Integrators '20 under 40' 2017—Ryan Fritts

Ryan Fritts, 36

VP of technology and product security, ADT

Boca Raton, Fla.

Ryan Fritts says digital security “has always been an area of extreme interest for me, even when I was a developer before I got into the security industry—I felt that my interest there aligned well with the physical security side. If you look at the digital security and cybersecurity landscape, their value propositions are exactly the same as the physical security landscape, so it was an area of mutual interest, and marrying the two felt pretty natural for me.”

One of the most exciting technology trends he is seeing is the continued move toward IP and network connected devices, which “enables a lot of scale and new implementation,” he said. “With network-enabled product, you can leverage new scenarios and build new and innovative products that work together very seamlessly.”

That network connectedness also “opens up avenues for exploit that weren't there previously just as a function of the architecture, so it needs to be approached with due care on how it is implemented to be secure for end users.”

Fritts noted that this trend toward IP also helps to attract new talent. “From a technology perspective, things are moving forward quickly within the industry, which will draw in more young professionals.”

His current role at ADT is primarily focused on responsibility for product security. “I work with the product teams on the electronic digital security side and the physical security side of the products we sell, doing product evaluations and managing a lab that does our own internal penetration test for products. Also, I have responsibility for technology in our emerging cybersecurity offering.”

Prior to joining ADT two years ago, Fritts worked at Stanley Security for seven years, in a “sales operations and hybrid-IT role,” he said.