Security Systems News

March 2011

Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/31498

Contents of this Issue

Navigation

Page 29 of 47

30 RESIDENTIAL SYSTEMS www.securitysystemsnews.com MARCH 2011 SECURITY SYSTEMS NEWS ASG VP to lead resi push By Tess Nacelewicz BELTSVILLE, Md.—ASG Security has hired Jim Boots, former VP of residential sales for Protection One, to fill a new VP of residen- tial sales and mar- keting position. The hire is part of ASG’s new strategy to “hit the gas pedal on residential,” said Bob Ryan, senior VP, sales and marketing. He said ASG plans years experience in industry sales, began his new job in January. He told Security Systems News that “the residential side of the business is something I’m pas- sionate about.” Ryan said: “We love his leadership and his confidence and his experience.” He said Boots will Jim Boots a big residential push in two new markets this spring, San Antonio, and Raleigh-Durham, N.C., so needed “a real residen- tial sales pro.” Boots, who has more than 25 oversee residential sales in all 15 branch offices of ASG, headquartered here. The company’s has offices in Massachusetts, New Jersey, North Carolina, Texas, and also Oklahoma, where ASG moved with its acquisition last year of resi-focused TnT Security. Ryan said ASG has branches in San Antonio and Raleigh, but with a “hybrid residential-small business” sales focus. Now, he said, ASG will be sending into those areas “a very large, very aggressive sales force (15 to 20 sales people) dedi- cated to residential-only busi- ness that will do a combination of door-knocking and running company-generated leads.” Joe Nuccio, ASG CEO, said the company has a “really robust” large commercial and government entities sales chan- nel, and a good residential program. But he said ASG is “ready right now to take it (residential) to the next level.” SSN Guardian nabs another By Tess Nacelewicz PITTSBURGH—Guardian Protection Services announced Jan. 19 that it has added a second top former Brink’s/ Broadview dealer to its roster of authorized Guardian deal- ers. Signing on the new dealer is a part of a plan by Guardian, which is based here, to grow its national footprint. SafeTec Security, the sec- ond-largest Brinks/Broadview dealer, is now part of Guardian’s Authorized Dealer Program, said Hank Groff, national director of the program. SafeTec is headquartered in Columbus, Ga. Last year it generated an average of about 200 accounts per month, and it has about 40 employees. Just last summer, Guardian also announced that the third-largest Brink’s/Broadview dealer had become a Guardian dealer. The announcement about Southern Alarm, based in Richmond Hills, Ga., which has about 35 employ- ees and does about 180 installa- tions per month, came Aug. 26. Groff told Security Systems News that Guardian is very pleased to be able to partner with two of the top five dealers that Brink’s/Broadview had. ADT acquired Broadview Security, formerly Brink’s, last year. Dealers can choose to leave ADT when their contracts expire. Southern Alarm has offices in Georgia and South Carolina and SafeTec’s offices are located in Georgia and Alabama. Groff said that having those two companies as authorized dealers allows Guardian to expand its dealer program and residential business into those states, where it had not been previously. Guardian already is well estab- lished in the Mid-Atlantic States, the Chicago area, Florida and Texas. He said partnering with Southern Alarm and SafeTec is “part of Guardian’s goal to expand its national footprint.” SafeTec, founded in 2002, for- merly was a Brink’s/Broadview dealer for most of its existence, according to David Broxton, chairman of SafeTec. He said he had nothing negative to say GUARDIAN see page 32 First buy for APX/Vivint By Martha Entwistle and Tess Nacelewicz PROVO, Utah—Marking its first acquisition in its 11-year history, APX Alarm, now called Vivint, on Jan. 12 announced it bought Meter Solutions, an installer of smart meters for utilities. “It’s our first, and it’s not even in security,” Vivint COOAlex Dunn told Security Systems News. Utah-based Meter Solutions specializes in Automated Metering Infrastructure systems. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. “There’s a whole new gen- eration of water, electric and gas meters, that are zigbee-enabled, which allows the meter to com- municate with devices inside the home and communicate in a direct way with utili- ties on the back end,” Dunn said. The meters provide more accurate billing and reduce labor costs, he said. Meter Solutions will operate as its own division within Vivint, which is based here. Dunn said Meter Solutions is a great standalone business, but it’s even more inter- esting combined with Vivint’s new energy management and other home automation offerings. Dunn said Vivint views the acquisition as “a new channel to create customers lead- ing with energy man- agement, and then ... upgrade them to other services, security.” including The buy expanded Alex Dunn Vivint’s new foray into energy management. This summer, Vivint announced its first new add-on to its GO!Control security panel, a new home management package designed to save consum- ers in energy costs. SSN Boys of summer By Tess Nacelewicz LANCASTER, Pa.—Last summer, Select Security, a super-regional alarm company based here, suc- cessfully experimented with a summer model program to beat the big boys at their own game. This summer, the company is going further: It is not only repeat- ing its summer sales program but has hired sales representatives from some of the big companies to run it. Company president Patrick Egan said door-knocking sales representatives should have an advantage working for a tradi- tional security company like his, which does business throughout Pennsylvania. For a more robust version of stories in this section, see: WWW.SECURITYSYSTEMSNEWS.COM n “They’re going into our mar- kets,” he told Security Systems News. “They’re going to be sell- ing our name, they’re not selling for an out-of-state company. It should be an easier sale and easier close.” Also, he said, the company is not waiting for summer weather to get its program underway. Instead, it plans to have a small team of college students do some door knocking in March over spring break. Last year Egan went to Utah, home of the big summer model companies, and hired a team of college students to sell alarm systems for Select Security door to door in Pennsylvania. This summer, he plans to have three teams of 15-20 college stu- dents—and has hired sales staff who formerly worked for big companies to run the program, Egan said. Derek Taylor, who formerly worked for Pinnacle Security, has joined Select Security as its high-volume residential program sales manager. The company also hired Matthew Kemp as its high-vol- ume residential program area sales manager. Kemp’s door-to-door experience includes working for APX Alarm, now Vivint, accord- ing to Select Security. Kemp will report to Taylor. Taylor said, “I want to work with Patrick and the guys and take a residential program to new heights and to new levels.” SSN BRIEFS Loud new president of Georgia association KENNESAW, Ga.—John Loud, of Loud Security Systems, based here, was recently elected president of the Georgia Electronic Life Safety and Security Association. The association connects safety and security professionals to pro- mote, strengthen and build safer com- munities and works with police jurisdic- tions to reduce false alarm security calls throughout the state. Loud worked with local communi- ties to achieve an acceptable alarm ordi- nance that led the city of Marietta, Ga. to see a reduction in false dispatches of more than 65 percent, the company said. The association and Loud also assisted Cobb County with a similar ordinance that resulted in a 38 percent reduction in false dispatches, the company said. New rules, and fees, for Portland burglar alarms PORTLAND, Maine—The city has insti- tuted new fees to enforce its widely ignored requirement that home and busi- ness owners who have burglar alarms, and the security companies that moni- tor those systems, register with the city, according to the Portland Press Herald. The new rules for alarms were sched- uled to take effect in January, the news- paper said. For individuals, alarms cost $35 to register for the first time and $25 a year for renewals, and the companies that monitor alarms must pay $100 to register initially and $75 for two-year renewals, according to the paper. Fees for false alarms also increased. A $100 fee will kick in after two false alarms, instead of after three malfunctions, the paper said. The charge will climb to $150 for each false alarm from the fourth to the sixth, and $200 per instance for seven or more per year, the paper said. There will be no fine for false alarms caused by power outages or wind. ESA to hold annual Day on Capitol Hill IRVING, Texas—The Electronic Security Association is inviting industry members to participate in the association’s annual Day on Capitol Hill, to be held on May 3-4 in Washington, D.C. The purpose of the two-day gathering is to meet with congressional representatives and their staffs to discuss issues that are critical to the security industry and public safety. ESA director of government relations, John Chwat, and his staff at Chwat & Co., will make all congressional appoint- ments for attendees in advance and will obtain security clearances for all attend- ees. Information packets will be distribut- ed to all attendees with pertinent indus- try issues, including talking points to use while visiting representatives. There also will be networking and social events. For more information, visit: www.alarm.org.

Articles in this issue

Links on this page

Archives of this issue

view archives of Security Systems News - March 2011