PSA-TEC wrapped up its 2012 conference and educational sessions in Denver with some 800 registered guests and more exhibitors than ever before in the history of its event. With some 50-plus educational sessions, including certification classes, there was no shortage of cutting-edge topics that kept rooms packed with attendees. From sessions with top-level executives on mergers and acquisitions, security as a service, cloud computing and more, integrators set their sights on the future of the industry at the show, which was held in Westminster, Colo., just steps away from PSA Security Network headquarters.
Kicking off the show was Dean Meyer, executive vice president of the Buildings Business of Schneider Electric, Palatine, Ill., who at the opening general session and evening keynote address admitted Schneider Electric and its Pelco brand were guilty of not moving quickly enough with IP cameras, a strategy that has since been reversed and has now put the camera manufacturer squarely into the fold of network surveillance producers. He said the company has worked hard in research and development into IP technology to change the perception of the firm as an analog-only producer and instead, has become a highly competitive network camera device manufacturer.
Other notable ‘tidbits’ from show:
Evan Hackel, president of Ingage Consulting, Woburn, Mass., gave insights into cooperatives, what works and what doesn’t, and how PSA Security Network members should strive as much as possible to buy from their co-op to boost their overall purchasing power.
Jeff Kessler, managing director of Imperial Capital LLC said that in 2012 “expect to see a dramatically accelerated number of acquisitions/activity in the security industry, including small to large buys.” Kessler commented that integrators should buy on EBIDA (earnings before interest, depreciation and amortization) and not solely on recurring monthly revenue (RMR). He also spoke about the past year being quite historical in that many high-level executives at integration firms moved out of their positions. On the last day of PSA-TEC it was announced Marty Schnurr had been named president of Stanley Convergent Security Solutions North America, Naperville, Ill., replacing Tony Byerly.
Chuck Wilson, executive director of the National Systems Contractors Association (NSCA), Cedar Rapids, Iowa, led a panel discussion on selling mass notification. Integrators were urged to hone their skills on principles of audio and intelligible communications in order to capture increasing demand for mass notification and emergency communications (MNEC). NSCA has an 88-page guide on its website on guidelines for audio systems. Wilson also pointed attendees to the site: www.mnec.org as a central clearinghouse for information governing MNEC specifications, including current and pending UL and NFPA as well as building code standards.
Brian Lohse, co-founder and vice president of business development for Secure-i Inc., Des Plaines, Ill., spoke of security as a service and how hosted and managed video are often rolled together into ‘hybrid solution.’ He added that SaaS 70 certification is a key third party metric for end users looking for secure services from cloud providers.
