Security DNA Live at ESX: Jeremy Bates on Building, Selling, and Now Leading the Industry

In this episode of Security DNA, recorded live on the show floor at the Electronic Security Expo (ESX) 2026 in Dallas, Editor-in-Chief Paul Rothman sits down with Jeremy Bates, incoming Chairman of the Electronic Security Association   (ESA) and Senior Vice President of Business Development at Pye-Barker Fire & Safety.

Jeremy came up through the industry the hard way, co-owning and growing Bates Security and Sonitrol of Lexington, Ky., into one of the most respected regional security companies in the nation before selling to Pye-Barker and joining the organization in May 2024. 

Now stepping into the role of ESA Chairman, he brings a clear agenda: expand education and training, build out the new ESA Research Center – including a newly hired economist – and demonstrate concrete membership value as the industry continues to consolidate.

In this conversation, Jeremy shares his priorities for ESA, including revamped education and apprenticeship programs; offers a candid take on industry M&A and what the hollowing-out of the mid-tier integrator market means for entrepreneurs; explains how Pye-Barker is shifting its focus from acquisition volume to organic growth; and makes the case for why video – particularly proactive video monitoring – is the technology trend most worth watching right now.

Topics covered:
• ESA's two-year strategic roadmap under new leadership
• The ESA Research Center and the hiring of an industry economist
• Apprenticeship programs and building a talent pipeline
• Membership growth amid aggressive industry consolidation
• Pye-Barker's acquisition strategy and the pivot to organic growth
• Private equity's role in the security industry and what good PE looks like
• Why video technology is advancing faster than any other segment
• How Pye-Barker is using AI internally – and the right way to think about it
• The three states Pye-Barker hasn't reached yet (alarm/suppression/sprinkler companies, take note)
• What makes ESX irreplaceable: peer-to-peer education and networking 

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