This is progress

Our 20 under 40 issue comes out in August, and it's going to be a hum-dinger (actually, it is a hum-dinger already, you just can't see it until it's printed). Working on it, there's been a lot of talk about how we bring not only young people into the industry, but also people from other walks of life (you know, not 55-year-old paunchy white guys).

Then I got the ESX photos in my email box.

I'm sorry, but something about this picture says that the security industry is moving in the right direction.



From left to right, that's Dean Seavers, CEO of GE Security; Cris Carter, Chairman of Carter Bros. (and he's done some other stuff, too); Bud Wulforst, president of the CSAA, and George Gunning, outgoing president of the NBFAA. Cool shot.

Now, if we could just get a woman into that picture...

ESX day 1 (with gory photo)

The first annual Electronic Security Expo got off to a rousing start yesterday, as the NBFAA and CSAA have collaborated on a first-rate event in a first-rate (if underappreciated) city.

First, the gory stuff. I, and my fellow editors Martha and Leischen, participated in the Tennessee BFAA-sponsored skeet shooting event yesterday, and it was (get ready for it) a blast! Having never shot a shotgun before, I have to say my performance of nailing 28 out of 50 clay pigeons is quite impressive, but I was also impressed with the way Kerry Egan, of Security Partners, handled a gun - her Pennsylvania roots clearly came to the front as she blasted orange discs out of the sky - and the way Dave Koenig, of Capital Fire, was the only other of our group of five to stick out the shooting to the bitter end.

Our guide Eddie was right: Never leave shells in the box.

Unfortunately, all that shooting left a mark (avert your eyes if pale white skin is abhorrent to you):



You should see the damage done to Leischen's shoulder, though. I'm guessing she won't post photos, but will at least post video of her shooting on her blog.

The shooting done, everyone headed over to the Country Music Hall of Fame for a reception that would honor the Sara Jackson and Morris Weinstock award winners. It was somewhat ironic that Frank Burke, of USA Alarm Systems, was cajoling us into attending on the bus ride back from the skeet shooting, telling us what high and illustrious awards they were, only to find him stepping up to receive the Jackson award with tear-filled eyes. He was also talking about how great it was to work with his sons, and then there they were to surprise him upon receiving the glass trophy. Great moment for him. Note also that Burke won the CAA's George Weinstock award in 2006. He's piling up the hardware.

Also a nice moment for Scott Colby, president of the Louisiana BFAA, who took home the Weinstock award. Unfortunately, his wife is ill and wasn't able to be with him, but you could tell he was extremely moved by the award.

The one thing I can unequivocally say for this industry is that it's a tight-knit one. In some ways, it can seem like a throwback to the 1950s, with so much grey-haired, white-male involvement, but you can't deny that people make you feel welcome here and know how to put on a great party. In the Hall of Fame, with the busts of Johnny Cash and Hank Williams and Dolly Parton surrounding us, there was a palpable feeling of good will and friendship that went beyond a business association. I think that's the kind of emotion that doesn't come through during an ISC West or ASIS show and what makes this new ESX event so important.

ESX unveils its "mystery keynote"

So, this new ESX show the NBFAA and CSAA are putting on in Nashville has been running with a "mystery keynote" promotion for the last month or so. Now, however, the cat (or should I say, Viking) is out of the bag: It's Cris Carter.

Good choice, I say. Not only is he one of the five best receivers to ever play professional football, but he's got experience speaking, thanks to his gigs on HBO and ESPN, and he should be pretty entertaining. Plus, oh yeah, he owns a big old security integration firm. That helps, too.

I blogged about him being the most famous guy in the security industry here, and interviewed his brother when they bought GE's fire installation business here.

Why ESX is dropping the "mystery" now, more than a month prior to the event, is an interesting question. With experience trying to land keynotes myself, I'm guessing the keynote was as much a mystery to ESX as it was to us until they landed Carter, probably about three days ago. Nothing wrong with that. I seem to remember ISC having some difficulty finding a keynote for last year's ISC East. It's ain't easy finding a keynoter who will draw attendees, have something interesting to say, and not cost you an arm and a leg.

As a Pats fan, I'm hoping Carter talks about the difficulties working with troublesome employees and mentions his dealings with Randy Moss. Something tells me Carter spent a lot of time wondering how he got stuck mentoring that dude.