CARY – Michael Houston and his wife, Jill, have grown their private investigation and security businesses over the years through word-of-mouth and reputation.

They run two agencies from their Cary home. The oldest, Elite Scheduling Services, offers protective chaperone services, primarily for bar and bat mitzvahs and synagogues in the North Shore area. But since 2007, they also operate Accord Protective Services, which offers security services for individuals and their events.

Accord's clients include important individuals and businesses, including several expensive downtown Chicago hotels. It's a client base that Michael Houston said has grown through a reputation of reliable service, and through solid connections cultivated in Chicago-area law enforcement communities.