Sonitrol, a provider of integrated business security solutions, achieved a significant milestone this year by reaching 60 years in business.
The company will commemorate its six decades of achievements over the coming months. Sonitrol also marked the occasion by joining the Partner Alliance for Safer Schools (PASS) to work with the education community to better secure schools and create safer learning environments.
The story of Sonitrol began in 1963 when Robert Baxter met Al Cronk in Anderson, Ind. Baxter was an inventor who coined the name Sonitrol by combining the words sound and control, while Cronk was a local police officer who also owned an alarm company.
After discussing how they could help eliminate false alarms by using technology to listen-in and verify whether intruders were in a building, they founded Sonitrol in 1964.
“Like many successful businesses, Sonitrol was the result of a great idea that solved a problem,” commented Julie Beach, the company’s vice president. “Not only did Baxter and Cronk pioneer impact-activated audio sensor technology, but they took it to market via a franchise and distribution network.”
In 1968 Sonitrol sold its first franchise in Detroit and its first project was to provide a school security system.
Sonitrol soon became the largest franchise-based security network in the U.S. and now has a network of 71 franchises and 43 corporate offices across North America. The company says its network of expert dealers “provides cutting edge integrated verified security solutions for intrusion, video, access control and fire, providing some of the fastest police response times, lowest false alarm rates and the best apprehension record – over 187,000 and counting – in the security industry.”
Established in 2014, PASS is a non-profit group that brings together expertise from the education, public safety, and industry communities to support a coordinated approach to proven security practices specific to K-12 environments, while enabling school administrators and school boards to make informed decisions on security investments.
As a Tier 4 PASS Partner, which is the highest level of corporate partnership, Sonitrol joins a select group of organizations that share a commitment to supporting PASS's mission of providing resources, guidelines, and best practices to help create safer environments for students, educators, and staff.
“PASS continues to develop valuable resources, such as the PASS Safety and Security Guidelines for K-12 Schools, which serve as a cornerstone for proactive safety planning. Sonitrol’s support enables us to further our efforts in promoting comprehensive approaches to school safety, encompassing everything from infrastructure enhancements to emergency preparedness,” says Chuck Wilson, Board Chairman and co-founder of PASS.
“Together, PASS and Sonitrol will work tirelessly to ensure that schools remain safe, nurturing environments where students can thrive.’
Sonitrol will celebrate its 60th anniversary at its annual Sonitrol National Dealers Association (SNDA) Convention March 14-17 in Louisville, Ky. Dealers, employees and their families will gather to recognize the best in leadership, sales, marketing, administration, customer service, operations, human resources, and technical support throughout North America, the company says.
Attendees from the Sonitrol dealer network will also be able to take part in product education sessions and there will also be an exhibit hall with a variety of vendors.
There will also be a very special event at the famous Churchill Downs horse racing complex on March 15 to celebrate SONITROL’s 60th anniversary. An awards banquet will then be held on March 16, where various accolades will be presented to winners across the dealer network for their outstanding performance.
“2024 is a very special year for Sonitrol and our 60th anniversary provides an excellent opportunity to reflect on the company’s many achievements,” says Beach.
“Given that Robert Baxter and Al Cronk built the early franchise network around providing impact-activated audio detection technology to schools, becoming a PASS Partner is particularly appropriate, and we are honored to contribute to the collective goal of safeguarding our nation's educational establishments. The SNDA Convention is a great opportunity to celebrate SONITROL’s past, present and future, and I look forward to welcoming members of our dealer network to Louisville.”
