Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/34202
SECURITY SYSTEMS NEWS JULY 2011 www.securitysystemsnews.com BRIEFS Ascent announces commencement of tender offer ENGLEWOOD, Colo.—Ascent Media Corporation in May announced it had commenced an offer to purchase for cash any and all of the outstanding Floating Rate Notes due 2027 (CUSIP No. 58962FBC3), which were origi- nally issued in an aggregate principal amount of $350,000,000 by Meridian Funding Company, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company. The purpose of the tender offer is for Ascent to acquire the outstand- ing Meridian notes in connection with, and to facilitate, the refinanc- ing of the existing securitized indebt- edness of Monitronics Funding LP, a limited purpose Delaware limited partnership, which is a subsidiary of Ascent’s wholly owned operating sub- sidiary, Monitronics International, Inc., a Delaware corporation, including the Class A-1a Term Notes, Series 2007- 1, due 2027, issued by Funding which constitute a portion of the collateral securing the Meridian notes. More money raised for Mission 500 MIAMI, Fla.—Hot off the success of the second Security 5K Charity Run at ISC West on April 7 in Las Vegas, which raised more than $80,000, Mission 500 succeeded in raising an additional $22,000 at the annual gala dinner host- ed by Expo Seguridad Mexico. More than 250 guests attended, and ticket sale proceeds helped to raise $12,000. An additional $10,000 was raised through the sale of parts of a unique mural painted by Mexican Artist Pablo Castro, who donated his work as part of a personal commitment to help children in crisis in Mexico. The successful Expo Seguridad Mexico event brings the year-to-date proceeds that will go to support Mission 500’s efforts to more than $125,000. CSAA Alarm Museum gains tax-exempt status VIENNA, Va.—The CSAA in the Spring 2011 edition of its magazine The Dispatch announced its Alarm Museum had achieved 501 (c) 3 status as a non- profit organization, meaning contribu- tions of cash and donations of artifacts for the museum are now tax-deduct- ible. “This has been a dream of the indus- try,” CSAA EVP Steve Doyle said in The Dispatch. “To have a repository for arti- facts from the earliest days of the alarm industry, and to ensure we have a place to store them.” Located at CSAA headquarters here, the museum is “a living entity chroni- cling the past 150 years of the burglar and fire alarm industry,” according to The Dispatch. MONITORING Atlas lends a helping hand By Daniel Gelinas SPRINGFIELD, Mo.—Although Atlas Security has not been directly impacted by recent tor- nadoes in the Midwest, Atlas employees are actively helping out neighbors affected by the catastrophic events. Atlas central station operations manager Jon Adams said the company was moved to action by the May 22 tornado that hit the neighboring community of Joplin. “Joplin is about an hour west of here … When that tornado hit, it was the first time in my five years as manager here that we were completely unable to reach the authorities … it turns out the tornado hit their 911 call center, too,” Adams said. “Atlas is making donations, and we’ve got employees who are making donations. We’re doing what we can to help out.” He said Convoy of Hope is a local orga- nization that helps out with these types of disasters. “Any time there’s a catastro- phe they just take semi after semi to these places that are hard hit. They’re heading to Joplin. They’re a customer of ours and we thought we could help by making dona- tions and I gave them a monitoring credit,” Adams said. According to published news reports, the recent Joplin tornado was the deadliest single U.S. twister in more than 60 years. Atlas Security employees Amanda Post and Randy Crews help out Convoy of Hope with Joplin relief efforts. News reports put the death toll at 142 at press time, with more than 900 people injured, and 8,000 structures damaged or destroyed. Damage estimates exceed $1 bil- lion, according to reports. Company president Jim Wade said it was Atlas’ philosophy to help its neighbors in whatever way they could. “I just felt like from Atlas’ standpoint, these are our customers and our neigh- bors,” he said. “I just felt compelled to do everything we could. When something like this happens we need to be involved.” SSN MONITORING 33 May’s new Venture Spagnolo is new CEO By Daniel Gelinas CHARLOTTE, N.C.—Mike May, Iver- ify president and CEO, on May 10 announced he would be taking on a new role as strategic advisor with the company, while interim CFO Mark Spagnolo will take over May’s previ- ous functions. Asked what his new relationship with the video monitoring com- pany would be, May said there would be defi- nite changes and hinted at a new venture. “Iverify will remain an important relationship for me but not my pri- mary focus,” May told Security Sys- tems News. “I am actively creating a next generation security concept.” May said he will remain focused on Iverify’s client relations and major sales opportunities, and apply his security expertise toward SPAGNOLO see page 35 Mobile tech to evolve neighborhood watch Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal (left), George W. Bush and Acadian CEO and Chairman of the Board Richard Zuschlag. Former Prez Bush addresses Acadian By Daniel Gelinas LAFAYETTE, La.—Former U.S. President George W. Bush was on hand May 24 at the Cajundome at an Acadian Ambulance/ Monitoring Services awards luncheon to deliver a keynote address to more than 2,200 attendees. The luncheon event honored Paramedic of the Year Steven Simon. Acadian VP Blane Comeaux said the event was a very special one for attendees and participants and Acadian itself, and the company wanted to deliver. “This is Acadian’s 40th year, so we wanted to really make this year’s annual paramedic luncheon special. President Bush’s father, George H.W. Bush, spoke at our luncheon several years ago and was introduced by a BUSH see page 34 By Daniel Gelinas ORLANDO, Fla.—MobileTREC, a provider of next generation 911 (NG911) technolo- gy, has been working on a small-scale, old- school-style community safety project with an advanced technology twist that officially launched with a promotional campaign throughout central Florida on May 24. The company wants to use its SafeKid- Zone mobile phone app, which creates a conference bridge between an end user and his or her safety network (friends, family, authorities) facilitated by a central station operator to create safer communities. The operator assesses the situation and if nec- essary sends an alert to the nearest emer- gency services dispatcher in seconds, with complete subscriber information including photos and precise GPS location. According to company president Marty Lobb, the community watch concept is just the beginning. “We’re starting with a virtual neigh- borhood and we’re actually moving into something larger in our thoughts with a national emergency response network,” Lobb said. “Think about the horrific tor- nado in Missouri … Imagine if after the devastation, people could have texted to us just by pressing a panic button and we would have known that under this pile of rubble were survivors … This could save millions of lives in a catastrophic event. We’re starting with a neighborhood, which is your community, and we’re saying, ‘Why not make the world your community?’” In order to create its virtual neighbor- hood watch concept, MobileTREC has partnered with the Child Rescue Network, a non-profit organization based here that is dedicated to protecting children. CRN con- ducts safety seminars to educate parents on the best ways to empower their kids to help prevent them from being victimized, according to the organization’s website. CRN, among other initiatives, provides child photo ID cards with fingerprints to parents for use in case a child is abducted. It is this built-in audience of concerned parents MobileTREC and CRN hope to tap as the test bed for the virtual neigh- borhood watch. CRN president Jeff Griesemer feels the virtual neighborhood watch concept fits MOBILE see page 35