Weston in Space

In a company biographical video on Preferred Technologies’ website, viewers are presented with insights to the integrator’s portfolio of services and deep expertise in serving a range of commercial, industrial and enterprise markets. A strong emphasis on culture and the importance that core values play in the Houston-based company’s success is also a focal point. Shaun Castillo, who serves as president, summarizes the Preferred Technologies ethos by defining the acronym, PGRIT. “P is professional ; G is grit itself; R is right ; I is intelligent thought; and T is trusted advisor,” he recites in the video . Founded in 2005, the family-owned business staffs more than 100 employees — all of whom are expected to espouse the PGRIT principles “if you want to be on the Pref-Tech bus,” Castillo conveys. He is quick to praise the company’s good fortune in staffing qualified and dedicated personal throughout the organization. Related: Keeping Open Lines of Communication, the LOUD Way ...

MUNICH — Security & Safety Things (S&ST), a start-up founded by  Bosch , and Prosegur, a global security company, announce their collaboration on the development of a new security operations center (SOC) environment. The partnership is said to leverage the intelligence of artificial intelligence infused video analytics and the expertise of Prosegur human operators to improve security services for customers around the globe. Prosegur will incorporate AI -infused video analytic applications from the S&ST platform into the Prosegur “SOC as a service” offering. The edge analytic applications, which run directly on cameras or devices equipped with the S&ST operating system, will intelligently pre-filter incoming events from customer locations and augment human decisions for enhanced alarm monitoring, management and response. These new levels of automation increase serviceability to customers and reduce the number of truck rolls, which in turn allows Prosegur to more e...

HAMILTON TOWNSHIP, N.J. — Princeton Identity, a developer of iris and face biometric identity solutions, announces it has entered into a partnership agreement with EPAM Systems (NYSE: EPAM ), a global provider of digital platform engineering and development services. The companies will address the need for solutions that provide secure use of confidential information as it is accessed by a remote workforce. With companies seeking greater operational agility and flexibility for workers, there is tremendous demand for practical methods and technological tools to administer Zero Trust protocols. Zero Trust is an IT paradigm that assumes nothing, and nobody can be trusted, including individuals who have received authorization to operate within the network. The Princeton Identity / EPAM collaborative effort is uniquely suited to deliver solutions compliant with industry best practices and reliant on proven, top-tier technologies, according to the announcement. Related: Federal Ban o...

In this week’s Top Su rveillance Videos… A man in New York City is lucky to be alive after he was engulfed by flames from a sidewalk explosion. Surveillance video shows the man walking down the sidewalk when he gets to an area of grates. He looks down as a puff of smoke pops up when flames suddenly shoot out of the grates. For a moment, the man completely disappears in a cloud of smoke and flames as debris lands on the sidewalk. Eventually the man can be seen crawling away before he gets up and looks relatively unscathed aside from the ash and dust on his clothes. The man suffered second degree burns. It is unclear what caused the explosion. Also this week… A woman in Indiana became fed up with the same porch pirate stealing her packages. Unfortunately for him, the woman, Mina Starsiak Hawk, happens to be a host for a show on HGTV, so she had a creative solution. Hawk began leaving out decoy packages to discourage the thief from stealing real ones. She even turned to the Interne...

July was an exciting month for the security industry as it marked the return of in-person tradeshows and show a multi-billion dollar acquisition. ISC West returned after pivoting to a virtual event last year due to COVID-19. Though attendance was a fraction of what it typically is, exhibitors noted that people that did show up were serious and ready to do business. Quality over quantity. The month ended with a massive acquisition as Carrier finally sold its Chubb Fire & Security Business for a massive $3.1 billion. Carrier’s former parent company, United Technologies Corp., had originally shopped the business back in 2018 . Another acquisition saw Motorola Solutions purchase Cloud-based mobile access control provider Openpath. The deal is the latest in a series of transactions that Motorola Solutions has completed since acquiring Avigilon  in 2018. The company has continued to expand its portfolio with deals for  WatchGuard ,  IndigoVision  and  Pelco . ...

Over the past few years, we’ve looked at infographics that examined connected locks sales from a variety of perspectives: by gender , by marital status , by number of people in the household , by age groups , and much more. It was inevitable that we would finally get around to examining the regions of the country. In other words, who buys more connected locks: consumers from the Northeast, South, Midwest, or West? As usual, this new infographic was based on a random sample of 288 respondents to a survey from TraQline, a company enlisted by leading residential lock manufacturer Kwikset to track purchasing habits and patterns. The survey reports results for the four quarters ending March 2021. The answer turned out to be a relatively obvious one: our neighbors to the South bought up almost half of all connected locks (48.2%) sold in the country during the survey time period. Related: Research Shows Smart Locks Have Major Potential to Be Gateway for Smart Home Devices In fact, i...

CHICAGO — The Electronic Security Association has appointed Steve Paley and Kevin Stone to serve as ESA Competency Directors on its board in accordance with the association’s recently amended and adopted bylaws. The board-appointed positions provide skill and competency in identified fields or specialties of value to the association and industry, according to an announcement. Paley is president and CEO of Rapid Security Solutions, based in Sarasota, Fla. Since co-founding RSS in 2007, Paley has been responsible for the strategic leadership and planning of the company, where his 35+ years of middle-market retail, service and distribution management skills have been instrumental in leading the organization’s growth. Prior to founding RSS, he held various senior executive roles as president, CFO and controller for companies in numerous and diverse industries, domestically and internationally including recreational marine, beverage, professional hair salon and foundry. Related: ES...

LAWRENCE, Ind. — Hoosier Security announces it acquired local competitor Fidelity Build Protection on July 1. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Hoosier Security, based here with additional offices in Michigan, has made the local community safer by completing security projects at community businesses like low cost spay and neuter clinics, local libraries, and Indianapolis Public Safety Foundation, according to the announcement. The acquisition by Hoosier Security is said to create a larger technician pool and technical training capacities to support continued growth, as well as seasoned administration for Fidelity resulting in greater support and customer satisfaction. Related: Carrier Sells Chubb Fire & Security Business for $3.1B Fidelity Founder Ben Johnson says he isn’t going anywhere and is excited to join the Hoosier Security team. “This transition allows me to continue working with Fidelity’s customers on a regular basis. Hoosier Security President Armando...

SANTA MONICA, Calif. — Ring announces the launch of Ring Access Controller Pro 2, a second-generation device intended to make it easier than ever for users to remotely grant gate access to visitors. Now, supporting both cellular and Ethernet connectivity in one single device, Ring Access Controller Pro 2 enables customers to unlock their electronically-controlled gate and offers secure, in-gate delivery services with Key by Amazon. The new device features a smaller form factor for a sleeker look and easier installation, well-suited for gated single-family homes or small, multiunit apartment buildings. Ring Access Controller Pro 2 is said to enhance existing, compatible electrical access gates and enables customers to remotely operate entryways directly from their Ring app, as well as receive secure, in-gate, eligible Amazon package deliveries via Key by Amazon. Related: ADT Settles Trademark Dispute With Ring Over Blue Octagon Mark Customers can also connect Ring Access Cont...

Located in Santa Ana, Calif., the Samueli Academy is a public charter affiliated with the Orangewood Foundation, whose programs help foster youth set a course on the road to self-sufficiency. The academy, set on a 7.1-acre campus, serves the low-income neighborhood that surrounds it as well as children from across Orange County, who all can get a top-notch, free education with an emphasis on science, technology, engineering and math. With a primary concern to provide a safe and secure environment for the student population to live and learn in, administrators brought in ADT Commercial initially on a consultation and design-build basis. The site had broken ground and was being deployed through a series of contractors that did not have the client’s input or direction in place. “We approached them with an RFP, which they were able to submit to several companies to evaluate a best-in-class provider who would be able to meet the specifications,” explains ADT Commercial’s Leo Cid, senior ...

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Borrowers with Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans of $150,000 or less can apply for forgiveness via a new streamlined application portal initiated by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). The SBA’s new application portal is said to simplify forgiveness for millions of the smallest business owners — including sole proprietors — who used funds from PPP loans to endure the coronavirus pandemic. “The vast majority of businesses waiting for forgiveness have loans under $150,000. These entrepreneurs are busy running their businesses and are challenged by an overly complicated forgiveness process,” SBA Administrator Isabel Casillas Guzman states in an announcement. “We need to deliver forgiveness more efficiently so they can get back to enlivening our Main Streets, sustaining our neighborhoods and fueling our nation’s economy.” The portal is intended to expedite relief to more than 6.5 million “smallest of small businesses,” according to the SBA. The new pl...

YORBA LINDA, Calif. — Maxxess Systems, a provider of event response management and collaboration systems, announces a major update to its eVisitor visitor management solution with new mobile access integrations and touchless reader choices to support more flexible workplace operations post-pandemic. The new release includes options for mobile access control using smartphones, with authorized visitors and site users now able to pass through secure entrances using a choice of more convenient and hygienic contactless and touchless methods, including secure GDPR-compliant biometrics. Touchless kiosks allow reception staffing levels to be reduced in settings from hospitality to corporate offices, and provide faster, more convenient check-in and entry for guests, according to the company. For the growing number of organizations wanting to switch old-style access cards or fobs for smartphones, eVisitor now allows access to be granted when users place their phones in front of a reader like...

PALMDALE, Calif. — Delta Scientific announces the successful testing of its ASTM F2656-20 M30/P1-certified Model DSC633, a single shallow foundation bollard design that stops and destroys a 15,000-pound test truck with -8.82 feet of static penetration and -3.63 feet of dynamic penetration. The simulated bomb load remained intact and contained on the truck bed, according to the announcement. The test vehicle weighed 15,000 pounds and was traveling more than 30 miles per hour. The truck was stopped and completely disabled, the announcement states. “The negative penetration levels recorded on this test continue to prove the stopping power of Delta’s barriers,” says David Dickinson, CEO of Delta Scientific. The DSC633 has a height of 44 inches and a diameter of 13.75 inches with a cover. Delta’s bollards can be furnished with an array of decorative covers to enhance the look and match the aesthetics of the surrounding structures. The covers include stainless steel, powder-coated alumin...

Partnering with a central station monitoring provider is potentially the biggest and most important decision an alarm dealer or DIY provider of security systems will have to make. Third-party or wholesale central station monitoring companies have matured substantially over the years and especially the past decade. Early on in my career I operated a wholesale monitoring center during a time when wholesale central station monitoring providers really didn’t get much respect from central station industry peers and, even some trade associations. Times have changed drastically over the years and today wholesale monitoring companies contribute tremendously toward the growth of our industry and monitor a meaningful number of accounts as a segment. It is this growth and the fast-moving competition along with market pressure that has caused some of the larger national monitoring centers to really step up their game and set a pace for others to follow. Related: How Prioritizing People ...

SAN RAMON, Calif. —  ONVIF , a global standardization initiative for IP-based physical security products, announces that it will end its support for Profile Q early next year as it contains certain specifications that are no longer consistent with current cybersecurity best practices. Profile Q was developed to provide easy setup of a conformant device on an IP network. It requires a Profile Q conformant device to allow anonymous access to all ONVIF commands during the setup process in the factory default state. This does not follow current cybersecurity best practices, which recommend, among other things, that a network device require users to set passwords and other access rights before the device can be used, according to ONVIF. Since the specifications of a profile cannot be changed as it would impact interoperability between products that conform to a specific profile, Profile Q will be deprecated on March 31, 2022. “ONVIF conformant products are used in a wide variety of ...

Measuring the success of an installing security contractor can take many forms, but one factor common to most high-achieving businesses are deep-rooted connections in the communities they serve. One shining example is LOUD Security of Kennesaw, Ga., near Atlanta. Founder and President John Loud has long been active in alarm industry associations at the state and national level. He has served as president of the Georgia Electronic Life Safety and Security Association (GELSSA) and earlier this year was invaluable to legislative efforts to defeat the spread of a punitive alarm ordinance across the state. The victory necessitated actively working with local police departments and municipalities to discuss Georgia legislation that would increase life-safety to LOUD’s customers, benefit local installers and promote cooperation between all these groups. Community involvement is also championed throughout the company, explains Marketing Director John Bennett. Related: B Safe Secu...

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Snap One Holdings Corp. has announced the pricing of its initial public offering of 13,850,000 shares of its common stock at $18 per share. Shares of Snap One’s common stock are expected to begin trading on the Nasdaq Global Select Market on July 28, 2021 under the symbol “SNPO,” and the offering is expected to close on July 30, 2021, subject to customary closing conditions. Snap One and selling shareholders have granted the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase a total of up to an additional 2,077,500 shares of common stock at the initial public offering price less the underwriting discounts and commissions. The company  intends to use the net proceeds from the offering to repay a portion of the term loan under its credit agreement plus accrued interest thereon as well as for general corporate purposes. The Snap One IPO is being made through an underwriting group led by Morgan Stanley, J.P. Morgan, Jefferies and UBS Investment Bank, who are acting...

First Alliance Credit Union, based in Rochester, Minn., has been a key customer for Custom Alarm in the financial sector for many years. However, plans for a new branch that would begin in 2019 came with a bit of twist. The location was going to be different than previous facilities: the building being constructed was going to host not only the bank, but also offer leased space that has now been occupied by a local bakery as well as a coffee shop. The project was set out for bid in the summertime, and Custom Alarm soon was coordinating meetings with the customer, architect and general contractor. “Even though Custom Alarm had multiple systems at other branches, we did work with the end user to direct them on some new features that would be needed on this project,” explains CEO Melissa Brinkman. “This included wireless locks for the modern glass doors that each office suite had. The project was secured in the fall of 2019 and work began shortly thereafter.” The financial sector has s...

TEANECK, N.J. – Hanwha Techwin announces that the We-Ko-Pa Casino Resort has selected Hanwha cameras for its new state-of-the-art video surveillance system. First established as a bingo-hall style building by the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation in the early 1990s, the facility, located in Scottsdale, Ariz., received approval to be revamped into a fully-fledged gaming facility in 2017. To ensure the safety of staff and visitors, this also included a new video surveillance system. “We were looking for a manufacturer that had a variety of camera offerings to give us what we wanted and that also had a good reputation for quality,” explains Lee Brown, lead surveillance technician for the Fort McDowell Tribal Regulatory Agency. The number of cameras available from Hanwha Techwin was a key differentiator for the We-Ko-Pa Resort as it enabled them to choose the right camera for every situation, according to the company. The range of options was especially important when it came time to desig...

Editor’s Note: SSI Account Executive Dan Wilkins took part in Mission 500’s first-ever Great Las Vegas Scavenger Hunt during ISC West 2021, which helped raise funds for children and families in need across the United States. Below, he shares his experience. If you were out in Vegas for ISC West last week, you may have seen teams in matching t-shirts running around the strip… and causing something of a scene everywhere they stopped! That was Mission 500’s “Great Las Vegas Scavenger Hunt,” which brought together groups of professionals in the security industry to unite behind an important cause. As a participant, I had a blast! The group with Mission 500 and its supporters are truly a welcoming bunch and it was a refreshing change of pace to meet and hang out with industry professionals all while supporting a great cause. As a non-profit, charitable organization since 2016, Mission 500 has set out to provide aid to children and communities in need in the U.S. During that timeframe, ...

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. — Security Alarm Corp. (SAC) continues to execute its expansion plans on the Florida Gulf Coast with the acquisition of Omnitech Communications & Protection, based in Bradenton. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. The deal includes 289 accounts (85% commercial/15% residential) with approximately $11,000 of recurring monthly revenue (RMR). Two employees from Omnitech have joined SAC. “I am excited to announce the OCP acquisition as we continue to grow in Manatee and Sarasota counties. The OCP customers and employees fit well with our culture and service model,” says SAC President Justin Allbright. Allbright continues, “SAC is in growth mode; we are expanding our reach geographically in West Florida now serving commercial and residential customers in ten counties. I am pleased to report that we are achieving our ambitious growth plans while we stick to our knitting — focus on serving the customer the way we have since our founding 42 years ago.” R...

For decades, alarm dealers have attached simple sensors to send an alert if a basement is flooding or the temperature dropped in a boiler room, for example. Today, wireless Cloud-based sensors can be deployed in places they’ve never been used so organizations can gain valuable insights into their operations with actionable data. Small battery-powered sensors, long-range wireless connectivity, and a secure Cloud-hosted backend can be used to monitor critical aspects of operations and send immediate notifications when customer-defined thresholds are breached. Wireless remote temperature sensors are popular with chefs, refrigeration maintenance companies, manufacturers, school cafeteria managers, and datacenter technicians because they can accurately monitor and ensure their refrigeration system is operating properly and efficiently. They are instantly alerted if a power failure, blackout or human error occurs. Related: Utilize the Cloud to Take Surveillance Sales to the Stratosph...

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. — Carrier Global Corp. (NYSE:  CARR ) announces it has agreed to sell its Chubb fire and security business to APi Group Corp. (NYSE: APG ) for an enterprise value of  $3.1 billion . Carrier’s global fire and security products business is not part of the transaction. The sale is said to enable Carrier to focus on its core businesses and to re-allocate net proceeds consistent with its stated capital allocation priorities, including funding organic and inorganic growth, dividends, and share repurchases within a solid investment grade credit rating. Chubb is a leading global provider of fire safety and security solutions for an array of vertical markets, including banking and finance, commercial and offices, education, government, healthcare and more. Related: Security Pros Bemoan Lack of Innovation for Interlogix’s Downfall “Carrier continually assesses all aspects of our global portfolio to ensure alignment with our strategic business prior...