Matthew J. Dumpert, managing director of Kroll's security risk management practices and a former special agent with the U.S. State Department, said it was "not atypical at all" for a company like BlackRock to provide additional security benefits to its executives. Kroll is a global risk consulting firm. Executive protection programs such as the one put in place by BlackRock are "very standard in Fortune 200, Fortune 300" companies, according to New York-based Mr. Dumpert, and "can range in size and composition from offering simply a car and driver for commute to and from work to 24 hour a day, seven days a week guards at residences, guards that travel with the executives and their families, private and charter aircraft, (and) threat intelligence reporting when they travel overseas." The level of protection provided depends on the threat environment for each executive, Mr. Dumpert added. "These things are costly, so to get these by a board of directors or independent investors is not easy."