If sprinter Usain Bolt—the man who holds the world 100-meter sprint record at 9.58 seconds—thinks he lives life in the fast lane, he should try keeping pace with the rapidly changing commercial security field. Gary Osterhout and Michael Kotwicki, managing partners in GO Security Solutions, a division of Go Technologies Inc., based in Ashland, Mass., know that fast-paced accurately describes today’s security industry.
“Security equipment, like all technology products, changes and upgrades at a rapid pace,” Osterhout said. “Sometimes it is difficult for the less technically savvy end-users to adjust to the changing technological landscape.”
GO Security specializes in electronic access control, video surveillance, alarm and mechanical security solutions, but most of all, in plying their trade via the world’s leading technologies. Their job is to keep both their business clients and their own staff ahead of the technological pack. With that mantra, it is, indeed, a fast track they are running.
To finish first, Osterhout stays on the lookout for good network-capable equipment and cloud-based services. He said he sees continued migration of his business in the direction of becoming a cloud-based services company. “There will always be a need for licensed field technical support,” he said. However, in the next five years he said he said he expects to see much of the on-site server based equipment not residing at the client’s location.
The cloud, he predicted, will be the home of many security services. There are other changes in the wind, too. The firm has recently expanded its mechanical access control offerings by adding such products and services as patented high-security master key systems and door hardware. It is one of the many recent innovations the company has embraced since Osterhout became fascinated with the security business.
From the beginning
Osterhout got started in security after developing a solid electrical and computer engineering background.
“I became very interested in the intricacies of commercial security systems,” he said. From there, it was not a long time before he noticed that there was a need for quality sub-contractors in the industry. As a result, he founded Go Technologies Inc. in 2002.
“As a subcontractor to many security system integrators, I had an opportunity to establish myself as a dependable sub-contractor,” he said. Soon he became one of those valued integrators that general contractors could look to for handling their most challenging installations.
Osterhout and Michael Kotwicki first formed their partnership when Kotwicki was working as a sales executive at a local security systems integrator. At the time, Go Technologies Inc. was still a one-man operation. “We worked on several CCTV projects together,” Osterhout recalled. They officially joined forces in 2009 and, at that time, they re-launched Go Technologies Inc. as GO Security Solutions.
The company is proud to hold the requisite low-voltage licenses in all of the states in New England. The company also carries a Master Electricians license in Massachusetts, Maine and New Hampshire.
People at GO keep it growing
“We are fortunate to have the employees we do because without them, our success would not be possible,” Osterhout said.
It is not just technology that is moving fast in the security field. In addition, there has been a great deal of recent consolidation, merger and acquisition activity within the security integrator space.
“We believe there is enormous opportunity for privately owned regional security integration firms like ours who can service the client at the highest level,” Osterhout said. He finds that some of the larger, national security integration firms seem to struggle with consistency—from quality installations to service. “This is where GO succeeds and capitalizes,” he emphasized.
GO was named to the first SD&I Fast50 ranking of America’s Fastest Growing Systems Integrators and placed in the top 20 ( www.securityinfowatch.com/sdifast50), showing strong revenue growth and thriving during several of the roughest years on record for the economy.
“Because we have grown our customer base so rapidly, I think our biggest challenge moving forward will be to implement systems internally to help streamline our processes,” Osterhout said. “We believe this will help ensure continued healthy growth and enhance the clients experience from the sales opportunity, through job execution and post installation service.”
Osterhout said they strive to follow the Golden Rule of business: Service the client as you would want to be by offering expert consultation and products at a fair price.
