Friend of Concordia Michael Don Betten spent a significant part of his childhood on campus

While he didn’t graduate from the university, Michael Don Betten has strong ties to the Concordia Nebraska campus and community. He attended the university from 1981-1984 and also spent much of his childhood on campus. 

“My late uncle, Gary Steinmiller ‘60, served as a P.E. professor and athletic coach for many years, which allowed me the opportunity to explore the campus extensively,” he said. “I fondly remember spending countless hours in the gym, enjoying swims in the pool and attending various athletic events alongside my grandparents. This connection even led me to attend Concordia's inaugural basketball camp in the summer of 1980, where I was honored to receive the Most Valuable Player award.” 

Following three years at the university, Betten transferred to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 1984, where he earned a bachelor's degree in criminal justice. In 2008, he earned a master of science in security management from Bellevue University in Nebraska. 

“My time at Concordia holds a special place in my heart. The best part? In autumn 1983, I had the privilege of meeting my wife, Lori, during the early fall festivities,” he said. “She was a member of the drill team and, like many other dating basketball players, traveled to all the games. The camaraderie I shared with my teammates is something I truly treasured. We achieved a significant milestone by winning the CIT tournaments in both 1983 and 1984. The 1984 CIT tournament was particularly memorable as it was hosted right in Seward, adding an extra layer of significance. My roommate Mark Cutler ‘84 even earned the MVP title, while I was honored to be selected for the all-tournament team. It wasn't until I transferred to UNL that I realized how much I missed the unique atmosphere and culture of Concordia.” 

My time at Concordia holds a special place in my heart. The best part? In autumn 1983, I had the privilege of meeting my wife, Lori, during the early fall festivities.

Throughout his junior high and high school years, Betten faced significant challenges in school due to dyslexia. These struggles persisted during his freshman year at Concordia, but in spite of that he truly relished his overall campus experience.  
 
“It was during this time that I started connecting with my professors, many of whom exhibited a genuine interest in helping me succeed,” he said. “It gradually dawned on me that I would need to put in more effort than most students, and I soon discovered the immense resource that was the library. I'm immensely grateful that the support I received wasn't a mere ‘handout’ but rather valuable guidance that would continue to benefit me well into the future.” 

Before graduating, he gained valuable experience as a security agent at Sears in Lincoln. Shortly after completing his degree, he became a police officer with the city of Overland Park, Kansas, a suburb of Kansas City. Initially assigned to patrol duty, he spent two years on the frontlines before transitioning to the Traffic Safety Division. In that role, his primary responsibilities revolved around traffic enforcement, apprehending intoxicated drivers, and investigating serious injury and fatality accidents. It was during his eighth year in the traffic unit that he was called to the scene of a tragic accident involving a three-year-old child. At that time, his daughter Hannah was also three years old. The emotional weight of such incidents eventually led him to request a transfer to a different unit. 

“My time at Concordia served as the bedrock for a rewarding career in a profession known for its inherent difficulty and challenges. A career in law enforcement is undeniably honorable, yet it comes with its fair share of emotional and physical trials,” he said. “It's safe to say that without the strong foundation I acquired at Concordia, coupled with the unwavering support of my family, friends and faith community, I might have found myself on a markedly different path. I witnessed how these factors played out differently in the lives of some of my colleagues as well.” 

In addition to preparing him for his vocation, his time at the university strengthened his faith, he said. 

“Concordia left an indelible mark on my faith journey. It was there, amidst classmates like Marty Kohlwey CO '83 GR '98, daily chapel services, and enriching courses, that I found the focus and accountability that would prove invaluable as I embarked on my law enforcement career,” he said. “The men and women in this field frequently confront challenging and distressing situations, and the influence of family, faith, and friends played a pivotal role in helping me navigate these encounters. My wife often remarked on how the career changed me, but I can't help but wonder how different I might have become without the unwavering support of these pillars in my life. I was delighted to learn that Concordia had introduced a limited number of criminal justice classes, as I've always believed that the university has much to offer to law enforcement agencies in dire need of individuals grounded in solid biblical principles.” 

In 1996, he transitioned to the crime prevention and community policing unit, where his role involved cultivating partnerships between the public and private sectors with a strong focus on devising effective security strategies.  

“To enhance my expertise, I underwent a comprehensive three-week training program at the Crime Prevention Institute, hosted by the University of Louisville,” he said. “Upon my return to Overland Park, I was confronted with a distressing situation: a neighborhood had been plagued by a series of home invasions, culminating in the sexual assault of four women. This harrowing story garnered widespread media attention, and I was assigned the demanding task of conducting numerous residential security surveys and engaging with the media. As part of my duties, I conducted security surveys for two of the victims, an experience that had a profound impact on me.” 

During the course of these surveys, he discovered a prevalent door type posed a security challenge he had not encountered before. The conventional techniques he knew for securing entryways proved ineffective for this particular door type. Determined to find a solution, he reached out to the home builders association, where he connected with two homebuilders who were eager to assist.  

“Together, we set up a controlled environment in a barn, where we began subjecting door assemblies to rigorous testing, simulating common burglary methods. After numerous trials, it became evident that the security methods I had been taught during my crime prevention training had never undergone practical testing,” he said. “While these methods appeared theoretically sound, no one had invested the resources to verify their efficacy. Through collaboration with the builders, we eventually devised a cost-effective yet robust security method that could effectively deter many determined criminals.” 

After numerous setbacks, he initiated connections with security experts and influential criminologists to tap their knowledge and insights. In 1997, he joined ASIS International, and by the following year had achieved board certification as a Certified Protection Professional (CPP).  

“One of the key initiatives I spearheaded was a proposal to augment the city's building codes, requiring specific security features to be integrated into all residential structures,” he said. “After extensive collaboration within a sub-committee, we successfully formulated the residential security proposal. In the year 2000, it was presented before the city council and subsequently passed into law.” 

After achieving CPP certification, he ventured into part-time roles with security firms, specializing in conducting comprehensive threat and risk assessments. Assignments took him on journeys across the Midwest and extended to various parts of the East Coast, where he carried out security surveys for prominent corporations. Concurrently, he embraced an academic role as an adjunct professor at Johnson County Community College.  

“Within the criminal justice program, I pioneered the development of two courses: "Crime Prevention & Community Policing" and "Introduction to Private Security." My expertise also found a platform in lecturing for several esteemed organizations, including the Department of Justice's Community Policing Division, the National Rifle Association, the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center, the National Crime Prevention Council, and numerous law enforcement agencies spanning the Midwest,” he said. “ 
 
“Additionally, I briefly served on two sub-committees under the American Standard for Testing and Materials (ASTM), contributing to the formulation of security test methodologies for glazing and window fenestration systems.” 

In July 2011, following 25 years of service with the OPPD, he embarked on a new chapter in the private sector. 

“Initially, I faced challenges in securing the director of security position I had aspired to attain,” he said. “Consequently, I accepted a role with a security systems integrator in Kansas City, where I sought to deepen my knowledge in areas such as access control, video management systems, fire alarms, and the intricacies of system engineering. Then, in April 2014, I seized the opportunity to join the Stowers Institute for Medical Research as the head of security. My commitment and contributions led to a well-deserved promotion to the position of director of security in 2018.” 

As the director of security at the Stowers Institute for Medical Research, he oversees a team of 14 armed security officers, complemented by off-duty Kansas City police officers. His responsibilities extend across the Institute's two campuses and a vast expanse of 110 acres of unincorporated land in southern Kansas City.  

“Upon my arrival in 2014, it became evident that a security system upgrade was imperative. I initiated a transition from a proprietary access control system to a fully integrated open architecture platform,” he said. 

In 2016, ASIS International recognized the OPPD, the Kansas City ASIS chapter, and the two homebuilders with the prestigious Matthew Simeone Award. This esteemed accolade is conferred to law enforcement agencies globally for their outstanding partnerships developed with the private sector. 

Managing a team of 14 officers and overseeing a budget exceeding $1 million entails a significant time commitment for Betten. The Institute conducts experiments involving radiation, subject to the regulations of the Nuclear Radiation Commission, requiring diligent monitoring and documentation of security system maintenance. Additionally, his responsibilities encompass tracking criminal incidents for CLERY Act compliance, occasional personnel investigations, managing the workplace violence prevention program, monitoring policy and procedures, conducting annual training for the security team and providing assistance to members in need. 

He is also an active volunteer for ASIS International, a global organization comprising more than 34,000 security professionals. From 2014 to 2020, he served as the Regional Vice President, aiding ASIS chapters in Missouri and Kansas with various issues and acting as a liaison for chapters seeking to contact ASIS headquarters in Washington D.C. Over the past two decades, he has have served as the Kansas City ASIS Chapter's certification representative, assisting fellow security professionals in their preparation for the CPP exam. Following the conclusion of my six-year term in 2020, he began mentoring military and law enforcement personnel seeking to retire and transition into the private sector. 

Betten’s children also have ties to the university. Hannah ‘14 teaches in the Lincoln Public Schools, where she is assigned to a special education classroom.  

“She's an enthusiastic supporter of Husker and Bulldog sporting events and actively participates in activities at Christ Lutheran Church in Lincoln,” he said. “Levi, on the other hand, attended Concordia for two years before transferring to Mid America Nazarene in 2015, where he embarked on a journey towards a nursing degree. Currently residing in Dallas, Texas, he works within a large hospital network and is working towards becoming a nurse practitioner.” 

Betten and his late wife Lori were married for 39 years. Seeking to create their retirement dream home, Mike and Lori were building a house on Table Rock Lake in Missouri when Lori fell at the construction site and suffered serious injuries on February 10, 2024. She passed away on February 16. 

“Meeting Lori at Concordia Nebraska was the greatest joy of my life,” said Mike. “She was a devoted mother, and stayed at home with our children until they reached school age. Once the children started attending school, she served at Christ Lutheran Church and School in Overland Park, Kansas. She then served at Mid America Nazarene University in Olathe, Kansas where she remained until retirement in 2017.” 

Follow Lori’s passing, Mike put the Table Rock Lake home up for sale. He’s considering moving back to the Lincoln area to be near his daughter and his Concordia Nebraska family as he begins the next chapter of his life without his beloved Lori. 

In his free time, Betten reads history and biography books. He is often engaged by several law firms to provide expert witness testimony in premises liability lawsuits. On occasion, he also enjoys taking on security consulting projects. He also has a passion for barbequing, often hosting gatherings for friends and family. 

“While I once dabbled in competitive barbeque, the costs and time commitment led me to focus on more enjoyable aspects of this culinary art. For the past several years, I've had the pleasure of barbequing for Concordia's men's basketball alumni event during homecoming weekend,” he said. “It's a fantastic opportunity to connect with future, current, and former Bulldogs spanning several decades, although I usually find myself among the more seasoned attendees!” 

At Concordia University, Nebraska, students are surrounded by peers, professors and a distinctive community of believers that will not only help students discover what they’re meant to do, but also the joy of being part of something bigger. By intentionally combining Christian, Lutheran faith, rigorous academics and practical, real-life experiences, Concordia Nebraska help students fulfill a higher purpose in their vocations and life.