'20 under 40' 2013 - Stephanie Wagner

Stephanie Wagner, 31
Licensing and compliance manager; field operations training and support,
The ADT Corp.
Boca Raton, Fla.

How did you get into the security industry?

Actually it's kind of funny, being in the security industry I thought was going to be kind of a temporary job while I was looking for another job. I started with Brink's Home Security in South Florida in 2003. [Brink's became Broadview Security, which was acquired by ADT in 2010].� I started as a tech. I never thought of security as my job but, honestly, when I came to work and met everybody from sales to operations to the administrative staff, everybody's personality was very infectious. Everybody was family-oriented and we all had one goal, and that was to save people's lives. So who wouldn't want to come to a job that's just happy and saving people's lives? It's very rewarding.

Who or what in the industry has inspired you most in your security career?

I've been blessed with incredible senior leadership and management in the organization, among them Keith Patterson, Charles Fisher, Brent Uhl, Barry Bruce and Jaye Beattie. They were all exceptional senior managers that really mentored me and I can't thank them enough for my success because they really challenged me. They had faith in me and they valued my opinions and wanted me involved.

What can be done to boost the ranks of young people in the industry?

I think really that we need more communication and also to elaborate on the technology that we offer. Also, I don't think people realize how much opportunity there is for growth and advancement in this industry. As you can see, within 10 years, I started as a tech and now I'm a manager in field operations traveling around the United States. This became a passion of mine. It's not even work. I just love it.