Friday, July 8, 2005

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Association News


NBFAA Announces Headquarters Relocation to Irving , Texas

Wednesday, July 6, NBFAA announced that the Association’s headquarters will be relocating to Irving , Texas from Silver Spring , Md. effective July 25. 

“Relocation is something we have been considering and studying for some time, and this year we undertook a due diligence process that involved evaluating locations based on a number of key criteria including:  accessibility, availability of talent, cost of doing business, quality of life, transportation options, cost of traveling into and out of the area, commuting time and climate. The committee also employed a return on investment analysis for each location considered,” said NBFAA President Scot Colby.

The NBFAA considered a number of possible sites in several states, including Florida , Georgia , Louisiana , Maryland , North Carolina , Missouri , Tennessee and Texas .

“This is a positive step for our association,” said Merlin Guilbeau, NBFAA executive director. “From DFW International Airport , we can travel anywhere in the continental United States within four hours or less. The region’s Central Time Zone provides added flexibility in supporting and servicing our members and the savings on facility costs alone will translate into better programs and enhanced deliverables for our membership.”

The new headquarters will be located at 2300 Valley View Lane, Suite 230 , Irving , TX 75062 , while NBFAA’s National Training School (NTS) and government relations programs will remain in their current locations in Pennsylvania and Washington , D.C.

Editor’s Note:  Check out the next issue of Newsline for more information about the NBFAA’s relocation plans.

NBFAA Encourages Members to Take Advantage of Associates

By Tonja Jenkins
Director, Business Development

In our associate member category, NBFAA has had a very exciting Spring!  In the first six months of the year we’ve already welcomed 21 new associate member companies offering products and services like equipment leasing, emergency response systems, smoke alarm testers, cable and wire distribution and more! We will be introducing these new associates in an e-mail News Flash soon - so watch for more information in the coming days.  

When you purchase products and services from our associate member companies, you effectively support the NBFAA, which allows the NBFAA to effectively support you – everyone wins!  So please be sure to consider them when you make your purchasing decisions.

 

Are You Leaving Money on the Table???

If you haven’t renewed your membership for 2005, you have definitely left money on the table! To find out more, contact our Membership Department today at 817.685.0339 or membership@alarm.org.

Media Presentation Planned for Fall Conference and NBFAA CSA Symposium

NBFAA recognizes the importance of earning publicity for your company, but many members may not know how to do it. That is why NBFAA is holding a Media Presentation at the NBFAA CSA Symposium in New York.

 Presented by Dave Simon, senior manager of industry and public relations for Brink’s Home Security, the session will be held on Monday, Aug. 22, from 8:30 a.m. to 9 a.m.at the Marriott Marquis Empire Complex.

 This half-hour presentation is designed to provide NBFAA members with valuable insight into the world of media relations.

 The Media Presentation is just one of many of the reasons you should be in New York from Aug. 22-26 for the 2005 NBFAA CSA Symposium. Make your plans to attend today!

 We have reserved a block of hotel rooms at a special NBFAA rate of $199 at the New York Marriott Marquis, located in Times Square. To reserve your room, call 800-843-4898. These rooms are “first come, first served,” so don’t delay.

 And remember, your registration for the NBFAA Fall Conference and CSA Symposium includes the NBFAA Awards Luncheon, the Industry Breakfast, NBFAA committee meetings, the NBFAA Reception and free admission to ISC East. Information about registering for the conference will soon be available at www.alarm.org.

Attend ISC East for Free Courtesy of NBFAA

Use this link to register for ISC East at no charge – and receive a 20% discount on the conference package - courtesy of NBFAA! www.isceast.com/nbfaa

Upcoming NTS Courses

Generous discounts on business critical training is a very popular member benefit! Check out the listing of upcoming NTS courses to see what is coming to your area in the next few weeks. For more information on a course, contact NTS at 866-636-1687 or by e-mail at nts@alarm.org.

The following is a listing of upcoming NTS courses scheduled around the country for the next few weeks. For more information on a course, contact NTS at 866-636-1687 or by e-mail at nts@alarm.org.

Complete course schedules for 2005 are also available at www.alarm.org/nts/. These schedules are updated regularly, so be sure to check back often.

Don't forget that NTS training is also available online! Alarm Technician (Level 1) and Fire Alarm Installation Methods (FAIM) are available now – with Advanced Burglar Alarm Technician (ABAT) coming later this year!

Understanding Alarm Systems
July 16 – Monroe, La.

Certified Alarm Technician
July 15-17 – Lake of the Ozarks, Mo.
July 22-24 – Gonzales, La.

Fire Alarm Installation Methods
July 13-15 – Long Island, N.Y.
July 15-17 – South Alabama

Fire Alarm Installation Methods
July 13-15 – Long Island, N.Y.
July 15-17 – South Ala.

Electronic Access Control
July 9-10 – Bossier City, La.

Life Safety Code
July 15 – Knoxville, Tenn.

Security Networking
July 25-26 – Newark , NJ
July 28-29 – Pittsburgh , PA

Senate Passes Fax Bill

Recent information received from the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) regarding pending legislation:

 The Senate recently passed legislation by unanimous consent restoring the "established business relationship" (EBR) exception that allows associations and other businesses to send unsolicited commercial faxes to their members and clients. The Senate action on S. 714 sent the fax bill to the House of Representatives.

 This bill (S. 714), the "Junk Fax Prevention Act," was necessary due to new rules proposed by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in 2003 that would have prohibited commercial faxes sent without a recipient's written consent. The FCC's new rules were still due to take effect July 1, 2005, although the Commission may now grant a 6-month stay extension filed by ASAE and The Fax Ban Coalition that would allow corrective legislation to run its course.

If the FCC does not grant the 6-month stay extension, ASAE and The Fax Ban Coalition will work with Congress to incorporate a "safe harbor" provision for commercial faxes sent between June 30, 2005 and the date of enactment.

In addition to restoring the EBR language, the Senate bill requires that all unsolicited commercial faxes include an opt-out provision on the first page of the fax, providing a cost-free, 24-hour means for the recipient to request to be removed from the fax distribution list; requires that fax numbers be obtained either directly from the recipient or from a public source to which the recipient gave the number for publication (i.e., a Web site, advertisement or directory); and "grandfathers" in fax numbers in the possession of the sender at the time of enactment.

 ASAE and The Fax Ban Coalition are hopeful the FCC will now grant the 6-month extension request allowing time for Congress to pass legislation, and eliminating any gap in time between when the bill becomes law and when the Commission's proposed fax rules are due to take effect.

Member News

Sonitrol Sponsors National Hurricane Survival Initiative

NBFAA member company Sonitrol is among the sponsors of the National Hurricane Survival Initiative, which aims to provide people with information on how to protect themselves and their families this hurricane season.

The initiative grew out of a public opinion poll conducted in April. The poll found that the majority of people were not even aware of the basic steps they can take to stay safe before, during and after a hurricane.

In addition to Sonitrol, the National Hurricane Survival Initiative is sponsored by the National Hurricane Center , the Salvation Army, the National Emergency Management Association and Phylox. For hurricane safety tips or for more information on this public education and safety outreach program, visit www.hurricanesafety.com.

NAPCO Added to New Stock Index

NBFAA associate member company NAPCO Security Systems Inc. of Amityville , N.Y. , has been included as a member of the new Russell Microcap Index, a new stock index that was introduced in May.

The Russell Microcap Index measures the performance of what it calls the microcap segment – those companies with “low or micro total value of the company’s stock,” according to the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 Russell indexes are used by investment managers and institutional investors for index funds and as benchmarks for both passive and active investment strategies. More than $2.5 trillion in assets currently are benchmarked to them. Investment managers who oversee these funds purchase shares of member stocks according to that company's weighting in the particular index.

United Alarm Donates to Police Dog Fund

At an open house at its new offices, NBFAA member company United Alarm Co., of Brookfield, Conn., presented Police Chief Robin Montgomery with a check for $2,565 to help the Brookfield Police Department’s K-9 fund.

To raise money for the fund, United Alarm notified its customers that it would match their donations up to $1,000. Their customers exceeded that amount, donating $1,565. To date, the police department has raised more than $10,000 for a police dog, with about $3,000 more needed.

We want to hear from you. If you have a story you'd like to share with other NBFAA members, contact us at 301-585-1855 or by email at communications@alarm.org.

Member Benefit Spotlight: Mass Marketing Insurance Consultants

Without a doubt, health insurance is one of the largest expenditures for any business, and costs have risen substantially over the last few years.

NBFAA recognizes that finding affordable health insurance can be especially difficult for its members. Through a partnership with Mass Marketing Insurance Consultants, Inc. (MMIC), NBFAA members can receive personalized health insurance-needs analysis from an impartial consultant.

Because MMIC has no ties or obligations to any one insurance company, its representatives are free to represent NBFAA members without any restrictions.

Among the benefits NBFAA members receive through MMIC's service are:

• Choice of plan designs
• Choice of deductibles
• Choice of doctors, specialists and hospitals
• Choice of doctor office co-pays
• Choice of prescription drug card co-pay
• Choice of co-insurance options
• Choice of optional benefits

The service provided by Mass Marketing Insurance Consultants is just one of the many benefits available to NBFAA members. For more information and a customized quote, contact Ed Sturcek at 800-349-1039 ext. 15, or visit www.mmic.com. A complete list of exclusive NBFAA member benefits can be found at http://www.alarm.org/members/resource/discounts.html.

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For Member Update Sponsorship information contact
NBFAA Director of Business Development Tonja Jenkins.