A PSA about PSA TEC

I admit that I had trouble coming up with a title for this week’s blog. But a comedian’s schtick that wrapped up the second day of PSA TEC 2023 just a couple of hours ago triggered a light bulb in my head. But more on that later.

It’s been a very busy couple of days here in Dallas as I experience my second PSA TEC conference. More than 400 integrators and PSA technology partners have assembled at the Hyatt Regency in “Big D” for PSA’s annual education and networking get-together.

PSA TEC commenced on Monday with the Welcome Reception. This year’s kickoff event was a little different than last year’s reception in Denver. Instead of everyone gathering in one room to network, companies hosted attendees in their own suites - some with specific themes like LenelS2’s tropical paradise – showcasing their latest products while simultaneously offering appetizers and drinks and even hosting cornhole tournaments (Thank you, Eagle Eye Networks).

After a long day of flying in the morning and networking at the Welcome Reception on Monday night, I began my Tuesday morning posting my Day One experiences on social media before heading to an education session focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace – a topic that Security Systems News has certainly championed through its partnership with The Monitoring Association (TMA) in presenting the DEI Leadership Award.

It was then on to one of my favorite sessions from last year’s PSA TEC – PSA TECTalk. I call this session "speeddating for integrators" because it allows integrators and technology partners to sit at a table for 10 minutes at a time to discuss technology and partnerships before rotating to the next table.

There were 40 tables in all, with companies such as Alarm.com, Altronix, Hanwha Vision, HID, Intel, and Milestone Systems engaging with attendees to discuss how they could do business together. Just a great concept that PSA developed last year, and I was glad to see it come back in 2023!

Following TECTalk, it was time to give out some awards, and time for me to take the stage. For the second straight year, I had the honor of announcing the winners of the PSA Security Network/Security Systems News Integrator of the Year and Bill Bozeman Awards during PSA’s technology partner awards luncheon. 

The winners are posted on our website, but in case you haven’t had a chance to check it out, here’s a recap of our 2023 winners - DSI Security Services captured the Integrator of the Year award in the small business category (up to $5 million). Integrator of the Year in the medium business category ($6 million to $25 million) went to ECD Systems, while SAGE Integration received the award for Integrator of the Year in the large business category (over $25 million).

It was then time to present the Bill Bozeman Award. I asked the legendary Bill Bozeman himself – the former longtime CEO of PSA and SSN Security Legend Award winner (2019) – to come on stage to help present the award named in his honor.

And the winner of the Bill Bozeman Award was – drumroll please - Preferred Technologies, based out of Houston. Preferred Technologies, or Pref-Tech for short, submitted a tremendous presentation that really overwhelmed the judges (me included) and was truly deserving of receiving the overall prize. Congrats to President Shaun Castillo and his crew!

From there I needed some “alone time” to announce the Integrator of the Year/Bill Bozeman Award winners on our site and on our social media channels.  

Up next on my itinerary was listening in on a “State of the Industry” panel discussion, moderated by PSA CEO Matt Barnette, on what is happening in the marketplace right now, as well as the challenges and opportunities that systems integrators, manufacturers, and security professionals are facing or taking advantage of currently. Always one of the more popular sessions at PSA TEC, and this year was no exception.

Okay, I promised I would get back to the comedian. Engineer/stand-up comedian Don McMillan, a semifinalist on last year’s America’s Got Talent, took the stage on Night Two of PSA TEC. One of his bits compared terms used in 1974 – the year PSA was founded – and how those terms mean something completely different in 2023.

One of the terms he compared was “PSA,” as the acronym more commonly stood for public service announcement in 1974, while PSA in 2023 for those in attendance represents the world’s largest consortium of professional systems integrators.

I have enjoyed being at PSA TEC for the second year in a row, so I’ll issue my own PSA – public service announcement, that is – and say that PSA TEC is a can’t-miss event.