Weston in Space

ORLANDO, Fla. — The 2021 installment of the Total Tech Summit may be in the rearview mirror, but VIP attendees will have the coming months ahead to apply a wealth of best practices and business insights to their organizations that derived from the in-person event. Around 300 executives and upper-level managers from electronic security, commercial integration and custom electronics companies convened here at the Orange County Convention Center, Nov. 17-19. Security Sales & Integration hosted its 6th Annual SSI Summit, held in conjunction with the CE Pro Summit and Commercial Integrator Summit, both of which are SSI sister publications owned by Emerald . Each year this all-expense-paid, exclusive event offers VIP guests the opportunity to sit in on industry-defining sessions, key boardroom presentations, and be able to meet one-on-one with potential vendors. Total Tech Summit brings together the best in class to share ideas, learn from others, and most importantly, accelerate

If your company hasn’t started talking about COVID-19 vaccination requirements, you should consider doing so now. Some of your clients may be asking any on-site workers to be vaccinated, and depending on your size and location, your own employees may need to be vaccinated. This vaccination requirement was discussed at  NSCA’s Pivot to Profit in September  with companies during a dinner session talking about a variety of approaches they take. Some said they simply encourage their employees to get vaccinated, while others offer incentives and paid time off to get the shot. You may still be wrestling with a decision on whether to enforce vaccination requirements for your employees or not. This is one of the largest decisions companies must face right now, so insight from your peers may go a long way. SSI sister site Commercial Integrator asked some integrators about their vaccination requirements, and this is what they said: Abby Wolfe, director of marketing and communications, Cory

BROOKLYN — Cross-Fire & Security Co., a full-service life-safety company, announces the acquisition of Alarm & Suppression (A&S) for undisclosed terms. A&S, based in Ballston Lake, N.Y., is a provider of fire alarm, fire suppression, fire extinguishers, security and life-safety systems, serving customers in northeastern New York and Vermont. A&S Owner Tom Murray will remain with the company and maintain a minority stake. Cross-Fire is a fire and life-safety services platform owned by AE Industrial Partners, a private equity firm specializing in aerospace, defense and government services, space, power and utility services, and specialty industrial markets. A&S marks the platform’s first acquisition. Cross-Fire has partnered with key industry executives on this platform, including Kelly Romano, chair of the board, and Ed Cettina, board member. Romano, an AEI operating partner, has deep sector experience in fire/life-safety and security, and commercial building

KENT, Ohio — Sage Integration announces it has named Caroline Santiago as a senior account executive and Jonathan Smithwick as business development manager to accommodate the company’s rapid expansion during the past year. Santiago will develop new business, specializing in utility and petrochemical organizations while maintaining and growing existing business in Texas and all U.S. states east of the Mississippi River. Jim Geyer, Sage Integration’s vice president, says increasing business from national and global clients made hiring an experienced project manager vital. “Caroline’s chemical engineering, technology and sales backgrounds made her an ideal choice as a senior account executive working with high technology clients,” he notes. “We’re thrilled to have her join our team.” Previously, Santiago was an account manager at Nichia America Corp., a U.S. subsidiary of the world’s leading manufacturer of optical semiconductors. She earned a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering

ST. LOUIS — Potter Electric Signal Co. announces the release of the Integrated Voice System along with the IPA-4000V and AFC-1000V fire alarm control panels. These updated panels are said to have all the functionality of the original IPA-4000 and AFC-1000 panels, and now include the ability to create and send out voice evacuation messages. The Integrated Voice System can be used to address multiple site requirements for the Potter AFC-1000V and IPA-4000V, with industry-leading capacity including up to 104 programmable push buttons, 31 total system amplifiers, 248 speaker circuits and remote system control using the new LOC-1000 Local Operator Console, according to the company. The Integrated Voice System utilizes a text-to-speech feature that allows users to create custom spoken audio messages themselves without needing third party software or voice artists. When done in conjunction with the WaveNet neural network, Potter says the fire panels generate more natural sounding speech th

Creating a safe campus is dependent upon the plans campus leaders have put in place to protect students and staff should an emergency occur. Many campuses invest large amounts of time and resources into creating these plans, but once they are created, what happens to those plans? Often, plans are created and left to sit, either in a binder or on a computer until the need arises from the plans to be put into use. Developing plans can simply be seen as checking a box without analyzing if the plan is effective in getting people to do the most important thing during an emergency: take action. All the planning in the world isn’t worth a thing unless people are able to receive, understand and follow the steps of the plan that are most pertinent to them. Most safety plans revolve around sharing information. People need to know an event is taking place and what they should be doing. While knowing who needs to receive emergency alerts and how they will receive them may seem like basic compone

Home automation is a major theme found in this month’s top stories, appearing in nearly half of them. The most-read story of the month was news of Johnson Control’s wide release of the Qolsys IQ Panel 4. The official unveiling followed a soft launch in mid-July . In the ensuing period, small numbers of the panel were sent to distributors for anyone to purchase and take part in a pilot program, during which dealers could put the new offering through its paces and give the company feedback. A new law enacted by the U.S. government could have a major impact on integrators after President Biden signed the Secure Equipment Act. The law prevents the FCC from granting or reviewing applications for licenses from companies the agency determines are a security threat to the U.S., such as video surveillance giants Hikvision and Dahua. The Cloud and sun also made it’s way into November’s top stories, and we aren’t referring to weather. SSI online readers were curious about Brivo and Eagle Eye

UNIONTOWN, Ohio — Securitas AB has promoted Tony Byerly to president, Global Electronic Security. He previously served as president and CEO of the company’s North American electronic security operations. The company also announced that Kevin Engelhardt has been promoted to president, Securitas Electronic Security and Electronic Security Business Leader for North America. The promotions further strengthen the leadership for Securitas’ electronic security business globally and in North America, while aligning organizational structures to intensify the company’s focus on its electronic security (ES) and solutions growth strategy, according to the announcement. In Byerly’s expanded role, he will lead the global strategy solidifying electronic security specialization as he works with other Securitas leaders across the globe. Byerly’s 30+ years of leadership and experience in the electronic security industry are backed by a long track record of success transforming businesses and profita

It’s one thing for an integrator to set up video surveillance cameras to secure a client’s home and property, but can those same cameras be pointed at the next door neighbor’s house? The short answer is “yes,” but it is one of the more complex situations an integrator may ever face. In a nutshell, the integrator can install the surveillance cameras but should avoid discussing the lawfulness of the installation with the client because that could expose the dealer to liability. Also, it is advisable to have the client (not you) post notification signs that video and audio recording are taking place. An integrator posed this complicated situation to security legal expert and SSI columnist Ken Kirschenbaum. The situation involves a customer whose next door neighbor is a “nuisance.” The single-family home, which is in a residential neighborhood, is used to house persons with mental or physical impairments. Unfortunately, those inhabitants are “terrorizing” the client’s dogs, driving the

SSI Summit Stars is a new monthly department that highlights some of the security industry’s most progressive integrators that have attended the SSI Summit. This exclusive, invitation-only event is held annually in conjunction with the  Total Tech Summit , which includes hundreds more integrators from the residential and commercial A/V fields. This month, SSI hears from Vector Security President and CEO Pam Petrow. Vector Security President and CEO Pam Petrow. LEADERSHIP STATEMENT My career with Vector Security started in 1982, working in numerous capacities including sales, branch/district management, and several corprate positions. I was promoted to COO in 2008 and named CEO in 2010. In 2012, I had the honor of being elected to the SSI Industry Hall of Fame and earlier this year was appointed to The Philadelphia Contributionship Board of Directors, Vector Security’s sister organization. I have always believed in participating in security associations, having held leadership

MENLO PARK, Calif. — Hakimo, a venture-backed company dedicated to modernizing physical security, announces the release of its smart monitoring software powered by artificial intelligence (AI) to holistically manage enterprise physical security operations. Hakimo’s software is said to significantly streamline the workflow of a global security operations center (GSOC) by freeing up time for operators and by surfacing security threats which would have gone unnoticed previously. “Hakimo leverages state-of-the-art deep learning technology developed over the last few years,” says Sam Joseph, co-founder and chief executive officer of Hakimo. “What Hakimo is doing today was literally impossible to achieve just a decade ago. Hakimo-like tools have been the norm in the cybersecurity industry and Hakimo is pioneering the convergence between cybersecurity and physical security by bringing them to physical security.” The company says tailgating is a serious concern for every security organizat

Biometric devices provide unique advantages for security. For a long time, security applications such as access control had only one option for determining if access should be granted: “something you have,” which would typically be a key. As technologies improved, keys gave way to key cards and programmable systems with enhanced functionality such as multiple door access, time of day limits, and so forth, but still relied upon something you had. Access codes and keypads, alone or combined with cards, boosted security to include “something you know.” The problems with these systems remained, however — both cards and codes could be lost, forgotten, stolen, or shared with others. Biometrics finally made the jump to “something you are” — and suddenly it was no longer possible to lose, forget, or share your credentials. Today, biometrics are in wide use for access control , where they are not only secure, but also help limit the spread of illness by reducing the need to touch common area

EARTH CITY, Mo. — Mister Car Wash, North America’s largest car wash network, has chosen Interface Security Systems, a leading managed service provider to upgrade and optimize its video monitoring and alarm systems. With over 350 car washes nationwide, and rapid expansion plans, Mister Car Wash is committed to delivering a safe and consistent customer experience across all its locations, according to the company. To address its unique safety requirements, Mister Car Wash chose Interface to overhaul its CCTV and alarm installations and create a foundation for consistently replicating safety and security best practices across all future locations. As a part of the upgrade, Interface successfully integrated security camera feeds with a third-party vehicle anti-collision system to increase efficiency and reduce the chances of accidents inside the car wash tunnel. The solution tracks the flow of vehicles inside the car wash tunnel and automatically stops the conveyor belt if an imminent

The converging concepts of the smart home and the IoT are blossoming to fulfill the desires of an increasing number of consumers who place greater emphasis on smart tech to support healthier lifestyles. This trend has only accelerated since the coronavirus pandemic ushered in an era of social distancing and lockdowns, resulting in a renewed focus on the home for many of us. With a foot solidly in the door already, residential security dealers are well-positioned to play subject-matter expert — and provider — for clients interested in “wellness” as an amenity. Think IoT sensors and products to monitor and purify invisible contaminants, track people’s health autonomously, align circadian rhythms, among other extensive automation, sensing and remote-control capabilities. Despite rising consumer awareness and technology interest, the wellness market might need a doctor’s visit. In August 2020, in the midst of the COVID pandemic, consumer electronics (CE) integrators reported that they e

AUSTIN, Texas — Eagle Eye Networks recently announced it ranked 307 on the Deloitte Technology Fast 500, a ranking of the 500 fastest-growing technology, media, telecommunications, life sciences, fintech and energy tech companies in North America, now in its 27th year. As the number one provider of video surveillance solutions for the third year in a row, Eagle Eye earned the number 12 overall spot in the category of Electronic Devices/Hardware. The company says it grew 403% during that period. Eagle Eye Networks CEO Dean Drako says the company’s alignment with two major trends — the move to Cloud  and adding artificial intelligence (AI) to Cloud video surveillance — contributed to the company’s stellar growth. “I firmly believe that the confluence of Cloud and AI is revolutionizing video surveillance around the world,” says Drako. “Eagle Eye is at the forefront of this revolution, delivering technologies that will make the world a safer place and businesses more efficient. Working

AMITYVILLE, N.Y. — Speco Technologies announces it has integrated its SecureGuard servers and recorders with I-View Now. SecureGuard is a video management solution for monitoring video, audio and access control from Speco Technologies products. I-View Now integrates security system signals, video sources, Cloud applications and Internet-connected devices (IoT) into its Cloud platform to give end users, operators and authorized emergency responders better information to prioritize their resources. In its announcement, Speco states, “Integrating with the popular I-View Now platform creates an additional way for Speco Technologies’ customers to securely monitor properties efficiently and remotely. Speco Technologies is extremely passionate about providing the best security measures for our customers. Combining the SecureGuard interface with I-View Now helps users reduce false alarms as well as verify alarms during the dispatch process. This pairing provides the ultimate peace of mind

As one of the largest school districts in California, the Anaheim Union High School District (AUHSD) recently installed its first district-wide IP video surveillance system. Connected to five Orange County police departments, the system is designed to prevent petty crime and protect lives during an active shooter scenario.   Before the upgrade, AUHSD lacked a centralized video security system that would allow administrators to prevent, monitor and investigate incidents on campuses. Ongoing occurrences of theft and vandalism were financially impacting the district. In addition, parents and staff members were increasingly concerned about active shooter incidents happening at other schools across the country.   AUHSD expanded and upgraded its existing security infrastructure with a campus-wide solution using Hanwha Techwin America IP security cameras and DDN storage servers, plus new fencing at all schools with strategically placed perimeter sensors — all integrated with the Milestone