Merger weds integrator to alarm, monitoring cos.

WARRENDALE, Pa.--A merger late last year brought together integrator InterTECH Security, run by security industry veteran Chris Wetzel, and two smaller players in the Pittsburgh area's residential and commercial market, owned by a company interested in expanding its investment in the security industry. Those companies, Lifelink Security, of Johnstown, and Premier Security, of Pittsburgh, are owned and managed by Petnuch Partners, a holding company, and both have been in business for 15 years. After the merger, the companies will operate under the holding company, newly named InterTECH Security Group. Lifelink will remain in Johnstown, while Premier's staff will move to InterTECH's headquarters here. "Our goal is to integrate the companies and truly become one company," said Matt Petnuch, who began working with Lifelink and Premier earlier this year and is now vice president of sales for InterTECH Security Group. "We want to build a platform to become a company that's five, six or seven times the size we are now," he added. Lifelink and Premier have more than 6,000 customers throughout the United States, and 1,200 in this region of Pennsylvania. Wetzel said that the five-year-old systems integrator expects to do $9 million in business in 2005. He said Pittsburgh-area customers generate $6 million in revenue. The new management team includes Petnuch, his brother Ron Petnuch, who is chief executive officer, Mike DeVinney, vice president of operations and Wetzel, chief operating officer. "Premier and Lifelink do what InterTECH doesn't do," said Matt Petnuch. "InterTECH was strictly in the integration market," he said. Lifelink and Premier offer expertise in the small commercial and residential market. Lifelink also brings with it a central station. Wetzel started InterTECH in 2000 after spending 15 years working for another Pittsburgh-area company, Guardian Protection Services. His business partner in InterTECH, Ray Ramey, sold his interest in the company as part of the merger. Terms of the deal, announced in late November, were not released. However, Matt Petnuch did say that when Petnuch Partners bought Lifelink and Premier less than two years ago, it was the holding company's first foray into the security industry. Its other investments are in the motor sports and shipping industries. "The merger is a way for Petnuch Partners to further diversify their investment portfolio," he said.