Friday, Feb. 29, 2008
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In This Issue
NBFAA News
Registration Now Open for Inaugural ESX
Excitement is building as the industry gears up for the Electronic Security Expo (ESX) being held this June in Nashville. ESX 2008, co-sponsored and co-owned by NBFAA and CSAA, is the only event targeted exclusively to the needs of security integration and monitoring companies.
ESX is all about your success – helping you maximize revenues, profits and company value! To enhance your success, your peers and NBFAA leadership created a training program designed for all levels of security professionals. There will be 56 seminars covering the following topics:
- Sales and Marketing
- Systems Integration
- Installation and Service Management
- Fire Alarm Systems
- IP-Enabled Security
- Central Station Operations
- Business Development Management
ESX 2008 also includes the finest and most inspirational assembly of special events and the latest in electronic security and life safety products. The conference will begin Wednesday, June 25 and run through Friday, June 27 with the expo being open June 26 and 27. NBFAA’s Summer Conference will be held in conjunction with ESX and will begin Monday, June 23. Go here to check out all the NBFAA events that you won’t want to miss.
In addition to substantial discounts to NBFAA members, there is an early bird special if you sign up by May 30th. For more information, please visit the ESX 2008 Web site at www.esxweb.com or call toll free (866) 891-7239.
Take a Stand on the Hill
Registration is now open for the 2008 NBFAA Day on Capitol Hill.
This unique event is an excellent networking opportunity and allows the collective experience and abilities of the electronic life safety and security community to come together to support common causes.
For those flying to the event, NBFAA has negotiated a discount for our members through American Airlines for flights to and from D.C. between April 27 and May 4. Attendees should go to www.aa.com to make their flight reservations. Enter the promotion code A4448AP for the NBFAA discount.
The dates for NBFAA Day on Capitol Hill are April 29-30, but the deadline for hotel reservations and event registration is April 4. Space is limited, so don’t delay. For more information about the event go here.
Be on the Lookout for Your 2008 Membership Kit
NBFAA has been mailing out the 2008 membership kits for new and renewing members. If you haven’t yet sent in your renewal dues, do so today. If you have any questions about your renewal, or how to gain the most benefit from your NBFAA membership, contact Mike Hampton, NBFAA membership retention specialist at (888) 447-1689 or via e-mail to mikeh@alarm.org.
Take Your Company to a Higher Level
Business Enhancing Skills and Tools (B.E.S.T) webinars – brought to you by NBFAA’s National Training School (NTS) and The Summit Group – will offer unique interactive business training through a series of twelve 90-minute webinars (one per month) beginning in May.
Each B.E.S.T webinar will provide expert information on a specific topic, followed by questions, answers and interactive exercises with the participants. Participants will receive additional consulting in a conference call two weeks from the initial webinar to reinforce the real-life experience of the business concepts.
- Securing Your Piece of the Pie
- Developing a Roadmap for Business Success
- Playing the Name Game
- Finding and Developing Your Secuirty Company's Niche
- Good to Great Employees
- Alarm Company Marketing that Works (No REALLY)
- New Business in All of the Old Places
- Inside Project Management: The Art of Job Scheduling
- Transforming Customers from Satisfied to Advocates
- Mining for Prospects
- Building Your Company's Team
- Building Your Security Company's Referral Network
Stay tuned to Member Update and other NBFAA communications for more information on this program.
You'll be Glad to Know...
NBFAA is actively building its membership and becoming an even stronger voice within the industry. We are currently reaching out to fellow professionals that will benefit from the great networking, resources, and professional opportunities that NBFAA members receive.
However, in our efforts to expand our membership, you may inadvertently receive an invitation to join NBFAA, even though you may currently be a member in good standing. Why? Our computer sometimes fails to match your name and address, as it appears on the mailing, with the name and address under which your NBFAA membership is recorded. This can occur with misspellings, home versus business address, change of address, nickname versus proper name, and a variety of other reasons.
If you are currently a member, please know that we have you in our database as a current member and that we value your continued support. If you ever receive a mailing asking you to join NBFAA, please return it to us. We can then compile an additional list with a variety of versions of your name, and dramatically decrease the possibility of you receiving solicitations to join.
NBFAA appreciates your understanding during our growth, as well as your continued support!
Gain Honor and Prestige through the First Line of Defense Award
Day after day, security and life safety companies work with local law enforcement and fire agencies around the country, to save lives, prevent property damage and make the world a safer place to live in. Although these success stories may seem commonplace, they represent the positive contribution of the industry to instill a sense of safety in our workplaces and our communities.
The First Line of Defense program, sponsored by NBFAA, was instituted to bring light to these success stories and give consumers an idea of how valuable an alarm system can be.
Each year, NBFAA honors one company with the First Line of Defense Award in recognition of their efforts in preventing a potentially serious situation. If your story is the winning entry, you and your customer will be flown out to Nashville to attend the awards ceremony, which will take place in June at the inaugural Electronic Security Expo (ESX). In addition, your story will be featured in NBFAA publications, and your company will receive a local and national publicity campaign.
For more information on the First Line of Defense Award and complete contest rules or to nominate your company, visit NBFAA’s Web site at www.alarm.org or call (888) 447-1689. Go here to download an entry form.
NTS Offers Flexibility for Your Workforce Training
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NBFAA offers both online and classroom courses through the National Training School (NTS). These industry-specific programs are designed to give your employees the knowledge and real life skills needed to work in the field and with customers. The sessions are quick, concise and filled with valuable realistic approaches to everyday problems. |
Please use the following to contact NTS:
Send any hard copy correspondence to NTS at the following address:
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CERTIFIED ALARM TECHNICIAN (Level 1)
- March 4 – 6 – Fort Wayne, Ind.
- March 4 – 6 – Oklahoma City, Okla.
- March 5 – 7 – Greensboro, N.C.
- March 6 – 8 – Greenville, S.C.
- March 7 – 9 – Cullman, Ala.
- March 11 – 13 – Philadelphia, Pa
- March 11 – 13 – Pittsburgh, Pa.
- March 11 – 13 – Seattle, Wash.
- March 12 – 14 – Phoenix, Ariz.
- March 12 – 14 – Rochester, N.Y.
- March 12 – 14 – Brooklyn, N.Y.
- March 14 – 16 – Chattanooga, Tenn.
- March 17 – 19 – Columbus, Ohio
- March 18 – 20 – Tampa, Fla.
- March 18 – 20 – Boston, Mass
- March 19 – 21 – Ofallon, Ill.
- March 25 – 27 – Detroit, Mich.
- March 28 – 30 – Kenner, La.
PRACTICAL ELECTRONICS (LEVEL 2)
- March 6 – Fort Smith, Ark.
ADVANCED BURGLAR ALARM TECHNICIAN (ABAT)
- March 7 – 8 – New Haven, Conn.
- March 4 – 5 – Ft. Walton, Fla.
- March 11 – 12 – Atlanta, Ga.
- March 12 – 14 – Elmsford, N.Y.
FIRE ALARM INSTALLATION METHODS (FAIM)
- March 4 – 5 – Fort Smith, Ark.
- March 7 – 8 – Jackson, Miss.
- March 12 – 13 – Providence, R.I.
- March 7 – 8 – Memphis, Tenn.
LIFE SAFETY CODE COURSE & WORKSHOP (LSC)
- March 14 – 15 – Manchester, N.H.
- March 29 – Memphis, Tenn.
ELECTRONIC ACCESS CONTROL (EAC)
- March 6 – 7 – San Leandro, Calif.
- March 21 – 22 – Jackson, Miss.
VIDEO SYSTEM TECHNOLOGIES (VST)
- March 4 –5 – San Leandro, Calif.
- March 14 – 15 – Memphis, Tenn.
- March 12 – 14 – Brookfield, Wis.
CONTINUING EDUCATION COURSES
- March 29 – NH County, Conn.
NBFAA & Chapter Calendar Highlights
The Day on the Hill Hotel Deadline Nears
The 2008 NBFAA Day on Capitol Hill approaches and everyone is preparing; have you booked your hotel room yet? For those attending the Day on Capitol Hill, we have arranged a block of rooms at the St. Gregory Luxury Hotel & Suites for a rate of $249.00 per night. For reservations, call (202) 530-3600 or (800) 829-5034 and mention you are attending the NBFAA event. The deadline to reserve your hotel room is April 4.
For a complete schedule, visit www.alarm.org.
Chapter News
GELSSA’s Quarterly Meeting a Success
By: Brad Glore - GELSSA District 4 Representative
Friday night, we kicked everything off with a party of 30 for dinner at Lady & Son's, which is one of Paula Dean's places. I had heard rumors that this place was over-rated...they were just rumors! The food was very good and the quality of conversation and members was outstanding.
Saturday was the official meeting. It was only GELSSA's sixth and it was the most attended meeting ever.
Comments about our guest speaker's presentation were all positive. I think everyone learned a thing or two about protecting our company and employees. For example, we all learned we could be fined if our technicians are not ladder certified – and it must be documented.
John Loud was with us again. He did a great job of informing everyone about the work GELSSA members are doing on the alarm ordinance front. Like it or not...cities ARE passing ordinances. We can either be pro-active NOW & HELP get sensible ordinances passed... or we can remain silent and be forced to deal with unreasonable rules, policies, and fees later
Even though the meeting is mostly serious and professional, there always seem to be a well-timed comment from the peanut gallery (i.e. Alan Motter, Dan Gordon, John Loud, Chuck Price, etc.) to keep the atmosphere relaxed, fun, and friendly.
Mike Latty, bless his heart, thinks he is Swiss-made-time-piece and was a bit disappointed when the meeting ran long by 7 minutes and 14 seconds. He always does a good job of keeping everything moving along and on track.
The next meeting will be held Saturday May, 10 in Columbus, Ga.
2008 Officers Announced in Connecticut and North Carolina
Connecticut Alarm & Systems Integrators Association
- Bob McVeigh, Security Solutions Inc.
President - Jason Sokol, Monitor Controls Inc.
1st Vice President - Dana Klesh, United Alarm Services, Inc.
Treasurer - Erik Turnquist, Standard Security
Secretary - Stephen Goldberg, Alert Security Inc.
Regional Vice President - Andrew Wilson, Fireworks, LLC
Regional Vice President - Michele Fredericks, CT Home Automation
Regional Vice President - David Wilson, Berkshire Alarm
Regional Vice President - Howard Legge, Dynamark/Protect America
Regional Vice President - Jeff Barter, The Alarm Company
Regional Vice President - Todd Carson, Linear Corp
Associate Member Representative - James Carey, Honeywell Automation & Control Solutions
Associate Member Representative
North Carolina Burglar & Fire Alarm Association
- Tom Vermillion, Down East Projection
President - Dick Harpster, Central Security Systems Inc.
Immediate Past President - Jerry Tester, Security Alert
Vice President - Johnny York, Alarm Team
Treasurer - Mary Smith, Daniels Monitoring Services.
Secretary - Sam Fiske, Smoky Mountain Systems, Inc.
Director – West - James Lee, Alarmguard Security
Director – West Central - Bob Gray, ADT Security Services
Director – East Central - Roy Dean Harris, Carolina Phone and Alarm, Inc.
Director – East - Colleen Kochanek, Smith Moore LLP
Attorney - Carole McLester, NC Burglar & Fire Alarm Association
Executive Director - Jay Stone, The Systems Depot
Associate Member - Ross Felton, Honeywell
Associate Member
Member Benefit Spotlight
Did you know that your NBFAA membership gives you automatic discounts that you and your company can use? This month we are featuring BuyerZone.com, an Internet sales lead company. And, as a member, your activation fee is waived and you receive a 10 percent discount on all sales leads. This is one of the many member benefits we offer, so give one a try today!
 (888) 393-5000 www.buyerzone.com |
BuyerZone.com is Your Premier Source for Sales LeadsFounded in 1992, BuyerZone’s online purchasing marketplace attracts buyers proactively seeking product and pricing information across more than 125 product and service categories, including commercial and residential security systems. The BuyerZone ‘Request for Quotes’ process asks key questions about each buyer’s specific needs and purchase timeframe, allowing BuyerZone to make a qualified match to the most appropriate security providers with their supplier network. With more than three billion dollars in purchasing transactions facilitated through BuyerZone.com through 2004, BuyerZone’s service delivers a high return on investment for more than 7,000 national and local suppliers. |
Industry News You Can Use
The Hardest Part of AMPS is Convincing the Customer
Analog signals, once beamed from cellular towers and commonly used by cell phones, were discontinued this week in another move toward the digital revolution.
Full Story
Fire Chief Luther Fincher joins SIAC Team
The Security Industry Alarm Coalition (SIAC) recently announced the addition of Fire Chief Luther Fincher (Ret) to the SIAC team.
“We are quite fortunate and most honored to have a fire professional with his qualifications and stature on our team. I'm very excited to have his vast knowledge, experience and network of contacts available to us. I will be attending key national and state meetings in the future with Luther as we slowly integrate SIAC into the professional fire community. He'll be assisting us with all aspects of our limited fire agenda this year,” explained Stan Martin, SIAC executive director.
Member News
Brink's to spin-off Brink's Home Security
Often the recent target of investing groups who were critical of share prices and the company's strategic plans, The Brink's Company announced this morning that it will be spinning off the Brink's Home Security unit. The home security unit has provided residential alarm installation and central station monitoring services nationally.
Full Story
Calling All Old Dictograph Dealers!!!
 Sam Cohen and Sam Phillips, Dictograph partners, Indianapolis, Ind. and Mitch Resnick, Dictograph Corp. during the presentation of the Mitch Resnick award to Cohen and Phillips in Miami Beach, Fla. 1969. |
On June 26, during the ESX convention, there will be a dictograph Dealers Reunion held at the Marriot Renaissance Hotel in Nashville. This is a chance for all the dictograph dealers to get together and reminisce about the good old days.
Details: Each attendee will be responsible for their own hotel reservations. Each attendee will be responsible for their dinner costs, travel, etc.
- 4:00 – Dictograph Dealers Cocktail reception and Connection
- 6:00 – 7:45 – NBFAA 60th Anniversary Tribute Celebration
- 8:15 – Dictograph Dealers Dinner (location to be determined)
Hope to see you there!!!
Alarm Detection Systems Wins 2008 PDQ Award
Congratulations to NBFAA member, Alarm Detection Systems, Inc. (ADS), of Aurora, Ill, for winning the 2008 Police Dispatch Quality (PDQ) Award, by the Security Industry Alarm Coalition (SIAC) and the False Alarm Reduction Association (FARA). Co-sponsored by Honeywell Security and Security Sales & Integration Magazine, the PDQ Award recognizes the security company that best demonstrates a proactive and cooperative effort to reduce unnecessary alarm dispatches.
ADS was chosen as the winner due to their voluntary implementation of such alarm reduction strategies as the installation of CP-01 compliant control panels, use of Enhanced Call Verification, making contact with customers after every false alarm, the creation of a dedicated alarm reduction team that compiles statistics on alarm usage, individual review of accounts with alarm issues, and site visits to customers with a high number of unnecessary alarm dispatches.
ADI Dealer Wins New BMW
ADI recently announced Larry Petruzzi, president of Wired to the Max in Columbus, Ohio, won a brand new 2008 BMW 335i Coupe. Petruzzi’s entry was one of more than 8,000 entries received during the year as part of ADI’s customer appreciation sweepstakes initiative.
Each year, ADI runs a customer appreciation sweepstakes with the grand prize of a high performance vehicle to show thanks and demonstrate its appreciation to customers.
Petruzzi has been in the security industry for more than 22 years, and a customer of ADI for 21 years. Petruzzi and his team are regular customers at the local ADI branch in Columbus.
Vector Security’s National Accounts Division Announces Two Key Management Additions
Vector Security has announced the appointment of Rex K. Gillette to the position of Director of North American Sales at its National Accounts Division. In his new position at Vector Security, Gillette will assume all responsibilities for the further development and execution of a national account oriented North American sales campaign.
Gillette will report directly to Michael T. Grady, Vector Security’s senior vice president in charge of the National Accounts Division. “We are extremely pleased to have a person with Mr. Gillette’s background and professional experience become a valuable member of our team,” said Grady.
Vector also announced the addition of Richard “Kip” Stewart to its National Accounts Division’s operations team, to assume the newly formed position of Key North American Accounts Manager.
Under this new position, Stewart will work directly with Vector’s project managers on select Vector Security accounts to better coordinate a number of vital operational duties regarding project scope, communications and project completion; and will become a significant support resource for customers and for the operational staff. He will report to Vector’s Operations Director, Clay Masur.
Stacey Oikle and Aaron Black Join DMP
Stacey Oikle has joined Digital Monitoring Products (DMP) as the organization’s new Regional Sales Manager for New England, responsible for sales in her six-state region.
“Stacey has great hands-on experience with systems integration,” said Vice President of Sales, Jeff McAleer. “She knows this business well, and will be a great asset to our company as she supports her customers with the outstanding products and service they’ve come to expect from DMP.”
Aaron Black has joined DMP as the organization’s new Regional Sales Manager (RSM) for the Texas Territory. Prior to joining DMP, he gained extensive product-related and account management experience as the regional manager for two other security firms. In his RSM position, he will develop new business and support DMP authorized dealers throughout the State of Texas
“Aaron has two strong points that will serve him well in his new position,” said McAleer. “First, he really knows security systems, drawing on years of past industry experience. And second, as a native Texan he’ll have a good understanding of the special requirements and expectations that dealers in his region are likely to have. I am confident that Aaron will do a great job of providing his customers with outstanding service to back up the outstanding products available from DMP.”
NBFAA and Members in the News
Members in the News
ADS Goes to Atlanta
Security Systems News
NORCROSS, Ga.—With the Feb. 15 acquisition of SecurNet Protective Services, located here, ADS Security established an office in a major metropolitan market for the first time.
Full Story
RSI Trumpets Copper Problem with New Site
Security Systems News
WHITE BEAR LAKE, Minn.—With a wireless video solution poised to tackle the problem, RSI Video Technologies, maker of the Videofied product line, is looking to draw the security industry’s attention to copper theft, which now represents a $1 billion headache in the United States.
Full Story
For Member Update
Sponsorship information, contact
NBFAA Senior Director of Business Development Tonja
Jenkins.
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