The Electronic Security Association's Electronic Security Expo (ESX) returns June 1-4 at the Irving Convention Center in Irving, Texas, and as it has been in the past, the show offers insight on the business of running an electronic security company – including recurring revenue, workforce challenges, and the fast-moving technology landscape.
ESX has always served a specific audience – leadership teams of independent and regional integration companies focused on building sustainable, recurring-revenue businesses. The 2026 program leans into that identity, with the RMR thread running through the majority of education and keynotes.
Here’s a quick preview of some of the highlights:
Main Stage Events
ESX 2026 opens its Main Stage programming on June 2, with the OpenXchange Breakfast (8 a.m.), where AI expert Jeff Schatten, Ph.D., will break down how artificial intelligence is already being deployed across the electronic security and life safety industry – in hiring, marketing, and field operations – and where it's headed next. ESA will also present its Youth Scholarship during this session.
The Keynote Luncheon follows the same day at 12:30 p.m., with author and innovator Diana Kander presenting "The Curiosity Advantage: How the Best Leaders Stay Competitive, Profitable, and Future-Ready." Drawing on her book The Curiosity Muscle, Kander will make the case that leaders who stop asking hard questions develop blind spots that cost them competitive ground. The ESA’s Sara E. Jackson Award will be presented during the Keynote Luncheon.
Another Tuesday highlight is the SIAC Awards Reception (5 p.m., Grand Ballroom), with the PDQ and William N. Moody Awards presented during the event.
Wednesday's General Session (10:30 a.m.) features three-time Super Bowl champion and FOX NFL analyst Daryl "Moose" Johnston presenting "Lift as You Lead" – unpacking how quiet, selfless leadership creates cultures where people take ownership and perform.
The ESA’s Morris F. Weinstock Person of the Year Award will be presented during the General Session, and that evening, the Weinstock Celebration (6 p.m. at the Rayleigh Underground) will feature a live band and a “Denim & Diamonds” theme.
The show’s Closing Luncheon (11:45 a.m., June 4), features Michael Barnes’ annual presentation of industry market data, including revenue trends, operating benchmarks, and capital flows.
Education That Mirrors Business
The education program at ESX 2026 is organized around four core tracks: Field operations, sales/marketing, management, and monitoring, as well as two focused topic streams in fire and RMR. The structure reflects the functional reality of how security companies operate, and the majority of the sessions are delivered in a peer-led format.
The field operations track targets operations managers, project leaders, and supervisors responsible for delivering projects on time and controlling costs. Sales/marketing focuses on brand development and go-to-market strategies anchored in RMR growth. The management track addresses KPIs, process improvement, and top- and bottom-line performance. Monitoring, always a priority at ESX given the RMR implications, covers profitability, innovation, and customer value delivery for both in-house and third-party monitoring operations.
The fire focus is a notable addition in 2026, reflecting the growing strategic importance of fire and life safety as an adjacent revenue stream for security integrators.
The speaker roster is drawn almost entirely from working executives at integration companies, including John Nemerofsky of SAGE Integration, Julie Beaver of Security Systems of America, Jack Doyle of Doyle Security, Scott Elkins of Zeus Fire and Security, Melissa Brinkman of Custom Alarm, and John Loud of LOUD Security, among more than 60 other respected names.
The Expo and Innovation Awards
The ESX vendor expo floor opens June 2 (2 p.m.) and opens again on Wednesday (Noon).
The ESX Innovation Awards, an annual highlight of the expo, recognize next-generation products and services representing meaningful growth opportunities for integrators, dealers, and monitoring professionals, with an independent panel evaluating entries on innovation, market relevance, user experience, and potential impact.
Innovation Award category finalists compete in the TechVision Challenge – a "Shark Tank"-style evaluation, with the winner and runner-up announced on the expo floor on June 2 at 2:15 p.m.
The event also includes networking and social events, such as the annual pub crawl, welcome reception, and more. Check out the full agenda and register at www.esxweb.com.
About the Author
Paul Rothman
Editor-in-Chief/Security Business
Paul Rothman is Editor-in-Chief of Security Business magazine (www.securitybusinessmag.com) and has been covering the security industry for various outlets since 2001. Email him your comments and questions at [email protected].