40 under 40: Amanda Goethe, Miller Electric

In just a short time, Amanda Goethe has certainly made her mark in the security industry, especially for someone who “kind of fell backwards” in her career path.

Goethe, 32, currently serves as assistant project manager with Miller Electric, a systems integrator based in Jacksonville, Fla. With just about one year in her current role, she is responsible for the day-to-day account management of service and security project installs for clients, with her main clients including GuideWell (a Florida-based mutual insurance holding company), St. Johns County Schools, and the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office.

“Within Miller Electric we are responsible for ‘tip to tail’ account management, from quote to installation to final bill,” Goethe explained.

“Sideways” Career Path

Goethe graduated from the University of Florida’s Weimer College of Journalism, and after a very brief stint in TV news (behind the scenes), she took an entry-level job in corporate real estate.

“My degree is in journalism, but I kind of fell backwards into the security industry,” she said. “After a sideways career move, I wound up in the facilities/security sphere. My passion has always been project management [PM], and I was fortunate enough to be offered a job of PM work on the customer side in the security world. I was able to turn that into a career with Miller Electric and feel very fortunate to have landed here. 

With a little under one year in the role and at this wonderful company, I feel like this is truly a dream job and the start to a long career path within the security industry.”

Going Digital

When asked what the top trends are in the security industry today, Goethe immediately responded, “Digital everything.”

“The brick and mortar of traditional security work will continue to dwindle,” she noted. “Bodies will be replaced by cameras and video intercoms being remotely managed. The innovation in the industry will continue to drive the market towards more remote management and less of the ‘traditional security model.’”  

She added that visitor management technologies are something to look out for in the future.

“In 10 years, there will be no need for a ‘receptionist’ any longer, as most of these programs are trending towards the kiosk technology,” she pointed out. “Once you create a comprehensive system of workflow, there will be very little need for a traditional receptionist role. These will be replaced by video intercoms that may ring to someone a city, state or country away.  Adding in the ability to cross reference these databases with law enforcement agency databases, and you will safeguard your sites against potential unwanted intruders or disgruntled ex-employees.”

Empathy

As the war against COVID-19 continues, Goethe noted that “perseverance and compassion” are the keys to success in the security industry during these uncertain times.

“Everyone is experiencing some of the most troublesome and concerning times in their lives and in our tumultuous world,” she explained. “If you can’t see the other person’s point of view, whether it be a de-funded project from budget cuts or a canceled vacation from travel bans, you will only ever see the glass half empty. Remember the other side of the coin and try to think of others as much as possible; you never know what a little empathy may glean.”

New Terminology

Goethe offered up a change in terminology when asked what could be done to get more talented, diverse young people involved in security.

“Calling it ‘security’ really makes it sound one-dimensional,” she said. “There needs to be new terminology for what this industry is developing into. The wave of technology that is sweeping along can attract all walks of life, from software developers to field engineers to construction project managers. If the industry ‘re-branded’ and showed its new true colors, I think we could see a shift of who was attracted to this line of work.”  

Industry Views

Looking ahead, the innovative nature of the security industry will continue, according to Goethe, with more and more automated technology being developed for facilities.

“The IT [information technology] of things is only going to increase, and most likely exponentially,” she said. “Security has been changing for a few years and will simply continue to innovate. There will be more and more ‘smart buildings,’ and with that comes the need for all things automated. Whether that be the ALPR [Automated License Plate Readers] license plate technology to open the gate to the parking garage, or the facial scanner to let you into the building instead of a SEOS card.”