'20 under 40' 2012 - Scott Holman

Scott Holman, 35
National account manager
Protection 1 Security Solutions
Romeoville, Ill.


How did you get into the security industry?

Through a friend of a friend, I ended up getting an opportunity with a manager's rep firm. I did some inside sales and some applications engineering support to integrators and I started to catch on to the technology and enjoy what I was doing. I was 22 and I got an opportunity to go to one of the major trade shows and I looked around … and said, “OK, I think you just found the industry you should stick in for long-term success.” I moved to ADT … then moved to over to Potter (Electric) as their product manager for their security line and then I got the itch to get back in sales. I started with Protection 1 a little over a year ago.

What can be done to attract more young people to the industry?

I think the technology is really cool. Something we've been working on is helping young people see this is not a boring industry, it's a technology-driven industry, and helping them see it's an industry that makes a difference in the lives of people. I don't think we stress that enough.

Who in the industry has helped you most in your security career?

There have been several over time, but I'm going to call him “my first boss who made a difference” and it's funny—he's my boss again. His name is Kevin Williams and he's our vice president of national accounts. Kevin was my boss when I started at ADT, and he helped me believe in myself from a sales perspective and to this day has made a difference in helping me understand time management and how to manage my priorities.