Archive: November 2011

FORT WORTH, Texas—Hawk Security Services' staff is a major reason the company has been able to nearly quadruple the number of customers it serves from 12,000 to about 45,000 since being acquired by Interface Security Systems in 2005, according to Mike Shirley, company regional VP.“Mainly I think it's hiring good quality people and trying to go out and grow the sales engine,” Shirley told Security Systems News about the success of the company, which is based here and also has offices...

In this economic downturn, many security companies have bemoaned the fact that new housing starts are down. But Honeywell has formed a new partnership with Toll Brothers, a nationwide builder of luxury homes, that gives Honeywell an exclusive way to tap into the new construction market's lucrative side. Here's more from the news release that Melville, N.Y.-based Honeywell issued today: Honeywell has reached an exclusive agreement with Toll Brothers, America's Luxury Homebuilder, to provide its broad...

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz.—The economic recession took a toll on Safeguard Security, a family-owned, 50-year-old security company based here. Its annual revenues dropped from $34 million in 2008 to $29 million in 2010, company president John Jennings said.However, he said he expects Safeguard's revenues to rebound to $30 million by the end of this year, and said the downturn provided important lessons for his company.“It's been the hardest couple of years since I've been in business, but it's...

I wrote last week about the loss of industry icon, John Mabry, 74, who died Nov. 18 in a car crash. I recently received a copy of his moving obituary, which recounts many of his numerous accomplishments, and also describes Mabry, a Florida resident, as “ a lovable curmudgeon” who will be “long remembered for his outgoing personality, wry wit, high integrity, patriotism and strong dedication to family and friends.” The obit also recounts some of his trademark saying, known...

Whew! It just doesn't stop. First, there was the news in October that Verizon had launched to its broadband customers nationwide the home security product it had debuted in January at the Consumer Electronics show. Then I just wrote about Time Warner Cable and Frontier Communications now joining other cableco and telecom companies in launching home security/home automation offerings. And now AT&T has entered the security space, according to a recent report of the Atlanta Business Chronicle. Here's...

SOUTHBURY, Conn.— SecuritySpecifiers.com is expanding. Managing director Ray Coulombe announced Nov. 21 that he's launching a complimentary new service on the site, a comprehensive online database of security industry equipment and software suppliers.“So far what we have is the largest online database of consultants. … What was missing [as a resource in this industry] is a place to go online and find a list of industry suppliers and their products,” Coulombe said.The database...

YARMOUTH, Maine—Time Warner Cable and Frontier Communications are now joining other cableco and telecom companies in launching home security/home automation offerings.Time Warner is selling its IntelligentHome security and home automation system in upstate New York, Southern California and North Carolina, according to a recent report by the Democrat and Chronicle, a Rochester, N.Y. newspaper.Also in Rochester, N.Y., Frontier is teaming up with ADT Security Systems to offer a variety of ADT...

CAMAS, Wash. and FAIRFIELD, N.J.—The monitoring industry's Automated Secure Alarm Protocol (ASAP) got a big boost recently when Underwriters Laboratories and Intertek both announced that the new program meets the requirements of the National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code (NFPA 72).ASAP, developed by the Central Station Alarm Association (CSAA) and the Association of Public Safety Communications Officials, has been deployed in Houston, Richmond, Va., and York County, Va., with plans to take...

YARMOUTH, Maine—Industry members are mourning the death of John Mabry, who died Friday in a head-on vehicle collision in Georgia while en route to visit family in that state.Mabry, Central Station Alarm Association (CSAA) president from 1981-1983 and also a longtime ex-officio board member, is being remembered this week for his expertise and dedication to the industry, and for his warm personality.“It's a big loss to the industry, no question, a big loss to ADS, and a big loss to me personally,”...

OREM, Utah and BOCA RATON, Fla.—They've had the same private equity owner—Golden Gate Capital—since 2009, but traditional model company Devcon Security and summer-sales model company Pinnacle Security have always maintained separate operations, until now.At a Nov. 11 employee rally in Orem, Utah, executives from both companies announced that the two companies will have a much closer relationship starting in 2012.“What we're announcing is a shared services agreement, where...