Partnership is the theme of this month’s issue. Whether it is the relationship with your vendor partners, distributors, consultants or industry associations, the key to traveling down the path to greater profits as a security dealer or integrator is leveraging these connections for the greater good of your company and your customer.
Admittedly, not every security project can be a “poster child” for partnership, but for those projects that display the key aspects of collaboration among integrator, end-user, vendor and beyond, there’s a forum for recognition. “Integration, cooperation and collaboration have been the foundation blocks that have built the Security Innovation Awards (SIAs) reputation over the previous eight years,” says our editorial director, Steve Lasky.
Collaboration is king when it comes to the SIAs, as the growing sophistication of physical security collides with the evolution of the network. The result can be some of the most impressive security projects ever seen. In just the past three years of the SIAs, prominent security integrators such as Minuteman Security Technologies, Tech Systems Inc., Dallmann Systems Inc., and Schneider Electric have been honored for their role in often massive-in-scale security projects. Tech Systems, in fact, has been recognized in each of the past two years.
“Every project featured a unique challenge that was not only met by cutting-edge technology solutions, but with meticulous project planning and collaborative efforts from all involved,” Lasky said after last year’s awards at the Secured Cities Conference. “The quality and intricacy of the integrated security solutions evolve each year, and we are excited to showcase these projects, as well as the security professionals who bring them to fruition.”
If anything, security integrators who complete such tasks are entitled to the recognition that comes with them. If you don’t have the bandwidth to personally enter your company in the SIAs, encourage your vendor partners on your most collaborative projects to do it instead. Recognition is a good thing.
Here are some more details on the awards, which are coordinated by Lasky, who is also the conference director for Secured Cities: Security Technology Executive (STE) magazine, in coordination with Secured Cities, the public/private partnership initiative event for public safety and security, are honoring the most innovative deployments the security industry has to offer. For the ninth year, security, risk, emergency management and law enforcement professionals, along with systems integrators and PE firms are invited to showcase their unique projects.
Companies involved in winning projects receive well-deserved recognition at the Secured Cities Awards Luncheon at the Crowne Plaza Reliant Hotel in Houston on Nov. 12, 2015.
The Innovation Awards parallel the focus of the Secured Cities event; thus, project submissions are being sought from the following five public/private partnership sectors: Municipal/urban business districts and/or policing districts; K-12, colleges and university campuses; healthcare facilities and campuses; transportation authorities; and general corporate enterprises.
A panel of security and public safety industry experts will select and honor Gold award winners in each of the five categories. The committee will also select an overall Grand Platinum project from the finalists, which will be featured on the cover of the Nov./Dec. 2015 issue of STE.
It is easy to enter — please visit http://securedcities.com/awards.php for more details.
Paul Rothman is Editor In Chief of Security Dealer & Integrator (SD&I) magazine (www.secdealer.com).
