Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/31502
12 EDITORIAL www.securitysystemsnews.com MAY 2011 SECURITY SYSTEMS NEWS Tim Purpura, PUBLISHER tpurpura@securitysystemsnews.com S ISC West: Being there o what’s the value of hauling out to the desert to spend three days (or more in our case) running around a trade show floor, going from booth to booth, attending business breakfasts, luncheons, cocktail hours and dinners? It’s a question we ponder every year. Should we send all four reporters from Security Systems News and Security Director News this year? It’s expensive, it’s smoky, But there’s much you cannot do remotely. In the news business, an email will never replace a handshake. ISC West is where we get a chance to meet you, our readers, in person. Many of you showed up at our Meet the Editors event at the ISC West Media Studio on Wednesday morning as the show floor was opening. Thanks for stopping by. Your insight, news tips, crowded, exhausting—so many excellent reasons to go, right? Every year we complain about it, and every year we decide that being there is worth it. Thankfully, there’s so much you can do remotely, via webinar, phone or email, otherwise we wouldn’t be able to bring you Security Systems News and Security Director News from the “metropolis” of Yarmouth, Maine. Martha Entwistle impressions of the show, even complaints, are invaluable. For our readers who don’t go to ISC West, we try to give you a sense of the show floor landscape, and what people were talking about and showing in their booths. We do this not only through our print publication, but via Twitter, video, news- wires and updates to our blogs. We believe the trip to ISC West helps us do a better job for you. And, while I resisted liking Vegas in Letters to the editor To the editor: I am a veteran of the security industry who has been active in both local and state associations in Texas. In my 27 years in this industry, I have never seen a situation like this, where a few bad actors have wreaked havoc across the entire country and given our industry this bad reputation. Being a bottom-line kind of guy, these summer sales companies have come into many states, used unethical sales tactics (to the point of being kicked out of at least one state), often putting customers any way for a couple years, I will now admit that there is some fun to be had. The Women’s Security Council reception and some of the other receptions and dinners were great for networking and some laughs. And, you never know what interesting sights you’ll see on the show floor. IBM’s Frank Yeh, who gave a great presentation at TechSec two years ago about virtual- ization—and virtual trade shows—was there in person. He showed me one of the coolest gadgets at the show—a two-foot long helicopter that flies and is equipped with a camera. And, finally, there was plenty of fun and camraderie at the second annual Security 5K. We are proud to have helped organize the Security 5K, which drew 400 runners and raised $92,000 for Mission 500. Thanks to members of the security industry, 240 of the world’s neediest kids will have a place to live, and food and clothes for a year. That’s worth a trip to Vegas any day. in double jeopardy with two contracts with two alarm companies, not always licensing their employees, and leaving a very bad taste in the mouths of city and state officials. These actions reflect on the entire alarm industry even though there are only a few offending companies. So now the good actors have to fight this bad image in the press and in politics, and now in at least one state legislature. A state representative in Texas has asked for legislation to allow local authorities to regulate door-to-door sales for alarm companies only. Not for magazine salespersons, not for the Fuller Brush man (for those of you old enough to remember the Fuller Brush man), not for the Kirby Vacuum Cleaner salesman, just for the alarm sales person. When asked, the municipality request- ing this legislation stated that a summer- sales program company was the cause. What can we, as an industry, do about this? Apparently, not much. These com- panies have grown so big that they can throw a little money around and diminish any negative press that they might get for these unethical sales tactics. Hopefully these companies will stop their unprofessional sales tactics, get their companies and employees licensed properly, quit going after contracted cus- tomers, and become respectable citizens within our industry. Only time will tell, but I am not hold- ing my breath. Michael Samulin Intruder Alert Systems, Inc. San Antonio, Texas Brook Taliaferro, EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Martha Entwistle, EDITOR mentwistle@securitysystemsnews.com Daniel Gelinas, MANAGING EDITOR dgelinas@securitysystemsnews.com Tess Nacelewicz, ASSOCIATE EDITOR tnacelewicz@securitysystemsnews.com Peter Macijauskas, E-MEDIA MANAGER pmacijauskas@unitedpublications.com SEND PRESS RELEASES TO: EDITORIAL OFFICE editor@securitysystemsnews.com Tel: 207.846.0600 Fax: 207.846.0657 ADVERTISING OFFICE Security Systems News 106 Lafayette St., PO Box 998 Yarmouth, ME 04096 Tel: 207.846.0600 Fax: 207.846.0657 EAST Tim Purpura, PUBLISHER Tel: 207.846.0600, ext. 217 Fax: 207.846.0657 tpurpura@securitysystemsnews.com WEST Gregg Shapiro, ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Tel: 207.846.0600, ext. 273 Fax: 207.846.0657 gshapiro@securitysystemsnews.com MARKETPLACE & LIST RENTALS Cath Daggett Tel: 207.846.0600, ext. 300 Fax: 207.846.0657 cdaggett@securitysystemsnews.com Glen Halliday, PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Brenda Boothby, CIRCULATION DIRECTOR EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD Bill Bozeman, CEO/President PSA Security Network Daniel G. 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