed], an officer was sitting there and invited me to sit with him. That was the moment I was immediately drawn into law enforcement. From that point, it truly was a calling to serve others.”
Weed worked his way through the department serving as shift commander, field training officer, public information officer, investigator and sergeant—all before the age of 25. Serving the community that was such a critical part of his life growing up and through the loss of his mother was a rewarding and humbling task for Weed.
“What I learned the most from law enforcement was not putting individuals in jail but rather helping people when they needed it the most, just like what was done for me after my mom passed,” he said. “I had a wonderful group of men and women rally around me in the department.”
During this time, he began his education at Columbia Southern University, earning a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice administration in 2009 while working and starting a family.
“Having my foundation in criminal justice and law enforcement opened so many opportunities for me. I finished up school, thanks to a tuition reimbursement program my department offered,” he said.
When Weed and his wife were expecting their first child, he worked as an investigator for the prosecutor’s office, where he continued his education and assisted in the prosecution of domestic violence and sexual assault cases. He then worked as a government contractor and in internal investigations. This trajectory exposed him to senior leadership in major corporations and set the groundwork for his next career move.
“I knew I wanted to make the switch and move fully into the corporate world in a leadership capacity so I could motivate and empower others to accomplish their goals.”
Today, Weed is 34 years old and serves as CEO at Interior Contract Services Inc., an office furniture company in Orlando, Florida. While he no longer wears a badge, he taps into the lessons of law enforcement in order to lead his company in the best way he knows how.
“I often reference my time in law enforcement by putting things in perspective with my employees. This isn’t life or death, this is business, and when you point out that there are men and woman everyday who deal with life and death decisions, it causes everyone to take a moment to reflect and realize the true extent of any problem or situation,” he said.
His company is also a proud corporate supporter of law enforcement and the military, allowing his career to come, in some ways, full circle.
Weed’s great uncle, William Railford, an Alabama state trooper who was killed in the line of duty in 1938.
“I truly love serving my community and making an impact. What is so incredible about my current role is we get to support great law enforcement agencies like the Orlando Police Department and the Orange County Sheriff Office and other government agencies in Florida, so I still feel very much connected with the law enforcement community.”
For Weed, staying connected to the law enforcement community is more than just good business. It’s personal, too.
“My great uncle was also a law enforcement officer, state trooper in Alabama and was killed in the line of duty due to an accident,” he said. “People say we sometimes resemble each other.”
Disclaimer: These testimonials may not reflect the experience of all CSU students.
Multiple factors, including prior experience, geography, and degree field, affect career outcomes.
CSU does not guarantee a job, promotion, salary increase, eligibility for a position, or other career growth.
