'20 under 40' 2013 - Joe Parisi

Joe Parisi, 39
Senior account executive, Rapid Response Monitoring Services
Syracuse, N.Y.

How did you get into the security industry?

I started a military career right after high school, which led me to pursue an electrical engineering degree. While I was studying for my degree I did an internship at a company called Detection Systems, which is now Bosch. I was assigned to the development team of the Radionics D6600 receiver. My internship turned into a full-time position, and that's what got me into the business. I've been with Rapid since 1999, going on 14 years.

Who or what in the industry has inspired you most in your security career?

I spent six years in the Marine Corps, so that gave me an introduction to life safety and commitment to a mission. As far as inspirations, there are two of them. The first is Jeff Atkins, the president of Rapid. His dedication to the industry and his pursuit of the latest and greatest technology is second to none. Also, my recent involvement with the New Jersey Electronics Security Association, of which I'm president. It gives me the opportunity to be in the trenches with the installation companies and interact more on a personal level with these guys. It's amazing to see the common interests and the common challenges, whether it's a one-man show or a major integrator.

What can be done to boost the ranks of young people in the industry?

Technology will continue to drive this industry. Most recently, we've seen the news highlighting the industry's capabilities during the incident in Boston—a ton of video clips and the introduction of thermal imaging. I think that's going to spark the younger generation to really see what the fire and security industry can do. As president of the New Jersey Electronics Security Association, we're taking it one step further. We're reaching out to vocational schools … to bring in the best of the best, and we're adopting them at the association level as student members. It's worked very well so far.