ESX 2010 addresses the industry’s most vital topics with valuable content from the industry’s best presenters. Fifty seminars are organized into the following tracks:

Business Development and Management Track

This track covers a host of powerful and dynamic sessions which will provide every employee in your company with the ideas and tools to make better decisions when it comes to managing and developing your business. Some seminars in this track include: “Good-to-Great Employees” and “Financial Accounting for Security Companies.”

Central Station Operations Track, sponsored by Sur-Gard

This track covers key topics from technology to procedures and techniques to management and development of central station operators. Some seminars in this track include: “Central Station Supervision and the Law” and “PERS as a Profitable Solution.”

Installation Management Track

This track is filled with pragmatic tips and processes for increasing the productivity and quality of the installation function, whether it’s installing alarms, access control or video systems. Some seminars in this track include: “Installation Estimating for Profit” and “The Substance, Impact and Future of NFPA 731.”

RMR Track

This track will help you get on top of methods to maximize and capitalize on RMR—whether it’s tied to traditional alarm monitoring, next generation monitoring of video, managed access control or even service and maintenance contracts. Some seminars in this track include: “Pricing and Selling Service RMR” and “Turning the iPhone and Remote Updates into RMR.”

Sales and Marketing Track, sponsored by Videofied

This track provides the expert strategies, tactics and practices you need to succeed. Some seminars in this track include: “High Impact Sales Management” and “Building Your Referral Network: Peer-to-Peer, Real-World Tips.”

Technology Track, sponsored by ADI

This track tackles the most compelling, opportunity-rich and challenging tech topics in the electronic security industry. Some seminars in this track include: “Migrating to IP Technology” and “Using Technology for Residential Lifestyle Enhancements.”

CEDIA Mini-Track

This track includes CEDIA courses that provide great primers on residential systems that are a natural extension of a home security integrator’s business. The CEDIA courses offered are: “Fundamentals of Residential Lighting and Lighting Control,” “Fundamentals of Multi-Room Audio Systems” and “Fundamentals of Home Theater Design.”

Young Security Professionals Mini-Track

This track tackles new and innovative approaches to security integration and monitoring and the challenges of leadership for a new generation of security professionals. The seminars included in this mini-track are: “From Soup to Nuts: An Employment Law Primer for Young Security Professionals” and “Next Gen Business Systems.”

All ESX Seminars and Workshops are available as a-la-carte purchases, starting at just $59 for members. Deluxe packages are also available to allow you access to all seminars, workshops and a number of special events.

Click here for a complete listing of seminars and their affiliated track.

Have you provided your staff with their share of industry training lately? If not, then head on over to NTS and order up some world-class training for your technicians and improve the quality of your staff today. NTS can even help you out with meeting the certification needs of your employees.

Complete course descriptions (and schedules) are available at www.ESAWeb.org in the Education & Training section. Individuals in states where classes are not currently offered, and who are interested in receiving training, should contact NTS.

KEY COURSES

CERTIFIED ALARM TECHNICIAN – LEVEL I (CAT – LEVEL I)

Available Online

• Feb. 26 – 28 – Bossier City, LA
• March 2 – 4 – Atlanta, GA
• March 4 – 6 – Cullman, AL
• March 9 – 11 – Pittsburgh, PA
• March 10 – 12 – Rochester, NY
• March 16 – 18 – Orlando, FL
• March 18 – 20 – Gulfport, MS
• March 18 – 20 – Utah
• March 19 – 21 – Milford, CT
• March 19 – 21 – Chattanooga, TN
• March 23 – 25 – Bettendorf, IA
• March 26 – 28 – Kenner, LA
• March 30 – April 1 – Charlotte, NC

TROUBLE SHOOTING, SERVICE AND MAINTENANCE (TSM)

• March 3 – 5 – Long Island, NY
• March 6 – 7 – Johnson City, TN
• March 10 – 11 – Des Moines, IA
• March 19 – 20 – Memphis, TN
• March 19 – 21 – Nashville, TN
• March 26 – 27 – Jackson, MS

ELECTRONIC ACCESS CONTROL (EAC)

• Feb. 26 – 27 – Jackson, MS
• March 25 – 26 – Montgomery, AL

VIDEO SYSTEM TECHNOLOGIES (VST)

• Feb. 23 – 24 – Indianapolis, IN
• Feb. 24 – 25 – Erie, PA
• Feb. 24 – 25 – Seattle, WA
• March 2 – 3 – Denver, CO
• March 2 – 3 – Chicago, IL
• March 10 – 11 – Detroit, MI
• March 10 – 11 – Philadelphia, PA
• March 16 – 17 – Milwaukee, WI
• March 17 – 18 – Boston, MA
• March 20 – 21 – Lafayette, LA

ADVANCED INTRUSION SYSTEMS (AIS)

Also known as Advanced Burglar Alarm Technician

Available Online

• March 6 – 7 – Lafayette, LA
• March 9 – 10 – Allentown, PA
• March 18 – 19 – Montgomery, AL
• March 27 – 28 – Nashville, TN

FIRE ALARM INSTALLATION METHODS (FAIM)

Available Online

• Feb. 20 – 21 – Monroe, LA
• Feb. 26 – 27 – Memphis, TN
• March 13 – 14 – Kenner, LA
• March 23 – 24 – Ft. Walton, FL

NEW COURSES

LIFE SAFETY CODE COURSE & WORKSHOP

• Feb. 20 – Mobile, AL
• March 24 – Birmingham, AL

NON-TECHNICAL COURSES

UNDERSTANDING ALARM SYSTEMS

• March 17 – Birmingham, AL

Looking for new employees? The Security Industry Recruiting center is the only job bank specifically designed for electronic security installation and manufacturing companies. Go to www.alarm.org and click on Security Industry Recruiting Center to find the qualified and talented help you need to fill your job vacancies.

The December 15 – January 15 State Legislative Report, researched and compiled by the ESA Government Relations department, is now available online. The report is located in the Members section under Government Relations at www.alarm.org. To access the report you will be required to log in using your member user login and password.

The report contains subject highlights of bills followed for the months of December 15 2009 – January 15 2010:

• 18 bills relating to Alarms
• 9 bills relating to Automatic Contract Renewal
• 4 bills relating to CCTV
• 55 bills relating to Licensing
• 2 bills relating to Taxes
• 2 bills relating to Line of Duty Act fees for Alarm Companies

Of particular interest this month:

• 2010 AL H 97, which relates to fire protection sprinkler systems; provides that a fire protection sprinkler system is not required in any unincorporated area in a single-story building that meets certain requirements;
• 2010 VA H 973, which relates to the Line of Duty Act; includes local employees disabled on or after January 1, 1966, in the definition of “disabled employee”. Provides that an additional surcharge of $0.05 shall be billed, collected and remitted in the same manner as the $0.75 fee, except that such funds collected shall be deposited directly to the Line of Duty Death and Health Benefits Trust Fund established pursuant;
• 2010 VA S 97, which relates to line of Duty Act; definitions; provides for funding for the Line of Duty Death and Health Benefits Trust Fund. This bill provides that an additional surcharge of $0.05 shall be billed, collected and remitted in the same manner as the $0.75 fee as specified in Section 56-484.17, except that such funds collected shall be deposited directly to the Line of Duty Death and Health Benefits Trust Fund; and
• 2010 MO H 1218, which specifies that the automatic renewal of a contract for service, maintenance, or repair to or for any real residential property intended for personal, family, or household use will be invalid unless a written notice is given to the customer 30 to 90 days prior to the renewal.

Questions or concerns regarding the information contained within the report should be directed to our Director of Government Relations, John Chwat at Gov.Info@alarm.org.

We ask that the information enclosed be treated as a member benefit and shared only within your organization.

As the founder or owner of your business, you create the vision but your employees define what the business is to customers. Are the majority of your employees meeting your expectations, and delivering the consistent level of service and professional productivity that you and your business require?  Are you satisfied with the revenue and profitability that each of your employees is generating for your business?

If your answer to both of these questions is “yes”, you are very fortunate indeed!

On the other hand, if you’re frustrated by employees who don’t reach your expectations…aren’t happy with your revenue and profitability, and are continually looking for good job applicants, you are not alone.

Because labor costs are typically second only to material costs, the tools and systems provided by Willow Creek Consultants (www.willowcc.com) have been proven to reduce labor costs and improve profitability.  By combining the best tools on the market with the latest technology in Internet-based delivery, even the smallest company has access to human resource capabilities typically found only in large corporations.  Programs from Willow Creek Consultants include:

• Labor law compliance
• On-line job applications
• Employee selection and background screening
• Performance evaluations
• Leadership development programs

Changing business practices involves risk.  Willow Creek Consultants has been successful at taking the risk out of change.  Our tools and systems meet or exceed all government requirements and are used successfully by over 35,000 companies worldwide.  We provide training seminars and newsletter articles to educate on simple tips and techniques that improve productivity at little or no cost.  Then, at no cost, we provide a 30-minute Confidential Needs Analysis to identify specific problem areas and improvement opportunities.  A no-cost demonstration allows you the chance to see how their programs provide immediate improvements, without adding administrative burden.  There is no long-term subscription or service contract to fulfill.  Assessment tools and support services are charged at an as-used price, with additional discounts for volume purchases.

To learn more visit our website: www.willowcc.com.  Or, give us a call at (208) 762-8638 or email Vicki@willowcc.com to request your free Confidential Needs Analysis. As an ESA Member Value Program, ESA members will receive a discount on consulting fees, from $120 per hour to $90 per hour, and a 10 percent discount on other services and products.

Willow Creek Consultants specializes in “maximizing workforce potential”.  The principals of Willow Creek Consultants, Steve and Vicki Wilson, have over 50 years of combined human resource experience.  Steve has been certified as a Staffing Specialist (NAPS) and a Professional Employer Specialist (NAPEO).  Vicki has been certified as a Professional in Human Resources (SHRM).

Tri-Ed COO Pat Comunale welcomes the Tri-Ed team to its Annual Sales Meeting.

Team Tri-Ed convened on Marco Island, Florida December 4th through 7th for its Annual North American Sales Meeting. With over 150 Tri-Ed staff and supplier partners participating, the weekend was a highly successful gathering for team-building and 2010 planning.

“Tri-Ed has an outstanding staff and tremendous partnerships with our suppliers,” says COO Pat Comunale. “I am so proud of their efforts and accomplishments. Our annual Sales Meeting is always a great opportunity for us all to come together as a team. As we look ahead to 2010 our cohesiveness and focus will give us tremendous momentum to execute again in the New Year.”

Tri-Ed President Steve Roth and COO Pat Comunale kicked off the meeting which included presentations by motivational speaker Gregg Baron and Olympic Gold Medalist Jeff Blatnick. Emmy-winner and Grammy-nominated drummer Tom McWilliams also inspired the crowd with an incredible guest performance.

The meeting featured regional breakout sessions, Olympic team-building activities with Tri-Ed employees and suppliers, and a Karaoke party complete with a Tri-Ed panel of judges. Many of Tri-Ed’s valued vendor partners supported the meeting with game show- themed training sessions, a tabletop expo, as well as event and entertainment sponsorships.

The weekend wrapped up with the annual Awards Dinner. Tri-Ed’s Boston branch took home the President’s Cup, and over 30 employees were honored with awards for their achievement.

Tri-Ed has served customers and the life safety security sector longer than any other distributor in the industry. As North America’s largest independent wholesale distributor of security and low voltage products, Tri-Ed offers superior customer service, same day shipping, flexible credit terms, online ordering, customer appreciation events and programs, technical systems support, and ongoing product training. For more information, visit www.tri-ed.com.

This glossary is provided to help you familiarize yourself with the links on the new Member Update. Please take a moment to learn about the increased functionality and capabilities of Member Update.

RSS Feeds – Stands for Really Simple Syndication and is a notification that goes to your email to tell you that something of interest has been posted. When you are on a favorite blog site or forum, you can sign up to receive notifications when someone has responded to your comment or when someone has posted information on a topic that is of interest to you.

Blog – A contraction of the term “Web log” and is a Web site that allows an individual to write their thoughts, descriptions of events or post material such as graphics or videos. Some blogs provide commentary or news on a particular subject while others function as personal diaries or journals.

Facebook/MySpace – Social networking Web sites. These Web sites allow others to network, meet new people and share personal profiles, blogs, groups, photos, music and videos.

Flickr – An online photo management Web site where people can upload their photos and share them with anyone.

LinkedIn – A business-oriented social networking site where users can interact on a more formal, business-to-business platform. LinkedIn can help people find new jobs,
employers find employees or find someone who can help with a specific job need.

Social Networking – A broad term for a way to meet people online. In the past, communication tended to be one-way with one person typing an email and another responding. Now, there can be many people communicating and interacting online at once. This interaction allows users to share their ideas, business contacts or resources with thousands of others and get their feedback.

Tag Cloud – A collection of words that describe the content of a Web site. The importance of a particular tag, or word, is denoted by using color or a different font size. Tags typically link to Web site content containing information specific to the word.

Twitter – A free social networking service. The difference between Twitter and other social networking sites is that Twitter communication can only be 140 characters long. The users send “updates” or “tweets” to the Twitter Web site via text message from a cell phone, instant messaging from a computer, or a third-party application such as Twitterrific.

YouTube – A video-sharing Web site where users can upload, view and share video clips.