R. David Scates is a security consultant for ABS Consulting, a subsidiary of the 145-year-old firm American Bureau of Shipping and the number 1 ranked risk consulting firm in the United States. He is a former head of security for Knoxville Utilities Board and has worked in security management for nearly a decade. David holds a Master of Business Administration degree from Lincoln Memorial University.

David has been a member of ASIS (formerly known as the American Society of Industrial Security) for several years, and he is the 2005 Chair of the Smoky Mountain Chapter. ASIS is the largest security related association in the world.

David has been a member of ASIS (formerly known as the American Society of Industrial Security) for several years, and was the 2005 - 2006 Chair of the Smoky Mountain Chapter. ASIS is the largest security related association in the world. He was a founding member and former Chair of the Tennessee Valley Security Association (TVSA). The TVSA is comprised of security professionals from over 80 utilities within the Tennessee Valley Region. The association routinely meets to discuss items of interest, share information, and assist one another in improving security at the valley’s utilities.