Ryan F. Zackon

Ryan Farrell Zackon (born May 1, 1982) is an American businessman and entrepreneur. He is the Chief Operating Officer of PDF Tactical based in Elk Grove, California.
Early life and education
Zackon was born on May 1, 1982, in Montreal QC Canada and emigrated to the United States with his family in 1994. He attended the prestigious in Boca Raton FL, and graduated from Spanish River Community High School in 2000. He then attended The Ohio State University where he was a member of the Sigma Chi Fraternity and appointed as a Student Representative to the Board of Trustees of Hillel, the national organization of Jewish Students.. After graduation Zackon moved out to California in order to start his career in public service. Zackon graduated from the Rio Hondo Police Academy in Whittier California a member of Class 177, receiving the class award for physical fitness at graduation on Feb 28th 2006, and soon was hired by the City of Barstow as a Police Officer Trainee.
After only 90 days with the City of Barstow, Zackon found himself laid off due to budget cuts prior to ever being sworn in. Zackon would later say that "having that door shut in my face, in that moment was both the worst, and the best thing that ever happened to me. It made me want "it" more then the next guy".
Career
In 2007 Zackon founded Dynamic Protective Services, which would be his first venture into the private sector. The company would grow to over 1000 employees in a span of 3 short years, before a merger with Ironclad Private Security based in Orange County California. Ironclad and DPS (abbreviation) were innovative for their partnering with Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton in Oceanside CA, and then Marine Corps Installations West Commander Brigadier General Vincent Colignase, to create a revolutionary Veterans to work program. This non-VA program helped place outgoing United States Marines into the security sector. The program is still active and is widely credited with placing over 5000 outgoing service members with stable employment after their military seperation.
In 2010, Ironclad Private Security bought a controlling interest in Dynamic Protective Services, and after a tenuous transition, Zackon was ousted from of the business that he created.
Zackon was then offered a challenging irole with Palantir Technologies, assigned to the Los Angeles Police Departments as an Embedded Intelligence Analyst. He worked closely with ATIS (Anti Terrorism Investigation Squad) and the Elite Special Investigation Squad (S.I.S) where he helped to integrate new surveillance technologies that Palantir had developed. Zackon served Palantir and LAPD with distinction for over a year until he was let go due to Budget Sequestration in 2013.
After his layoff from Palantir Zackon relocated to Sacramento CA. It was there that he was introduced to Paul Frank, founder of PDF USA, and together they would create PDF Tactical. Zackon was first brought into the company as Senior Vice President of Security, but was soon promoted to Chief Operating Officer. PDF Tactical was developed in concept as a full service security company, specializing in "niche" markets. PDF Tactical is best known for being a contractor with expertise in securing sensitive sites, with complex security layering. Most notable of which is the , which is dry docked in San Diego CA. PDF Tactical was also instrumental in helping to secure nationwide LGBT Community rallies after the tragic 2016 Orlando nightclub shooting. For this PDF Tactical and Zackon were recognized as "Friends of the LGBT Community" in late 2016.
Political activism
Throughout his years in Sacramento, Zackon would aggressively lobby for change in the small business sector. HIs agenda was primarily focused on "more growth / less regulation", and he often advocated at the State Capital on behalf of the small business community. Zackon came out against a higher minimum wage in 2016 saying "California makes it hard to open a business, hard to do business, and now hard to afford to pay our employees. Enough is Enough".
In late 2016, Zackon left PDF Tactical having created more then 300 jobs, and returned to Boca Raton Florida in order to be closer.

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