Vector acquires in the Hudson River Valley

PITTSBURGH—Vector Security moved into the Hudson Valley area of New York for the first time with the acquisition, announced Feb. 8, of Poughkeepsie, N.Y.-based Hammond Security.

“We like the employees, the customers, and the market,” Vector president and CEO Pamela Petrow told Security Systems News. “We do business in Massachusetts, Northern New Jersey, Eastern New York, but we don't do the boroughs,” Petrow explained. “This acquisition in Poughkeepsie links us to accounts that are further north.”

Terms of the deal were not released. Founded by Mac Hammond in 1968, Hammond is a full-service business with a 60 resi/40 commercial split. Its commercial business includes providing fire, access, intrusion and video to small and large businesses. The company has 5,000 accounts, and close to 40 employees.

“We're keeping all of the employees and the [former Hammond office] location will become a new location for Vector,” Petrow said. Mac Hammond will stay on in a sales role. His daughter, Kim Sears, will serve as general manager for Vector's Poughkeepsie office.

“Our customers can be assured that the great personal level of service they have received over the past 40 odd years will be preserved, maintained and increased through our new association with Vector Security,” Sears said in a prepared statement.

Petrow said that the Hammond name is well known in the area and has a reputation for a high quality of service. She said they have a “tremendous false alarm reduction program.”

While Vector has a “fairly robust false alarm reduction program,” she believes Hammond will be able to share some best practices from their program.

The last time Vector did a major acquisition was when it moved into the Florida market with the acquisition of Certified Security Systems.

Petrow predicts more acquisition activity this year for Vector. “I think we'll be fairly active; we've had a lot of inquiries.”