CAA symposium to feature four top industry execs

SAN FRANCISCO—Leaders from four security companies will speak at an executive symposium at the California Alarm Association's 2012 Winter Convention, to be held here Dec. 5-8.

The symposium, slated for Friday, Dec. 7 from 1:30 to 3 p.m., will include Todd Santiago, CEO of 2GIG; Todd Pedersen, CEO of Vivint; Tim Whall, CEO of Protection 1; and Bruce Mungiguerra, VP of sales and dealer development for Monitronics.

This will be the 11th year in a row that the convention lineup has included the symposium. George De Marco, chairman of ESX and former owner of Greater Alarm, will moderate the event.

“Since its inception in 2001, the executive symposium has attracted top business leaders from the electronic security industry, providing a forum for these thought leaders to share their insights on future industry trends,” De Marco said in an email interview with Security Systems News.

De Marco added, “This year, our lineup consists of four diverse, seasoned executives who have proven themselves as effective change leaders by successfully challenging the industry status quo and driving operational excellence throughout their organizations. I look forward to sharing the stage with these security professionals and hearing their valuable insights on the future direction of the industry.”

Jerry Lenander, executive director of the CAA, echoed that sentiment, adding that the executives featured this year are active in studying the patterns of where the industry is and how it might evolve.

“Part of the purpose is to give them a forum, since our attendees tend to be owners or senior managers,” Lenander said. “Getting a group like this together is of interest because execs do a lot of work in long-term planning, strategic planning and research.”

In addition to the executive symposium, the Winter Convention will feature a keynote presentation by Joe Arpaio, sheriff of Maricopa County, Ariz., and a tribute dinner for Patty Hartman, a former two-term president of CAA, who will be honored as the recipient of the 2012 George A. Weinstock Award for her contributions to the security industry.

The convention will be co-located with the ESA Young Security Professionals Conference. Meetings for that conference will take place Thursday, Dec. 6 from 8 a.m. until noon.