Back with a Vengeance

They say that whatever happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas. But I’m going to go against the grain and say that my blog is all about what happened in Vegas last week at ISC West 2022.

When I landed in Las Vegas, I had a feeling that security industry professionals were itching to get back to the premier trade show of the year after the COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted attendance at ISC West in 2021. After five days in “Sin City,” it’s safe to say that my projections were pretty accurate, to say the least, and that’s not a bad thing!

Approximately 22,000 attendees flocked to the Venetian Expo last week for ISC West as the trade show floor was jam-packed with more than 500 exhibitors showcasing the latest technology and solutions that the security industry has to offer.

I was completely awe-struck at the amount of foot traffic throughout the week, and when I witnessed this mass of security humanity at ISC West, I felt like screaming out the classic line from the 1980s horror film classic “Poltergeist” – “They’re baaaackkkkk!”

Let me tell you about my amazing week in Vegas. It started with a VIP event hosted by the Moms in Security Global Outreach, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting victims of human trafficking. I’ve written about these four amazing security moms – Elisa Mula, Antoinette King, Janet Fenner, and Min Kyriannis - in previous blogs, and I’m proud to say I’ve attended every event they’ve coordinated, and I don’t plan on missing any future events, either.

The Moms in Security event was a lot of fun, highlighted by an Elvis impersonator who belted out the King’s classic songs for almost two hours. In addition, I was able to network with several security industry professionals - some of whom I met previously, while also fostering new connections - which is just so invaluable when your responsibility is to report on all the good things going on in our industry.

On to the DMP (Digital Monitoring Products) Owners Forum the next morning, during which executive managers of DMP’s top dealers gather each year to not only network, but also listen to notable speakers on how to grow their businesses. Two very informative panel discussions and a keynote speaker who touched on the five factors that make up the “Ultimate Customer Experience” - Play Offense, Stop Selling, Promise/Performance, Go Negative, and Reciprocal Respect - sandwiched around the Dealer of the Year Awards, added up to a very successful event.

From there it was a combination of corporate press breakfasts, dinners, cocktail receptions, educational sessions, awards presentations, and of course, the trade show itself, that myself and my Security Systems News colleagues enjoyed throughout the week, as only ISC West can!

One unforgettable event that I must talk about separately was one of the highlights of my week in Vegas – participating in the Mission 500’s Security 5K/2K Run/Walk. Speaking on behalf of my SSN colleagues, it was an honor to support and participate in Mission 500’s annual run/walk to help underprivileged kids across the U.S. When I heard that more than $90,000 was raised for children in need, I was beaming with pride knowing that our publication was a proud sponsor of this event, and that the SSN team was on hand to walk and support Mission 500’s cause.

As my first, and certainly not my last, ISC West experience drew to a close, I really felt that the synergy created in Vegas last week was the start of a resurgence for the security industry as a whole. ISC West 2022 was a much-needed jolt, a shot in the arm if you will, for those who made the trip to Las Vegas.

Let’s hope that these industry events, like the one SSN will be hosting in less than a month’s time - SecurityNext in Nashville (yes, another shameless plug) - will continue to bring security professionals together and foster invaluable relationships by meeting in person, rather than sitting in front of a computer screen. Can’t wait to see everyone in “Music City” next month!