Our Command Staff
About
Please take a moment to learn more about our command staff—their extensive training, elite experience, and the uncompromising standards that make Apex Executive Security Solutions the clear choice for your protection.
Rich Evangelista
Chief Executive Officer
Rich Evangelista is a seasoned security professional with over four years of experience in the private security industry. He began his career as a bouncer at select venues across Boston, Massachusetts, while completing his college studies. During this time, Rich developed a deep understanding of crowd management, situational awareness, and threat assessment—skills that naturally evolved into a career in executive and close protection.
Today, Rich serves as Head of Security for Project Weeknd, a large-scale national event organization, and Brave Rave, one of Boston’s premier nightlife and rave experiences. In these roles, he has provided close protection, managed multi-man security details, and overseen all aspects of event and personal safety, often extending his operations to high-profile travel assignments.
Rich’s tactical foundation is the result of years of advanced training and mentorship alongside elite US Army Special Forces members and experienced protection professionals. This background has instilled in him a disciplined, mission-oriented mindset—one rooted in precision, adaptability, and absolute commitment to client safety. His leadership and professionalism reflect a standard forged through real-world experience and guided by the principles of excellence and operational integrity.
Scot Cox
Scot Cox possesses extensive real world security experience, working for multiple private security agencies and conducting many high risk details. Scot is a weapons expert with dozens of years experience with firearms, tactics, and high risk situations. He also possesses extensive nightclub experience having owned his own venue along with being the general manager of Academy Nightclub in Cambridge. Scot has lead teams, been a member of teams, and
Don Dirkin Jr
Don Dirkin, Jr. is a dedicated professional who brings exceptional tactical experience, discipline, and leadership to the Apex Executive Security Solutions team. He proudly served seven honorable years in the United States Navy as a Hospital Corpsman, where he developed an unwavering commitment to excellence and service under pressure.
During his military tenure, Don spent three years in special operations pipelines, receiving advanced instruction from seasoned Naval Special Warfare operators and U.S. Marines. His training encompassed firearms proficiency, threat assessment, emergency medicine, tactical movement, and combat readiness—all executed with the precision and focus demanded by elite military standards.
Through countless field exercises and real-world training evolutions, Don refined his ability to perform with accuracy, composure, and clarity under extreme stress, fatigue, and adversity. These experiences forged not only his operational skill set but also his unbreakable mental fortitude and warrior ethos—qualities that continue to define his approach to protection and leadership today.
As a Corpsman, Don completed the Field Medical Service School (now Field Medical Training Battalion) and maintained certifications in Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC) and First Responder (EMT). His extensive background in both medical response and tactical operations provides a critical dual capability—the ability to protect and preserve life in any environment.
At Apex Executive Security Solutions, Don exemplifies professionalism, composure, and integrity, bringing his elite training and battlefield-tested mindset to every assignment. His presence reflects the Apex standard: readiness, reliability, and respect under all conditions.
