We want to congratulate Jamie Orvis, president of Security Solutions Inc. in Wilton, CT, and David Koenig, partner with Capitol Lock Inc. in Madison, WI, for winning the Morris F. Weinstock Person of the Year Award and Sara E. Jackson Memorial Award respectively.
As an industry professional who has been traveling to ESA (formerly NBFAA) meetings since the age of ten , Jamie was destined to achieve great things on behalf of the industry. It is through years of such great achievements, that he earned the the 2009 Morris F. Weinstock Person of the Year Award which was presented to him during the Weinstock/Jackson Awards Ceremony and Reception at the Electronic Security Expo (ESX) in Pittsburgh.
First presented in 1970, the Morris F. Weinstock Person of the Year Award is nationally acclaimed as the most prestigious honor in the security industry. In memory of Morris F. Weinstock’s contributions to the industry, this award is presented in grateful appreciation for outstanding individual achievement and continued efforts on behalf of the association and the industry.
Jamie began his alarm career at the age of five when his father set him up to assemble door and window switches while watching the Howdy Doody show. As a high school student, he worked summer jobs as an installer for local alarm dealers and was also the business assistant for the family business, Alarm Technology Distributors (ATD), overseeing ordering, inventory, reselling and billing.
As president of Security Solutions, Inc., he became very involved in the state association serving as CASIA (formerly Connecticut BFAA) president, regional vice president and treasurer. In 1998, Orvis took his drive and leadership skills to the national level. He served three terms as ESA (then NBFAA) vice president, from 1998 – 2004, and chaired the Public Relations Committee. While chairman, he helped develop and launch the First Line of Defense award. In 2003, he was part of the team that created the seven-year strategic plan for ESA. He also served on the Convention Committee and chaired the Ad Hoc Committee on Chartered State Association relations.
After his years on the executive board, he turned his attention to ESA’s foundation, the Alarm Industry Research and Educational Foundation (AIREF), devoting the past seven years to AIREF as the treasurer. Shortly after becoming treasurer, Orvis recognized the need for AIREF to establish an income source in order to fulfill its mission of funding research and education. Along with Bart Didden, he founded the AIREF Golf Classic. The tournament has, to date, raised more than $500,000. This money has gone toward valuable industry research and new and updated courses for ESA’s National Training School. He continues to serve as AIREF treasurer.
In 2008, he received the President’s Award from then-president George Gunning for his dedication to ESA and the industry and for his work as AIREF’s treasurer and co-chair of the AIREF Golf Classic.
“Jamie has shown true leadership by serving on the ESA Executive Committee as well as the AIREF board. Because he has worked so hard co-chairing the AIREF golf tournament, the industry is able to benefit from the Rutgers Study and other studies conducted on behalf of the industry and NTS has been able to release two new classes and update another,” said Michael A. Miller, ESA president. “He’s also a gracious host, taking me under his wing when I first started my journey as a new ESA board member. The work he’s done on behalf of ESA makes him truly deserving of this award.”
Orvis’ dedication and work on behalf of the electronic security industry, his leadership on both the state and national level, and his work on committees, as treasurer of AIREF and as co-chair of the AIREF Golf Classic, have earned him this distinguished award. As the 2009 Morris F. Weinstock Person of the Year recipient, he exemplifies the qualities and characteristics the award was designed to acknowledge.
Sara E. Jackson Award
The winner of the Sara E. Jackson Award, David Koenig, has been involved in the security industry since 1981, beginning with Mid-Wisconsin Security as a central station dispatcher. He has held a number of management positions in firms large and small that have provided a variety of security services including electronic access control, burglar and fire alarm systems, uniformed security officers and patrol services, central station monitoring services and locksmithing. His experience includes sales, system installation, project management, design, budgeting, consulting and business management.
David serves the association and the industry in many capacities including treasurer of the ESA Executive Committee, assistant treasurer for the ESA Political Action Committee and executive committee liaison to the ESA Education and Training Committee. However, it was his work as chairman of the ESA Budget/Audit Committee and chairman of the Investment Committee for which David is being recognized.
As chairman of those committees, David oversees the creation of the association’s operating budget for approval by the Board of Directors. He ensures the accuracy of financial statements and disclosures and works with an independent auditor on financial issues and policies. He also serves as the investment fiduciary, responsible for the prudent management of the association’s investment portfolio.
“David is able to look at a problem, analyze it and present a solution on a global scale and communicate it to everyone in a simple format so that it is easily understood,” Mike said. “I am proud of David’s work and on behalf of ESA, he is my clear choice as the Jackson Award honoree.”
The Sara E. Jackson Memorial Award is named in honor of the 1950-51 ESA president and is presented annually to an ESA committee chair who has displayed outstanding leadership.
