Air Security Firm’s Leader Is Replaced

The parent company of Argenbright Security Inc., the troubled private airport security screening firm, said Friday it has replaced founder and chief executive Frank Argenbright Jr. as it seeks to regain the trust of passengers and airlines.

David Beaton, 49, an executive with Securicor, was named chief executive. Securicor bought the Atlanta-based company in January.

Frank Argenbright was not available for comment.

Argenbright Security has 40% of the domestic airport screener market and 7,000 employees.

In a statement Friday, the company said it would fingerprint all employees and recheck their backgrounds under a new “zero tolerance” policy. The company also said its new training procedures will be patterned after standards Securicor uses in European airports, which are considered by some to be more secure than their U.S. counterparts.

On Wednesday, Argenbright Security said it had fired three employees after a man carried knives, a stun gun and tear gas through a security checkpoint at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport.