After 50 Years as a Pirate in the Security Industry, Here's What I Learned
My name is Ric McCullough. Fifty years ago, I was a sluggish, meandering young adult. I had just earned my BA in Economics. I was on a six-year plan to get that degree with a minor in Business Management. The job opportunities afforded to me were mostly in the banking field, and if I closed my eyes, I swear I could hear my future self singing – yes, singing about saving my “Tuppence.”
In other words, a dreadful and boring future life was laid out for me.
At that same time, I was a strolling pirate troubadour at the world-famous Accomac Inn – located on the Susquehanna River and built in the mid 1750s. Not only was it historic due to age, but it was also just gorgeous, and the food was all top shelf (and a la carte – fancy!). Bone-in ribeye’s starting at $100, matey.
So, the job choices, as I saw it, were in banking, running away and joining the circus, or sticking with my highly lucrative job playing my guitar and singing pirate love songs so sad they would make your dog cry.
I chose Door C, matey, the troubadour one.
I buttoned down my guitar and set sail for New York City, where I had lined up several key interviews with talent agencies that did not end well. I figured that with my degree and my money management skills, I could manage my own career and travel the country singing, playing, and bending the elbow for an ale or two.
After hitting my head against the brick wall multiple times on multiple occasions, I decided that music was fine as a hobby, but I needed a real job that paid real wages. I had fallen in love and was newly married with a growing family – it was time for the late nights and cries for encores of "Freebird" to find a new captain.
New Lands, New Opportunities, New Skills
Through a series of fated events, I eventually procured a role at IDenticard Systems as a card production specialist and then as a sales rep in Pittsburgh. The three-state area that made up my territory – Western Pa., Northern Ohio, and Western N.Y. – was the most desired sales territory in the country, as steel was collapsing and glass had already collapsed…and rubber moved to Mexico (Goodyear, Goodrich, General, and so on). GOOD TIMES!
It was at that point, having accomplished all I could, that I abandoned my music career and concentrated solely on security. Now, at 70 years of age, I can look back at my life – the mistakes, yes, but also the great judgment I used to find work in the electronic security systems industry, which I came to love and know so well.
Here are a few examples of how this seemingly mundane industry started to show me a romantic and adventurous side. All hands-on deck, me hearties, as we chart a course through memory lane.
The Wye River Conference
To the untrained eye, everything seemed normal about this prestigious and exciting card-oriented side of the security business. Behind the scenes, it was a frantic rush to satisfy and please our customer, the U.S. Department of State. Our D.C. sales rep, Brian Allen, received final instructions late on a Friday afternoon: The Wye River peace conference, where U.S. President Bill Clinton mediated negotiations between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, would begin the following Wednesday.
That left us just three business days to assemble complete video imaging systems and produce secure credentials for one of the most sensitive diplomatic gatherings in the world. Every clearance mattered.
IDenticard was called at the last minute, and there was no backup plan. If credentials were delayed or inaccurate, world leaders, federal agencies, and dignitaries would not gain access. The pressure was enormous. And so, we went to work.
We pulled off what felt like a miracle. Not only did we complete security credentials for attendees from Israel, Palestine, our own State Department, and President Clinton, but we executed flawlessly under extraordinary pressure.
That performance led to lasting trust. In the years that followed, we rebadged the FBI, DEA, U.S. Marshals Service, State Department, U.S. embassies around the world, and a special batch of cards for nine Supreme Court Justices and two alternates. What began as a last-minute call became years of partnership and future business.
We were just kids trying to make a living…man, oh day, did we ever.
Sometimes it Pays to Spend
If you’ve ever gone to a restaurant, there's a high likelihood that you inadvertently "used" an IDenticard product.
At one time, IDenticard supplied hundreds of thousands of Micros cards annually to be used in POS (Point of Sale) terminals that were in just about every restaurant. This was not a "cheap" card by any means; rather, it was probably the most expensive card they could have purchased. Why did they choose this over less expensive alternatives? It was a high-quality card that could withstand the destructive elements of a restaurant, like extreme hot and cold temperatures, liquids, bending, and many other forms of abuse.
Competitors pushed cheaper options, but we sold durability and the long-term savings that came with investing in a card built to withstand harsh conditions. We also produced quantities in advance and held a reserve of inventory in addition to the scheduled shipments. These factors, along with meticulous quality control, enabled IDenticard to win this business year after year. There were too many heroes to name who won this melee.
This is one of the prime examples where a supplier has to do an impeccable job of selling cost (what is your investment in the product over its life) vs. price (what are you paying today).
The Hanoi Hilton Story
Mates, this yarn is a long tale of excitement, foreign lands, and great sales opportunities. The year is 2010. Gary Funck of Lancaster, Pa., and I – his first mate, Ric James McCullough – set sail to Hanoi, Vietnam, representing Edwards Systems Technology. You know, the people who invented all those red pull stations on telephone poles for you old-in-the-tooth pirates.
Our goal was to sell the Communist Ruling Party, headquartered in Hanoi, a countrywide national identification project. We prepared hard and thought we had all of our bases covered – from location and hotel to a translator, initial meetings with their scouting team, a dress rehearsal, and the final sales opportunity.
In the middle of our final presentation, the hotel’s power (electricity) spiked and blew up our ID cameras, laminators, and our only Epson ink-jet printer. We didn’t know a word of the local dialect, but it was crystal-clear the generals were not happy.
Everyone had expected to leave with their own personalized ID Credential. Unfortunately, the equipment failure meant that it would never happen.
We thought we would need to call Senator John McCain for guidance or negotiation. Having been in Vietnam for several weeks, we knew it was time to go home. Gary and I – along with our daily police escorts – hustled to the Hanoi airport, moved up our flights, and then said a prayer for our safe return home. We made it home with many a tale to tell.
Yes, this really happened.
PSA and a Lesson in EBITDA
When I left IDenticard in 2010 at age 55 after my position was eliminated, I knew I needed new seas to conquer. I chose Amazon as my next adventure, and within a year, I met a worthy captain in Bill Bozeman.
Bill, a former integrator with sharp financial instincts, opened my eyes to a side of the security industry I hadn’t yet explored. He soon introduced me to his band of buccaneers – Diana Hanna Bradley and Tim Brooks – and before long, I joined PSA Security Network and set sail with them. Diana managed the west, Tim the east, and I steadied the ship.
PSA was (and is) a consortium of system integrators that aggregates security products and services for its members and their end-users; however, Bill’s vision went far beyond buying power. He saw that most independent integrators operated like contractors, moving from project to project, focused on top-line revenue rather than profitability.
When it came time to sell their companies, many were disappointed to learn their value was based on EBITDA, not revenue. Bill worked tirelessly to help these business owners build long-term value through recurring revenue models, SaaS (still new at the time), leasing programs, and monitoring services. It was a game-changer, and the savvy leaders recognized it quickly.
One early example of that momentum came during the PSA-TEC conference, when Diana uncovered a multi-million-dollar opportunity to replace surveillance cameras at a major Las Vegas casino. The challenge? Our integrator member had a credit line far short of what was needed. We left the conference determined to find a solution, meeting with our CFO to secure expanded credit through PSA, which often served as a boutique banker for its members. We got it done. The deal closed, the cameras were installed, and it became a defining example of how trust, creativity, and partnership could unlock transformational growth.
Make Security Your Next Adventure
Now, as this 70-year-old pirate is sailing off into retirement, I need younger pirates to come aboard and captain our ships and opportunities. Call me, or just call anyone in the industry, because there are jobs and signing bonuses out there right now to attract new talent just like you.
My work here is done; yours is not. And we can’t let the tales of yonder wash away with the waves.
The future of electronic security is as wide open as the seas I once sailed – networking, AI, cloud computing, and technologies we haven't even imagined yet have fundamentally changed the way we protect people and property. There are more jobs and more work than there are people in the industry, and as technology continues to advance, it is just going to create a bigger gap between new jobs and newer employees.
I have loved every day of this industry, and I say “thank you” to anyone who helped me and served with me. We did good things.
To anyone reading this: this could be your story. I’m just a farm boy from Lancaster County in Pennsylvania. I have been to large and small countries because of this work. I am no one special; I just communicate well and sincerely love people. This could so easily have been your story, and more importantly, these careers are patiently waiting for someone just like you. Who knew what was in store for me?
There are so many opportunities in this electronic security industry that has been so good to me. Come aboard. You won’t regret it. Aye.
About the Author
Ric McCullough
Ric McCullough
Richard J. McCullough (www.linkedin.com/in/ricmccullough) is a 50-year veteran of the electronic security industry, having served as VP of Sales & Customer Service, COO, and ultimately President of PSA Security Network. If you ask Ric what matters most, he’ll tell you three things. First, he loves people. Deeply. He has built his career by learning from them, championing them, and mentoring some of the very best in the business. Second, he is endlessly curious about life, business, and family. He wakes up each day grateful and determined to learn something new, no matter where the lesson comes from. Third, he would tell you that his greatest joy is his wife of 40 years, Cynthia. Together they raised four remarkable children, and Ric still considers himself the luckiest man he knows.