Archive: June 2012
This Blog's on Fire (And Other Stuff)
Alarm.com announces milestone
June 29, 2012Tess Nacelewicz
In its early years, Alarm.com had so few customers that it used to ring a bell in the office every time one signed up, in order to get employees motivated, Steve Trundle, company president and CEO, said this week at the ESX show in Nashville.
But now the 12-year-old Vienna, Va.-based provider of interactive security services has far too many active subscribers to announce each one individually. So the company held a party at the show so Trundle could announce just how many: more than 1 million as...
This Blog's on Fire (And Other Stuff)
Getting to know the media can improve ROI
June 28, 2012Tess Nacelewicz
Erica Wood, co-owner and chief security officer of Dayton, Ohio-based American Fire & Security, said she kept getting turned down by a business newspaper in her community when she tried to get it to publish news about her company.
It wasn't until she met with the publication's editor that she found out the paper only wanted stories focused on business growth. Now Wood knows how to tailor press releases about her company to win the interest of that publication.
Talking to editors and...
Ackerman Security closes $75 million credit facility
June 27, 2012Tess Nacelewicz
ATLANTA—Ackerman Security Systems announced this week that it closed a new $75 million credit facility.The five-year financing is led by RBS Citizens. Capital One is the syndication agent and TD Bank also participated.The super-regional, based here, last month announced its plan to double its revenue in five years. “The financing allows for continued and aggressive internal account generation, the possibility of entering new markets and the possibility of acquisitions, which potentially...
SIAC, AzAA praise Phoenix alarm program
June 27, 2012Rich Miller
FRISCO, Texas—Nearly 85 percent of alarm users in Phoenix did not have any false alarms in 2011, the result of a cooperative effort by the city and the Arizona Alarm Association that saved the city more than $2.8 million, according to the Security Industry Alarm AssociationThe city's alarm management program includes education about best practices, along with a $17 per-panel registration fee and fines for alarm owners who generate multiple false alarms. The city also holds alarm schools to...
CSG acquires Texas-based Lakeshore Alarm
June 27, 2012Rich Miller
TULSA, Okla.—Central Security Group has acquired Lakeshore Alarm Service of Texas in a deal that brings CSG more than 1,000 accounts in one of its fastest-growing markets.The purchase of Lakeshore, a 9-year-old company based in the Houston suburb of Conroe, dovetailed nicely with CSG's current acquisition strategy, said Glenn Albers, vice president of dealer operations for CSG.“We're always looking for the right big deal, but my focus remains on the dealer program and fold-in acquisitions,...
The best of ESX: And the winners are ...
June 27, 2012Rich Miller
Just off the show floor after a very busy Wednesday at ESX, starting with the CSAA Excellence Awards Breakfast. There were a number of great seminars throughout the day and the floor was abuzz with networking. I assume everyone saved a little energy for the ESX Crawl �
I'm about to get out there myself to sample a little of that Nashville hospitality, but I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the award winners who highlighted the day. For those who might have missed it:
CSAA Central...
World Wide likes connected home offering
June 27, 2012Tess Nacelewicz
GARDEN CITY, N.Y.—World Wide Security/GC Alarm has been selected by Honeywell as one of its First Alert Professional dealers to introduce Tuxedo Touch to the marketplace, the company announced last week.
“We're getting it out the market now and we're getting a good response,” Joe Ingegno, VP of World Wide/GC Alarm, based here, told Security Systems News. “We did a lot of the program to beta test the product and we were the most familiar with it, so it was easier...
Fenway Park turns 100, with help from AFA
June 27, 2012Tess Nacelewicz
BOSTON—Fenway Park, home of the Boston Red Sox and one of the oldest and best-known ballparks in the nation, turned 100 years old in April. Timed with the anniversary was the completion of a 10-year renovation plan for the ballpark—a job that included the design and installation of an emergency voice/alarm communications network throughout Fenway Park and its associated buildings by AFA Protective Systems.“I think it's pretty cool,” Joe Golini, AFA sales supervisor, told Security...
This Blog's on Fire (And Other Stuff)
Day 2 at ESX: Looking ahead, on technology, leaders, and sales
June 26, 2012Tess Nacelewicz
“Forward thinking.” That the term that Hank Groff, national director of Pittsburgh-based Guardian Protection, used today when I asked him about his impression of the second day of the ESX show, being held here in Nashville.
Groff told me that's a theme he's noticing at the show, and said it dovetails nicely with Guardian's approach to the latest technology.
“We're really driving our dealers to sell everything cellular and mobile app technology,” he said.
He also said a Texas...
Meet me at MAMU
June 26, 2012Martha Entwistle
What the heck is MAMU?
MAMU is a friendly little mobile app competition and meet up at the ESX show.
The Mobile App Meet-Up will take place Wednesday, June 27 from 3:45 - 5:00 PM in Booth 729 on the show floor.
What will happen? Exhibitors will do three-minute demos their mobile and tablet applications and then attendees will vote on which app they think their customers would value and would make them money.
Fun idea, don't you think?
These are the companies participating: Axis...