A Public Servant Turned Enterprise Chief
Wade Lyons didn’t plan to put on a badge. He needed to turn into a physician. However one ride-along with a police officer throughout his final semester at Texas A&M College modified the whole lot.
“One thing clicked,” he says. “I noticed what actual service regarded like, and I by no means regarded again.”
That second reshaped his life. It sparked a profession in public security, which later led to constructing an organization of his personal. Right this moment, he’s the CEO of Black Onyx Investigations, LLC, a fast-growing agency in non-public safety and govt safety.
Beginning a Legislation Enforcement Profession in Austin
Wade started his journey in 2006 with the Metropolis of Austin. He joined the Austin Police Division and climbed the ranks over time. His early years had been spent in Patrol, coping with fast-paced, real-world challenges.
Over time, he labored in Threat Administration, Avenue Narcotics, Investigations, and Strategic Intelligence. Every function gave him a brand new lens on how one can preserve communities protected.
He finally turned the Coaching Division Commander, answerable for hiring and coaching greater than 2,300 staff—each sworn officers and civilians.
“I discovered that management isn’t about titles,” he says. “It’s about exhibiting up, listening, and main by instance.”
Schooling and Coaching That Formed His Strategy
Wade has at all times believed in staying sharp. He earned a B.S. in Group Well being from Texas A&M, adopted by a Grasp’s in Prison Justice from Lamar College. He’s now engaged on his MBA, set to complete in 2025.
He additionally accomplished elite management packages at Harvard College’s Kennedy Faculty and FBI-LEEDA’s Command Management Institute.
“You’ll be able to’t lead should you cease studying,” he says. “I deal with schooling like coaching. Keep prepared so that you don’t should prepare.”
He’s additionally a Lean Six Sigma Inexperienced Belt, giving him instruments to enhance processes and lead environment friendly groups.
Launching Black Onyx Investigations
After practically twenty years in public service, Wade took a leap into the non-public sector. In 2024, he based Black Onyx Investigations. The agency affords non-public safety, investigative providers, and is now increasing into Govt Safety.
His aim: deliver the identical values from regulation enforcement—accountability, coaching, integrity—into non-public safety.
“Folks need to really feel protected. Not simply protected bodily, however revered and understood,” Wade says. “That’s what we deliver to the desk.”
Constructing Belief By way of Management and Service
Belief has at all times been Wade’s compass.
“Belief isn’t one thing you get due to your rank,” he explains. “It’s one thing you earn every single day—by doing what you say you’ll do.”
In his function as commander, he was recognized for partaking instantly with officers and residents. He listened to considerations, constructed actual relationships, and mentored youthful employees.
That very same mindset now guides his work at Black Onyx.
Group and Skilled Involvement
Wade is a member of the Worldwide Affiliation of Chiefs of Police (IACP), the Nationwide Group of Black Legislation Enforcement Executives (NOBLE), and the Worldwide Metropolis/County Administration Affiliation (ICMA).
He stays energetic in these networks to remain knowledgeable, share finest practices, and push for higher requirements throughout the trade.
“It’s not sufficient to run a enterprise,” he says. “You’ve received to assist increase the bar for the entire occupation.”
Staying Grounded By way of Private Self-discipline
Outdoors of labor, Wade retains his physique and thoughts in form. He’s into pure bodybuilding, jiu-jitsu, and scuba diving.
“Self-discipline doesn’t cease if you depart work,” he says. “It’s how I stay.”
These hobbies preserve him centered, educate him resilience, and provides him time to assume. Whether or not coaching for a match or diving underwater, he makes use of that point to recharge and reset.
A Chief Targeted on the Lengthy Recreation
Wade Lyons isn’t chasing developments or headlines. He’s centered on constructing one thing strong—one relationship, one determination, one workforce at a time.
He doesn’t see management as a highlight. He sees it as a service.
“Management is about duty. It’s about being the place you’re wanted, even when nobody’s watching.”
From the streets of Austin to the halls of Harvard to launching a rising firm, Wade’s story is about staying true to his mission—serve, defend, and lead with function.
Wade Lyons’ Timeline at a Look:
- 2006: Begins public security profession in Austin
- 2020: Earns M.S. in Prison Justice
- 2022: Completes Harvard and FBI-LEEDA management packages
- 2024: Founds Black Onyx Investigations
- 2025: Anticipated to finish MBA at Lamar College
For these trying to lead in public or non-public sectors, Wade affords this recommendation: “Know your function, do the work, and by no means cease studying. That’s the way you develop. That’s the way you lead.”
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